Course Descriptions for Certificates
Accounting Certificate
ACC 6310 Advanced Tax
This course studies the federal laws of the United States and rules that pertain to federal income taxation of Regular (C) Corporations, Partnerships (and Limited Liability Companies (LLC's)) and S Corporations. In addition, the course will also introduce the issues of State and Local Taxation (various types of taxes) and International Taxation. The course will emphasize the appropriate laws and rules pertaining to the correct determination and computation of the aforementioned taxation areas and provide students with an understanding of the appropriate manner to report these taxes for the aforementioned entities and others
ACC 6312 Advanced Auditing
This course builds an understanding of audit and the required risk assessment including evaluation of internal control and reporting of management assertions in the financial statements. Real-world audit planning and implementation will be examined throughout the course.
ACC 6314 Accounting Research and Writing
This course is designed to provide students with a broad knowledge of accounting research and report writing. Topics covered will include advanced research in the areas of taxation and financial reporting. Students will learn to analyze and interpret financial statements, use the Financial Accounting Standards Board Codification as a source of reference and research for generally accepted accounting principles, and use appropriate regulation research in taxation. Students will learn how to write appropriate research reports in the areas of financial and taxation accounting.
ACC 6315 Advanced Accounting Topics
This course is designed to provide students with in-depth knowledge of advanced financial accounting topics. Topics covered will include business valuation and accounting for mergers and acquisitions, accounting for derivatives, foreign currency, target pricing, and full disclosure.
ACC 6316 Professionalism for Accountants
This course is designed to guide students in the development of leadership skills in the areas of time management, communication, and ethics in an accounting setting.
ACC 6318 Industry Special Topics in Accounting
This course explores accounting issues and practices in a variety of industry settings
such as oil and gas, health care, engineering and construction, and manufacturing
and distribution. Key differences in accounting treatment in these industries will
be examined.
Finance Certificate
FIN 6320 Investment Management Statistics
This interdisciplinary course encompasses both finance and mathematics. Students enrolled in the course will utilize statistical measures to analyze investment portfolios and security markets. Students will use commercial software to data mine and analyze simulated portfolios. Arbitrage pricing of financial assets, pricing of stock options and risk and return assessments are studied in continuous and discrete time.
FIN 6315 Financial Forecasting
Behavioral finance combines the quantitative methods from traditional finance with research in cognitive psychology. This course is designed to provide students with a broad knowledge on how to model historical information and human factors in business forecasting techniques. Students will be able to summarize how behavioral finance complements the traditional finance paradigm with a special focus on the existence and impact of diverse behavioral biases in financial decision-making. The course will adopt an applications oriented approach so that students will be able to explain their financial decision under conditions of uncertainty. The course will provide students with a framework that will be useful in business settings where such analyses are routinely made.
FIN 6321 Capital Markets and Investment Planning
This course is designed to provide students with a broad knowledge of the capital markets, institutions, financial products, and analytical tools and skills needed for investments portfolio management. The objective is to provide students with a solid foundation of basic concepts, tools, and techniques of making informed decisions in the highly dynamic investment environment. Students will utilize computer simulations, internet tools, and specialized software and databases to more fully understand the viewpoint of professional investors.
FIN 6305 Communication for Finance Professionals
In this course, students will develop their ability to communicate with sophisticated financial knowledge in both oral and written formats. Students will apply their knowledge of investment products to develop investment portfolios. Students will learn the importance of tailoring their communication based upon contextual factors (e.g., audience, situation) and they will develop strategies for communicating with various stakeholders.
FIN 6325 Advanced Corporate Finance
The course explores the major decision-making areas of managerial finance. The course will emphasize the study of capital budgeting concepts and analysis, capital structure issues, cost of capital, dividend policy considerations, and the market for corporate control. In addition, the course will discuss how corporate finance concepts, such as cash flow, liquidity, leverage, cost of capital, and dividends, are used in the valuation process. The course reviews the theory and empirical evidence related to the investment and financing policies of the firm and attempts to develop decision-making ability in these areas using both lectures and cases.
Human Resource Management Certificate
HRM 6310 Legal Environment of Human Resource Management
The purpose of this course is to help students become aware of the legal aspects of employment law as it relates to the management of people in organizations, including specific and relevant state, federal, and international laws. Students will evaluate case decisions by the courts, and learn to consider the legal/ethical dimension of organizational actions and policies. This course prepares future managers in a variety of positions to be effective leaders by covering these broad topics with specific tailoring to this field.
HRM 6315 Talent Acquisition: Attraction and Selection
Effective human resource professionals understand the short- and long-term impact of acquiring talent in order to position the organization for success. This course will enable students to understand how to recruit talent, including defining talent requirements, establishing parameters for sourcing, and using a brand to attract prospective employees. This course will also address the importance of compliant selection, assessment, and interviewing procedures in organizations.
HRM 6320 Talent Management: Engaging and Retaining Employees
The purpose of this course is to help students understand and evaluate the role of human resources in strategically supporting management to develop, engage, and retain talent. Specifically, this course will enable students to understand strategic planning, analyze the employee lifecycle (selection, learning and development, performance management, and exit), and explore the idea of the influence that human resource professionals have in the organization.
HRM 6325 Compensation and Benefits
The purpose of this course is to help students develop their skills and knowledge in compensation and benefits. Topics covered in the course include benefits, Affordable Health Care Act, overview of philosophies of compensation, total compensation, global and domestic compensation issues, job analysis, compensation analysis, market surveys, and survey data analysis.
HRM 6370 Strategic Human Resource Management
Strategic human resource management requires in depth understanding of the big picture and what makes a business successful, while effectively navigating through organizational politics in varied environments. This course will enable students to develop their interpersonal skills and business acumen to identify, build, sell, and fund a business case for change. Special consideration will be given to crisis management and corporate social responsibility.
International Business Certificate
MGT 6322 International Management
This course provides an advanced exploration of how cultural, political, economic, technological, organizational, and historical forces shape global management, leadership, and strategy. Building on core management principles, students will analyze and apply cultural frameworks and strategic tools to navigate complex international environments, balancing global integration with local responsiveness. Emphasis is placed on cultural frameworks, strategic decision-making, cross-border innovation, negotiations, and leadership in culturally diverse and rapidly evolving markets.
SCM 6319 International Strategic Sourcing
This course provides an international look at strategic sourcing and purchasing/procurement with a global focus. Concepts and practices of international procurement are introduced. Real life examples of global operations and supply chains will be examined. Requirements of a successful global procurement function will be specifically studied.
MKT 6326 International Marketing and Global Firm Performance
This course prepares students to manage and measure marketing performance across international markets. It integrates strategy, analytics, and cultural insight to equip leaders with tools to evaluate market potential, optimize campaign outcomes, design effective marketing organization structures, and align global marketing initiatives with business performance objectives. Key topics include cross-cultural consumer behavior, market entry strategy, global brand management, and performance analytics for international decision-making. Students apply concepts through simulations, case studies, and data-driven projects focused on improving international marketing ROI and sustainable growth.
INT 6350 International Study Abroad
This course provides first-hand, practical experience in one or more foreign countries. Students will learn about economic, cultural, social, and political structures that influence business practices and relationships. Students will apply what they have learned in other graduate-level courses from their program of study in a project connected with a global or non-USA-based organization or industry. This course requires the student to participate in a Marilyn Davies College of Business-sponsored study tour of a selected foreign country/region.
FIN 6323 International Banking and Finance
This course explores issues related to both international financial markets and the operation of banks within the international environment. The first part of the course will examine issues related to the international markets, including international commercial policy, international capital flows, foreign exchange markets, and the international money markets. The second part of the course will overview financial issues associated with the operation of a bank in the international environment. It will examine the activities and roles of financial institutions and banks in the international financial system. A variety of financial instruments and case studies of particular transactions are explored. This course provides a conceptual foundation for understanding global financial issues, and a practical understanding of financing sources for international commerce.
Leadership Certificate
LEAd 6370 Leadership Lab
This capstone course provides students with the opportunity to translate leadership knowledge into action. Students will integrate and apply the knowledge, skills, and perspectives gained across the leadership certificate program. The Leadership Lab emphasizes reflection and action, providing opportunities for students to overcome personal leadership challenges and identify solutions rooted in key learnings from the program.
LEAD 6310 Leading with Influence
Effective leaders inspire, persuade, and build trust through purposeful communication. This course explores essential communication and influence skills for students who seek to lead with clarity and impact. Students will explore how verbal and nonverbal cues influence audience perceptions, practice influence tactics, learn how to deliver and receive feedback, and apply EQ competencies to adapt messages and build trust. The course also emphasizes negotiation strategies that achieve mutually beneficial outcomes. Students will engage in practical application of communication strategies through experiential learning, including role plays and case analyses.
LEAD 6305 Lead from Within
Great leadership begins with self-awareness. This course explores the core practices of effective leadership while helping students discover the values and principles that shape their own leadership philosophy. Through self-assessments, guided reflection, and experiential exercises, students will gain insight into their strengths and areas of growth. The course culminates in the creation of a personalized leadership development plan to guide a student’s ongoing journey as purposeful, reflective leaders.
LEAD 6320 Leading in a Dynamic World
Organizational change is inevitable in today’s global business environment, but successful transformation requires more than sound strategy - it demands effective leadership. This course equips MBA students with the frameworks, tools, and perspectives necessary to lead change initiatives that are both impactful and sustainable. Students will examine major models of change leadership (e.g., Kotter’s 8-Step, ADKAR, Lewin), analyze real-world cases of success and failure, and explore the cultural, ethical, and human dynamics that shape organizational transformation. By the end of the course, students will be prepared to lead with integrity and effectiveness in volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) environments.
LEAD 6315 Leading High-Performing Teams
High-performing teams are the engine of organizational success. This course empowers
students with the knowledge and resources to lead effective teams in both virtual
and in-person environments. Through hands-on tools (e.g., Owner’s Manuals, Team Contracts),
real-world case analyses, and experiential exercises, students will learn how to overcome
common team dysfunctions. Students will develop the ability to diagnose team challenges,
apply established frameworks, and drive performance through shared leadership and
cohesive alignment.
Sales Management and Business Development Certificate
SALE 6305 AI-Driven Selling and Sales Analytics
This course will equip students with the most current sales knowledge and skills to succeed in today’s competitive markets. It will thoroughly review the critical advances in personal selling: Technology, data, analytical innovation, and marketing integration. These four evolving categories are applied individually and collectively to various sales concepts.
SALE 6310 Sales Negotiation & Communication
Sales communication is the primary vehicle salespeople have at their disposal to effectively navigate as a boundary spanner and create value for the customer and the organization. Practical and theoretical concepts include effective writing techniques, ability to adjust presentation according to audience, ability to use negotiation and persuasion principles across humanistic sales interactions, ability to appreciate sales interactions across a diverse cultural workforce, and understand how to effectively coach these skills to sales employees.
SALE 6320 Digital and Social Selling
Business development is one aspect of a firm’s overall marketing strategy. This course explores how the sales component fits within the firm’s marketing program. Specifically, this course covers (1) the development of the firm’s marketing strategy and the role of the sales force, (2) the integration of media tools and communication platforms to support business development, and (3) the use of analytical tools in the development, implementation and evaluation of the marketing program. Specific skill sets emphasized in this course are forecasting and the use of technology in customer relationship management.
SALE 6315 Sales Enablement and Salesforce Performance
Leaders must effectively develop and manage a sales force to meet sales objectives. Specifically, sales leaders will need to interpret derailment factors and mitigate risk. Sales leaders foster an ethical environment and consider the consequences of unethical behavior. Finally, sales leaders must use influence tactics and persuasion techniques to motivate boundary spanning teams to implement the sales management strategy.
SALE 6325 Applied Sales Strategy
Sales strategy is critical to any company’s success. Sales are often the most expensive part of the marketing mix and are the most crucial direct link to the customer. Since in today’s extremely competitive business, it is unlikely for customers to beat a path to a company’s door (a la Thoreau), it is up to the company’s sales force to persuade the target market(s) of the benefits of the company’s product in meeting consumer needs. Theoretical and quantitative concepts, methods, models, and strategies covered in the course include a general overview of the sales management process, the interrelationship among the components of and the implementation process of the strategic sales program, the essential elements of evaluation and control, and key trends that will affect sales management in the 21st century.
Supply Chain Management Certificate
SCM 6308 Legal Aspects of Supply Chain Management
The purpose of this course is to help students become aware of the legal aspect of supply chain management, including specific and relevant state, federal, and international laws and treaties. Students will evaluate case decisions by the courts, as well as ethical considerations.
SCM 6305 Leadership in Supply Chain
Companies, more than ever, need effective leaders who understand the complexities of our dynamic global business environment, who have the intelligence to deal with complex business challenges, and who have the sensitivity and ability to empathize with their followers to motivate them to strive for excellence. For businesses to be effective and competitive, we must be able to select, develop and train the right leaders and how to help them succeed. This course is designed for MBA students in leadership in a business domain (i.e., Supply Chain Management) and it places heavy emphasis on leadership skill development. The student who has mastered this course will have acquired a feel for how leadership is practiced and knowledge that will enhance his or her leadership skills.
SCM 6323 Operations and Supply Chain Management
This course covers the overall logistics process for “time and place utility” of products. Topics include international logistics terms (incoterms), intermodal transportation, regulatory issues in logistics, capacity and scheduling, carrier and service quality, risk and contingency planning, and basic financial transportation decision modeling.
SCM 6325 Decision Modeling for Supply Chain Managers
This course provides an extensive introduction to decision modeling for the supply chain manager. Topics covered in the course include decision modeling with spreadsheets, forecasting, linear regression, cost/volume analysis, game theory, Monte Carlo simulation, and linear programming. Students will practice fundamentals and apply course tools to case situations for problem solving. A prior understanding of basic operations management is necessary for acceptable performance in this course, as is some experience using spreadsheets to solve problems.
SCM 6318 Strategic Sourcing and Procurement
Leadership involves a unique skill set that goes beyond simple management, including how to influence and motivate others, build and support effective teams, communicate effectively, maintain high ethical standards, lead strategic change efforts, and make good decisions. This course prepares current and future managers in supply chain management positions to be effective leaders.
SCM 6315 Logistics
This course covers the overall logistics process for time and place utility of products. Topics include international logistics terms (incoterms), intermodal transportation, regulatory issues in logistics, capacity and scheduling, carrier and service quality, risk and contingency planning, and basic financial transportation decision modeling. Students will apply relevant industry language and terminology to analyze logistics case problems, including their features, financial aspects, and ethical considerations. An introductory-level knowledge of supply chain and operations management is necessary for acceptable performance in this course.