MBA Concentrations
The Kellstadt Graduate School of Business offers these MBA concentrations.
Students with this concentration will develop solid writing and analytical skills. The hallmark of this concentration is the opportunity to participate in a Congressional Research Fellowship during which students will work full time on Capitol Hill. This will immerse students in policy making, analysis and research. Students will also have a unique opportunity to develop an extensive network with current and former staffers on Capitol Hill.
Most medium and large firms hire business economists in areas such as manufacturing, communications, banking, insurance, retailing, finance and investment, transportation, utilities, and consulting. In addition, positions in various departments of federal, state, and local governments are available; job mobility can be high with business economists moving among business firms, government, nonprofits, and possibly academic institutions.
Requirements
To complete this concentration, students are required to take four graduate-level courses.
Both of the following courses must be completed:
Elective Courses: Choose two from the following list
Students with this concentration will have a well-rounded curriculum in strategic decision-making by firms. Students will learn various frameworks used to analyze and formulate business strategies. They will be able to analyze a firm’s competitive position, identify managerial and organizational issues, evaluate alternative plans of action, and anticipate the consequences of alternative decisions. Students will learn the game theoretic way of thinking about strategic decision-making by businesses. Students will also study innovation and knowledge acquisition which are key components of current business strategy practice. Finally, students will have the opportunity to study the regulatory environment that guides business activities.
Requirements
Three courses are required for the completion of this concentration.
The Applied Economics concentration trains students to be astute observers of business and the economy. Through objective analysis, the student can help the firm adapt to the ever-changing economic environment. Business economists commonly prepare and interpret forecasts for the firm, which involves them in decisions regarding optimal pricing, sales and advertising, marketing policies, purchasing, industrial relations, and investment and portfolio decisions. Further, the business economist often relates the domestic and global economic outlooks to the firm’s business and its markets.
Most medium and large size firms hire business economists in areas such as manufacturing, communications, banking, insurance, retailing, finance and investment, transportation, utilities, and consulting. In addition, positions in various departments of federal, state, and local governments are available; job mobility can be high with business economists moving among business firms, government, nonprofits, and possibly academic institutions.
Requirements
To complete this concentration, students are required to take three graduate-level Economics courses (listed below). It is highly recommended that Econometrics Methods for Business Analysis (ECO 510) be one of the three, and students are encouraged to consult with Economics faculty for course recommendations.
The concentration in International Business has a course requirement, a functional emphasis requirement, and a language requirement.
The purpose of the functional emphasis requirement is to ensure that graduates of the program have functional as well as international expertise. The emphasis can consist of coursework in Accounting, Economics, Finance, Management or Marketing. Alternatively, candidates can have a functional emphasis in International Trade and Policy. Those pursuing this functional emphasis would take International Trade (IB 520), International Macroeconomics (IB 521) and either Economics of Developing Countries (IB 525) or International Policy analysis (IB 798). These three courses would replace the requirements in (1) and (3) above.
Students concentrating in International Business must demonstrate competency in at least one modern language other than English. That competence can be demonstrated by proper coursework or the successful completion of a language exam. One year of college level language study is considered appropriate coursework for purposes of satisfying this requirement.
International Business Seminars are open to all MBA candidates within the college regardless of concentration. In particular, an MBA candidate with a concentration in International Business should have some international exposure outside of the classroom. The work commitments of many of our students, however, preclude extended overseas activities. As a result, the college has developed a series of international business seminars which provide students with international exposure in a time frame suitable for working adults. These programs provide an excellent opportunity to expand the graduate business curriculum and increase exposure to other cultures. The seminars are typically one to three weeks in length and scheduled to coincide with breaks between quarters.
Requirements
Four concentration courses are required as follows:
International Business course offerings are listed below.
For more information on International Business Seminars, please visit the Richard H. Driehaus Center for International Business.
Economics and Policy Analysis Concentration
Students with this concentration will develop solid writing and analytical skills. The hallmark of this concentration is the opportunity to participate in a Congressional Research Fellowship during which students will work full time on Capitol Hill. This will immerse students in policy making, analysis and research. Students will also have a unique opportunity to develop an extensive network with current and former staffers on Capitol Hill.
Most medium and large firms hire business economists in areas such as manufacturing, communications, banking, insurance, retailing, finance and investment, transportation, utilities, and consulting. In addition, positions in various departments of federal, state, and local governments are available; job mobility can be high with business economists moving among business firms, government, nonprofits, and possibly academic institutions.
Requirements
To complete this concentration, students are required to take four graduate-level courses.
Both of the following courses must be completed:
- Writing in the Professions (WRD 586)
- Research Methods for Economics and Policy Analysis I (ECO 507)
Elective Courses: Choose two from the following list
- Congressional Research Fellowship I (ECO 798)
- Congressional Research Fellowship II (ECO 798)
- Real Analysis I (ECO 435)
- Real Analysis II (ECO 436)
- Microeconomics of the Market Organization (ECO 515)
- Economics of the Public Sector I (ECO 516)
- Labor Economics and Labor Relations (ECO 518)
- Strategic Decision Making & Game Theory (ECO 525)
- International Trade (ECO 557)
- International Microeconomics (ECO 558)
- Economics of Developing Countries (ECO 561)
- Special Topics (ECO 798) needs department approval
Business Strategy Concentration
Students with this concentration will have a well-rounded curriculum in strategic decision-making by firms. Students will learn various frameworks used to analyze and formulate business strategies. They will be able to analyze a firm’s competitive position, identify managerial and organizational issues, evaluate alternative plans of action, and anticipate the consequences of alternative decisions. Students will learn the game theoretic way of thinking about strategic decision-making by businesses. Students will also study innovation and knowledge acquisition which are key components of current business strategy practice. Finally, students will have the opportunity to study the regulatory environment that guides business activities.
Requirements
Three courses are required for the completion of this concentration.
Students must take two required courses.
- ECO 525 Strategic Decision-Making & Game Theory
- ECO 526 Business Strategy
- ECO 527 Business Regulation and Antitrust
- ECO 798 Economics of Innovation
- ECO 798 Negotiations
Applied Economics Concentration
The Applied Economics concentration trains students to be astute observers of business and the economy. Through objective analysis, the student can help the firm adapt to the ever-changing economic environment. Business economists commonly prepare and interpret forecasts for the firm, which involves them in decisions regarding optimal pricing, sales and advertising, marketing policies, purchasing, industrial relations, and investment and portfolio decisions. Further, the business economist often relates the domestic and global economic outlooks to the firm’s business and its markets.
Most medium and large size firms hire business economists in areas such as manufacturing, communications, banking, insurance, retailing, finance and investment, transportation, utilities, and consulting. In addition, positions in various departments of federal, state, and local governments are available; job mobility can be high with business economists moving among business firms, government, nonprofits, and possibly academic institutions.
Requirements
To complete this concentration, students are required to take three graduate-level Economics courses (listed below). It is highly recommended that Econometrics Methods for Business Analysis (ECO 510) be one of the three, and students are encouraged to consult with Economics faculty for course recommendations.
- Advanced Microeconomics (ECO 505)
- Advanced Macroeconomics (ECO 506)
- Econometric Methods for Business Analysis (ECO 510)
- Business and Economic Forecasting (ECO 511)
- Applied Time Series and Forecasting (ECO 512)
- Industrial Organization (ECO 514)
- Business and Public Policy (ECO 515)
- Public Economics and the Economics of Taxation (ECO 516)
- Labor Economics and Labor Relations (ECO 518)
- Business Regulation and Antitrust (ECO 527)
- History of Economic Thought (ECO 530)
- Regional and Urban Economics (ECO 550)
- International Trade (ECO 557)
- International Macroeconomics (ECO 558)
- Economics of Developing Countries (ECO 561)
- Advanced Econometric Methods (ECO 576)
- Special Topics (ECO 798)
International Business Concentration
The concentration in International Business has a course requirement, a functional emphasis requirement, and a language requirement.
The purpose of the functional emphasis requirement is to ensure that graduates of the program have functional as well as international expertise. The emphasis can consist of coursework in Accounting, Economics, Finance, Management or Marketing. Alternatively, candidates can have a functional emphasis in International Trade and Policy. Those pursuing this functional emphasis would take International Trade (IB 520), International Macroeconomics (IB 521) and either Economics of Developing Countries (IB 525) or International Policy analysis (IB 798). These three courses would replace the requirements in (1) and (3) above.
Students concentrating in International Business must demonstrate competency in at least one modern language other than English. That competence can be demonstrated by proper coursework or the successful completion of a language exam. One year of college level language study is considered appropriate coursework for purposes of satisfying this requirement.
International Business Seminars are open to all MBA candidates within the college regardless of concentration. In particular, an MBA candidate with a concentration in International Business should have some international exposure outside of the classroom. The work commitments of many of our students, however, preclude extended overseas activities. As a result, the college has developed a series of international business seminars which provide students with international exposure in a time frame suitable for working adults. These programs provide an excellent opportunity to expand the graduate business curriculum and increase exposure to other cultures. The seminars are typically one to three weeks in length and scheduled to coincide with breaks between quarters.
Requirements
Four concentration courses are required as follows:
- One course which relates to the functional discipline (Accounting, Economics, Finance, Management, Marketing, or International Trade and Policy) which the candidate has chosen to emphasize – this course would normally be chosen from Accounting, Auditing, and Taxation Issues in International Business (IB 515), International Trade (IB 520), International Finance (IB 530), International Management (IB 540), and International Marketing (IB 550).
- One course in International Business outside the particular functional discipline chosen by the candidate.
- One course in the discipline which the candidate has chosen to emphasize which need not come from the International Business course offerings.
International Business course offerings are listed below.
- Accounting, Auditing and Taxation Issues in International Business (IB 515)
- International Trade (IB 520)
- International Macroeconomics (IB 521)
- Economics of Developing Countries (IB 525)
- International Finance (IB 530)
- International Management (IB 540)
- Area Studies in International Management (IB 545)
- International Marketing (IB 550)
- International Business Seminar (IB 750)
- Special Topics (IB 798)
For more information on International Business Seminars, please visit the Richard H. Driehaus Center for International Business.