MBA Course Descriptions - College of Business and Economics (CBE)College of Business and Economics (CBE)

The following course descriptions give a sense of the scope and the range of the course offerings at the AUA MBA program. The content of both required and elective courses is reviewed on regular basis and, if and when necessary, revised to reflect changes in both the business world and in academic research. Course offerings, therefore, may vary from year to year, and each instructor may differ in how he or she teaches the topic.

MBA 050 Pre-term Quantitative Methods

An intensive refresher in the quantitative tools used across business analysis, marketing, operations, and finance — covering growth models, descriptive statistics, probability, hypothesis testing, regression, linear programming, and time value of money. Built primarily around R. May be waived through a placement test.

Number of Credits: 1,5
Prerequisites: None
Course Type: Gatekeeper

MBA 051 Effective Communications

Prepares students for professional oral communication through prepared and impromptu speeches, peer coaching, and lectures. Builds confident, organized public speaking, sharpens critical listening, and develops the ability to give, receive, and apply feedback across communication styles.

Number of Credits: 1,5
Prerequisites: None
Course Type: Gatekeeper

MBA 300 Business Strategy

An introduction to strategic thinking and the case method. Students examine models for analyzing competitive situations within an industry, the roles of key players, and the stages of strategic decision-making — from defining the problem to selecting and implementing a solution.

Number of Credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
Course Type: Core

MBA 305 Managing People and Organizations

An intensive overview of organizational behavior and the challenges facing contemporary managers. Covers individual differences, group behavior, culture, motivation, decision-making, power, and leadership through case analyses, simulations, group exercises, and class discussion.

Number of Credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
Course Type: Core

MBA 320 Data Analysis for Business Decisions

This course is an iintroduction to statistical methods for management decision-making — sampling, parametric and nonparametric inference, simple and multiple regression, and forecasting. Students build forecasting models using Excel, SPSS, and Access, applying them to real business and economic problems.

Number of Credits: 3
Prerequisites: MBA 050 or Placement Test
Course Type: Core

MBA 322 Managerial Economics

Examines the economic decisions managers make and the market structures they operate within. Covers opportunity and transaction costs, market power, utility, supply and demand, and cost functions, applying them to pricing and vertical integration, with an introduction to information and uncertainty.

Number of Credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
Course Type: Core

MBA 345 Financial Accounting

A foundation course in the theory and practice of accounting, with an emphasis on the principles, concepts, and controls behind financial reporting. Students learn to collect, organize, and communicate accurate financial data for external stakeholders.

Number of Credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
Course Type: Core

MBA 330 Financial Management

Focuses on maximizing shareholder value through sound financial decisions. Covers risk, return, and pricing of financial assets, time value of money, investment decisions, capital markets, cost of capital, and corporate financing.

Number of Credits: 3
Prerequisites: MBA 345 Financial Accounting
Course Type: Core

MBA 360 Marketing Strategy & Management

An introduction to the role of marketing within the firm, applying quantitative methods and behavioral theory to real problems through case studies and presentations. Covers customer analysis, segmentation, market research, distribution, pricing, advertising, and sales force management.

Number of Credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
Course Type: Core

MBA 380 Operations and Process Management

Focuses on the quantitative side of running an enterprise efficiently, for both service and manufacturing settings. Covers planning, process design, facility location and layout, forecasting, scheduling, and quality control.

Number of Credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
Course Type: Core

MBA 317 Leadership

Explores what it means to lead in political and organizational systems facing chaos, conflict, and adaptive challenges. Distinguishes authority from leadership, provides diagnostic tools for why organizations avoid hard problems, and builds skills to mobilize resources and drive progress.

Number of credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
Course Type: MBA Specific Elective

MBA 378 Business Intelligence Tools

Introduces the core concepts of business intelligence — querying and reporting data, working with databases, and building dashboards. Covers leading BI tools, OLAP-based multidimensional analysis, and descriptive and predictive analytics for business performance.

Number of Credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
Course Type: MBA Specific Elective

MBA 346 Managerial Accounting and Control

Covers the process of identifying, measuring, and communicating financial information for management planning and control. Students learn to distinguish relevant from irrelevant costs, perform cost-volume-profit analysis, build income statements, and understand budgeting and standard costing.

Number of Credits: 3
Prerequisites: MBA 345 Financial Accounting
Course Type: MBA Specific Elective

MBA 327 Microfoundations of Competitiveness

Explores what drives national and regional competitiveness from the perspective of firms, clusters, and nations. Through lectures, discussion, and group projects, students analyze productivity and the business environment at multiple levels — local, national, and regional.

Number of Credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
Course Type: MBA Specific Elective

MBA 332 Corporate Finance

A comprehensive look at financial decision-making within the corporation — capital budgeting, cost of capital, financial analysis, valuation, and risk management. Through case studies and financial models, students learn to optimize capital structure and create shareholder value while balancing risk and profitability.