MBA 4110 Entrepreneurship Challenge (2 Credits)

Want to start a business? Have a great idea? How do you get started? Using Design Thinking and Lean Startup practices we will explore what you can do on Day 1 and beyond. You will build your toolkit for how to make sure you are solving the right problem, create a variety of potential solutions, and then test and validate such ideas. At the conclusion teams will pitch a validated problem and feasible business opportunity. During the quarter, you will form teams around solving a specific problem, conduct ethnographic research regarding that problem, clearly define the target customer’s point of view, generate several potential solutions, and then continuously test and iterate on an effective solution. Teams will also be required to determine if these solutions will produce a worthwhile business based on customer desirability and developmental feasibility.

MBA 4120 Strategic Leadership (2 Credits)

Strategic Leadership is a course that introduces the student to the theory of strategic analysis, strategy development and execution. Students will develop the ability to think strategically by examining a firm’s mission, vision, and values, business model and financial health of the organization. After assessing the firm’s strengths and weaknesses, the focus is then placed on the industry and competitive environments using a series of tools and frameworks that result in identifying opportunities and threats. Synthesis in the course takes place when the student is able to develop strategic alternatives and create a recommendation for strategy implementation that generates added value and competitive advantage for the firm. Principal Content Elements (i.e. weeks / modules): 1. Intro to Strategy Concepts; Role of Mission / Vision / Values and Governance 2. External and Internal Analysis 3. Business Strategies and Generic Competitive Strategies; Strengthening Competitive Position 4. Competing Internationally or Globally; Strategic Alliances; Corporate Strategy 5. Ethics, Corporate Social Responsibility, Sustainability and Strategy; Strategy Execution and Leadership.

MBA 4130 Accounting I (2 Credits)

The purpose of this course is to provide students with an understanding of the financial statements issued by companies to external parties, such as shareholders and creditors. The course covers the fundamentals of accounting, from recording economic events in the accounting records to the preparation of the company’s financial statements, as well as major transaction categories and accounting policies of business firms and their financial statement implications. In addition, the course introduces students to publicly-traded companies’ Form 10-K annual reports.

MBA 4140 Ethics in Practice (2 Credits)

The fundamental purposes of the course is to 1) engage students in ongoing reflection and dialogue about their responsibilities as managers and leaders, 2) understand cognitive, behavioral, and principled approaches to ethics, and 3) advance your job prospects by focusing on ethical skills, practices, and exercises that will make you better managers and leaders. Of particular emphasis are the ethical and social responsibilities of managers and leaders, especially as it relates to numerous stakeholders. This course focuses on a systems-oriented approach to the ethical and social relationships of business leaders and business organizations in their communities. These roles will be examined by analyzing a variety of representative issues that characterize current concerns with business ethics. The goal is to provide students with generalized understanding and skills that can be employed in dealing with other issues that may emerge in their business careers. While the core of the curriculum will strengthen foundation business and management skills and competencies, the assumption of this course is that all of these skills and competences must be grounded in a solid ethical and social commitment to values and principles. This course attempts to explore these values in various business contexts.

MBA 4150 Marketing Strategy (2 Credits)

Great marketers are great problem solvers. This graduate level marketing course will allow you to understand, analyze, and apply sophisticated marketing concepts to solve problems in a complex and dynamic business setting. This function can be called corporate marketing, strategic marketing, or marketing management. The curriculum will focus on formulating and implementing marketing management strategies and tactics undertaken at corporate setting or as part of a start-up environment. To get the most from this course, a student should be open-minded, engaged, and creative. Upon completion of this course, students will have useful tools and a lens through which you may view the world as a marketer.

MBA 4160 Statistical Learning (2 Credits)

This course will allow the student to develop an understanding of more complex concepts of probability and statistics and how they relate to managerial type problems and decision making. These will include differentiating different data types and determining their appropriate analyses (descriptive, visual, and statistical including comparing means/proportions and regression.) In addition, the student will experience performing, interpreting, and presenting these probability and statistics methodologies.

MBA 4170 Business & Politics (2 Credits)

Businesses, both domestic and multinational, are vital actors in a complex global political economy. This class will explore how broader political and economic institutions affect businesses and markets, but also, how the choices of firms in turn affect our global economy. This class will provide students with a deeper understanding of international political economy, international and domestic institutions, the role of businesses in global markets, and the challenges that businesses face in current and recent political climates. We will explore this by discussing the role of businesses in shaping political and economic policies, differences between developed and emerging economies, and how global crises and problems impact the choices of firms.

MBA 4180 Business Ethics (2 Credits)

Business Ethics is an intermediate level graduate course delivering a rigorous introduction to major ethical topics, theories, and issues relevant to the elements of the 21st century business environment. This course also focuses on ethical reasoning and strives to enhance each student’s ability to integrate these perspectives into appropriate business decisions.

MBA 4210 Social Good Challenge (2 Credits)

The objective of this course is to enable students to develop the skills and knowledge of the consulting process as it relates to client engagement. Students will be expected to apply both their academic training and prior business experience to the class. The course requirements will consist of project activities and status reporting, assigned readings, class discussions, a midterm presentation, and a final project deliverable and presentation. This course is based upon experiential learning, where you will: 1) develop the building blocks for any consulting engagement including the industry, project management, problem solving, presentation, and teamwork through lectures, discussions, and a series of in- and out-of-class exercises. Using your Social Good Projects, we will lean heavily on real world examples. 2) Learn the key communications skills necessary for a consulting engagement, including giving and receiving feedback, influencing clients and colleagues, developing presentations, and interviewing the client. 3) Get introduced to some of the key frameworks used to solve functional area consulting problems (finance, strategy, operations and marketing) that you can use in cases and projects. Note that this is just an introduction and overview – your other courses are critical! 4) Wrap up the class with your Final Social Good Project presentation and client report.

MBA 4220 Leading Effective Organization (2 Credits)

This course is about leading people and organizations for high performance in changing times. The course builds on three foundational notions: 1) informal leadership is as essential to an organization as formal leadership – if not more so – and far more pervasive; 2) effective leaders – both formal and informal – know how to be good team players; and 3) most people’s initial and formative leadership experiences occur while they are working in teams. In this course, you will acquire knowledge, skills and abilities for effective leadership and teamwork in organizations. You will learn about different approaches to leadership and reflect on and develop your own leadership style. You will learn about team dynamics, and how to be an effective team member. You will learn how the organizational and broader business context influence leadership and teamwork. The course also develops and reinforces your critical and analytical thinking skills. Content includes fundamental organizational behavior concepts such as motivation, power and politics, and organizational structure and culture. The global context of business is emphasized as a central factor in leading organizations. The course integrates themes of ethical business principles, sustainability, engagement, and inclusion, i.e., creating organizations that are ethical, sustainable, that attract and engage talented people, and that exemplify inclusive excellence.

MBA 4230 Accounting II (2 Credits)

Managing cost information is essential for the execution of a business strategy because it enables managers to understand the financial implications of their decisions. In this course, students will learn how to measure, report, interpret, and use cost information. Topics in the course include (traditional and advanced) costing system design; breakeven analysis; cost information for decision making.

MBA 4235 Accounting III (2 Credits)

The learning from this course will give you the ability to: A. Demonstrate your ability to analyze and critically evaluate both budgeted numbers and actual results. You will begin to learn how to plan and control business activity by constructing and reviewing master budgets. B. Compute the amount of budget variances and interpret them for performance evaluation purposes. You will learn how to prepare a budget variance analysis, including revenue and spending variances. C. Examine the effectiveness of performance metrics. You will learn how to design performance measurement systems congruent with business strategic goals. D. Demonstrate your ability to systematically and professionally analyze internal performance information. You will learn how to devise management control systems to assess the contribution of managerial decisions to the achievement of the business strategic goals.

MBA 4250 Business and Global Values (4 Credits)

This course examines the ethical, legal, and public policy dimensions of business in the global marketplace. Prerequisite: None.

MBA 4265 Introduction to Analytics (2 Credits)

Businesses make decisions and improve processes using their own and external data and a variety of modeling and analytic techniques. This course introduces students to the business data landscape, data management in organizations, the data-driven decision-making process, and the fundamental concepts behind statistical inference and analytic modeling to support decision-making.

MBA 4280 Managerial Finance I (2 Credits)

Mastering Managerial Financial Competencies I focuses on the fundamentals of finance, emphasizing the basic principles, theoretical concepts, and analytical methodology in managerial finance. Topics covered include, but are not limited to: - Analyze financial statements; Calculate the quantity and dollar break-even points and determine the impact of price, fixed costs and variable costs on operating profit; Define and calculate the degree of operating, financial and combined leverage explaining the risks associated with higher levels of each; - Time Value of Money; Know how to value distant and uncertain cash flows; - Understand different types of financial securities; Calculate the intrinsic value of corporate bond, preferred stock and common stock. Upon completion of this course, students should be able to understand many fundamental issues in managerial finance and be adequately prepared for further study in Mastering Managerial Financial Competencies II and other advanced finance courses.

MBA 4285 Managerial Finance II (2 Credits)

Managerial Finance II is the second course in the MBA finance sequence. This course focuses on the framework and tools for analyzing and making financial decisions based on principles of modern financial theory. Topics covered include, but are not limited to: - Understand what is corporate financial analysis and its importance. - Introduce classic financial models and their roles in financial decision making. - Analyze corporate financial policy in the business practices, including capital structure, investment, payout and working capital policy, and understand how firms interact with capital markets; Understand the cost of capital and optimal capital structure; Present capital budgeting techniques and how to make investment decisions under uncertainty; Develop a framework to make payout decision; Learn the key determinant of an efficient working capital management system. This course assumes that students have a good grasp of the material covered in MBA 4280 and hence the pace is fast. Upon completion of this course, students should be familiar with the analytical tools and problem-solving skills in managerial finance and be adequately prepared for making quality financial decisions.

MBA 4290 Microeconomics (2 Credits)

This course meshes the standard tools of microeconomic analysis with a well-rounded appreciation of the important perspectives that form the business environment in the contemporary world. The goal is to provide students with the tools from microeconomics that they need to make sound managerial decisions. The course will use case studies to develop practical insights into managing the firm’s resources to achieve competitive advantage.

MBA 4310 Experiencing Strategic Management through Corporate Challenges (2 Credits)

Corporate Challenges is a Challenge Driven Educational (CDE) course that builds on several previous foundational and experiential courses. Students will leverage the content from accounting, finance, ethics, management, marketing, economics, globalization, strategy, business stats and analysis in order to engage with corporate partners to examine real-world problems. Students will address issues involving marketing and digital strategy, market feasibility, digital transition, e-commerce, competitive analysis, business development, go-to-market strategy, supply chain management, and innovation and product development. The course is delivered in both lecture and lab format in which students will meet one day of the week in the classroom and the other day of the week in an on-campus study room discussing their specific corporate challenge. The lecture will focus on content applicable to all corporate challenges. In order to provide the best learning experience, guest speakers will be provided periodically in lecture format. During the on-campus lab time, groups will brief the instructor on their project’s progress, achievements to date, and obstacles that require assistance to overcome in order to achieve success. The remainder of the lab time must be spent in groups working on the corporate challenge project.

MBA 4340 Sustainable Enterprises (2 Credits)

This course provides an overview of sustainability and how it has become relevant to all corporations and their stakeholders. Sustainability is more than financial or environmental – it is a larger concept that includes the economic, social, and environmental aspects of an organization. While there has been debate about corporate responsibility to not cause social or environmental harm, sustainability has become an economic driver of financial performance with specific business risks and opportunities. Why? First, we can better measure the real costs of climate change and other negative externalities and their costs to society, communities, and corporations. Second, investors and other stakeholders are asking companies how prepared they are to manage the business risks and opportunities in their industries. Companies are being asked for data on their environmental impacts and their workforce development and inclusiveness because these affect their future business performance as business risks, revenue opportunities, and access to capital. Investors, customers, employees, suppliers, and other stakeholders are asking companies for data and reporting on their sustainability outcomes, and companies are now using that data to guide operational and strategy decisions. According to McKinsey & Co, corporations will need to focus on sustainable and inclusive growth that adapts to climate-related risks, competes effectively for limited resources, and shares costs and benefits across generations. This course highlights what all MBA students should know about sustainability as it will continue to affect all organizations - global public corporations, small private companies, large nonprofits like hospitals and universities, and government entities. This course will focus on the major issues and challenges of sustainability, the ESG framework and measurement challenges, and practical examples of how sustainability is driving operations and strategy in different industries. Of course, not all industries and corporations are in the same place along this spectrum, and stakeholders can vary in importance and relative power. But all companies should understand sustainability basics to protect and enhance their financial performance and to inform decision-making, and reduce negative externalities like poor water and air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, and social harm.

MBA 4360 Introduction to Data Mining (2 Credits)

Develop an understanding of more complex concepts of probability and statistics, and how they relate to managerial type problems and decision making. Develop experience performing and interpreting complex analysis methodologies. Obtain further familiarity with statistical software packages. Prerequisite: MBA 4160.

MBA 4410 Global Challenge I (0-4 Credits)

The Global Challenge represents the culmination of your Challenge work in the Denver MBA offering you the opportunity to apply your learning in an overseas setting. Working with a client organization, you will conduct an overseas consulting project. Beginning your work in Denver during the Fall quarter, you will work with your client to understand the scope of the project, conduct Denver-based research, plan your field research strategy, prepare for your overseas travel and prepare a pre-trip project deliverable that allows you to leverage your time in the field. During the interterm you will travel to your destination country, meeting local and global organizations, conducting research across cultures and managing your relationship with your client while in the field. Your in-country research will combine with your Denver-based research to support your final report and recommendations – to be delivered to your client in a written report and presentation - as you complete Global Challenge III in the Winter quarter. Enforced Prerequisites: MBA 4110, MBA 4210, and MBA 4310.

MBA 4446 Advanced Sustainability (4 Credits)

This course provides an overview of current corporate sustainability approaches and the strategies and tools that help them be effective. As businesses and corporations seek to create social and environmental impact along with shareholder value, they are developing strategic approaches to sustainability that can be measured, managed, and reported to investors, employees, and other stakeholders. Getting beyond sustainability basics to create real value and impact can build competitive advantage, attract capital investment, recruit talent and customers, and reduce negative externalities like poor water and air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, and social harm. How can organizations move beyond “check the box” sustainability to real impact and measurable value? They need to think strategically, integrate sustainable approaches into operations, create reporting structures for good data and accountability, and create a culture around steady sustainability improvement. While corporations may approach sustainability with different moral or economic motivations and rest along a spectrum of intention and commitment, the external landscape is shifting. In the business world, customers, employees, investors, and partner firms are placing more emphasis on transparency to guide their decision-making, and businesses need to communicate their sustainability efforts effectively to diverse stakeholders. In response, both large corporations and smaller ventures are designing strategic approaches for sustainable operations (including sourcing and supply chains), cost-effective measurement, and clear reporting and sharing with their many stakeholders. Students will gain an overview of the theory, practice, and challenges of corporate sustainability today, learn strategies and tools for designing effective approaches, and how corporations are measuring and managing sustainability outcomes to align with ESG and global development goals. The course will deepen students’ understanding of corporate sustainability strategy, the strengths and limitations of different frameworks to measuring outcomes, and highlight diverse career paths in sustainability and corporate social responsibility.

MBA 4470 Introduction to International Business (2 Credits)

International business is its own field of academic study with rich theories and frameworks. Facing a dynamic, and increasingly chaotic, external business environment, business students need to understand both the theories and how they can be applied. To that end, this course draws on the rich international business writings to better understand global business practices and to ultimately make better business decisions. Students will actively explore current international business issues, will interact with local international business leaders, and learn specific concerns facing key regions or countries globally. Prerequisite: MBA 4170.

MBA 4490 Global Macroeconomics (2 Credits)

Global Macroeconomics, MBA 4490, covers the theory and practice of modern macroeconomics for an open economy. It teaches students how private market forces and government policy decisions drive fluctuations in the global economy and affect the business environment. It explores issues related to inflation, interest rates, foreign exchange rates, business cycles, trade policies, and countercyclical monetary and fiscal policies. It covers current global macro issues including negative interest rates, electronic money, Brexit, trade wars, and financial crisis. Students are encouraged to investigate the potential and limitations of macroeconomic theory with real-world problems.

MBA 4510 Global Challenge II (2 Credits)

The Global Challenge represents the culmination of your Challenge work in the Denver MBA offering you the opportunity to apply your learning in an overseas setting. Working with a client organization, you will conduct an overseas consulting project. Beginning your work in Denver during the Fall quarter, you will work with your client to understand the scope of the project, conduct Denver-based research, plan your field research strategy, prepare for your overseas travel and prepare a pre-trip project deliverable that allows you to leverage your time in the field. During the interterm you will travel to your destination country, meeting local and global organizations, conducting research across cultures and managing your relationship with your client while in the field. In-country research will combine with your Denver-based research to support your final report and recommendations to be delivered to your client in a written report and presentation (based on client preference) as you complete Global Challenge II in the Winter quarter.

MBA 4540 Public Policy (2 Credits)

MBA 4540 is a cornerstone graduate course delivering a comprehensive introduction to major topics, theories and issues relevant to business in its interactions with business & society.

MBA 4545 Business Law: Principal, Strategy & Tactics (2 Credits)

MBA 4545 is a graduate course providing future business leaders with an overview of essential topics in business law. It introduces the ways in which legal considerations impact business strategy, inform business tactics, and affect managerial decision-making. It is designed to enhance students’ ability to (1) understand the US legal system as it relates to business, (2) use legal lenses to identify significant business risks and opportunities; (3) appreciate and discharge the legal obligations of businesses, managers and workers; (4) evaluate the force and weight of legal arguments about the “gray areas” in which modern businesses often must operate; and (5) incorporate legal considerations into business strategy in order to secure value and mitigate risk.

MBA 4550 Product Management (2 Credits)

Ask any product manager how they got started and you’ll likely hear a lot of serendipity. Product Management is a relatively new discipline that has many different career paths leading to it. Tech driven companies especially value Product Managers (PMs) who bring a combination of strong business acumen, technology and design, process and workflow efficiencies, leadership and communication skills, passion, and eventually extensive domain knowledge. A product manager is the voice for the customer and the business. Great product managers are strategic thinkers and tactical executors. This course will provide a hands-on overview and understanding of the product management role for Denver MBA graduates.

MBA 4610 Business Law and Public Policy (4 Credits)

The political and legal risks confronting business are among the most serious and can even affect corporate survival, as demonstrated by the scandals and crises of the past three decades. This course attempts to equip managers with the tools and perspectives to manage such enterprise risks, to prevent conflicts from escalating into crises, and to properly respond to legal challenges and political controversies when they do occur. In particular, this course provides a background and foundation in the fundamental concepts of business law and public policy. It elevates your ability to (1) analyze important legal questions and problems facing business, and (2) analyze trends and forces in public policy that affect business.

MBA 4615 Talent Management (2 Credits)

Managing and developing talent is one of the top 3 issues on the minds of CEOs from around the world. In fact, CEOs cite managing and developing their leadership talent as the issue that is most important to the future success of their business, yet are least capable of addressing effectively. This course will provide you with the insights, frameworks and tools to effectively manage and develop talent in your teams and organizations.

MBA 4620 Leadership Capstone (2 Credits)

This course is a capstone course to integrate students' learning and development across the two-years of the Denver MBA. In it, students build their personal leadership framework that incorporates the three key dimensions of community, enterprise and self (which includes knowledge, skills, and abilities acquired through the full-time MBA course of study). The course helps students identify and fine tune their unique value proposition and integrate it with their desired spheres of influence. It also allows them to identify critical gaps in all three dimensions of their personal framework. Students will take stock of their learning and development and then prepare to move forward with research, critical thinking and analysis.

MBA 4900 MBA 4900 Topics: (4 Credits)

MBA 4900 is a topics course. That is, you may take this course up to a maximum of four times when registering for an extension elective. The extension elective follows an immersion and is generally, though not always, held in another country. In some instances, this course may be held in the U.S. You will notice that each topic on your transcript will have a different course title. You are not allowed to repeat the same title course. This course will introduce you to the application of international business practice in an international setting while offering opportunities for acquiring hands-on cross-cultural experience to participants in the course. Assigned work and online interaction during the quarter preceding the travel course will prepare students for the experience so that time on the ground can be leveraged for maximum impact. The countries visited offer an outstanding opportunity to learn about international business issues. Students will have the opportunity to meet first hand with a variety of business and other organizations as well as conduct field research to better understand the Italian business environment and its role in the global economy.

MBA 4970 Leadership & Development (0 Credits)

All Denver MBA students are required to participate in leadership and development programs to satisfy their graduation requirement. Completion of the graduation requirement entails participating in the leadership retreat at The Nature Place in fall quarter of your first year, five quarterly Peak Leadership Days, and Team Launches for each of the four challenges, and team and individual coaching throughout the program and professional development workshops and opportunities. The program is for zero credits, but must be completed in order to graduate.

MBA 4971 Leadership & Development 1 (0 Credits)

Fall quarter, year 1 - All Denver MBA students are required to participate in leadership and development programs to satisfy their graduation requirement. Completion of the graduation requirement entails participating in the leadership retreat at The Nature Place in fall quarter of your first year, five quarterly Peak Leadership Days, and Team Launches for each of the four challenges, and team and individual coaching throughout the program and professional development workshops and opportunities. The program is for zero credits, but must be completed in order to graduate.

MBA 4972 Leadership & Development 2 (0 Credits)

Winter quarter, year 1 - All Denver MBA students are required to participate in leadership and development programs to satisfy their graduation requirement. Completion of the graduation requirement entails participating in the leadership retreat at The Nature Place in fall quarter of your first year, five quarterly Peak Leadership Days, and Team Launches for each of the four challenges, and team and individual coaching throughout the program and professional development workshops and opportunities. The program is for zero credits, but must be completed in order to graduate.

MBA 4973 Leadership & Development 3 (0 Credits)

Spring quarter, year 1 - All Denver MBA students are required to participate in leadership and development programs to satisfy their graduation requirement. Completion of the graduation requirement entails participating in the leadership retreat at The Nature Place in fall quarter of your first year, five quarterly Peak Leadership Days, and Team Launches for each of the four challenges, and team and individual coaching throughout the program and professional development workshops and opportunities. The program is for zero credits, but must be completed in order to graduate.

MBA 4974 Leadership & Development 4 (0 Credits)

Fall quarter, year 2 - All Denver MBA students are required to participate in leadership and development programs to satisfy their graduation requirement. Completion of the graduation requirement entails participating in the leadership retreat at The Nature Place in fall quarter of your first year, five quarterly Peak Leadership Days, and Team Launches for each of the four challenges, and team and individual coaching throughout the program and professional development workshops and opportunities. The program is for zero credits, but must be completed in order to graduate.

MBA 4975 Leadership & Development 5 (0 Credits)

Winter quarter, year 2 - All Denver MBA students are required to participate in leadership and development programs to satisfy their graduation requirement. Completion of the graduation requirement entails participating in the leadership retreat at The Nature Place in fall quarter of your first year, five quarterly Peak Leadership Days, and Team Launches for each of the four challenges, and team and individual coaching throughout the program and professional development workshops and opportunities. The program is for zero credits, but must be completed in order to graduate.

MBA 4976 Leadership & Development XI - spring quarter - year 2 (0 Credits)

Spring quarter, year 2 - All Denver MBA students are required to participate in leadership and development programs to satisfy their graduation requirement. Completion of the graduation requirement entails participating in the leadership retreat at The Nature Place in fall quarter of your first year, five quarterly Peak Leadership Days, and Team Launches for each of the four challenges, and team and individual coaching throughout the program and professional development workshops and opportunities. The program is for zero credits, but must be completed in order to graduate.

MBA 4980 MBA Internship (0-10 Credits)

Denver MBA students are required to secure and complete an internship during the summer between their first and second year. The internship is a graduation requirement, so if it is not completed during the summer, it will have to be completed at some other point during the program. This course is for zero credits unless approved otherwise. Note: If you choose to take your internship for credit, you will pay for the credits in the term in which you have your internship. Internships can provide students with “real world” experience within a business environment and prepare students for a full-time position when they graduate. Many companies now use internships as their source for full-time hires, and an internship can allow career switchers to get relevant work experience to add to their resume. For your internship to qualify, it must complement and strengthen your academic experience, provide relevant experiential learning, and help prepare you for a career in a chosen field, or allow you to explore a new industry. You can choose among the organizations that have listed their internship opportunities in Pioneer Careers or arrange for your own internship.

MBA 4991 Independent Study (1-10 Credits)