This course introduces students to basic theories and principles of management. Emphasis is on effective organizational management practices and change strategies. Case problems and individual development tools will be used. Equivalent: Three semester hours of Principles of Management.

Through exploring today’s complex business problems, students will develop a critical thinking attitude while learning how to apply an array of critical thinking skills. Emphasis will be placed on using logical reasoning supported by qualitative and quantitative evidence to identify problems, evaluate alternatives, and justify decisions. It is expected that students will become better listeners, more capable communicators – both in writing and speaking – as well as better at reflecting upon their own thinking. The class is based on the premise that critical thinking and communication skills are best learned through practice. Being able to communicate across cultures is a highly sought-after skill for businesses today. You will learn to apply your emotional intelligence and cultural intelligence to make every cross-cultural interaction a success and demonstrate your emotional intelligence and your cultural communication competency.

This course is designed to introduce the student to three core areas of business: Economics, Accounting and Finance. As this course is intended for students pursuing a business focused graduate degree without prior business studies, these three topics will be introduced so the students have a foundational base upon which to build when they take the upper-level Economics, Accounting & Finance required for their degree program. This course will introduce you to the key business concepts needed to manage an organization and ensure you develop basic literacy in the terminology of business. The class focuses on learning the fundamental vocabulary, ideas, theories and concepts associated with each management knowledge area. This is an intensive course where students will work through numerous problem sets requiring basic math and algebra knowledge along with applying theory to assess different situations.

Ethical Strategic Management is a capstone course that provides students an opportunity to apply managerial decisions that impact the success and performance of a business. Focusing on the formulation, implementation, and evaluation of business strategies through an ethical lens, this course integrates knowledge and skills gained from previous studies in various business disciplines emphasizing a comprehensive and strategic view of organizational management. This course aims to equip future leaders with the tools necessary for strategic thinking, decision-making, and effective management. This course is designed as the last course taken in the MBA program.

The goal of this course is to enable students to understand the role of the human resources department. This includes recruiting and selecting, training and development, industrial relations, compensation techniques and strategies.

This course emphasizes current employment law. Major focus is on understanding, interpreting and making employment decisions in light of relevant laws. Contemporary employment issues, such as job discrimination, employment contracts and collective bargaining will be included.

This course examines some important areas of law governing behavior in the business community. Students develop an understanding of how policy considerations and social and ethical values become articulated in specific legal terminology. Topics covered include contract law, regulatory law, sales law, paper law, corporation law, agency and employment, environment and community planning, consumer protection and ethical considerations. Note: Students who have completed undergraduate courses in Business Law 1 and Business Law 2 with a grade of B or higher in both may waive this course and substitute another course in the MBA program from Phase III.

This workshop course enables students to integrate communication theory and apply the various forms of written and oral communication skills required in business settings. Extensive practical application of the diverse forms of business communication with the aid of technology include written memos, e-mail messages, meeting management, collaborative reports and the incorporation of graphics. Multicultural aspects of the course include describing the challenges of international and cross-cultural business communication. Enhancing oral presentations with the use of multimedia PowerPoint slides is also covered. This course should be completed as early as possible in the program.

This course provides students with a study of organizational development applying principles and techniques of behavioral sciences through a program of planned change. Students are expected to master underlying theories of organizations, motivation, group learning and leadership effectiveness.

International graduate students may engage in temporary employment for the purpose of gaining practical experience directly related to their major field of study. Practicum fulfilling the Curricular Practical Training must be approved by the Program Director prior to registration, after an evaluation of the employment request and suitability of employer relative to the student’s major area of study.

This course is a survey of quantitative methods as they apply to the problems of business management, marketing, finance and economics. This course involves study and analysis of numerous methods such as linear programming, forecasting, queuing models, inventory analysis and project planning and control methods. Students are also introduced to probability and statistical concepts, measurements of central tendency and regression and correlation analysis. Equivalent: Three semester hours of Business Statistics and three semester hours of Quantitative Methods for Business or Management Decision Science.

This course introduces data-oriented forecasting models and their practical applications. Current data models popular in use for business predictive forecasting are studied. A comprehensive understanding of predictive analytics approaches is provided with real-world data. Students learn various business forecasting models and required methods to analyze business data with hands-on mainstream software applications. Techniques for presenting forecasting model findings with current data visualization tools are discussed.

Current information technology topics are surveyed and analyzed. Hardware, software and communication systems used to process, store and transmit information is studied and analyzed. Students learn how to manage information technology in today's network enterprises and global networks. Students read current print and electronic media articles in addition to text. Due to the dynamic nature of the computer field, there is no equivalent. Exceptions will be reviewed on a case by case basis.

Decision making and problem solving techniques for advanced business data processing scenarios are discussed. Students learn the current data acquisition, filtering, processing, and query methods for strategic business decisions. Automated solutions for increased business efficiency in the form of macros, scripts, and similar other techniques are explained.

This course is a hands-on introduction to the first three phases of the system development lifecycle:  1) planning/initiation, 2) analysis, and 3) design. Students will learn how to analyze a business case, conduct a preliminary investigation, model business requirements using various tools, select a development strategy, and create a requirements document.  Students will use the logical models and documentation created in this course as blueprints for the system development in other courses.

This course explores the strategic role of enterprise data warehousing and decision support systems in enabling data-driven business decision-making. Students will learn to design, implement, and manage data warehouses that consolidate and organize enterprise-wide data to support key business functions. The course emphasizes the practical applications of data warehousing in areas such as performance management, customer analytics, financial reporting, and operational efficiency.

This course introduces the foundations of data warehousing concepts. Business data warehouse development methodology and data warehouse planning stages are discussed. Identification of business requirements, feasibility analysis and development of logical data warehouse models will be discussed. The students will learn the development of the data architecture as well as the implementation and administration of the data warehouse.

The students will have an in-depth understanding of the visualization techniques for business data. Several data visualization techniques for improved decision-making and problem-solving will be discussed. The students will learn how to transform complex categorical data to equivalent easy-to-use visual representation. Current tools and development environments will be discussed.

This course is a hands-on study of the current data mining techniques for business decisions. The discussed methodology includes decision trees, rule-based reasoning, neural networks, and cluster analysis. The techniques are demonstrated with data from finance, marketing, operations, economics, and other disciplines.

This course focuses on competitiveness, with emphasis placed on the close coordination of business unit operational decision making and strategic planning. Topics covered include product process design, inventory management, quality management, forecasting and statistical quality control. Operations management is an interesting mix of managing people and applying sophisticated technology. The goal is to efficiently create wealth by supplying quality goods and services.

This course focuses on operational coordination within a firm and gradually transitions to include inter-function, inter-firm and international coordination. Specific modules focus on retail operations and the role of supply chain intermediaries, for example, distributors and sourcing agents. The impact of incentives and market imperfections, and the changing impact of the Internet and other information technology on supply chain operations are emphasized.

The students will learn the business analytic tools to help with supply chain optimization. The course introduces the techniques and the industry applications for strategic and operational issues of supply chain management. The course covers the data management practices for a globally connected business.

This course is an introduction to database management systems. Fundamentals of database models are discussed. Designs and issues concerning storage, access and management of data and information are explored.

This course introduces the use of current information technology for healthcare and health data systems. It is designed to give the student an understanding of the different types of data captured, analyzed, maintained and processed for medical studies.

This course examines the current legal environment for confidentiality of healthcare data. It introduces the laws, regulations, policy and procedures for protecting sensitive patient data. The students learn risk assessment and how to address potential threats in a healthcare setting. Security policy and procedure development methods to secure the healthcare data as required by current laws are discussed in detail.

Designed for the in-depth study of the healthcare systems, this course teaches systems analysis and design specifically for the healthcare data. The students learn how to identify business problem statements for healthcare organizations, how to identify data requirements, and how to gather data for detailed systems analysis. Systems development techniques to address business problems by improving existing information systems or developing new information systems are explained. Data manipulation concepts for health information systems are introduced.

This course introduces students to the current data mining and business intelligence tools for informed decision making. The tools to process and analyze increasingly complicated data sets are explained. Real-life scenarios from finance, CRM, operations, social media marketing, information systems and other disciplines are studied in detail. Specifically decision trees, classification, clustering, segmentation, decision support systems, search algorithms, data mining, factor and discriminant analysis and optimization concepts for both structured and unstructed data are discussed.

This course explores the strategic role of enterprise data warehousing and decision support systems in enabling data-driven business decision-making. Students will learn to design, implement, and manage data warehouses that consolidate and organize enterprise-wide data to support key business functions. The course emphasizes the practical applications of data warehousing in areas such as performance management, customer analytics, financial reporting, and operational efficiency.

This course will allow students to demonstrate proficiency in business analytics with a semester project. The students are expected to employ the skills presented throughout the curriculum in an organized manner to solve realistic business data management problems. Mastery of skills for the student's identified concentration is expected.

This course introduces students to fundamental financial analysis techniques used in security valuation and capital budgeting. It also covers capital structure and issues related to dividend policy. Equivalent: Three semester hours of Business Finance.

Probability and statistical techniques as applies to financial markets. Topics will replicate those for CFA® Level I program and typically include correlation and regression in the prediction and evaluation of investment performance.

Students apply corporate finance theory from a management perspective. Analysis of financial statements, mergers and acquisitions and leasing are emphasized.

An overview of risk and return for various financial instruments is presented, consistent with the learning objectives for Level I of the CFA Exam. Topics also covered include the mechanics of security trading, market efficiency and fundamental analysis of equities.

The use of futures, options, and swaps in hedging and speculation is covered. Pricing theory, applications, and operational issues will be introduced.

This course investigates many of the issues facing the international business firm. Topics covered include exchange rate determination, risk management and the interaction of foreign exchange and capital markets.

Quantitative and qualitative techniques for evaluating portfolios are presented consistent with the learning objectives for Level I of the CFA Exam. Traditional mean-variance analysis and more recent developments in portfolio theory are introduced. Measures of portfolio performance are covered.

This course primarily covers the use of financial statements in analyzing a firm and its securities. Topics will replicate those for the CFAandreg; Level I program and typically include cash flow analysis, earnings computations, and liability classifications including off-balance-sheet debt.

Probability and statistical techniques as applies to financial markets. Topics will replicate those for CFAandreg; Level I program and typically include correlation and regression in the prediction and evaluation of investment performance.

This course is designed to give the student an understanding of the economic complexities and financial management in hospitals and healthcare fields. Current economic and financial issues for healthcare providers are also discussed.

International graduate students may engage in temporary employment for the purpose of gaining practical experience directly related to their major field of study. Practicum fulfilling the Curricular Practical Training must be approved by the Program Director prior to registration, after an evaluation of the employment request and suitability of employer relative to the student’s major area of study.

This course provides an analysis of foundational theories and practices of leadership, emphasizing the application of theoretical concepts to real-life leadership situations. Also examined are the impact of organizational history and structure on today's leadership challenges.

This dynamic course offers a journey into the realm of leadership self-assessment and discovery, empowering students to explore their unique leadership potential and articulate their individual leadership style. Through the exploration of diverse leadership assessments, personal and professional experiences, values, and attitudes, learners will gain insights into their leadership capabilities. By delving into various inventories designed to identify and evaluate leadership competencies, students embark on a process of self-discovery, discussion, and analysis. Through engaging discussions, interactive activities, and reflective exercises, students not only uncover their leadership strengths but also develop a deeper understanding of their leadership style and its impact on organizational dynamics. This course serves as a catalyst for personal and professional growth, equipping students with the tools and knowledge to thrive as effective leaders in today's dynamic and evolving landscape.

This course will explore the complex interplay between communication, persuasion, influence, and motivation, and their impact on organizational behavior. Students will gain skills to become strategic communicators and influencers within organizations. Students will also examine various motivational theories and explore how these theories can be used to motivate and engage individuals and groups. This will be examined through the lens of systems thinking and the importance of being aware of the complexity of organizations as a whole system.

This course engages students in their discovery of skills, practices and theories related to organizational change. Students will identify key factors influencing organizational change, learn skills to minimize resistance to change and analyze key competencies of effective change leaders. Case studies will be examined as the course compares/contrasts different change models and distinguishes key success factors in making change efforts last within our organizations. Using their newly learned resources, students will develop a change leadership "roadmap" that integrates key learning objectives and demonstrates their success as a change leader. Psychometric instruments used in this course include: Tolerance for Ambiguity Scale, Big Five Personality Test.

This course provides students with an in-depth understanding of the principles and practices of change management. Building on foundational knowledge of change management, students will develop skills in leading and managing complex organizational change initiatives. Topics covered include advanced change management frameworks and models, organizational culture and change, stakeholder engagement and communication, change leadership and sponsorship, resistance management, change measurement and evaluation, and change sustainment.

This course provides students with the practical skills and knowledge needed to apply change management principles and practices in real-world settings. Building on foundational knowledge of change management, students will gain hands-on experience in managing change initiatives and developing change management strategies that align with organizational objective.

A complex, interconnected world requires diverse and dynamic teams to address challenges and produce the work product necessary in today’s organizations. This course explores the role of teams within organizations as well as the need for hybrid and virtual teams. Leadership and communication are critical for team success; however, when issues arise, teams need to manage conflict. The diversity of teams can lead to greater innovation and creativity yet can also contribute to conflict on the team. The course will investigate how leadership, communication, and conflict management can be used to develop high-performing teams and a culture of continuous improvement.

This course provides an overview of organizational and leadership coaching and introduces students to the 11 coaching competencies, their significance, and how to apply them in working with coaching clients. It also provides context for coaching credentials, niches and specialties, professional connections, and organizing yourself as a coach. The course provides an introduction to the role and application of ethics and standards in the professional coaching environment. It is a foundational class that will assist students in developing the knowledge and resources needed to handle ethical dilemmas that present themselves in the coach-client relationship.

This course teaches students how to apply various different coaching models and techniques to real-world coaching scenarios. The models offer a useful, powerful structure and steps to follow in the coaching process. Students will learn how to incorporate systems elements into coaching within organizational settings. Students will learn about qualitative and quantitative research practices and discuss how these are applied to the field of coaching. This course also provides students with an overview of how to use leadership assessments in a coaching relationship. These leadership assessments are often used in coaching to develop the client’s awareness, to jump start the initial phase of the coaching, and to provide data for goal setting and return on investment.

This course prepares students to take a national certification exam through the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). Students will engage in an in-depth exploration of the critical role that human resource management (HRM) plays in achieving strategic business objectives. Students will develop a comprehensive understanding of the strategic nature of HRM and the essential tools and techniques necessary for effective HR strategy implementation.

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging help you develop the critical knowledge and skills to become an agent of strategic organizational change and inclusion. Students will learn how to identify, manage, and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within organizations, as well as how to address bias and marginalization to cultivate a diverse and inclusive workplace community that inspires a culture of belonging.

This course is an experiential and theoretical exploration in an area of focused study regarding organizational development. Independent inquiry is directed by a member of the faculty. Students with well defined interest areas and practicum directions are encouraged to consider this mode of learning. Contact the program director for more information.

Training involves the identification of essential skills and outcomes, understanding both the systemic and human side of the enterprise, and skills in both design and delivery of learning. This course engages those topics and develops the skills essential to design and delivery of training. This course focuses on development of outcomes and competencies, and identification of best-practices and benchmark efforts. Consideration is also given to the notion of organizational learning.

This course focuses on the skills, and abilities needed by training and development professionals to ensure talent development is a primary mechanism driving organizational performance, productivity, and operational results.

Courses of particular interest to students are developed by the faculty and delivered throughout the year. Small groups of students are encouraged to gather for discussion of particular topics with members of the faculty.

This course explores the foundations of organizational consulting and the roles of internal and external consultants. Topics include the history of consulting, scoping and pricing projects, writing proposals and preparing contracts, and successfully navigating the consulting lifecycle from client entry, diagnosis, and from development to implementation and exit.  

This course explores the challenges of building a successful consulting practice and being an effective organizational consultant. Topics include creating a value proposition, building a brand, setting a strategy and implementing an operating model for a consulting practice as well as consulting competencies, ethical guidelines and professional development strategies for consultants.

This course delves into the core principles of ethical leadership, critical thinking, and strategic decision-making in today’s complex, global organizations. Ethical leadership has been proven to enhance employee engagement, organizational success, and long-term sustainability. Leaders must develop the ability to analyze diverse perspectives, values, and ethical frameworks to navigate modern challenges effectively. Through real-world case studies and industry applications, students will hone their ethical reasoning skills to make data-informed decisions that align with organizational goals. This course equips professionals with the tools to apply ethical leadership models, foster responsible decision-making, and drive positive change in their organizations.

This course provides students with processes and techniques for conducting applied research in the workplace, evaluating various programs and initiatives at work, and critically evaluating and interpreting data to create informed decisions. It focuses on developing decision-making skills and methodologies for examination, evaluation, and prioritization of workplace information. It takes a practical approach to research, prepares students to evaluate the quality of workplace research instruments and data, and builds a foundation for aligning organizational objectives to workplace data.

This three-credit course provides an opportunity for students to apply theory and learning from the MAOL program to the introduction of a collaborative change intervention in a real-life, organizational setting. By studying workplace scenarios and issues, students explore a vision for continuous improvement in the study of leadership. The Capstone process, which involves the student in conducting a detailed case analysis, includes a paper and presentation.

This course is designed to facilitate an introductory approach to project management and all the essential concepts from both theoretical and applied perspectives. Other concepts discussed in this course are: PM foundations (define the project, project management, and the role of the project manager); project initiation (creating a charter and identifying stakeholders); project planning (creating a scope statement, building a WBS, identifying resources); and creating a PM plan along with some key subsidiary plans.

This course provides comprehensive knowledge and skills for project communications and stakeholder engagement. Students will master theoretical and applied skills in communication planning, distributing, and managing projects. This course will draw from the following: communication methods for stakeholders; team-building processes and high-performance building teams; and building an effective project communication plan.

The use of teams has increased in organizations around the world, but in project management they are an essential component. The project leader must forge a team and ensure that it functions as a cohesive unit to achieve goals and objectives under preset project constraints. The objective of this course is to prepare students for the professional work environment they will encounter upon graduation. It will prepare them for Project Management careers as productive project team members and eventually skilled project leaders and managers.

This course provides comprehensive knowledge and skills for project communications and stakeholder engagement. Students will master theoretical and applied skills in communication planning, distributing, and managing projects. This course will draw from the following: communication methods for stakeholders; team-building processes and high-performance building teams; and building an effective project communication plan.

This course details the relationships between organizations that create, host and manage projects. Students are introduced to core concepts such as organizational structure, complexity, change management, trust, motivation and incremental innovation.Organizational behavior is the study of both group and individual performance and activity within an organization. Projects are a key vehicle for the execution of organizational strategy, and the effectiveness of that execution is determined to a large extent by governance in projects; project scope management; ethics and professionalism; and project handover, closeout and reviews.

The development and implementation of project governance is key at the onset of the project. Project governance is essentially the “recipe” for the project manager on how to manage a project. This course provides an integrated introduction to enterprise project, program management and project governance. It also focuses on change management. Students learn the fundamental aspects of modern project management, both managerial and technical from the lens of governance. The key topics associated with this course are organizational governance of projects, governance in projects, governance of the project, and change management. Other concepts discussed in this course are: project scope management, ethics and professionalism, and project handover, closeout, and reviews.

Agile Project Management (APM) is an iterative approach to planning and guiding project processes. Agility refers to the ability of an organization to rapidly react to unpredictable scenarios, and within the context of product development, responding to unclear requirements. There are several industry domains where agility is being practiced, such as manufacturing, engineering, software development, and supply chain management. This course provides students with a comprehensive overview of the principles, processes, and practices of agile project management. Knowledge of agile development frameworks and agile tools and techniques are introduced. Additional course discussion will include multidisciplinary review of agile literature, agile project management principles, comparison of agile and traditional PM models, and SCRUM.

This course focuses on the understanding and the application of the stakeholder interface with special emphasis on leadership to ensure customer satisfaction, and sustainability. Definitions are discussed as a starting point to identifications of members of the project community, followed descriptions of communications approaches to engage them. Effective stakeholder engagement delivers value to the organization. This course can draw from the following: identifying and engaging stakeholders; managing global projects; and project leadership.

This course focuses on emerging trends and reviews unique methodologies and approaches to project management. This course also provides an opportunity to teach and develop PM simulation and modeling tools. Students are exposed to advanced research methods and contribute to original research in the emerging PM areas. Additional course discussion will include:Scrum, LEAN, Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI), and Six Sigma; outsourcing, offshoring, and in-shoring; trends in information-technology tools: collaborative and social media tools; and crisis-management leadership and stakeholder engagement.

This course introduces advanced topics regarding project schedule, risk and quality management, and cost control as well as providing essential knowledge of scheduling and other topics which include: advanced time, cost, risk, and quality estimating and planning; schedule estimation and management and earned schedule; risk management (identifying and quantifying risks, and risk-response plan); quality management (plan and quality analysis (control charts, Ishikawa diagram, audits)); and resource planning: estimating, balancing.

Many organizations’ projects are delivered through complex supply chains and networks. They have several suppliers, contractors, and customers. There is a substantial amount of project procurement involving these entities and a substantial amount of detailed planning and scheduling occurs. This course begins with an exploration of core principles of project procurement and expands to a consideration of how modern organizations expand their influence beyond simple contractual relationships by considering supply chains. Additional course discussion will include the processes for planning procurements, foundational knowledge of supply chains and developing a strategy, identifying project procurement needs, including make-or-buy analysis, negotiating and ensuring due diligence and an equitable process when contracting, and determining contract types, risks, and incentives.

International graduate students may engage in temporary employment for the purpose of gaining practical experience directly related to their major field of study. Practicum fulfilling the Curricular Practical Training must be approved by the Program Director prior to registration, after an evaluation of the employment request and suitability of employer relative to the student’s major area of study.

This is a capstone course that provides an opportunity to demonstrate the principles of project management. The course integrates learning from the courses in the PM major with other academic courses taken and may involve interdisciplinary partnerships among university departments and/or industry.Contemporary project management utilizes the project management techniques along with modern improvements such as the most current versions of Micro- soft® Project Professional 2016, the sixth edition of the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), and many approaches derived from adaptive (Agile) project management. Contemporary project management also uses many tools and understandings that come from modern approaches to quality and communications, expanded role definitions, leadership principles, human strengths, and many other sources.Experiential learning is a key focus throughout this course.