Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Subject-area course lists indicate courses currently active for offering at the University of Louisville. Not all courses are scheduled in any given academic term. For class offerings in a specific semester, refer to the Schedule of Classes.
500-level courses generally are included in both the undergraduate- and graduate-level course listings; however, specific course/section offerings may vary between semesters. Students are responsible for ensuring that they enroll in courses that are applicable to their particular academic programs.
Course Fees
Some courses may carry fees beyond the standard tuition costs to cover additional support or materials. Program-, subject- and course-specific fee information can be found on the Office of the Bursar website.
MBA 600. MBA Program0 Units
Description: MBA Program
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 601. Strategic Analysis1.5 Units
Description: Strategic analysis consists of analyzing information from the internal and external environments to recognize and assess organizational strengths, weaknesses, opportunities & threats.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 602. Decision Analysis1.5 Units
Description: Data organization and presentation, descriptive statistics, common probability distributions and sampling distributions, regression and inferential statistics, such as confidence intervals and test of significance.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 603. Organizational Behavior1.5 Units
Description: Concepts and techniques of individual and groups including personality, motivation, power and politics, decision-making, group dynamics, job satisfaction, cultural influences and organizational development.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 604. Economics I1.5 Units
Description: Application of supply and demand, elasticity, costs to the goals of the firm. Emphasis is on economies of scale, asymmetric information and marginal analysis.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 605. Managerial Economics3 Units
Prerequisite(s): ECON 500 (or ECON 201 and 202); ACCT 500 (or ACCT 201); FIN 500 (or FIN 301); MGMT 201.
Description: This course will apply economic concepts to decisions affecting a firm's profit. Topics may include supply and demand, elasticity and market power, competition, pricing strategies, boundaries of the firm, economics of scale and scope, make versus buy decisions, transaction costs, information, game theory, entry and exit strategies, and competitive analysis.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 606. Leadership1.5 Units
Description: Theories of influence, leader behaviors, situation, followership, work teams and transformational leadership. Practical development of self-knowledge, self-confidence and choosing to lead.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 607. Economics II1.5 Units
Description: Examines the influence of market structure, pricing, dynamic pricing strategy, strategic commitment and firm entry and exit on organizational profits.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 608. Technology Management1.5 Units
Description: Emphasis on technology management as a tool for innovation, exploration and application of the relationships among business strategy, business processes and technology of adoption and use.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 609. Financial Accounting1.5 Units
Description: Fundamental principles of accounting needed by the manager. Topics include the assumptions of accounting, recording and reporting transactions and interpretation of data for decision-making purposes.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 610. Organizational Behavior & Human Resource Manangement3 Units
Prerequisite(s): ECON 500 (or ECON 201 and 202); ACCT 500 (or ACCT 201); FIN 500 (or FIN 301); MGMT 201.
Description: The learning objective is to understand intra-organizational concepts that influence individual behavior and human resource management. Topics may include motivation, job satisfaction, agency theory, decision-making, group dynamics, recruitment strategies, compensation training, and performance evaluation.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 611. Managerial Accounting I1.5 Units
Description: The use of accounting information to support managerial decision-making and business planning. Topics include cost-volume-profit analysis, budgeting and direct costing versus absorption costing.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 612. Finance I1.5 Units
Description: Introduction to financial concepts. Topics include the time value of money, analysis of risk and return, valuation of stocks and bonds and related concepts.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 613. Managerial Accounting II1.5 Units
Description: The use of accounting information in business planning, performance evaluation, integrating activity-based costing and the theory of constraints to guide business decisions.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 614. Operations Management1.5 Units
Description: Application of operations strategies and decisions, including process selection, capacity planning, lead time management and process improvement.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 615. Business Valuation & Analysis3 Units
Prerequisite(s): ECON 500 (or ECON 201 and 202); ACCT 500 (or ACCT 201); FIN 500 (or FIN 301); MGMT 201.
Description: The course will familiarize students with financial statements to assist in evaluating past, current, and future firm performance. Topics may include financial statement and ratio analysis, articulation of financial statements on a pro forma basis, and alternative firm valuation models.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 616. Finance II1.5 Units
Description: Examines the capital investment decision-making process, cost of capital, financing (capital structure) decisions and related topics.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 617. Marketing I1.5 Units
Description: Introduction to, and application of, the fundamentals of marketing management. Topics include consumer and business decision-making, segmentation, positioning and pricing decisions.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 618. Finance III1.5 Units
Description: Examines working capital management, financing with derivatives, risk management, complex financial decision-making and other topics.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 619. Marketing II1.5 Units
Description: Introduction to, and application of, the fundamentals of supply chain management. Topics include inventory management, transportation, customer service, warehousing, network design and integrated analysis.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 620. Global Economics3 Units
Prerequisite(s): MBA 605 and MBA 610.
Description: The course objective is to familiarize students with the macroeconomic foundations of the global economy. Topics may include monetary and fiscal policy in an open economy, output determination, trade flows, exchange rates, technology transfer, immigration, emerging markets, and trade blocs.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 621. Global Business1.5 Units
Description: Foundations of the global economy, current trends in the global business environment and issues facing international organizations.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 622. Project Management1.5 Units
Description: Project management methodologies and utilization from a business management perspective. Relevant knowledge and skills including project initiation, planning, execution, reporting, controls and termination.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 623. Global Learning1.5 Units
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Master of Business Administration program.
Description: This course involves the study of international business, international trade, and global cultures. Students self-select between participating in an international trip or studying course topics in an online, non-travel format.
Note: Cross-listed with MAC 676.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 624. Strategic Management1.5 Units
Description: Strategic management consists of top management decision-making regarding business, corporate & international strategies, as well as issues influencing the implementation of those strategies.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 625. Managerial Accounting3 Units
Description: The course is devoted to structuring accounting information for use by managers in making decisions. Topics may include cost-volume-profit analysis, product costing, capital budgeting, activity-based costing, theory of constraints, balanced scorecard, and economic value added.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 626. Applied Microeconomics for Business3 Units
Description: This course will apply economic concepts to decisions affecting a firm's profit. Topics may include topics such as supply and demand, elasticity and market power, competition, pricing strategies, boundaries of the firm, economies of scale and scope, make versus buy decisions, transaction costs, information asymmetry, entry and exit strategies, and competitive analysis.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 628. Financial Accounting3 Units
Description: Accounting is the language of business. This course studies how firms collect important information & report it to outside parties (investors & creditors, primarily). Another course in the MBA program studies the collection/reporting of information within a firm, this course will examine the process of collecting/recording/summarizing data about the effects of transactions and events on the firm. The primary objective of this class is to develop the ability to read, understand, and (most importantly) interpret financial statements & related materials. If you have prior accounting experience, either through education or work, keep in mind this course is intended a range of MBA students, including those with no prior exposure to accounting.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 630. Operations: Design and Analysis3 Units
Description: The course introduces standard terminology, basic models, and new concepts of operations management as applied to manufacturing and service firms. Topics may include systems planning, product quality and process capability, capacity planning, facility location and layout, material management, scheduling and process improvement.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 631. Introduction to Statistics and Data Analytics3 Units
Description: This course will cover the fundamental topics and subject matter related to statistics up through multiple regression modeling. A strong emphasis will be placed on how to use statistics. This will be accomplished through student analysis of real world data sets during class periods and in the homework assignment.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 632. Strategic Managerial Communication3 Units
Description: This course combines theoretical and application-based approaches to equip executive and management professionals with communicative competencies and skills needed to succeed in business. The course focuses on the intellectual tools needed to assume leadership positions and effectively communicate and influence others in professional contexts. Students will build upon proven competencies and constituent frameworks to improve their written and oral communication. Students will also develop an advanced understanding of instrumental, relational, and identity goals in communicative situations to enhance their message around diverse receivers and conditions.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 635. Contemporary Financial Management3 Units
Description: The Contemporary Financial Management course will examine tools and concepts in financial management, focusing on the concerns and methods of analysis employed by corporate financial managers. Topics include time value of money mathematics, net present value (NPV) and internal rate of return (IRR); basic stock and bond valuation; capital budgeting decisions and project evaluation; the principals of risk and return; the use of asset pricing models to estimate the cost of capital; and the determination of a firm's weighted average cost of capital (WACC).
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 640. Marketing Management3 Units
Description: This will cover the fundamental topic and subject matter related to marketing management.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 641. Professional Development Module-Team Building0.5 Units
Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in Professional MBA program.
Description: Various professional development topics such as Communications, Negotiation & Conflict Resolution, Creativity, Team-Building, Governance, Planning and Introduction to Regional Industries.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 642. Communications0.5 Units
Prerequisite(s): Admission to MBA program.
Description: Course objective to improve the quality/effectiveness/efficiency of managerial communication (verbal/written/listening) skills. Identify and address many barriers/challenges encountered in organizational settings; explore theoretical and practical solutions. In-class exercises will be evaluated with feedback provided by instructor and classmates.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 643. Professional Development Module III0.5 Units
Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in MBA program.
Description: Various professional development topics such as communications, negotiation & conflict resolution,creativity, team-building, governance, planning and introduction to regional industries.
Note: May be repeated for credit.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 644. Professional Development Module-Business Etiquette0.5 Units
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 645. Leadership & Ethics3 Units
Prerequisite(s): MBA 620, MBA 625, and MBA 630.
Description: Theory and application of leadership and ethical issues including leadership as influence process, followership, developing effective leader behaviors, stewardship affirming ethical organizational culture.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 646. The Economics of Health and Medical Care3 Units
Prerequisite(s): MBA 635, MBA 640, and MBA 645.
Description: Applied economics in the health service sector and service delivery models of managed care systems.Evaluate models of care and service, considering efficiency, insurance, incentives, quality, and supply and demand.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 648. Managerial Communications II0.5 Units
Prerequisite(s): Admission to MBA program.
Description: Course objective to improve the quality/effectiveness/efficiency of managerial communication abilities. Using interactive exercises in addition to lecture, course will cover oral and written skills essential for managers/leadership team members in communicating with a hostile group, leading meetings/groups, listening, serving/contributing in a team-oriented atmosphere, etc. In-class exercises will be evaluated with feedback provided by instructor and classmates.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 649. Professional Development Module-Inclusive Leadership0.5 Units
Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer
Prerequisite(s): Admission into the MBA program.
Description: Upon completion of the course, students should possess a greater understanding of the connection between leadership/workforce inclusiveness in the business environment.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 650. Global Business3 Units
Prerequisite(s): MBA 635 and MBA 640.
Description: The course will familiarize students with international finance and global business environment. Topics may include international financial markets, multinational corporations, overseas expansion, organization of international business, global management, marketing, and R&D, and the economic, political, and moral issues associated with globalization.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 651. Introduction to Business Analytics1.5 Units
Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer
Prerequisite(s): Admission to MBA degree program and MBA 602.
Description: Much of this data are usually meaningless until they are analyzed for trends, patterns, relationships, and other useful information. Organizations are increasingly interested in employees that have the knowledge, skill, and experience in systematically analyzing a wide-variety of data using advanced statistical tools to improve decision-making. This course provides a hands-on learning experience using powerful statistical tools that can be leveraged to work with structured data and generate business knowledge. A review of necessary statistical concepts will be provided as needed. Extensive use of a leading statistical tool such as SAS and SPSS is expected.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 655. Strategic Management3 Units
Description: The MBA capstone course is broad in scope and integrative of all required courses. The focus is on the strategic analysis, formulation, and implementation issues facing top management. Topics may include competition, core competencies, gaining and sustaining a competitive advantage at the business, corporate, and international levels, and corporate governance, structure, and entrepreneurship.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 656. Leadership and Organizational Behavior3 Units
Description: Organizations and individuals are filled with potential that they never achieve. In this course you will develop knowledge and skills for managing and for leading that will help you begin to unleash that potential, and will give the tools to continue learning how to unleash this potential after the course is over. For managing, I will cover topics such as organizational design, team design, job design, reward systems, hiring, firing, and employee assessment and development. For leading, I will cover topics such as organizational entropy, organizational culture, transformation, moral insight, ambitious virtues, purpose, integrity, empathy, learning, inspiration, and change.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 660. Executive Effectiveness and Influence3 Units
Prerequisite(s): MBA 635 and MBA 640.
Description: Provides an experiential approach to leadership effectiveness. Discussions focus on classical and contemporary readings. Special emphasis is placed upon communication skills, self-knowledge, critical and creative thinking, and ethical issues in leadership.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 661. Developing Entrepreneurial Competencey3 Units
Prerequisite(s): MBA 635, MBA 640, and MBA 645.
Description: Skills building approach to improving effectiveness in making discoveries that maximize one's profit and minimize risk. Discussions focus on a variety of classic and contemporary readings. Experimental activities build self-knowledge and development of information processing and decision-making skills
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 662. Consulting to Entrepreneurial Organizations3 Units
Prerequisite(s): MBA 635, MBA 640, and MBA 645.
Description: Assist an existing small to medium sized enterprise in addressing some key business needs or problems with a focus upon growth opportunities.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 663. Introduction to the Business of Healthcare Systems3 Units
Prerequisite(s): MBA 635, MBA 640, and MBA 645.
Description: Examines topics from various business areas. Possible topics include cost-benefit analysis, managed care issues, information systems and medical informatics; cost concepts and decision making; product costing and accounting systems; operations management-TQM; and healthcare marketing.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 664. Healthcare Policy3 Units
Prerequisite(s): MBA 635, MBA 640, and MBA 645.
Description: Elucidates theories of public policy and applies them to health issues. The course covers the evolution of healthcare and discusses policy options. Major issues of health delivery and finance are also covered within this context.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 665. The Free Enterprise System: Ethics, Governance, and Regulation3 Units
Prerequisite(s): MBA 635, MBA 640, and MBA 645.
Description: An examination of the checks and balances and interaction between corporate shareholders, boards of directors, the CEO, investment bankers, federal and state regulators, and the political and judicial system.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 667. Healthcare Law3 Units
Prerequisite(s): MBA 635, MBA 640, and MBA 645.
Description: Covers the legal aspects of healthcare. This includes the structure of the judicial system, legal procedures, torts, criminal aspects, contracts and corporate liability. Other legal aspects include malpractice, patient rights and the nature of the nursing profession.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 668. Information Technology Management in a Digital Economy3 Units
Description: Provides students with an understanding of the effects of the digital environment on business models and how firms have to adapt to be competitive in a digital economy. Focuses on the management of technology in such an environment, with emphasis on management activities (e.g., planning, organizing, coordinating, assimilating new technologies, evaluating information technology investments, etc.) that will enable firms to make the most effective use of their information technology resources.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 670. Capstone Project I1.5 Units
Description: The first of two courses designed to provide a team-based experience in identifying , planning, initiating and completing a significant project within a business entity.
Course Attribute(s): CBL - This course includes Community-Based Learning (CBL). Students will engage in a community experience or project with an external partner in order to enhance understanding and application of academic content.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 671. Capstone Project II1.5 Units
Description: The second of two courses designed to provide a team-based experience in identifying, planning, initiating and completing a significant project within a business entity.
Course Attribute(s): CBL - This course includes Community-Based Learning (CBL). Students will engage in a community experience or project with an external partner in order to enhance understanding and application of academic content.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 675. Operations Management3 Units
Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer
Description: This course will cover the fundamental topics and subject matter related to marketing management.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 676. Managerial Finance3 Units
Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer
Prerequisite(s): Appropriate standing in the MBA program.
Description: This course examines tools and concepts in financial management, focusing on the concerns and methods of analysis employed by corporate financial managers. Topics include time value of money mathematics, net present value (NPV) and internal rate of return (IRR); basic stock and bond valuation; capital budgeting decisions and project evaluation; the principals of risk and return; the use of asset pricing models to estimate the cost of capital; and the determination of a firm's weighted average cost of capital (WACC).
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 677. Marketing and Distribution Management3 Units
Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer
Prerequisite(s): Acceptance into the Global MBA program.
Description: This course will cover the fundamental topics and subject matter related to marketing management.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 678. International Market Development3 Units
Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer
Prerequisite(s): Appropriate standing in MBA program.
Description: The course objective is to familiarize students with the key aspects and challenges of the global business environment. The course will review the main principles of international trade and investment; discuss the impact of global competition on the US economy and business. Students will be encouraged to conduct independent analyses of global markets, focusing on opportunities for US-based firms. Each student will have to complete a currency speculation/hedging project. If time allows, guest speakers with relevant experience in global trade and investment will be invited to talk to the class.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 680. Special Topics in Business0.5-6 Units
Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer
Description: An advanced study of one or more selected topics or issues related to the study of business. Topics or issues could be from a single business discipline such as management or from a combination of business disciplines, such as accountancy and finance.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 690. MBA Fundamentals3 Units
Grading Basis: Pass/Fail
Term Typically Offered: Summer Only
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the College of Business (Global) MBA degree program.
Description: Course is designed to introduce students to the fundamentals of business in the areas of team building, marketing, finance and quantitative methods. Course will utilize a combination of various student engagement activities including lectures, group discussions, active team-building challenges, completion of online refresher modules, and pre-course assignments.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 695. PDM-Crisis Management0.25-0.5 Units
Prerequisite(s): Must be enrolled in MBA degree program.
Description: A crisis can strike organizations at any time. Whether the organization is crippled or is able to bounce back depends heavily on how well the crisis is managed. This course will expose students to the basics of crisis management: crisis planning, stakeholder analysis, and crisis response strategies. Course will feature a range of crisis activities including team and individual tasks.
Note: Range of activities will vary depending on classroom contact hours.
Note: The whole-day session (7 classroom hours) will be valued at 1/2 credit; the one-half-day session (3 1/2 classroom hours) will be valued at 1/4 credit.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 696. PDM-Negotiation0.25-0.5 Units
Prerequisite(s): Must be enrolled in MBA degree program.
Description: The purpose of this PDM course is to learn about Negotiations and how to become effective negotiators. It focuses on both concepts and skills, alternating between class discussions and increasingly complex negotiation exercises.
Note: Range of activities will vary depending on classroom contact hours.
Note: The whole-day session (7 classroom hours) will be valued at 1/2 credit; the one-half-day session (3 1/2 classroom hours) will be valued at 1/4 credit.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 698. Independent Study0.5-3 Units
Prerequisite(s): MBA 645.
Description: An advanced independent study of one or more related topics or issues related to the study of business. Topics or issues could be from a single business discipline such as management or from a combination of business disciplines, such as accountancy and finance.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
MBA 699. MBA Internship1-6 Units
Prerequisite(s): 24 credit hours at the 600 level or above; approval of MBA Director or Dean, College of Business.
Description: The experience will provide the student the opportunity to work with a selected organization. The student will apply expertise learned in the MBA Core courses to a significant research problem or project. The student will write a synopsis of the work experience detailing the application of knowledge to the project and the outcomes achieved.
Course Attribute(s): CBL - This course includes Community-Based Learning (CBL). Students will engage in a community experience or project with an external partner in order to enhance understanding and application of academic content.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
