The DePaul MBA at College of Mount Saint Vincent Course Descriptions

ACC 502 FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING FOR MANAGERIAL DECISION MAKING
This course introduces accounting fundamentals, with an emphasis on the interpretation and use of financial statements. Specifically, the class focuses on how financial statements reflect a firm’s major economic events, and many class examples are based on real-world financial statements. By the end of the course, students will be able to understand and use basic internal and external financial information.

ECON 502 ANALYSIS OF BUSINESS CONDITIONS
This survey course in macroeconomics will cover the nature of macroeconomic activity including the component parts of aggregate expenditures and the nature of key indicators of the economy’s performance. The roles of fiscal and monetary policy makers will be examined as well as the structure of the central bank.

ECON 555 MANAGERIAL ECONOMICS
This course focuses on the application of microeconomic principles to managerial decision making. These principles include the theories of consumer choice, production and cost as they relate to decisions made by firms and households under various industry configurations. Specific topics are consumer and market demand; elasticities; production theory; cost structure; profit maximization; market impacts of government interventions; externalities; and the effect of market structure on firm decisions on pricing, output and profit.

FIN 555 FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
This course provides an introduction to concepts and techniques required to analyze and implement optimal financial decisions by firms and serves as the core course in the graduate finance curriculum. The course focuses on the effect of time and uncertainty on investment and financing decisions. It develops a framework for corporate financial decision-making. Topics covered include basic discounting techniques, stock and bond valuation, capital budgeting, portfolio theory, asset pricing, and capital structure. The course uses several case studies to illustrate the application of finance theory to practical problems.

GSB 519 BUSINESS ANALYTICS TOOLS
This course provides foundational quantitative analytical skills required to understand and solve organizational problems. The course emphasizes a problem-oriented approach utilizing software applications primarily in Excel for data analyses. The topics covered in the course include relevant mathematical concepts such as algebra and probability theory/application as well as a strong focus on fundamental statistical tools such as hypothesis testing, regression analysis and forecasting.

GSB 525 BUSINESS INNOVATION AND DESIGN
This course explores the role of innovation in organizations with an overarching structure of two key components of innovation in organizations: people and process. A Design Thinking process centers the course and includes theory and process related to problem identification, ideation, and development of innovative solutions. The course format is largely experiential, with a focus on group and individual projects, exercises and techniques through which students will experience the innovation process. The course also explores the realities of innovation in order to provide a useful and pragmatic view.

GSB 599 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT CAPSTONE
This capstone course challenges students to apply their general knowledge of business toward creating global competitive business strategies. The course content emphasizes identifying strategic alternatives, developing corporate and business strategies, and understanding the role of functional activities and organizational processes from a strategic viewpoint. Experiential learning is the primary mode of learning as students acquire the skills to make strategic decisions as part of a management team.

MGT 500 LEADING EFFECTIVE AND ETHICAL ORGANIZATIONS
This course examines how leaders engage individuals, teams and organizations in ways that are both ethical and effective. Students utilize feedback from a developmental, behaviorally-based simulation that assess their managerial and interpersonal skills. Individual development plans are created and relevant skills developed throughout the course. Skill development domains include perception, attribution, motivation, learning leadership, communication, team development, organizational culture, decision-making, power and politics all through the lens of business ethics.

MGT 504 FUNDAMENTALS OF OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
Fundamental Operations Management provides an introduction to the basic and pragmatic issues faced by operations managers. Major practices in operations management, such as operations strategy selection, process improvement, inventory management, project management, and quality issues are covered to help students understand the role of operations management in an organization and between organizations (supply chain). More specifically, the course educates students in strategic thinking (operations strategy selection, supply chain management), doing (inventory management, project management, quality management), and feeling (ethical issues in cross-border supply chains, lean production, continuous improvement).

MGT 555 HUMAN CAPITAL STRATEGY AND SCIENCE
Taught from the perspective of the managerial role, this course emphasizes the links between business strategy rigorous high performance work practices, and competitive advantage. Analytics of human capital effectiveness are explored throughout all core topics including talent acquisition, talent management, talent development, total rewards, employee and career development.

MKT 555 MARKETING MANAGEMENT
Students are provided with an overview of the marketing process for consumer-oriented firms. Focus is placed on decision-making that aligns a firm’s market offerings with the wants and needs of targeted segments of customers within a continuously changing environment. Written cases/projects are part of the course assignment.