California State University, Sacramento

Executive MBA Program


EMBA Course Descriptions

A.  REQUIRED COURSES

Orientation (1 unit)
This course provides students an overview of each of the classes presented in the program. It will introduce the group to concepts and strategies related to critical thinking skills; develop students’ critical thinking skills; introduce on-line technologies for instructional-related activities to the students; and provide an opportunity to meet one another and start to form group norms.

Managerial Accounting for Executives (3 units)
A consistent emphasis on managerial accounting and reporting is cost identification, allocation and control.  This course expands the traditional view of accounting to include an examination of the integration of the historic three tools with cost elements.  This expanded view would include environmental and political costs, compliance with multinational reporting standards, tax compliance and treaty cost.

Managerial Finance for Executives (3 units)
This course prepares students for a well-rounded understanding of financial information and the financial performance expectations of organizations.  Students apply methods based on financial theory to make financial decisions that include areas of capital investments, long-term source of funds, and short-term cash and financial management.  Students gain the ability to make more sound financial decisions and to better evaluate the consequences of those decisions.

Quantitative Methods for Decision Making (3 units)
This course presents how business decisions are now made in an increasingly competitive and complex business environment.  The emphasis will be on how to better respond to this challenge by using quantitative methods to forecast, extrapolate, analyze, and simulate a business situation for effective decision-making.  Case studies will be used to develop those capabilities.

Organizational Design and Management (3 units)
This course reviews the macro perspective of organization theory (structure, process, technology, people, and culture) that will require attention to organization structure, human resources, design, control, culture and inter-organizational relationships.

Technology Management for Executives (3 units)
This course covers the major challenges organizations deal with today when managing their key technological resources as well as with implementing the recent technological innovations. The course addresses the digital opportunities and threats organizations face.

Strategic Marketing Management (3 units)
This course presents how modern marketing principles can be applied to real-world situations.  The emphasis will be on studying strategies used by organizations in today’s highly competitive and evolving marketplace.  Case studies will be utilized to fully develop techniques for creating marketing programs given varying levels of resources and information available under diverse market conditions.

Strategic Analysis (3 units)
This course is an interactive learning experience that examines the roles, functions, and skills of top-level executives. The course addresses the need for utilizing the latest strategic approaches. The strategy formulation perspective is designed to increase understanding of the functions and responsibilities of general management.

Leadership and Change Management (3 units)
This course introduces the concept of leadership in business organizations. The key themes of the course are leading teams and leading during times of change.

Individual Project (4 units)
The course provides understanding of all the functions of an organization, and how those functions interrelate and interact.  The course emphasizes striking a balance among the various organizational functions, such as accounting, finance, human relations, information systems, operations, and marketing.  Completion of an individual project is required.

B.  ELECTIVE COURSES
(Four Courses To Be Selected By Each Cohort)

Product and Brand Management (3 units)
This course focuses on developing successful products and services as an on-going and iterative process.  It explores customer needs and expectations change, the dynamics of the marketplace make, and the need to continually refine and improve the product and service offerings.  Attention is given to how and when products must be modified over time to achieve their maximum potential, and eventually eliminated so resources can be directed to new products and services with greater long-term value.
 
Legal Issues in the Business Environment (3 units)
This course addresses sales contracts, employment law, alternative dispute resolution, intellectual property, and antitrust matters.  It also covers the interaction between a client and an attorney, how to use and communicate with a lawyer, and how to make legal-executive decisions. In all components, the course stresses ethical standards and the responsible roles of businesses in society.

Corporate Performance Measurements (3 units)
This course introduces models to evaluate uncertain project outcomes, financial methods to estimate the intrinsic worth of the firm, metrics to evaluate firm performance in terms of shareholder value created, tools to analyze the shareholder wealth consequences of corporate restructuring activities, and discusses the ethical implications of corporate restructuring activities. An additional dimension of metrics will include human based metrics such as performance reviews and human development.

Managing Creativity and Innovation (3 units)
This course provides students with a strong theoretical foundation and a set of practical tools for the management of creativity and innovation.  It will help students understand the innovation process and rethink an organization’s human resources strategy and transform it into a system that will promote growth and effectiveness at all levels of the organization.  The course will also provide a framework for a learning organization to recognize failures, disruptive technologies and strategies to overcome them.

Executive Decision Making (3 units)
This course provides a framework for analyzing and identifying key management issues as well as developing plans for action. The course focuses on identifying what managers do, what distinguishes effective management, how managers make decisions, and what makes a company excellent.

Project Management (3 units)
This course covers the knowledge and skills as well as the principles and practices required to organize, plan and control projects of all sizes. Topics covered in this course include a review of project characteristics and vulnerabilities, development of managerial philosophy and execution objectives, organization structure and interfaces, and management and control techniques.

Competing in the Global Marketplace (3 units)
Learn the principles of effective international management in a complex global environment of interactive socio-cultural, economic, and political forces. The course covers competitive strategies in the rapidly growing globalization and addresses what today’s networked economy offers.

Management in the Public Sector (3 units)
Managing public sector organizations requires unique skill sets.  Governmental entities serve multiple constituencies, some of which may have differing and competing objectives and needs.  Traditional and innovative management practices have to be tempered by political realities and the public’s emphasis on service with accountability.  Managers have to perform their traditional roles while also being public relations specialists in dealing with the various constituencies of the public sector entity.