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.
BUS 050 Pre-term Quantitative Methods
This intensive workshop for incoming students is designed to refresh the basic quantitative tools essential for the successful completion of the program. The course content provides the student with a number of mathematical and statistical tools frequently used in business analysis, marketing research, operations management and finance. Topics include: linear and exponential growth, data analysis and description statistics (mean, median, mode, range, variance, deviation), basic concepts of probability, hypothesis testing, introduction to linear regression, basics of linear programming, compound interest, discounting and calculation of Net Present Value. Topics may change according to the needs of the participating students. The main software used is R. The course can be waived through a Placement Test Read the details below.
The goal of the test is to assess the students’ knowledge on basic statistical knowledge and ability to analyze and interpret statistical data. The placement test will cover the following topics: Measures of central tendency and variation; Frequency distribution; Correlation analysis; Visualization of univariate and bivariate statistical data. While the course uses only R program for statistical analysis purposes, however, students are free to choose any data analysis software you want (Python, Stata, Eviews, SPSS, Excel, etc.).
How Placement Test works:
Students opting for the Placement Test will be provided a data set in excel format asked to answer some questions. The student(s) must submit a report (in word, or in R markdown format) containing tabular and graphical outputs together with his/her interpretations. If you are going to use R, Python or Stata or any other programming tool, then you have to copy the script of the analysis (list of commands) in the report. For each correct answer the student will be assigned a grade. To pass the placement test a student must earn at least 60% out of the total score.
Number of Credits: 0
Prerequisites: None
Course Type: Gatekeeper
BUS 051 Effective Communications
This course prepares students to meet the challenge of professional oral communications. Through prepared and impromptu speeches, peer coaching, and lectures, it provides students with the opportunity to develop the necessary skills for effective public speaking, skills that will make them articulate, confident, organized, competent and persuasive speakers. The course exposes students to a variety of communication and presentation styles and modes, helps students develop critical listening skills, and improve their abilities to give, receive, and apply feedback.
Number of Credits: 0
Prerequisites: None
Course Type: Gatekeeper
BUS 300 Business Strategy
This course is intended to develop students’ ability to think strategically about business problems. At the same time it serves as an introduction to the use of the case method. The course is a systematic examination of models and techniques used to analyze a competitive situation within an industry from a strategic perspective. It examines the roles of key players in competitive situations and the fundamentals of analytical and fact-oriented strategic reasoning. Examples of applied competitive and industry analysis are emphasized. The course examines the different stages involved in making and implementing strategic decisions, defining the problem(s), establishing the criteria (both quantitative and qualitative), designing alternative solutions, and making a decision based on objective criteria and the ease of successful implementation of the solution chosen.
Number of Credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
Course Type: Core
BUS 305 Managing People and Organizations
This course provides an intensive overview of the major concepts in organizational behavior and issues facing contemporary managers. The course approaches management as the processes and techniques used to reach organization goals by working with and through people and other resources. These processes include a study of individual differences, group behavior, organizational culture, job design and job satisfaction, motivation, decisionmaking, power and leadership, and communication. The course makes use of theories that transcend the workplace, such as the psychology of individual and group behavior. The course examines how people influence organizational events and how events within the organization influence people’s behavior. The course uses a combination of conceptual and experiential approaches, including case analyses, videos, simulations, group exercises and class discussions.
Number of Credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
Course Type: Core
BUS 320 Date Analysis for Business Decisions
This course is an introduction to statistical methods and techniques as tools for management decisionmaking. Specific topics to be covered include: sampling and sampling distributions, parametric and nonparametric statistical inference methods, simple and multiple regression, and forecasting techniques as applied to business and management problems. Students will gain the ability to build forecasting models using a variety of techniques, employing mathematical and statistical models including regression techniques, time series analysis, and business and economic indicators for forecasting. Students will also learn to use various computer software including Excel, SPSS and Access.
Number of Credits: 3
Prerequisites: BUS 050 or a placement test
Course Type: Core
BUS 322 Managerial Economics
This course focuses on the economic decisions made by managers of business firms, and the structures of various market environments within which these decisions are made. The course reviews the application of fundamental concepts, such as opportunity costs, transaction costs and market power as they apply to managerial and individual decisionmaking. In addition, the course covers utility analysis, demand, supply, and cost functions, and applies these models to pricing and vertical integration issues. An introduction to the economics of information and uncertainty is included.
Number of Credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
Course Type: Core
BUS345 Financial Accounting
This is a foundation course designed to provide a basic understanding of the theory and practice of accounting, with emphasis upon principles, concepts and controls involved with Financial Accounting. The objective of financial accounting is to collect accurate, systematic, and timely financial data and other financial information, and to compile and consolidate it in an organized and systematic way, according to the principles and rules of accounting, for external reporting purpose.
Number of Credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
Course Type: Core
BUS 330 Financial Management
This course focuses on the firm’s goal to maximize shareholder value. Topics include risk, return and pricing of financial assets, time value of money, investment decisions, capital markets, and cost of capital and corporate financing decisions.
Number of Credits: 2
Prerequisites: None
Course Type: Core
Co-requisites: BUS 345 Financial Accounting
BUS 360 Marketing Management
This course is an introduction to the role of marketing within the business firm. Quantitative methods and behavioral theories are utilized. It provides the student an opportunity to apply analytical concepts and techniques developed in psychology, economics, quantitative analysis, accounting, and finance to marketing problems. The course will utilize case studies, and oral and written presentations. Specific topics to be covered include: customer analysis and buyer behavior, market segmentation, market research, distribution channels, product pricing and strategy, pricing, advertising, and sales force management.
Number of Credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
Course Type: Core
BUS 380 Operations and Process Management
The focus of this course will be on the quantitative aspects of the elements, which contribute to the effective and efficient operations of an enterprise. Emphasis will be equally placed on the means for attaining organizational objectives for both service and manufacturing oriented entities. Topical areas will be the planning for and management of services and/or products, the design of processes, facility location and layout, forecasting, scheduling, and quality control.
Number of Credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
Course Type: Core
BUS 317 Leadership
Leading entails taking risks and working in the face of danger. For some, leading may seem romantic, and others may take leading as means to acquire high positions, authority, supporters/votes or wealth. True leadership though is not about any of those. Exercising leadership requires disrupting the status quo and taking risks, which may endanger a person’s reputation, career and even life. Usually, when the systems and its factions resist changing, people tend to “play it safe”. Those who choose to lead face the danger of being taken out of the game too soon. This course will provide the participants the opportunity to learn how to lead in political and organizational systems where there is chaos and conflict, and which are facing tough adaptive challenges. Being structured on theoretical and practical concepts, the course draws a distinction between authority and leadership, provides diagnostic tools, which will help the participants to understand why organizations and other social systems avoid working on difficult issues and challenges. It also teaches skills enabling the students to effectively intervene in organizational and other social systems, mobilize resources and achieve progress.
Number of credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
Course Type: MBA Specific Elective
CBE 331 Behavioural Economics for Management
This course focuses on the behavioural aspects of economic decisions made by managers of business firms, the employees and the consumers of their products and services. The course briefly reviews the basis of economic decision making and turns to consideration of various models of behavioural economics, mostly refraining from mathematical representations. Topics covered will address perceptions of risks, self-control and time (in) consistency issues, social motivations (reciprocity, trust, inequity, etc.), mistakes in decision making and others. The course relies on readings from various articles and handbooks and applies case-studies for facilitating the learning.
Number of Credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
Course Type: Colleges Wide Elective
BUS 378 Business Intelligence Tools
This course provides an introduction to the main concepts of Business Intelligence (BI). It aims to supply the necessary skillset for querying and reporting data, working with databases and using dashboards for visualization. Leading BI tools will be introduced during the course. Multidimensional analysis of the business data will be conducted through Online Analytical Processing cubes (OLAP). Business performance management problems will be addressed through descriptive analytics, and predictive models will be applied whenever appropriate.
Number of Credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
Course Type: MBA Specific Elective
BUS346 Managerial Accounting and Control
Managerial Accounting is the process of identifying, measuring, analyzing and communicating financial information needed by management to plan, evaluate and control an organization’s operations. In this course students understand the role of a management accountant in organizations; identify relevant and irrelevant revenues and costs; understand cost-volume-profit analyses; calculate and interpret product costs, construct income statements and identify inventory balances, understand the budget process and responsibility accounting, and understand standard cost systems and production cost variances.
Number of Credits: 3
Prerequisites: BUS 345
Course Type: MBA Specific Elective
BUS 327 Microfoundations of Competitiveness
The course explores the determinants of national and regional competitiveness building from the perspective of firms, clusters, sub-national units, nations, and groups of neighboring countries. It focuses on the sources of national or regional productivity, which are rooted in the strategies and operating practices of locally based firms, the vitality of clusters, and the quality of the business environment in which competition takes place. Through lectures, class discussions and group projects, students will analyze competitiveness at multiple levels – nations, sub-national units and neighboring countries. Three hours of instructor-led class time per week.
Number of Credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
Course Type: MBA Specific Elective
BUS 332 Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance is a comprehensive MBA-level course that explores the financial decision-making processes within a corporation. The course covers key topics such as capital budgeting, cost of capital, financial analysis, corporate valuation, and risk management. Students will learn to assess financial strategies, optimize capital structure, and make informed decisions regarding investments, financing, and dividend policies. Through real-world case studies and financial models, participants will develop a deep understanding of how to create value for shareholders while balancing risk and profitability in dynamic market environments.
Number of Credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
Course Type: College Wide Elective
CBE 385 Project Management
In this course students learn project management skills that are essential for current or future managers regardless of their career concentration. Some of the topics covered include life cycle models; project selection; project monitoring and control; planning with uncertainty; managing scope, risk, quality, time and costs; procurement; human resources and communications; the critical chain method; and managing multiple projects. It also discusses commercial project management software and how to overcome its limited functionality to address the requirements of managing risky, complex projects in practice.
Number of Credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
Course Type: College Wide Elective
CBE 390 Entrepreneurship and Innovation
The purpose of this integrative practicum is to understand how new business opportunities are identified and commercialized. The course structure follows the evolutionary process of a new venture: Idea assessment, organization formation, capitalization, growth, and exit. The course integrates much of what students have learned in their first year courses and challenges them to apply the newly acquired knowledge and tools to a real business situation. The course combines theoretical and applied learning, including lectures, guest speakers, traditional case studies and “live” new venture projects. Under the guidance of the faculty and with the support of mentors, student teams take a multidisciplinary approach to the preparation and presentation of a business plan for a real new venture. In the process, students are expected to make difficult business choices with less than perfect information, dealing with ambiguity and uncertainty. Students conclude their project with an oral presentation in addition to a full written report.
Number of Credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
Course Type: College Wide Elective
BUS 369 Digital Marketing
This course is an introduction to the role of digital marketing within the business firm. Quantitative methods and behavioral theories are utilized. It provides the student an opportunity to apply analytical concepts and techniques developed in psychology, economics, quantitative analysis, accounting, and finance to marketing problems. The course will utilize case studies, and oral and written presentations.
Number of Credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
Course Type: College Wide Elective
BUS 263 Brand Management
This course examines the importance of building a brand as well as the ingredients for solid brand management. Topics include understanding brands, designing brand, and measuring brand usage. Students will work individually and in groups to analyze case studies and present findings. Home tasks include research and case study analysis. Three hour of instructor-led class time per week.
Number of Credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
Course Type: College Wide Elective