Year One Course Descriptions
Transition to Learning
The Executive MBA (EMBA) has developed resources to help individuals successfully transition into the program. In early summer, incoming students receive access to a set of online courses that covers the basic skills in financial accounting, introduction to finance, introduction to statistics, and basic mathematics. From late August to early September, students also can attend optional EMBA prep-class sessions in financial accounting, statistics, writing and communications, and mathematics. These online courses and review class sessions are included as part of the EMBA tuition and are scheduled in conjunction with the EMBA orientation.
Orientation
The two-day orientation at the start of the program introduces students to the EMBA curriculum, faculty, and classmates. Study groups are created in advance, and during orientation an expert in team dynamics provides guidance and resources to help the groups build high-performance teams. The EMBA orientation is the introduction to the Executive MBA program and includes important information to help students succeed in the program; therefore, attendance at the EMBA orientation is required.
Term 1
Discovering the Leader in You – 3.0 Credit Hours (8 weeks)
Examines what it will take to succeed personally and organizationally in fast-changing business environments. The course includes personal assessment and feedback of one’s preferences, temperament, personality type, and managerial style in order to be able to capitalize on one’s strengths. A second focus is on organizational issues related to multiple generations in the workforce, performance management, and succession planning. For this course, the CU EMBA and the Center for Creative Leadership partner to provide a focus on leadership and expertise in solving the leadership challenges of individuals and organizations.
Preparing and Interpreting Financial Reports – 3.0 Credit Hours (8 weeks)
Examines the accounting and reporting procedures underlying financial statements issued by business enterprises. This examination is based primarily on the various rules and guidelines defined as generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) as established by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB).
Term 2
Analytical Decision-Making Skills – 1.5 Credit Hours (4 weeks)
Focuses on applying inferential statistics (estimation and hypothesis testing) and using statistical models such as regression analysis for decision-making. Emphasizes the application of statistical tools to identify systematic patterns in large data sets. Also uses graphical displays and other communication channels to present results to business managers without statistical backgrounds.
Managerial Economics for Business Decisions – 1.5 Credit Hours (4 weeks)
Addresses profit-maximization, supply and demand, demand elasticity, the estimation of production and cost, and pricing and output decisions for making effective business decisions.
Introduction to Business Strategy – 1.5 Credit Hours (4 weeks)
Introduces students to business strategy topics as preparation for understanding strategic applications.
Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility – 1.5 Credit Hours (4 weeks)
Emphasizes how socially responsible companies consider the perspectives of multiple stakeholders balancing goodwill and optimizing profit for the business. Explores development of sustainable business strategies that address social and environment issues. Various ethical theories are applied to a variety of business situations.
Term 3
Managing Operations, Business Design and Processes – 3.0 Credit Hours (8 weeks)
Examines how organizations use productivity, quality, timeliness, and flexibility to improve efficiency and operating performance; also examines the importance of integrating the marketing and operations functions. Emphasizes supply chain management, lean operations, innovation, and product design to improve competitiveness, operating performance, and efficiency.
Marketing Strategy and Innovation – 3.0 Credit Hours (8 weeks)
Provides an overview of current marketing theories and concepts including product, price, place, and promotion considerations used in formulating marketing strategies. Develops skills and understanding in conducting marketing research, analyzing marketing opportunities and threats, identifying and analyzing competition, and formulating and evaluating marketing plans.
Term 4
Managerial Finance – 3.0 Credit Hours (8 weeks)
Develops the skills to address financial implications of major business decisions. Provides an overview of corporate finance, analysis of financial statements, financial planning, capital-investment decisions, as well as capital structure and cost-of-capital considerations.
Strategic Cost Management and Control – 1.5 Credit Hours (4 weeks)
Emphasizes how managers use cost data to support decision making. Addresses cost-volume-profit analysis and profit planning, activity based costing, business models, and value-chain analysis. Also includes the role of accounting in financial planning and modeling.
Entrepreneurship and Business Planning – 1.5 Credit Hours (4 weeks)
Covers planning a business from inception, including financial planning, product planning, market definition, creating a team, organizing, the "elevator pitch," and the investor presentation. Explores funding sources and the techniques and skills needed to obtain funding. Student-teams plan all aspects of a new business and present their business case as an investor presentation at the year-end retreat.
Year-End Synthesis
The first year of the EMBA culminates with a three-day retreat at a Colorado mountain resort. The retreat is designed to pull together the fundamental business skills covered during the first year of the EMBA. At the retreat, students participate in a new business venture feasibility exercise, presenting a business plan for a new business venture. The retreat includes recreational time for students and their families, and is included in the EMBA tuition.
Terms and Courses
Courses: Term by Term
Course Descriptions: Year One
Course Descriptions: Year Two
Specialized Degree Options
