MBA Curriculum and Course Descriptions

MBA students are required to complete 30 credits, including 21 credits of Advanced Required coursework. Nine elective credits allow students to pursue in-depth study in areas of special interest.

Prior to taking any Advanced Required courses, students must demonstrate competence in seven business disciplines via recent coursework or online modules.

Advance Required courses are delivered with 75 percent of the course content online and 25 percent of the course content presented in class. Summer courses are offered in a fully online format.

Class meeting times are scheduled for three hours. Classes in Erie meet on campus and classes in Cranberry Township meet at the Regional Learning Alliance (RLA). In-person classes typically meet four times a semester beginning in the first week of the term and monthly after that.

Recommended MBA course schedule for new students, fall 2019 and forward (PDF) I (Word)

Advanced Required Courses

Seven courses, 3 credits each

B ADM 510 Cost Management for Decision Making and Control
The study and use of accounting information for cost management, product costing, planning and controlling operations, and managerial decision making.

B ADM 512 Managing Effective Organizations
Understanding the critical and changing role of management in contemporary organizations.

B ADM 513 Quantitative Methods for Business
Effective management of the flow of goods, services, and information through the supply chain.

B ADM 514 Strategic Planning and Business Policy
Formulation of objectives and implementation of programs to promote long-range success of the organization in a changing environment. Prerequisites: B ADM 510, B ADM 512, B ADM 513, B ADM 554

B ADM 526 Leadership and Ethics
A multi-perspective review of leadership theory and research with special emphasis given to the ethical dimensions of leadership.

B ADM 532 Corporate Finance
Application of modern corporate finance theory to corporate practice.

B ADM 554 Marketing Strategy
An application of marketing theoretical principles from popular press publications.

Elective Courses

Three courses, 9 credits

• Select three courses from the University list.
• Most elective courses are offered fully online.
• Typically, five electives are offered annually, four of which are summer courses.
• To increase their degree-specialization options, MBA students may take up to two 400-level undergraduate Penn State courses to satisfy 6 of the 9 required elective credits. 400-level electives are subject to prior approval by Dr. Al Warner and cannot be courses previously taken to satisfy an undergraduate degree requirement.
• For information about electives, contact Dr. Al Warner, MBA academic director, at agw2@psu.edu.