500

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. This course is designed to be the first course in the MBA program. Co-requisite(s): None. 1 semester hour

This is the first course in the MBA program. It provides 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 for students who do not fully meet all of the MBA admission requirements and/or do not have an undergraduate degree professionally accredited by IACBE, AACSB, or ACBSP. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MBA. Co-requisite(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 is a gateway MBA program experience that focuses on contemporary leadership and organizational behavior perspectives. Students explore topics such as authentic leadership, emotional intelligence, and teamwork while examining the individual, group, and organizational factors that influence a leader’s ability to exert influence and enact change. Through self-assessment, simulation, and reflection, students achieve a heightened understanding of how they can enhance their own leadership effectiveness, contribute to the effectiveness of their organizations, and realize their professional aspirations. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MBA program; MBA500 or MBA501. Co-requisite(s): None. 3 semester hours

This course examines the responsibilities of ethical leadership in the modern organization. Course content will underscore stakeholder rights and the organization’s duties to its stakeholders, both internal and external, as well as to society-at-large. Both political and social as well as ethical and legal rights and duties are explored. Major areas of analysis include: employer and employee rights; occupational; safety; product safety; advertising; environmental issues; and social responsibility. A variety of managerial decision-making techniques will be applied in the analysis and solving of ethical problems. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MBA program; MBA500 or MBA501, MBA503. Co-requisite(s): None. 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 or MBA501. Co-requisite(s): None. 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 and the associated Leading Indicator approach of the Conference Board to enable students to analyze the current state of the US economy and forecast its future state. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MBA Program; MBA500 or MBA501, MBA503. Co-requisite(s): None. 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 or MBA501, MBA503. Co-requisite(s): None. 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 or MBA 501, MBA503, MBA 514, MBA 518. Co-requisite(s): none. 3 semester hours

This course will emphasize the strategic management of assets and liabilities to maximize the value of organizations. Topics include time value of money, investment decision criteria, evaluation of cash flows, risk analysis, cost of capital, working capital management, dividend policy, and overall financial performance. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MBA Program; MBA500 or MBA501, MBA503, MBA514. Co-requisite(s): None. 3 semester hours

The course is designed to provide a foundation of marketing knowledge and practical skills that will 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 or MBA501, MBA503. Co-requisite(s): None. 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, MBA 500 or MBA 501; MBA 503; MBA 510; MBA 522; MBA 514; MBA 526; MBA 508; MBA 518; MBA 529; MBA 532; MBA 516; MBA 506; MBA 581. This course is designed to be the final course in the MBA program. Co-requisite(s): None. 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 or MBA501, MBA503. Co-requisite(s): None. 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 and the diversity of business environments across the world. It is designed 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): Admission to the MBA Program; MBA500 or MBA501, MBA503. Co-requisite(s): None. 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 focuses on how managers can leverage technology and information to improve organizational performance. Like human and financial resources, technology is a critical ingredient of modern organizations. The course addresses general patterns of technology development and evolution, and then focuses on the impact of information technology on many industries-manufacturing and services including healthcare and government. The course uses case studies and frameworks to enable general managers to be effective participants in the planning, management, and use of technology in their areas of responsibility. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MBA Program; MBA500 or MBA501, MBA503. Co-requisite(s): None. 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: MBA500Intro 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 or MBA501, MBA503, MBA510, MBA522, MBA514, MBA526, MBA508, MBA518, MBA529, MBA532, MBA516, MBA506. This course is designed to be taken immediately preceding the last course in the MBA program, MBA524 Strategic Management. Co-requisite(s): None. 0 semester hours