Electives

The MBA curriculum provides space for four elective courses. Tailor your electives to one of the concentrations or choose courses based on your interests. Each year, we strive to offer a mix of consistent electives and new offerings based on student interest and industry trends. Below is a look at some of our consistent electives and anticipated future offerings. Elective options are subject to change.

MBA 539 Financial Modeling

The study of the theory and practice of corporate finance with specific emphasis on the evaluation and financing of capital expenditures. The goal is for students to become thoroughly competent in financial analysis and modeling using Excel. Topics covered include capital budgeting, sensitivity and scenario analysis, Monte Carlo simulation, capital structure, leasing and purchasing assets, cash budgeting, and pro-forma analysis for financial planning.

MBA 532: Mergers & Acquisitions

This course will focus on the financial aspects of M&A deals. Topics covered include purchase premiums, share accretion and dilution, hostile takeovers, leveraged and management buyouts, private equity, and initial public offerings. Also various valuation techniques will be evaluated and applied in case settings. Students will learn how to buy a business, which in most cases is easier than starting one.

MBA 539 Entrepreneurship & Innovation

In this course students will develop a command of entrepreneurial thinking and opportunity identification, through the context of organizational growth strategy and be able to articulate the types of innovation and the organizational contexts which affect efforts to develop disruptive business models and new products. Students learn to understand stakeholders’ motivations, internal processes, team structures, and technologies that shape the effectiveness of innovation initiatives and apply product design and development methodology to create a new offering, which addresses a true unmet need in the market. Students will communicate that new product, or new venture concept, through the utilization of cogent messaging, presentation structure, and the application of related financial tools.

MBA 539 Data Visualization

The course provides the skills to make the conversion from data to information to knowledge.  Although the coursework is about graphics and leveraging graphics to tell clear stories, the goal of the course is to provide a conceptual understanding of how humans process data and then use that understanding to create compelling stories that drive action. Students will work with spreadsheet, presentation, and data visualization software to reveal the data and create insights. Finally, students will learn how to design visualizations that remove the noise and let your data sing.

MBA 539 Marketing Analytics

In this course students will cover the key analytical frameworks used in modern marketing. From conceptual understanding to analytical tools to data visualization, students will gain a hands-on understanding - and demystification - of the applications of marketing analytics

MBA 534 Negotiations

This course aims to improve students’ understanding of negotiations in business. Students will use research findings from various fields including psychology, organizational behavior, judgment and decision-making, and communications to guide our discussions and role-play exercises.