Next Generation MBA Program Overview

The Next Generation MBA program is comprised of three blocks of coursework. There is a 9-credit hours proficiency set of courses, a 30-credit core set of courses, and a variety of opportunities to achieve a 9-credit specialization. All of the coursework throughout the program utilizes the unique problem-based learning model and offers students the opportunity to solve significant crisis management, growth opportunity, and change leadership problems typical of those faced by senior leaders in organizations. The courses available in the Next Generation MBA program are as follows:
 

MBA/500: Foundations of Problem-Based Learning

This course introduces new graduate students to strategies for academic success within the University of Phoenix. Topics include University of Phoenix Graduate School tools and competencies and written and verbal communication skills. This course introduces the conceptual, analytical, and practical foundations of problem-based learning. This will be done in the context of problem definition, research and information utilization, critical thinking, written and verbal communication skills, negotiation skills, and stakeholder communication skills. Problem-based learning will be framed in the context of the alignment of societal, organizational, and personal values.
 

MBA/501: Forces Influencing Business in the 21st Century

This course explores issues and institutions that affect business outside the direct control of the organization. Topics include an introduction to macroeconomics; legal, regulatory, political, and social environments; technological developments; and environmental scanning.
 

MBA/502: Managing the Business Enterprise

This course examines issues and functions that business managers face within the context of day-to-day operations and long-term planning of the organization. Topics include an introduction to legal issues, technology and change, diversity, ethics, teamwork and trust, organizational development, marketing, operations management, planning the organization’s future, and risk management.
 

MBA/503: Introduction to Finance and Accounting

This course introduces fundamental concepts of using accounting principles and financial tools and analysis for effective managerial decision making. Topics include the role of the financial manager in the organization, concepts and principles underlying financial accounting practices, financial statement analysis, and operational planning and budgeting.
 

MBA/510: Managerial Decision Making

This course introduces a practical, analytical approach to managerial decision making. Analytic thinking, systems thinking, and creative thinking will be employed in the context of a variety of business problems. Topics include decision-making models; dealing with certain, uncertain, and unknowable; managing risk; sensitivity analysis; probabilistic decision models; decision trees; game theory; survey design; and regression analysis.
 

MBA/520: Transformational Leadership

This course examines organizational leadership in the context of managing continuous change, innovation, and adaptation. Topics include models and theories of leadership and change management; behavior of individuals and teams in organizations; communicating strategic intent; institutionalizing a capacity for change; creating winning organizational cultures; integrating organizational silos; negotiating the political landscape of organizations; and managing for contingencies.
 

MBA/530: Human Capital Development

This course examines the role of the manager in developing human capital within the organization. Topics include theories on organizational behavior and individual motivation, skills gap analysis, alignment of staff capabilities with organizational needs, succession planning strategies, retention of innovative talent, motivation of mid-tier performers, human behavior, motivation and compensation systems, and future trends in human capital development.
 

MBA/540: Maximizing Shareholder Wealth

This course requires the manager to choose among financial alternatives to optimize shareholder value. Topics include understanding key cash flow drivers; working capital and asset management; evaluating short-term and long-term financing alternatives; aligning treasury functions with strategic objectives; valuing the corporation; capital budgeting; global finance strategies; and M&A and new venture finance strategies.

MBA/550: Resource Optimization

This course requires the manager to assess the financial health of the organization and allocate resources to optimize the organization’s performance. Topics include conducting business performance reviews, business process improvement and quality management, allocating resources based on market potential, alignment of working capital management with client services, optimizing supply chain processes, and achieving high asset productivity. Analytical tools used will include financial decision support models, cost analysis, forecasting, generic benchmarking, and productivity measurement.
 

MBA/560: Enterprise Risk

This course requires the manager to confront opportunities and constraints emanating from sources both external and internal to the organization. Topics include assessing financial and non-financial sources of risk; risk modeling, monitoring, and reporting; balancing costs, risks, innovation and reward; mitigating risk in changing economic and regulatory environments; risk across the lifecycle; the role of treasury in mitigating financial risks; governance; compliance; managing audit functions and board relations; and ethic responsibilities to stakeholders in managing and reporting risk.
 

MBA/570: Sustainable Customer Relationships

This course develops the discipline of maintaining customer focus in highly diverse local and global markets. Topics include aligning customer needs with value propositions; identifying future growth opportunities; forecasting demand; new product development and design; strategic brand management; defending price margins; integrating the marketing mix across multiple channels; management; defending price margins; behavioural marketing; customer relationship management; reorienting organization functions around customers; and integrating customer loops into strategic planning activities.
 

MBA/580: Strategies for Competitive Advantage

This course focuses on creating the value proposition as a driver of sustainable competitive advantage. Topics include translating key emerging trends into business opportunities; strategic challenges of global expansion; opportunities and constraints posed by regulatory change; competitor intelligence; scenario planning/planning for multiple futures; maximizing core business value; differentiating the value proposition; distribution channel development and integration; tailoring the value chain; building successful strategic alliances; and offshoring models and approaches.
 

MBA/590: Strategic Implementation and Alignment

This course emphasizes how managers lead the implementation of plans to get the job done. Topics include implementation and execution of plans; managing the organization as a portfolio of businesses; cross-functional reviews and coordination of operating strategies; ensuring strategic alignment of business unit objectives with organizational objectives; alignment of business unit tactics, infrastructure, and processes to strategic imperatives; adapting stakeholder relationships to changing strategic priorities; and best practices in project management.

 

MBA/ACC v. 20 Accounting Specialization

ACC/589: Accounting Theory

This course focuses on accounting conceptual framework, accounting concepts, standard setting measurement and recognition issues, and characteristics of accounting information. Students in this course will develop research skills in accounting decision making using the FASB pronouncements.
 

ACC/559: Advanced Accounting

Information Systems This course is designed to present an understanding of accounting information systems and their role in the accounting environment. Particular attention is paid to accounting information systems with regard to: Organizational goals, relational databases, internal control processes, risks, and management reports.
 

ACC/569: Advanced Cost Accounting

This course covers cost-volume-profit analysis, costing systems, activity-based costing, flexible budgets and variances, inventory costing methods, cost behavior, and cost allocation.
 

ACC/ 579: Advanced Business Taxation

This course delves into the benefits of tax planning and introduces alternative tax strategies for handling various business decisions. The course will encompass the topics of tax planning and research, tax strategies for new businesses, business operating tax strategies, strategies for business growth and expansion, tax implications on business capital transactions, and property transactions.
 

ACC/599: Auditing

This course will cover the standards, concepts, and principles related to auditing theory and practice. This course will provide students with the skills necessary for effective decisions regarding auditing, financial reporting, and ethical issues that face organizations.

 

MBA/GM v. 20 Global Management Specialization

MBAGM/591: Global Management Seminar in Problem Solving

This course is the first of a two-part seminar, which provides a forum for the study of global management through analyzing the complexities, exploiting the opportunities, and overcoming the impediments of conducting business globally. In this seminar, students will create complex business problem-solving scenarios drawing upon skills and competencies mastered during the program. Students will gain experience in distilling a situation into a well-defined business problem. They will apply business tools and concepts to analyze a variety of alternative solutions, and will receive feedback on the choices they make.
 

MBAGM/592: Global Management Seminar in Decision Outcomes

In this seminar, students will defend their solutions and recommend a course of action and performance-based evaluation metrics for the business problem which they identified and evaluated in MBAGM/591. Upon completion of both seminars, students will be able to analyze and adapt to the complexities that are inherent in diverse cultural, political and legal systems to effectively conduct business globally.

MBA/HRM v. 20 Human Resources Specialization

MBAHR/591: Human Resources Seminar in Problem Solving

This course is the first of a two-part seminar, which provides a forum for the study of human resources through designing, implementing and evaluating human resources strategies and functions within organizations including recruitment/selection, retention, and employee development. In this seminar, students will create complex business problem-solving scenarios drawing upon skills and competencies mastered during the program. Students will gain experience in distilling a situation into a well-defined business problem and apply business tools and concepts to analyze a variety of alternative solutions, and will receive feedback on the choices they make.
 

MBAHR/592: Human Resources Seminar in Decision Outcomes

In this seminar, students will defend their solutions and recommend a course of action and performance-based evaluation metrics for the business problem which they identified and evaluated in MBAHR/591. Upon completion of both seminars, students will be able to forecast, plan, and design strategies to recruit and select a qualified, diverse and competent workforce as well as evaluate workforce retention strategies, learning strategies and human resource strategies in alignment with organizational goals.

MBA/MKT v. 20 Marketing Specialization

MBAMK/591: Marketing Seminar in Problem Solving

This course is the first of a two-part seminar, which provides a forum for the study of marketing through analyzing opportunities within global, domestic, and electronic markets in order to develop, implement, and assess marketing strategies in alignment with organizational goals. In this seminar, students will create complex business problem-solving scenarios drawing upon skills and competencies mastered during the program. Students will gain experience in distilling a situation into a well-defined marketing problem and will apply business tools and concepts to analyze a variety of alternative solutions, and will receive feedback on the choices they make.
 

MBAMK/592: Marketing Seminar in Decision Outcomes

In this seminar, students will defend their solutions and recommend a course of action and performance-based evaluation metrics for the marketing problem which they identified and evaluated in MBAMK/591. Upon completion of both seminars, students will be able to analyze the elements of the internal and external marketing environments including the legal/political, ethics, demographic, socio-cultural, technological, and competitive forces that impact the development and implementation of marketing strategies. Additionally, students will be able to research and analyze different types of consumers and the factors that impact their purchasing decisions, analyze the four elements of the marketing mix and evaluate and design marketing research plans to support the development and implementation of marketing strategies.

MBA/TM v. 20 Technology Management Specialization

MBATM/591: Technology Management Seminar in Problem Solving

This course is the first of a two-part seminar, which provides a forum for the study of technology management through the identification, selection and utilization of technology in developing products and services. In this seminar, students will create complex business problem-solving scenarios drawing upon skills and competencies mastered during the program. Students will gain experience in distilling a situation into a well-defined business problem and will apply business tools and concepts to analyze a variety of alternative solutions, and will receive feedback on the choices they make.

MBATM/592: Technology Management Seminar in Decision Outcomes

In this seminar, students will defend their solutions and recommend a course of action and performance-based evaluation metrics for the business problem which they identified and evaluated in MBATM/591. Upon completion of both seminars, students will be able to identify, select, and effectively utilize technology and project management techniques for technology projects that utilize technology as an infrastructure component. Students will evaluate and exploit current and future technology opportunities in a global business environment to maximize profitability.

MBA/PA v. 20 Public Administration Specialization

MBAPA/591: Public Administration Seminar in Problem Solving

This course is the first of a two-part seminar, which provides a forum for the study of public administration through an introduction to public policy fundamentals and policy analysis, politics and administration dichotomy, policy research and formulation and constituency and stakeholder relations. In this seminar, students will create complex business problem-solving scenarios drawing upon skills and competencies mastered during the program. Students will gain experience in distilling a situation into a well-defined business problem and will apply business tools and concepts to analyze a variety of alternative solutions, and will receive feedback on the choices they make.

MBAPA/592: Public Administration Seminar in Decision Outcomes

In this seminar, students will defend their solutions and recommend a course of action and performance-based evaluation metrics for the business problem which they identified and evaluated in MBAPA/591. Upon completion of both seminars, students will understand how public administrators affect government fiscal decisions and the constraints influencing their own programs as well as developing and managing budgets for agencies, programs, and economic development.

MBA/HCM v. 20 Health Care Management Specialization

HCS/521: Health Care Infrastructure

This course will be a discussion of the fundamentals of decision-making and legislative issues and their impact on health care systems in our society. Through the filter of politics, policy, regulatory environments and economics, students will critically analyze topics as applied to health care providers and organizations. It will include an examination of the following current areas: 1) evolution to current delivery systems 2) economic theory, principles, and analytical tools 3) legislative and regulatory influences on the health care system 4) the policy process 5) shaping public policy in health care 6) alternative health care and changing social culture and 7) health care reform and future trends.

HCS/530: Health Care Organizations

This course is a comprehensive approach to health care organizations and systems that provide the student with an in-depth understanding of health organizations. Topics include the evolution of health care delivery during a time of financial and regulatory stress, the impact of the evolving consumer movement, and managing efficient and effective organizational structures.

HCS/544: Current Issues in Health Law and Ethics

Students explore and analyze current ethical issues such a biomedical research, insurance statutes, and demand management. Students survey the extensive legal foundations of health care, and apply current case law to contemporary situations. Topics include legal aspects of legislation, patient rights, data security, professional liability, and labor relations.