MBA Program Concentrations
Naveen Jindal School of Management Full-Time and Professional MBA students can choose to do a concentration within the MBA degree plan. Concentrations are a selected cluster of electives of at least 12 credit hours that help address a student’s interests and career goals. A concentration may be aligned with a certain functional area, such as marketing, finance, healthcare management or may cut across academic areas providing the student a broader approach to management. Students are encouraged to develop their concentration, with the help of a faculty member, an academic program director or the Jindal School Advising Office. Students may choose up to two areas of concentration within the program’s 24 elective credit hours, but are not required to do a concentration to meet degree requirements.
Jindal MBA students can choose from a wide range of electives that cover the School’s 6 functional academic areas of management or courses that provide a more cross-functional knowledge and skillset. The School’s electives provide students with the opportunity to explore in-depth the theory and best practices of management. In elective courses students further develop their ability to analyze, communicate, incorporate theory into practice, and develop the critical decision making skills necessary in the global economy.
The School offers over 150 electives throughout the academic year that are available to MBA students, to view a detailed list of all Jindal School of Management course descriptions click here.
The following is a sample of elective courses offered within each functional business area:
Accounting is often referred to as the language of business. A concentration in accounting will help you be part of the conversation. This concentration can help in today’s global and technology-driven environment where managers need skills to effectively analyze accounting information and make value-enhancing decisions. This concentration can be further refined to the areas of assurance services, taxation and internal audit.
This concentration prepares students for corporate finance, investment management or the management of financial institutions. The curriculum emphasizes the development of value maximizing investment and financing strategies and the analysis and management of fixed income and equity investments. Concentrations in corporate financial planning or the analysis of financial securities and investment portfolios are available.
The healthcare concentration is cross-functional and industry-focused with courses on applying management skills to healthcare issues and organizations. Classes are taught by School of Management faculty and healthcare executives who bring expertise and experience to program studies.
Information technology is integral to all business operations. Courses in this area enable students to fully utilize information technology to solve business problems and gain strategic advantage. Advanced courses provide skills necessary for the “supply” side of information technology for IT consulting, software management and e-business.
The concentration in Innovation and Entrepreneurship will prepare students for successful business careers in entrepreneurial new ventures, entrepreneurial finance (venture capital/private equity), or innovation-related roles in mature organizations (product planning, product marketing, product development, etc.). The concentration permits students to pursue electives in either the New Venture Focus Area or the Innovation within the Corporation Focus Area.
| Innovation and Entrepreneurship Concentration (15 hours) |
Students are required to take the following two courses and select 3 courses from one of the following two focus areas (New Venture or Innovation within the Corporation).
- ENTP 6370 Entrepreneurship
- ENTP/FIN 6315 Entrepreneurial Finance
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The New Venture Focus Area requires a minimum of three of the following courses:
- ENTP 6378 Managing the Emerging Enterprise
- ENTP/MKT 6380 Entrepreneurial Marketing
- ENTP/BPS 6385 Entrepreneurial Business Strategies
- ENTP 6387 Forecasting Industry and Technology Futures
- ENTP 6390 Business Model Development
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The Innovation within the Corporation Focus Area requires a minimum of three of the following courses:
- ENTP 6375 Technology and New Product Development
- ENTP 6387 Forecasting Industry and Technology Futures
- ENTP 6388 Managing Innovation within the Corporation
- ENTP 6390 Business Model Development
- ENTP 6398 The Entrepreneurial Experience
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The following additional electives may be substituted, with permission of the faculty, for one or more of the focus area electives:
- ENTP/FIN 6316 Private Equity Finance
- ENTP 6382 Professional Salesmanship
- ENTP 6392 Entrepreneurship in the Social Sector
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Today’s job market for individuals in internal audit and risk management is exceptional. A concentration in this area covers internal audit from a broad perspective and addresses review of business processes, technology, governance, ethics, risk assessment and auditing standards which allows individual to work in any industry or discipline.
In today’s global economy, there is an urgent need to prepare graduate students with skills needed in various international business environments. The study of international management, with courses such as international finance, marketing, strategic management and cross-cultural management, integrates basic concepts and theories with international policies and business practices. This prepares students to succeed in developing successful international ventures.
This concentration prepares students for upper management positions through the study of the psychology and sociology of organizational behavior. The program provides a foundation of leadership theory, building and problem-solving in interpersonal work relationships, group dynamics, ethics and organizational decision-making and change.
Learning to fulfill customers’ needs while making a profit requires understanding not only customers’ purchasing behaviors but also the competition in order to develop an effective marketing strategy. This includes developing products, managing brands and product categories, pricing, advertising and promotions. Students also study the Internet and its effect on marketing and business.
Students specializing in this concentration gain an analytical understanding of how to leverage profits by continuously improving business processes. Effective integration of customers, suppliers, factories and stores through the coordination of various functional areas (marketing, finance, procurement) is an important theme. The area emphasizes using incentives, contracts and information technologies to foster efficiency and success.
The real estate industry offers numerous opportunities to pursue professional careers. These include roles such as real estate broker, property manager, appraiser, investment analyst, asset manager, developer and real estate credit underwriter. The real estate concentration will provide students with both a practical and educational base to become leaders and skilled decision makers within the industry.
This concentration focuses on corporate-level strategic management, implementation of strategic designs and team leadership in social, governmental, technological and international environments. Students learn how to integrate accounting, finance, economics and organization theory to create a sustainable competitive advantage.
