The M.B.A. degree requires 36 credits of graduate-level coursework (500- or 800-level). These credits are distributed over three clusters of courses:
- foundational courses refresh and develop critical competencies needed for the students to be successful in a rigorous M.B.A program
- core courses develop key competencies in functional areas of business and BUS 588, the required capstone course, integrates knowledge from all functional areas
- elective courses
| Course Cluster | Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foundational | ACCT 501 | Financial Statement Analysis | 3 |
| BUSEC 502 | Economics for Managers | 3 | |
| Core | ACCT 540 | Accounting for Managerial Decisions | 3 |
| BUS 510 | Business Analytics and Decision Modeling | 3 | |
| BUS 515 | Business Ethics and Corporate Governance | 3 | |
| FINAN 521 or 530 | Corporate Finance or Corporate Finance II | 3 | |
| INFSY 540 | Information Technology and Knowledge Management | 3 | |
| MRKT 514 | Strategic Marketing | 3 | |
| BUS 588 | Strategic Management ["Capstone"] | 3 | |
| Electives | Select from a list of approved courses maintained by the program office | 9 | |
| Total Credits | 36 | ||
Transfer Credits
Penn State allows a maximum of 10 transfer credits of high-quality work to be applied toward the requirements for a graduate degree, subject to restrictions outlined in GCAC-309 Transfer Credit.
Course Substitutions
Some students enter the program with advanced coursework in one or more subject areas (e.g., a degree in accounting plus a C.P.A.), making some prescribed coursework redundant. Except for BUS 588, which must be taken at Penn State Harrisburg, students may petition or be advised by the program to replace up to 6 credits in Prescribed Courses with an equivalent number of credits of more advanced graduate courses in the same subject area. Courses must have been completed within five years before the date of first-degree registration at the Fox Graduate School, must be of at least B quality (grades of B- are not transferable), and must appear on an official transcript of a regionally accredited U.S. institution or recognized degree-granting international institution.
This page is not a part of the official Penn State University Bulletin.
