Curriculum

Fall Start Only

Program Format and Enrollment

Program length is 22 months. The program is 48 credit hours; students must complete 22.5 core credit hours and 25.5 elective credit hours.  Electives may vary from 1.5 – 3 credit hours each.

The Full-Time MBA only enrolls in the Fall. Program information is subject to change.

Core Courses are held during the day and completed within the first year.

YEAR ONE
FALL SPRING SUMMER
Session 1 Session 2 Session 1 Session 2 Session 1
Financial Accounting
(3 hours)
Financial Accounting
(continued)
Managerial Analysis
(3 hours)
Managerial Analysis
(continued)
Internship
(Recommended)
Quantitative Analysis for Business Decisions
(3 hours)
Quantitative Analysis for Business Decisions
(continued)
Information Systems
(1.5 hours)
Ethical Leadership and
Critical Reasoning

(1.5 hours)
Elective
Managerial Finance
(1.5 hours)
Strategic Analysis
(1.5 hours)
Organizational
Behavior and
Management

(1.5 hours)
Elective Session 2
Supply Chain
Management Concepts

(1.5 hours)
  Elective Elective Internship
(Recommended)
Marketing Administration
(1.5 hours)
  Elective Elective Elective
Business Communications
(3 hours)
Business Communications
(continued)

 

All electives are held in the evening with the exception of the Pinnacle Project, which is a required elective that Full-Time MBA students will be taking in the Fall semester of Year Two, during the day.

YEAR TWO
FALL
Session 1 Session 2
Pinnacle Project (daytime class) Elective
Elective Elective
Elective Elective
Elective Elective
Elective Elective

What is the Personalized Plan?

The Bauer MBA Personalized Plan enables students to tailor their MBA around their previous experiences and future goals. Your MBA should fit who you are now (accounting for the skills and experience you already have) and help you achieve your unique career goals (providing the skills and experience that will take you from where you are to where you want to be). All students meet with their academic advisor and Career Counselor during the first semester to design a plan that fulfills the required learning components, accounts for previous experiences, and sets you up for future success.

What are the components of a Bauer MBA?

The Bauer MBA is made up of two types of courses: Core and Electives. Your core classes are required courses that are designed to give you a solid foundation and provide you with the breadth of knowledge that you will need professionally. Your electives are designed to help you gain knowledge and specialize your focus in specific areas of business.

The Core Module includes coursework from each of the major business disciplines: accounting, finance, management & leadership, marketing, and decision information sciences. The Core Module comprises a little less than half of your degree (22.5 credit hours for the Full-Time MBA program and 21 credit hours for the Professional and Online MBA programs). The remaining credit hours (48 hours total is required for all MBA students) are comprised of electives.

To help guide students through the many options available when it comes to electives, we have designed Learning Modules that focus on the key elements that every MBA student should consider. These modules are the Specialization Module, Professional Development Module, and Cross-functional Experiential Immersion Module. This handout will further explain the modules and outline available courses for each. You must complete each module during your time at Bauer.

Learning Modules

Core Module

How will you build the knowledge breadth required for your professional goals? The core courses listed below will help you in building your knowledge breadth across the different areas of business, preparing you for a leadership position.

Required core courses for all MBA students

  • ACCT 6331 Financial Accounting
  • BZAN 6310 Quant. Analysis for Business Decisions
  • FINA 6A35 Managerial Finance
  • GENB 6A50 (PMBA & OMBA) or GENB 6350 (FTMBA) Business Communications
  • MARK 6A61 Marketing Administration
  • SCM 6A01 Supply Chain Management Concepts
  • FINA 6387 Managerial Analysis
  • MANA 6A25 Ethical Leadership & Critical Reasoning
  • MANA 6A32 Organizational Behavior & Management
  • MANA 6A83 Strategic Analysis
  • MIS 6A41 Information Systems

Please note, two of these core classes (Business Communications and Ethical Leadership & Critical Reasoning) are also part of the Professional Development Module. You only take these courses one time and they will apply to both Modules.

Specialization Module

What area(s) of depth will you focus on?

Graduate Business Certificates

Each certificate requires 9-12 credit hours of specific course work and/or electives from an approved list. You may earn multiple certificates if you choose. If earning a certificate does not fit into your overall academic or professional goals, please meet with your advisor to discuss your personalized plan and other ways you can specialize your MBA. Learn more about certificates.

Additional Electives

Not all electives are part of a graduate certificate. You can select elective courses that allow you to concentrate in one or more areas of business to build more depth and specialization. Speak to your academic advisor for more information.

Cross-functional Experiential Immersion Module

What experiences will integrate, solidify, and extend your knowledge by application to real-world problems?

Industry-Facing Experiential Immersion Electives

All MBA students are required to take at least one industry-facing experiential immersion elective. These courses are designed to be hands-on and provide opportunities to learn by addressing real industry situations. Not all of these courses are available for online students.

Program or Course Name
Course(s)
Scheduling*
Notes
SURE Program GENB 7334/FINA 7397 Brainstorming to Bankrolling Fall and Spring Can follow up with GENB 7335/FINA 7397 Consulting for Small Business Needs
Cougar Investment Fund FINA 7323 (3 semesters) & FINA 7A37 3 semester commitment in second year (Fall, Spring, Summer) Must apply and be accepted
Prerequisite: FINA 7A10
Cougar Venture Fund ENTR 7339 Venture Fund Fall and Spring Must apply and be accepted
Social Media Marketing MARK 7332 Spring Prerequisite: MARK 6A61
Search Engine Marketing MARK 7333 Fall Prerequisite: MARK 6A61
Supply Chain Management Consulting Lab SCM 7385 Corporate Projects Spring Requires instructor permission
GEMI Consulting FINA 7397 Energy Transition/FINA 6398 Fall and Spring
Investment & Portfolio Management FINA 7397 Investment & Portfolio Mgmt Project I & II (6 credits, taken concurrently) Spring Prerequisite: FINA 7A10
RED Labs ENTR 7394 RED Labs Accelerator Summer Take ENTR 7393 Pre-Accelerator in Spring; Must apply and be accepted

*Course scheduling is subject to change.

If there is a course that is not included on this list but that you believe satisfies this requirement, please meet with your academic advisor for approval. Additionally, if you believe your professional experience could satisfy this requirement, please meet with your advisor to discuss your personalized plan and other options.

Global Perspective

We encourage all students to participate in one of our Learning Abroad opportunities. Students who cannot participate in a Learning Abroad Program should take at least one Global Elective instead. If you already have extensive global experience from previous academic, professional, or personal circumstances, you should meet with your advisor to discuss your options regarding this component of the Learning Module.

Learning Abroad Programs

Bauer offers several Learning Abroad opportunities for graduate students. These programs involve a combination of classroom or online learning together with an international trip. The exact schedules and details will vary by program, but generally students will spend 7-10 days abroad. Current programs include:

Location
Schedule*
Courses
Chile January MANA 7353 Regional Issues in Global Management (Chile)
MANA 7354 Cultural Issues in Global Management (Chile)
China March MANA 7353 Regional Issues in Global Management (China)
MANA 7397 International Environment of Business
Germany May MANA 7346 Global Human Resource Management
MANA 7343 International Legal Environment of Business
India May - June
(not every year)
INTB 7397 International Business: Experience in Emerging Market Economies
SCM 7397 Reverse Logistics
SCM 7398 Independent Study
MANA 7353 Regional Issues in Global Management (Asia)

* Schedule is subject to change

Please note that these Learning Abroad Programs are subject to change due to restrictions outside the control of the University of Houston.

Global Electives

Options include, but are not limited to:

  • ACCT 7372 Multi-jurisdictional Taxation
  • SCM 7390 Global Supply Chain Strategy
  • FINA 7360 International Finance
  • FINA 7364 International Bus. & Political Risk Mgmt
  • MANA 7343 International Legal Environment of Mgmt
  • MANA 7346 Global Human Resource Management
  • MANA 7351 Management of Global Organizations
  • MANA 7353 Regional Issues in Global Management
  • MANA 7354 Cultural Issues in Global Management
  • MANA 7375 Global Leadership
  • MANA 7393 Global Strategy
  • MANA 7397 International Environment of Business

Pinnacle Project (Full-Time MBA students only)

All Full-Time MBA students will complete the Pinnacle Project, a required elective course that meets during the daytime, in the Fall semester of their second year. This course gives students the opportunity to bring together and apply the skills and knowledge acquired throughout the Core Module. As such, the Pinnacle Project is cross-functional and experiential in nature and represents the culmination of the Full-Time MBA experience. This course is taught in collaboration with the Rockwell Career Center and the Pinnacle Project Faculty Advisory Board, which is comprised of faculty representatives from each department in the College.

Course Structure:

Professional Development Module

What personal skills will improve your ability to sell your ideas, to collaborate, and to lead?

Along with the core classes GENB 6A50/6350 and MANA 6A25, you must enroll in at least one elective geared towards communication, negotiation, leadership, and professional development. Options include, but are not limited to:

  • MANA 7332 Effective Negotiating
  • MANA 7334 Learning Systems & Mgmt Development
  • MANA 7339 Leadership Development
  • MANA 7340 Management of High-Tech Organizations
  • MANA 7356 Inclusive Leadership
  • MANA 7357 Fund. of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
  • MANA 7362 Leading Change
  • MANA 7392 Managerial Issues
  • MANA 7397 Developing Leader Character
  • GENB 7397 Decision Making & Well-Being

If there is a course that is not included on this list but that you believe satisfies this requirement, please meet with your academic advisor for approval. Additionally, if you believe your professional experience could satisfy this requirement, please meet with your advisor to discuss your personalized plan and other options.