Executive MBA | Specializations

The banking specialization includes courses on investment banking and global banking, as well as risk management and related topics. The banking specialization may be suitable for students who see themselves entering careers in commercial or investment banking, or for students in other finance functions (e.g. corporate treasury) where banks are a primary provider of financial services, and other disciplines that support banking infrastructure (e.g., information systems).

A specialization in business analytics enables the student to understand and use different mathematical and statistical models to apply to their own area of interest. Students choose from a wide variety of relevant courses in statistics, operations, information technology, and marketing, according to their area of interest and career path.  The skills learned in these specializations would help them be more effective in their careers as Financial Analysts, Consultants, and Marketing Research experts.

The corporate finance specialization encompasses a wide range of courses, from basic corporate finance to restructuring firms, and on to such subjects as private equity and venture capital. Corporate finance focuses primarily on financial issues at the firm level, such as how new companies raise capital, how companies decide on a capital structure of equity versus short-term and long-term debt, and the governance structure of firms. These issues hold relevance for students who want to understand the broad financial issues and choices facing firms and how these choices influence performance, valuation and risk.  A corporate finance specialization is useful for students who will work in corporate financial operations and in other finance assignments, such as fundamental company analysis, private equity, mergers and acquisitions, etc.

The general finance specialization allows students to sample from the entire menu of finance courses and may be appropriate for students who specialize in another field (e.g. marketing or management) and wish to gain a broader exposure to finance themes across different areas.

The financial instruments and markets specialization includes courses on equity markets and debt instruments, as well as futures and options and other more specialized topics. This specialization focuses primarily on understanding the markets in which various financial instruments are traded and understanding the factors that influence the return and risk characteristics of financial instruments, both individually and in portfolios. The financial instruments and markets specialization may be suitable for students pursuing careers in the securities industry or the broad area of investment management.

The leadership and change management specialization helps students develop their leadership potential and enhance their expertise in managing changing technological, competitive, demographic, and other organizational contingencies. Courses introduce specific concepts, theories, and tools that can assist executives entrusted with the task of leading organizational change. Students develop skills in diagnosing forces of change, developing change strategies, and monitoring the effectiveness of change initiatives. This specialization is particularly useful for those planning careers in general management, consulting, or business development.  

The management specialization is designed for students who will pursue careers as general managers in large established firms, family firms, social enterprises, or new ventures. Students build additional expertise in both strategic management and the management of organizations. The courses in this specialization provide students with the knowledge necessary to be a senior manager of a business unit or firm. Students can combine coursework in strategy and strategic management with additional learning in negotiations, leadership, and decision-making in a way that provides an overall understanding of the management process of both large and small organizations.

This specialization enables you to think about technology-enabled business models, and the alignment of information technology and operations with corporate strategy. Decisions about investments in IT and the design of operations have far reaching consequences for development of products and services, managing customers, and achieving operational excellence.

The marketing specialization is designed for students who desire to be skilled across the wide range of marketing activities.  Courses in the curriculum range from those at the level of marketing strategy and pricing strategy to tools courses such as marketing research and advertising management.  The diversity of the offerings allows students to not only learn cutting edge concepts but to tailor their program to their specific career plans.  Students electing the marketing specialization take jobs across the broad spectrum of business.  They may be found in consulting, consumer packaged goods, pharmaceuticals, and financial services.

The goal of a successful strategy is the alignment of a firm’s internal resources and capabilities with external market opportunities to sustain an advantage relative to rivals. The strategy specialization is designed for students who will pursue careers in strategy consulting or corporate strategic planning departments. Careers oriented toward general business management, entrepreneurship, and investment banking also will benefit from greater depth in strategy coursework. The courses in this specialization provide students with cutting-edge theories and practice on such topics as value creation and capture, external analysis of industries, internal analysis of a firm’s competitive strengths and weaknesses, competitive positioning, multimarket and corporate strategy, strategic decision-making, and strategy implementation.