Core Courses & Electives
MBA Core Electives
Students are required to complete one of either Business Economics 542, Operations Management 502 or Strategic Management and Organization 502. For students in the Finance specialization, Finance 503 will count as your core elective.
BUEC 542 - International Business (3 credits)
Provides students with an introduction to the tools they will require to succeed in the increasingly international business world. Serves as a basis for other more advanced courses in International Business, covering such topics as Country Differences, International Trade, Foreign Direct Investment, Economics Integration, The Foreign Exchange Market and International Business Strategy and Operations. This course will also cover selective topics in international macroeconomics. Prerequisite: BUEC 503.
OM 502 - Operations Management (3 credits)
This course focuses on (1) the competitive advantage that a business unit can derive from innovative and efficient production and delivery of its goods and services and on (2) analytical approaches that are useful in understanding and improving an organization's operations. Specific modules include process diagramming and analysis; measuring and managing flow times; inventory control and optimization; supply chain coordination and operations strategy. Cases will be used to illustrate operational efficiency and its significance to the profitability of a firm. Not to be taken by students with credit in MGTSC 502. Prerequisite: MGTSC 501.
SMO 502 - Organization Strategy / Managing Organizations (3 credits)
The first part of this course examines the formation of business strategy. It recognizes the complexities and messiness of strategy formation and explores how organizations actually develop strategies. The second part examines the evolution, determinants, and relevance of alternative ways of organizing. Contemporary ideas (e.g. re-engineering, the learning organization, virtual organizations) are critically reviewed. Not open to students who have completed ORG A 501. Prerequisite: SMO 500.
Descriptions for MBA core courses and core elective courses are presented below. We offer a number of elective courses. You are encouraged to view the online course catalogue to view all elective courses, complete course descriptions and past course outlines (where available). Masters level courses are numbered 500-599 and 600-699.
School of Business Course Catalogue
Please note, each course is not necessarily offered every semester. Consult BearTracks and/or the MBA timetables for specific information on when a course will be offered. Specific topics for courses numbered 686 vary from year to year and cover special topics. As each 686 course may be different, it is possible to receive credit in more than offering of a departmental 686 course (i.e. 2 SMO 686 courses).
MBA Core Courses
ACCTG 501 - Introduction to Financial Reporting and Analysis (3 credits)
Accounting information's role in recording and reporting on economic and business events including the primary financial statements: balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow. Concepts and purposes underlying financial reporting. Selection of accounting policies and their informational effects for external users. The course begins to develop students' abilities to evaluate and interpret financial information through basic financial analysis.
ACCTG 523 - Accounting Information and Internal Decision Making (3 credits)
Accounting concepts used by managers in planning and decision-making. The course introduces concepts of cost and profit behaviour, contribution margin, and activity-based costing, as well as relevant costs and revenues for production, marketing and capital budgeting decisions. The course also introduces students to the management planning and control system and its components - budgets, variance analysis, performance evaluation in centralized and decentralized organizations, and management compensation plans. The importance of designing a system to fit the organizations' strategy is emphasized. Prerequisite: ACCTG 501.
BUS 501 - Business Skills Orientation (0 credits - mandatory requirement)
Orientation to the MBA program, including primers on team building, ethics and academic integrity, time/life management, public speaking, library resources, career planning and business etiquette.
BUS 504 - Career Management Skills (0 credits - Full Time Students Only)
Fundamentals of career success are covered, including letter writing, interviewing, career planning, company analysis, industry analysis and wealth building/management.
BUS 505 - Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility with Communications (3 credits)
This course focuses on the application of moral principles and models for ethical decision making to individuals and businesses in the 21st century. Contemporary ethical and social issues will be examined through the use of case studies, class discussions and presentations. Topics include concepts of individual ethics, workplace issues, corporate compliance and social and environmental responsibility. While examining ethical issues, emphasis will be placed on improving students' proficiency levels in verbal and written business communication.
BUEC 503 - Economic Foundations (3 credits)
This course focuses on economic decision making at the level of the firm and consumer, utilizing demand and supply analysis to help understand a variety of economic and managerial issues. Formal models of managerial economic problems will be developed and used for purposes of analysis. The course will also deal with public economics, regulatory economics and introduce issues of information economics and strategic behaviour. The theory of public choice and public goods will be used to analyze a variety of public economic issues. The course will also cover macroeconomic issues including: measuring macroeconomic variables, sources of economic growth, business cycles, interest rates, exchange rates, government debt, and other topics. Credit will not be given for both BUEC 502 and 503.
FIN 501 - Managerial Finance (3 credits)
Fundamental concepts in asset valuation are discussed within the context of simple asset pricing models and efficient financial markets. This course introduces the valuation of financial assets such as bonds and stocks. Further topics include the issuing of financial securities, leverage, dividend policy, cash management, and derivative securities. Credit will not be given for FIN 501 when either FIN 502 or 503 have been completed. Prerequisites: ACCTG 501, BUEC 503, and MGTSC 501.
FIN 502 - Introduction to Financial Valuation (3 credits)
Fundamental concepts in asset valuation are discussed in the context of simple asset pricing models. This course introduces the valuation of financial assets such as bonds and stocks. The concept of Net Present Value in capital investments is also introduced, along with basic financial planning. Other topics include an introduction to Markowitz diversification, the Capital Asset Pricing Model, and basic cost of capital estimation.
Not open to students who have completed FIN 501. Co-requisites: ACCTG 501, BUEC 503, MGTSC 501. FIN 502 must be taken as part of a FIN 502, FIN 503 sequence.
FIN 503 - Introduction to Corporate Finance (3 credits)
Fundamental concepts in the modern theory of corporate finance are discussed. This course introduces dividend policy, capital structure, cost of capital and its relation to leverage, and an advanced treatment of capital investments. An introduction to derivatives payoffs and valuation concludes the course.
Not open to students who have completed FIN 501. Prerequisite: FIN 502.
MGTSC 501 - Data Analysis and Decision Making (3 credits)
This course begins with a survey of graphical and numerical techniques available for studying and describing data. Following an introduction to probability distributions, an overview of statistical inference for means and proportions is provided. Regression, analysis of variance and decision analysis are then utilized to analyze data and support decision making. Time series models are also briefly discussed. The data and decisions analyzed throughout the course will be representative of those commonly encountered by managers. During the required lab sessions, spreadsheet analysis of data, Monte Carlo simulation and the use of software for statistical analysis will be presented. Not open to students who have completed MGTSC 511 and MGTSC 521.
MARK 502 - Principles of Marketing Management (3 credits)
This course commences with an examination of core marketing concepts, including strategic marketing planning, segmentation and the marketing mix (product, price, place, and promotion) and the integration of these concepts into a marketing plan. Specific focus is then provided to developing pragmatic skills regarding marketing effectiveness.
SMO 500 - Managing People (3 credits)
Introduces students to organizational behaviour (OB) and human resource management (HRM), and how to generate energy and commitment in employees. Examines options relevant to staffing, performance management, reward systems, leadership, motivation, decision making, communication, labour relations, and current issues in the field of management. Credit will not be given for SMO 500 when either ORG A 500, 503 or 504 have been completed.
SMO 652 - Leadership Skills (3 credits)
The purpose of this course is to increase the student's understanding of leadership roles and skill in exercising those roles. These include team building, mentoring, managing conflict, delegating, managing participative decision making, creative problem solving, and time and stress management.
Course Timetable
Click below for timetable and course registration and withdrawal deadlines.
MBA Program Outline
Whether you are pursuing the General MBA or following one of our specializations, you will need to meet specific course requirements: