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MBA Emphasis Areas

The MBA program at the Bloch School has eight different emphasis areas that students may choose from. Each emphasis area consists of 12 credit hours (four courses), and dual emphasis areas are possible. What follows below is a short description of each emphasis area, a faculty contact for that emphasis area, plus a list of all Bloch courses that count toward that emphasis area (each course is three credit hours).

No more than 12 credit hours can be taken from any emphasis area and count toward your program, even as elective credit.

Questions can be directed to the faculty contact or to the Bloch Student Services office.

Entrepreneurship

In this emphasis, MBA students spend considerable time looking at company start-up and growth.   Working in teams, students will develop business plans for a new venture, present their plans to a panel of investors, obtain funding, run the business, and exit the firm, either by closing, selling or turning the firm over to be run by  future students. Future students will look at a mature company, where innovations also may be slowing down and need to be revitalized.

More information can be found at the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

Faculty contact: Dr. Michael Song, 816-235-5841

  • ENT 5515: Entrepreneurship & Innovation Bootcamp
  • ENT 5525: Managing Creativity & Innovation
  • ENT 5535: Small Business Mgmt. & Entrepreneurship         
  • ENT 5541: Personal Entrepreneurial Strategy         
  • ENT 5542: Technology & New Ventures I
  • ENT 5543: Technology & New Ventures II      
  • ENT 5545: Entrepreneurship & New Venture Creation
  • ENT 5585: Venture Capital Finance & Investment       
  • ENT 5587: Special Topics             
  • ENT 5591: Small Business Management Practicum                   
  • ENT 5597: Independent Study

Click here for a description of these courses. Please keep in mind that although every course is listed in the catalog, not every course is offered every semester. Check the schedule for a current semester's offerings, either via Pathway (UMKC SSO required) or this printable schedule.

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Finance

Finance is the study of money: how it is made, how it is lost, and why. The world of finance is always changing. Graduates in this emphasis find positions in financial analysis, portfolio management, risk management, and lending.

Faculty contact: Dr. Fred Hays, 816-235-2314

  • FIN 5550: Advanced Financial Management Theory/Policies (required)
  • FIN 5551: International Financial Management
  • FIN 5552: Financial Markets & Institutions
  • FIN 5553: Investment Analysis
  • FIN 5556: Management of Financial Intermediaries
  • FIN 5557: Derivative Securities
  • FIN 5559: Strategic Financial Management
  • FIN 5580: Seminar in Finance

Click here for a description of these courses. Please keep in mind that although every course is listed in the catalog, not every course is offered every semester. Check the schedule for a current semester's offerings, either via Pathway (UMKC SSO required) or this printable schedule.

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General Management

This emphasis area offers a broad view of four different management fields. Students who choose this emphasis usually have a good grasp of their technical area of expertise and want to gain knowledge from a variety of management perspectives.

Faculty contact: Any of the contacts listed for other emphasis areas.

At least one course from four of the five areas:

  • Entrepreneurship: ENT 5515, 5525, 5535, 5541, 5545, 5585, 5587, 5591, 5597
  • International Business: DSOM 5544, FIN 5551, FIN 5552, MGT 5545, 5547, 5550, MKT 5555
  • Law & Society: MGT 5506, 5508
  • Leadership & Change: MGT 5516, 5533, 5560, 5566, 5567
  • Strategy & Planning: MGT 5513

Click here for a description of these courses. Please keep in mind that although every course is listed in the catalog, not every course is offered every semester. Check the schedule for a current semester's offerings, either via Pathway (UMKC SSO required) or this printable schedule.

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International Business

Kansas City students in this emphasis will be confident putting business issues in a global context, one that reaches far beyond the United States. As technology and trade connect the global village more closely all the time, emerging leaders need specialized knowledge about the impact of different cultures, workforces and environments.

 Faculty contact: Dr. Jae Jung, 816-235-5161

  • DSOM 5544: Supply Chain and Logistics Management
  • FIN 5551: International Financial Management
  • FIN 5552: Global Financial Markets and Institutions
  • MGT 5545: International Management    
  • MGT 5547: Global Initiatives in Management
  • MGT 5550: Operation of International Business
  • MKT 5555: International Marketing
  • MGT 5552: International Study in Business

Click here for a description of these courses. Please keep in mind that although every course is listed in the catalog, not every course is offered every semester. Check the schedule for a current semester's offerings, either via Pathway (UMKC SSO required) or this printable schedule.

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Leadership & Change in Human Systems

Students who choose this emphasis are often interested in developing general leadership skills and knowledge. They seek employment in organizational training or human resources departments in organizations.

Faculty contact: Dr. Lee Bolman, 816-235-5407

  • MGT 5516: Leading Teams
  • MGT 5533: Leadership and Change in Organizations
  • MGT 5560: Strategic Human Resources      
  • MGT 5566: Strategic Staffing
  • MGT 5567: Total Rewards Management

Click here for a description of these courses. Please keep in mind that although every course is listed in the catalog, not every course is offered every semester. Check the schedule for a current semester's offerings, either via Pathway (UMKC SSO required) or this printable schedule.

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Management of Information Systems

This emphasis serves people who plan information technology related careers. It stresses managing information technology for business advantage. More information can be found on the MBA Emphasis in Management of Information Systems site.

Faculty contact: Dr. Roger Pick, 816-235-2336

  • ACTG 5567: Info Systems Control & Audit 
  • MIS 5529: Decision Support & Expert Systems
  • MIS 5552: Database Management    
  • MIS 5554: System Analysis, Design & Engineering
  • MIS 5558: Management & Economics of Computing
  • MIS 5569: Information Systems Consulting
  • MIS 5580: Seminar in Information Systems

Click here for a description of these courses. Please keep in mind that although every course is listed in the catalog, not every course is offered every semester. Check the schedule for a current semester's offerings, either via Pathway (UMKC SSO required) or this printable schedule.

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Marketing

The marketing emphasis offers students great flexibility in area of study and career choice. Our students work in such diverse areas as corporate marketing, advertising agencies, industrial sales, marketing research, and government and nonprofit organizations.

Faculty contact: Dr. Raj Arora, 816-235-2317

  • MKT 5575: Advanced Marketing Strategies (required)
  • MKT 5539: Management in Direct Marketing
  • MKT 5560: Buyer Behavior
  • MKT 5561: Promotional Strategies
  • MKT 5562: Marketing Research
  • MKT 5555: International Marketing

Click here for a description of these courses. Please keep in mind that although every course is listed in the catalog, not every course is offered every semester. Check the schedule for a current semester's offerings, either via Pathway (UMKC SSO required) or this printable schedule.

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Supply Chain & Operations Management

This emphasis looks at planning and controlling the transformation of resources into products and services. At the highest level, it is concerned with managing the operations strategy, which specifies how the firm will employ its production capabilities to support its corporate strategy.

Faculty contact: Dr. Shad Dowlatshahi, 816-235-2233

Required:

  • DSOM 5542: Enterprise Resource Planning Systems
  • DSOM 5543: Project Management
  • DSOM 5544: Supply Chain & Logistics Management 

Select one from the following:

  • DSOM 5540: Service Operations Management
  • DSOM 5541: Total Quality Management

Recommended as electives:

  • ACTG 5556: Cost Management       
  • DSOM 5514: Forecasting Theory & Applications

Click here for a description of these courses. Please keep in mind that although every course is listed in the catalog, not every course is offered every semester. Check the schedule for a current semester's offerings, either via Pathway (UMKC SSO required) or this printable schedule.

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