Course Descriptions
Business Analytics Courses
MSBA 6430 Analytics I: Quantitative Methods (3 sh)
This course examines the foundational business analytics skills and tools required to make effective managerial decisions. Specifically, using statistics and probability, this course examines business decisions related to marketing, supply chain, and operations such as market basket analysis, RFM analysis, market segmentation, queuing, quality control, and forecasting consumer demand and input availability, simple visualization techniques, among many other topics. In addition to Excel, this course incorporates more advanced business analytics software such as SAS and Enterprise Miner and Guide.
MSBA 6610 Analytics II: Decision Modeling (3 sh)
This course is designed to provide students with a conceptual understanding of the role management science plays in the decision making process. This course focuses on the development of decision models and their application to management problems. Specific topics covered in this course include fundamental techniques such as linear programming, network models, regression analysis, heuristic and optimization models, forecasting, and Monte Carlo simulation.
MSBA 6620 Analytics III: Business Data Mining (3 sh)
This course will examine how data analysis technologies can be used to improve decision making and study the principles and techniques of data mining such as clustering, classification, decision trees, neural networks, and survival analysis. We will examine real-world examples and cases to place data mining techniques in context, to develop data-analytic thinking, and to illustrate that proper application is as much an art as it is a science. In addition, we will work hands-on with data mining software.
MSBA 6630 Analytics IV: Programming Basics (3 sh)
Students learn to apply statistical techniques to the processing, manipulation, and interpretation of data from various industries and disciplines using statistical programming packages. Students will use statistical programming to manage data, write subroutines, make informative graphs, and apply advanced modeling techniques to build and evaluate models. This is a project-based course with a strong programming component.
MSBA 6640 Special Topics: Data Visualization (3 sh)
This course is an introduction to the principles and techniques for data graphic visualization. Visualizations are graphical depictions of data that can improve comprehension, communication, and decision making. Students will learn visual representation methods and techniques that increase understanding of data. Emphasis is placed on the identification of patterns, trends and differences. Students will use several tools to refine their data and create visualizations.
Business Core Courses
MSBA 6250 Economic Policy and the Global Environment (3 sh)
An application of microeconomic theory to management decisions. A review of traditional neoclassical production and cost theory is used as a platform to delve into modern business economics. The focus is on how firms fit in the analysis of market activity, how economists see the problem of organizing economic activity, understanding when markets solve that problem and why sometimes they do not. The course ends with an examination of the impact of macroeconomic policies from a global economic perspective.
MSBA 7150 Managerial Accounting (3 sh)
The use of accounting information in management decision making is examined. Specific topics include cost/volume/profit analysis; product costing systems; use of accounting data in pricing, capital expenditures and product decisions; and planning and control systems, including budgeting and measures of divisional performance.
MSBA 6270 Marketing Management (3 sh)
Concepts and techniques of planning, implementing and controlling the marketing function are the focus of this in-depth study. Monitoring conditions and assessing opportunities, delineating target markets, consumer/buyer research and planning, and strategy procedures are given considerable attention.
MSBA 7170 Financial Management (3 sh)
Selected topics in corporate finance are examined through case and seminar approach. Major topics include enterprise valuation, risk management strategies using financial derivatives such as options and futures, and international financial management.
MSBA 6410 Advanced Operations and Supply Chain (3 sh)
This course provides tools for the assessment of performance, analysis of business processes, the evaluation and implementation of process change. Integration of information systems technology within and across organizational boundaries is often a critical component of the change process. This course introduces database tools for managing and analyzing organizational information and explores the implications of emerging eCommerce, supply chain and cross-functional software applications.
MSBA 6230 Management and Organizational Behavior (3 sh)
This course focuses on the development of the skills needed to manage and lead organizations. Analysis of work behavior from the viewpoint of both behavioral research and managerial practice. Understanding of issues such as motivation, individual differences and managing change provides students with foundation needed for managing performance, quality and operations.
MSBA 6450 Project Management (3 sh)
This course provides an overview of the knowledge, skills and processes associated with project management. The course covers project planning, scheduling and controlling, and will provide students with skill building using project management tools, techniques and software.
Required Workshop
MSBA 5010 Introduction to the MSBA
Taken as students begin the MSBA, this non-credit workshop introduces students to the campus, one another, and, at the same time, provides skills that can help them be successful in the program. Students work on development goals they hope to achieve in their education. They also participate in a leadership development exercise intended to identify their preferred leadership style while providing guidance about how to develop and improve these skills. Students also go through advanced Excel training to ensure they have the skills they will call upon throughout their coursework.