Schedule & Course Descriptions

Click here to view the tentative MBA Long-Term Schedule

• The MBA Long-Term schedule is tentative and subject to change.
• Registration for MBA courses closes at 4:30 pm CST on the Friday before the class begins. 
• If a class is full, please email mba.program@usi.edu
• All courses in the MBA program can be taken in any sequence you choose. Students with no experience in Finance courses are advised to take Accounting 601 and Economics 601 before Finance 601. Please pay close attention to when concentration courses are offered as there is limited availability of concentration courses each year. Core MBA courses do not have to be taken before concentration courses. 
• Students in the "In Class & Online" delivery method may take 8-week or 16-week courses. Students in the "Online Only" delivery method may only take 8-week courses.
• Online-Only students register for the "AO" sections. 
• In-Class & Online students register for the "NO" sections.

Short-Term Schedule: Summer 1 2025 Courses

Short-Term Schedule: Summer 2 2025 Courses

Short-Term Schedule: Fall 2025 Courses

ACCT 601: Accounting for Decision Making and Control

A study of management accounting and its use to aid in planning, controlling, and evaluating operations.

ACCT 602: Financial Statement Analysis

Financial statements are used to monitor firm performance, set the basis for financial policies and objectives, and for valuation purposes. This course provides an in-depth review and analysis of the major financial statements, disclosure statements, and financial reporting in general. Students in the course should gain the ability to analyze, interpret and act on financial statements to make business decisions.

ACCT 605: Seminar in Auditing

Examination of current trends in auditing and analysis of major issues confronting the auditing profession.

ACCT 628: Accounting Regulation and Compliance

This course examines current regulations related to accounting and financial reporting as well as various professional organizations’ compliance and ethical statements and standards. Specific emphasis is given to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the Dodd-Frank Act, AICPA Auditing Standard No. 99, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board PCAOB and its standards No. 3 & No. 5, as well as other current relevant legislation. The course will also investigate the role of professional organizations in setting ethical and professional standards. Other topics will include fraud, disclosure statements, and corporate governance, as well as the role of corporate council.

ACCT 645: Forensic Accounting and Fraud Examination

Fraudulent activities pose significant threats to businesses, affecting their financial health, reputation, and sustainability. This graduate-level course in fraud examination equips students with advanced techniques and methodologies to detect, prevent, and mitigate fraudulent practices within organizational settings. Through a blend of theoretical frameworks, case studies, and practical exercises, students will develop a comprehensive understanding of the nature of fraud, the various types of fraudulent schemes prevalent in business contexts, and the strategies to effectively investigate and combat fraudulent activities.

BAN 601: Applied Business Analytics

The course focuses on the concepts and techniques used to manage resources required to produce the goods and services of an organization, including the design, operation, control, and updating of operational systems. The course also addresses concepts used to solve business problems and facilitate sound managerial decisions, including linear programming and extensions, network modeling, project management, and multi-criteria analysis.

BAN 602: Data-Driven Decision Making

This course will examine the role of Business Analytics in decision-making processes.  Behavioral issues at the intersection of data-generated insights and persuasion will receive a prominent focus.

BAN 603: Information Visualization and Dashboarding

This course will develop a vocabulary and framework for discussing, critiquing, and designing visual displays of quantitative data. This entails awareness of human perception and cognition and the use of best practices in the visualization of quantitative data, dashboard design and storytelling with data.

BLAW 618: Legal and Social Environment of Business

This course leads students through the legal system in the United States, equipping students with relevant knowledge and skills needed to navigate alternative dispute resolution and litigation processes. Students address legal and ethical issues facing businesses, specifically identifying ways to help businesses avoid liability.

CIS 601: Information Systems and Technology

This course explores alternative approaches to managing the resources (computers, networks, software, data, and people) that organizations utilize in applying information technology (IT). It focuses on the role of the user-manager in identifying opportunities (and avoiding pitfalls), developing applications, and creatively using IT to improve personal and organizational performance.

ECON 601: Managerial Economics

A study of economic concepts and tools useful to managers of business firms. Topics include optimization, demand, production and costs, market structure, pricing behavior, risk analysis, benefit-cost analysis, estimation of economic relationships, and business cycles and forecasting.

FIN 601: Financial Management and Markets

A comprehensive coverage of financial theories and their application to provide the MBA student with a basic understanding and appreciation of corporate finance.

IM 611: Principles and Practices of Project Management

An examination of the fundamental principles of management with emphasis on project management in technical enterprises. Lectures, case studies, and role-playing exercises are used to enable students to develop an understanding of key management concepts and provide opportunities to employ and evaluate a variety of project management techniques in typical industrial settings. Time management strategies, problem-solving techniques, and decision-making tools are emphasized.

IM 641: Principles and Practices of Quality Management

Application of fundamental principles of quality management in analyzing and solving operations and manufacturing decisions in modern technological enterprises. Emphasis is directed at the management and control of quality to provide an environment for continuous improvement. Topics to be examined are quality philosophies, Total Quality Management, continuous improvement, Baldridge Award and criteria, ISO Standards, quality control, quality improvement, reliability management, six sigma, design of experiments, quality measurement tools, and quality function deployment.

IM 661: Supply Chain Management

This online course covers fundamental components of supply chain logistics management including but not limited to logistics network design/analysis, distribution, warehouse and transportation management systems, third-party logistics, e-commerce, and enterprise software. Case study analysis is used extensively throughout the semester to give the students the opportunity to reinforce learning and put into practice theoretical concepts discussed in the textbook. Enterprise software is used to model and simulate the operation of supply chains. Throughout the semester, emphasis is placed on the strategic importance of creating value along the supply chain in order to maximize the supply chain’s responsiveness, customer centricity, and cost-effectiveness.

MBA 601: AI-driven Business Transformation: Strategies, Solutions, and Implications

This course investigates how cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies intersect with business strategy, preparing students to leverage AI’s transformative power for organizational success. As data-driven decision-making, AI innovation, and shifting market conditions shape the business world, it’s essential for leaders to skillfully navigate the complexities of AI integration.

MBA 602: Risk Management

This course addresses the process of identifying and mitigating risk from the perspective of a health care organization. This may include financial risks associated with third-party payer systems, patient safety risks, political risks from regulated healthcare markets, and overall systemic risks associated with the healthcare market.

MBA 604: Lean Six Sigma

This course uses the Lean Six Sigma (LSS) methodology as a modern approach to continuous improvement in organizations. The Lean component of LSS focuses on eliminating non-customer value-added waste in a process. The Six Sigma component focuses on statistical tools for achieving improvements in service quality and cost. LSS Combines the speed and power of both to improve various measures of performance, such as throughput, cycle time, work-in-process, cost, and quality. This course provides a broad understanding of LSS principles, concepts, language, and methodology through exercises and case study applications.   

MBA 605: Principles of Supply Chain Management

This course will cover the concepts, principles, and techniques for managing supply chains in the manufacturing and service sectors. An overview of the terminology, fundamental concepts and functional scope of responsibility encountered in the field of supply chain and operations management will be covered.

MBA 606: GenAI in Applied Business Contexts

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the practical applications of generative AI in various business contexts. The course covers fundamental concepts and models of generative AI, including GANs and VAEs, and their relevance to business strategies. Participants will explore how generative AI can enhance marketing campaigns, product development, operations, and financial services through hands-on projects and real-world use cases. Key highlights include optimizing marketing strategies, designing innovative products, and improving supply chain management using predictive models. The course also delves into ethical considerations and emphasizes responsible AI deployment. In the final weeks, learners will gain practical experience building and deploying AI agents for customer service and business automation, using industry tools. By the end of the course, learners will be equipped to leverage generative AI technologies to create value and enhance productivity in their respective fields.

MBA 615: Project Management I

This course equips students with the knowledge and skills to initiate, manage, monitor, and control resources and schedules to execute a project in accordance with industry practice. Students will learn the content of the project management domain and work on projects to apply the material to real-life situations. All content is aligned with the PMI (Project Management Institute) for students interested in obtaining industry-accepted Project Management Certifications.

MKTG 601: Marketing Strategies

Analysis and control of the key marketing variables to develop successful strategic marketing plans. Emphasis on the major components of marketing strategy; establishment of overall corporate objectives; analysis of strategic business units; identification of creative alternatives; and examination of the company, target market, and competitors. Views strategy formulation from the global and managerial perspectives. Examines significant marketing strategies and applies them to practical analysis of established marketing cases dealing with new and established product management, pricing, channels, and promotional aspects.

MKTG 602: Digital Marketing

Digital marketing has become a primary focus for many firms due to the profound effect of the internet and related technologies on business marketing strategy and success. This course takes a holistic approach to digital marketing and brings elements of digital marketing to work with set business objectives and strategies. Students will understand the tactics, tools, and strategies needed to develop a comprehensive digital-based strategy that provides consistent and relevant content, maintain customer loyalty, and elevate a business’ use of effective digital marketing techniques. The most current digital marketing topics and frameworks will be covered. In addition, the course will review major digital marketing models to understand how they have been used by ventures to facilitate digital marketing strategies.

MKTG 603: Consumer Behavior

Virtually all marketing today is centered around the consumer. To develop effective marketing strategies, it is therefore vital that marketing managers understand consumer behavior. In this managerially focused course, we examine the whole customer experience journey from initial need to post-purchase satisfaction. We gain practical insights into the minds of today’s consumers by reviewing and applying research findings from the broad and interdisciplinary field of consumer behavior. We learn about topics such as motivation, persuasion, and decision-making to identify lessons that are relevant in various business contexts and applicable to modern business challenges.

MNGT 601: Managing Human Capital

A study of techniques designed to maximize human potential both individually and in teams.  Particular emphasis will be placed on the application of established methods to students’ careers.

MNGT 611: Leadership Skills and Innovation

This course addresses leadership in the business context to prepare you for a future of rapid change and increasing complexity. This course will help you develop essential leadership skills such as project management, change management, critical thinking, effective decision-making, and developing yourself and others to improve work engagement. You will also cultivate an innovative mindset by learning how to test the feasibility of an idea, develop business models, conduct an innovation audit, and pitch an idea.

MNGT 681: Strategic and International Management

Includes the development of an executive managerial perspective. The primary purposes of the course are to develop the ability to analyze the domestic and global company’s value chain to solve complex corporate problems and understand the impact of changing business conditions and government policies on global organizations. Examines the globalization of industries and firm competitiveness. The format of the class involves the use of cases to assist students in the application of theory.