The Finance MBA specialization provides a rigorous foundation in financial management, investments, and global markets, equipping students with advanced skills in risk assessment, capital allocation, and financial modeling. Designed for future leaders in investment firms, banking, and corporate finance, this program explores international finance, portfolio management, and economic trend analysis, ensuring graduates are prepared to make data-driven financial decisions.
Build Wealth, Manage Risk, and Drive Financial Strategy
Whether you aim to navigate volatile markets, manage corporate assets, or lead financial innovation, this MBA specialization positions you at the forefront of financial leadership.
In addition, you can build and apply your investing skills in a real-world setting through the Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF), a successful student-run fund with assets under management of $1.4 million.
Core Course Descriptions
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This course focuses on the opportunities and risks of the complex environment of international business, with an emphasis on the unique problems involved in managing international operations. Main topics include foreign economic, political, legal, and cultural environments; international market analysis; foreign exchange; political risk assessment; international human resource management; and the mechanics of import and export transactions. Special emphasis is placed on leveraging core competencies in the global marketplace.
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This course examines the role of information systems in supporting a wide range of organizational functions. Areas to be explored include the use of information systems to support administrative operations, to support decision making and to support overall strategic initiatives and corporate philosophies. This course is oriented toward the general business student, not the technical specialist. The course will provide a managerial perspective on the use, design, and evaluation of information systems.
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The objective of this course is the development of the student's understanding of financial theory, and the ability to apply the techniques and methods of finance to business problems. Topics include the financial environment; value maximization; capital budgeting; valuation techniques; financial planning and forecasting; capital structure and the cost of capital; options theory; and corporate restructuring. Prerequisites: MBA 660 or permission of the instructor.
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This course will examine current marketing concepts and practices using an analytical approach to the development of marketing policies in a dynamic environment. Major topic areas that will be covered are: advertising, sales promotion, personal selling, pricing, product mix development and analysis; selection of distribution channels; marketing research; consumer behavior; and strategy development.
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Accounting cycle, relevance and limitations of cost information in managerial decision-making, emphasis on cost systems, determination and allocation of overhead, analysis of cost variances, direct costing, flexible budgets, break-even analysis, and capital budgeting.
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This course emphasizes the application of macroeconomic and microeconomic theory in management decision-making and in the development and implementation of business strategy and tactics. The course focuses on techniques and models for monitoring and analyzing macroeconomic conditions; international economic trends; and the production, cost, and pricing decision of firms under different market structures.
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This course introduces the graduate student to the global environment of business, the nature and state of competition and competitive strategy at the corporate, business and operational levels, the cross-relationship among business functions, entrepreneurial attitudes, the interests of the various stockholders in the firm, and the social and ethical responsibilities of business.
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Effective leadership in implementing strategy within organizations requires the ability to initiate and influence change, perhaps even radical transformation. This in turn requires understanding the dynamics of organizational learning and change, as well as the nature of collective action in organizations. This understanding will be pursued by using different theories and models to examine organizational processes, culture, knowledge, politics, ethics, and their relationship to each other and to the organization's external environment. Personal career development within this framework will also be discussed. Prerequisites: MBA 621, 681, 646, 617, 682.
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This course is structured to create an awareness of and sensitivity to the social, legal, and ethical issues which influence the management of business enterprises. Topics such as strategy and the nonmarket environment, nonmarket strategies and government institutions, government and markets, international business and nonmarket issues, and ethics and responsibility are considered.
Finance Specialization Electives
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This course examines the international economic, monetary, and financial environment and presents a detailed analysis of the principles and practices of international financial management. The course emphasizes international economic and financial concepts and their application to international business operations. Key topics include the functioning of foreign exchange markets and international capital and money markets, international portfolio diversification, multinational capital budgeting, import-export financing, direct foreign investment and international banking. Prerequisite - Take MBA 603 and MBA 621
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Analysis of the characteristics and operating policies of financial institutions and the interrelationships among intermediaries in the money and capital markets. Focus is placed upon commercial banks, other depository institutions, insurance companies, investment banks, and pensions. Prerequisite: MBA 621; Co-requisite: by consent of the instructor.
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This course covers different topics in financial management and employs the case method to develop the student's ability to apply financial theory and analytical techniques to all areas of financial management.