MBA - Master of Business Administration

The purpose of this course is to orient and prepare students for the National Louis University MBA program. Students will be introduced to the background of the university and its learning methodologies; become acquainted with specifics of the design and goals of the MBA program; become acquainted with available NLU resources and services; and become familiar with student requirements for success in the program. Students will also become familiar with the online learning platform used in support of the program. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MBA Program. 1 semester hour

This course will provide foundational knowledge in core business subjects, fundamentals and applications that are customarily included in accredited undergraduate business programs. The course also orients the student to the educational philosophy, academic resources and operational practices employed in delivering the MBA program. This course is a prerequisite to all other MBA courses. Some recent graduates of IACBE, ACBSP or AACSB accredited business programs who also meet experience, GPA and writing assessment criteria may be allowed to waive this course and substitute MBA500. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MBA Program. Co-prerequisite(s): None. 3 semester hours

This course introduces students to the complexity and significance of human behavior in organizations by emphasizing the dynamic relationship of individual, group, and organizational factors that influence performance effectiveness. Examination of current theories and research in the multidisciplinary field of organizational behavior provides students with the foundation needed to apply their knowledge to their organizational experiences and to develop their managerial skills in such areas as motivation, team development, decision making, leadership, and managing organizational change. Thus, students can improve their own effectiveness, contribute to the effectiveness of their organizations, and achieve their professional aspirations. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MBA Program and/or to the Leadership Certificate. 3 semester hours

This course will introduce the student to the human resource functional areas within their organizations. These areas include: human resources forecasting and planning; employee recruitment and selection; salary/benefits administration; and the legal aspects of labor and employee relations. Additionally, such topics as work force diversity, continuous improvement and ethical decision-making will be examined as they relate to human resource management practice. This course will also expose the student to the key elements of administrative aspects of human resource management and organizational communications networks. A variety of managerial decision-making techniques will be used in the analysis and solving of managerial problems. 3 semester hours

This course will introduce the student to ethical and legal theories as they relate to the modern organization. The rights and duties of the organization to its stakeholders, both internal and external, as well as to society-at-large, will be examined. The rights and duties addressed will be political and social as well as ethical and legal. Major issues to be analyzed will be: leadership; employer-rights; occupational safety; product safety; advertising; environmental issues; and social responsibility. A variety of managerial decision-making techniques will be used in the analysis and solving of managerial problems. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MBA Program; MBA500. 3 semester hours

This course will introduce the student to the application of microeconomic principles to managerial decision-making in the modern organization. Emphasis will be placed on marginal analysis and resource allocation as well as strategic aspects of managing organizations in differing competitive environments. A variety of decision-making techniques will be used in the analysis and solving of organizational problems. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MBA Program, MBA500. 3 semester hours

The purpose of this course is to improve the personal and professional financial decision making of students. We look at the behavior of a variety of economic data and Federal Reserve monetary policy decisions based upon the business cycle definitions of the National Bureau of Economic Research and the associated Leading Indicator approach of the Conference Board. Prerequisite(s): MBA500. 3 semester hours

This course will introduce the student to the operations of both national and international organizations in the expanding global economy. International issues addressed will include balance-of-payments, exchange rates and trade barriers. Emphasis will be placed on differences in foreign governments, cultures and organizational structures and how these differences impacts the behavior of individuals, organizations and governments. A variety of managerial decision-making techniques will be used in the analysis and solving of managerial problems. Several specific countries and their business environments will also be addressed. 3 semester hours

This course will introduce the student to managerial accounting concepts and the use of those concepts in the evaluation of financial reports and other financial data. Issues addressed will include techniques to analyze and evaluate cost data for planning and control, inventory management and control, cost-volume-profit analysis, revenue and profitability analysis, and quality control issues. A variety of managerial decision-making techniques will be used in the analysis and solving of managerial problems. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MBA Program; MBA500. 3 semester hours

This course will focus on the behavior of financial markets, such as stock, bond, futures and options markets. Several different investment alternatives and their characteristics will be addressed. A variety of managerial decision-making techniques will be used in the analysis and solving of managerial problems. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MBA Program, MBA500. 3 semester hours

This course will emphasize the financial analysis and decision-making associated with managing the organization. Topics include financial statement analysis; the cost of capital; capital budgeting; and debt v. equity financing. A variety of managerial decision-making techniques will be used in the analysis and solving of managerial problems. 3 semester hours

The course is designed to provide a foundation of marketing knowledge and practical skills to enable the student to develop and implement strategic marketing programs in future work situations. The course will examine marketing principles and their application to strategic marketing problems in a competitive global environment. Issues addressed will include consumer research, product development, pricing decisions, distribution management, integrated marketing communications, and performance measures. The course also will focus on marketing strategy trends, such as the increasing use of social media. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MBA Program; MBA500. 3 semester hours

This capstone course gives students practice in making and analyzing strategic decisions that require integration of the functional areas of the organization. The course especially focuses on how to make business strategy decisions in a dynamic marketplace. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MBA Program, MBA500. This course is designed to be taken as the final course in the MBA curriculum. 3 semester hours

This course introduces MBA students to the discipline of project management with examples of the kinds of projects they are likely to encounter in their career, such as Facility Construction, Product Development, IT Systems, Business/Public Program Rollout, etc. Students will learn principles and apply techniques in project need/mission formation; project planning and control; risk management and mitigation strategies; project organization, leadership, and motivation issues; procurement and contract management; quality management; and project communications. Course contents are aligned with industry certifications (Project Management Professional), although the course by itself is insufficient for certification exams. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MBA Program; MBA500. 3 semester hours

This course will help students develop the understanding and skills needed to manage the human resource aspects of an organization's foreign operations. There will be a special focus on the need to understand and adapt to the culture of the people within each operational unit. Prerequisite(s): For MBA Program students: MBA500 Intro to MBA For Certificate students: Intro to WebCT workshop 3 semester hours

The globalization of business is challenging organization leaders at all levels to come to grips with the complexities of managing business beyond the U.S. This course focuses on the interplay between the domestic business environment of the firm and the diversity of business environments across the world, to prepare graduates with sensitivity, analytical skills, and decision-making skills that will help them stand out among their peers as leaders capable of dealing successfully in the international business community. Prerequisite(s): For MBA Program students: MBA500. For Certificate students: Introduction to Blackboard workshop. 3 semester hours

This course will examine the nature of consumer interest, desire, personal benefit, and behavior that ultimately results in personal economic decisions. The student will develop the knowledge and skills necessary to collect, understand, and analyze data that the individual consumer will reference in her/his process of purchase/ownership determination. Prerequisite(s): For MBA Program students: MBA500, Intro to MBA and MBA522, Strategic Marketing For Certificate Students: Intro to WebCT workshop and an upper level undergraduate Marketing course 3 semester hours

This course gives the student a business framework for how to exploit technology and information to improve competitiveness and quality. Like human and financial resources, technology is a critical ingredient of modern business. The course addresses a broad set of technology - from general automation to the digital revolution, IT, and the Internet -- and its impact on many industries -- manufacturing and various services from healthcare to government. The business framework is based on Michael Porter's model of Competitive Advantage. Prerequisite(s): For MBA Program students: MBA500 Intro to MBA For Certificate students: Intro to WebCT workshop 3 semester hours

This course will examine the development of a product or service based on information from the marketplace. Development will be based on market research, technological capability, target audience, economic trends, manufacturing cost structures, intellectual property and licensing rights, and feasibility/profitability studies. Both products and services progress through stages of growth, usability, importance, and decline for both manufacturer/supplier and consumer. This course will help the marketing student develop the knowledge and skills to manage the research, development, introduction, growth, maturity, decline and end of life cycles of products and services offered by the organization. Prerequisite(s): For MBA Program students: MBA500, Intro to MBA and MBA522, Strategic Marketing For Certificate students: Intro to WebCT workshop and an upper level undergraduate Marketing course 3 semester hours

This course will help students develop corporate hedging strategies predominantly through the use of index and equity options and exchange traded funds. Students will focus on analysis of corporate risk exposure and hedging strategies to limit the risk. Students will utilize risk management software, option valuation tools, and other modeling tools used for corporate hedging. Prerequisite(s): For MBA Program students: MBA500, Intro to MBA and MBA516, Financial Markets For Certification students: Intro to WebCT workshop and an upper level undergraduate Finance course 3 semester hours

This course will help students to develop the knowledge and skills to understand the nature and power of advertising, to gauge attitudes toward particular product categories and advertising messages, to use and measure various media, and to consider the ethical implications underlying the advertising message to market the products of the organization. There will be a special focus on the means of developing a strategic marketing campaign for new products. Prerequisite(s): For MBA Program students: MBA500, Intro to MBA and MBA522, Strategic Marketing For Certificate students: Introduction to WebCT workshop and an upper level undergraduate Marketing course 3 semester hours

This course explores the business valuation process from the perspective of business managers, financial practitioners, and investors. Students will analyze the recent increase in value-based practices, drivers of value in corporations, how to make value happen, and value-based initiatives related to corporate restructurings. The course will also explore variations on company valuations including conglomerates, technology firms, cyclical firms, and valuation outside the United States. Prerequisite(s): For MBA Program students: MBA500, Intro to MBA and MBA516, Financial Markets For Certificate students: Introduction to WebCT workshop and an upper level undergraduate Finance course 3 semester hours

This workshop prepares students to participate in the online Capstone simulation, which is the core activity of the MBA524 Strategic Management course. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MBA Program, MBA500. This workshop is designed to be taken immediately before the final course in the MBA curriculum. 0 semester hours