The first year of Oregon Executive MBA’s curriculum focuses on the core knowledge and skills executives need in order to lead their organizations effectively. Through a variety of dynamic instructional formats, students are challenged to apply their learning to real world situations.
The second year curriculum offers advanced courses in core subjects, with a special focus on strategy, global business, corporate entrepreneurship, and innovation. This year is built around the Business Capstone Project, which provides students the opportunity to pursue a project of special interest to their organizations. Additionally, a series of electives provides the opportunity for more in-depth study on selected topics.
To foster a hands-on global business experience, an international trip is a required component of the curriculum.
Leadership, teamwork, and personal growth are emphasized throughout the program. Students receive coaching and feedback on their performance as individuals, leaders, and team members.
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Held for three days before the academic year begins at the University of Oregon’s Lundquist College of Business in Eugene, Oregon, Residency includes an overview of the program, alumni presentations, team building activities, an Excel Spreadsheet review, a Financial Bootcamp, and the first class session of the year. The residency session provides a foundation for the program and accelerates the formation of a supportive, positive learning environment and cohort. (BA 708, 2 Credits credits) |
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Focuses on the essential elements of motivation and leadership as they affect management decision-making and problem-solving. Students will explore competency-based models and participate in self-assessments. Examines personal leadership and communication skills by focusing on self-awareness for leading, persuading, and working with others; effective business writing and speaking; and team development. Considers the essential elements of motivation and leadership as they affect management decision-making and problem-solving. Typical project: students create their own Leadership Development Plan. (BA 722, 2 credits) |
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Examines management and leadership with an emphasis on effective organizational design for achieving strategic objectives. Emphasizes creating alignment among people, culture, structure, and reward systems to assure high performance. Typical project: analysis of student’s organization, structure, and culture as determinants of firm performance. (BA 716, 2 credits) |
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Examines economic concepts for solving major managerial problems by covering the concepts of cost, demand, rivalry, and competitive advantage and including an overview of monetary and fiscal policy impacts on organizations. Typical project: student learning teams compete in a business simulation. (BA 715, 3 Credits credits) |
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Explores the effects of law, government policy, and social forces upon business strategy formulation and decision-making. This course encourages the practice of strategic prevention. Typical project: an anchoring paper on a legal issue affecting a student’s work environment. (BA 711, 3 credits) |
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The Global Business Seminar provides students with the opportunity to learn about global business through a combination of readings, discussions, and international travel. Students study a country’s business, political, and cultural environment, then take an 8–10 day trip to that destination. There, students meet with academic and business leaders, visit a variety of businesses, and learn about the local business culture. (BA 710, 2 credits) |
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An introduction to the reporting system used by businesses to convey financial information to external parties. Primary emphasis is placed on reading, understanding, and using financial reports outputs. Students will learn to prepare, comprehend, and perform basic analysis of financial statements. Typical project: an analysis of the financial statements of the student’s organization. (BA 712, 4 credits) |
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Integrates statistical tools for analyzing business data and covers process analysis, data collection, regression, statistical control, and forecasting. Typical project: identify opportunities and application of statistical tools in the student’s business unit. (BA 713, 3 credits) |
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Covers the development, presentation, and interpretation of cost information for management decision-making, planning, and control. Typical project: analyze and evaluate a costing system in the student’s company and make recommendations for improvement. (BA 714, 2 credits) |
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This course is designed to address the key operations management issues in manufacturing and service organizations that have strategic as well as tactical implications. Students learn to understand the role of operations management in the overall business strategy of the firm; the strategic and tactical linkages between operations function and other functional areas of the firm; and the application of operations management policies and techniques to manufacturing as well as service sector firms. In addition, the course aims to identify and evaluate comparative approaches to operations management in an international context, as well as a range of tools appropriate for analysis of operating systems of the firm. (BA 724, 2 credits) |
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This course reviews the theory and practice of writing effectively for U.S. and international business audiences, addressing the use of rhetorical, cultural, and organizational analysis to create persuasive business documents. (BA 708, 1 credits) |
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Studies the marketing process from the perspective of the general manager; fundamental marketing concepts are discussed and students develop frameworks to analyze complex marketing opportunities and challenges. Specific topics include market segmentation, targeting, positioning, differentiation, products, brands, pricing, distribution, promotion and global marketing. Typical project: students compete in a marketing simulation and prepare a critique of their organizations’ marketing programs. (BA 717, 4 credits) |
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Focuses on the theories, concepts, and principles of financial analysis. This course includes the analysis of policy problems involved in financing the business corporation, the time value of money, asset valuation models, risk management, financial statement analysis, management of working capital, earnings and dividend determination, business combinations, and business reorganizations. Typical project: students apply financial tools and frameworks to real world situations. (BA 718, 4 credits) |
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Explores the major theories and concepts of negotiation, giving students the chance to practice deal-making and conflict resolution while gaining insights into their own and others’ styles. It encourages improvement in communication and persuasion. Typical project: students participate in negotiation simulations. (BA 729, 3 credits) |
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Studies the derivation of values and their application to individual choices. This course emphasizes the conflict managers experience when choosing between two alternatives. Typical project: student teams address one current dilemma facing managers. (BA 730, 1 credits) |
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The second year Oregon Executive MBA residency, also held in Eugene, Oregon includes topical rotating sessions on entrepreneurship, sustainability, and leadership in both start-ups and established firms. Additionally, a review of financial topics and learning team exercises is provided. Other activities include networking with the first-year class. (BA 708, 2 credits) |
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Presents advanced topics in firm valuation (e.g., acquisitions, restructuring) and financial risk management (e.g., hedging, derivatives, foreign projects) as related to global and domestic corporate strategies. Typical project: prepare a strategic analysis of an important financial issue facing the student’s organization. (BA 720, 4 credits) |
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Examines how organizations formulate successful strategies in a variety of competitive environments. This course considers the different frameworks and analytical techniques for effective strategic decision-making as students apply their learning through case discussions, exercises, simulations, and an in-depth analysis of their own organization or a start-up venture. Live case studies and guest speakers form a major part of this course. Typical project: prepare a strategic plan for your business unit or organization. (BA 723, 3 credits) |
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Focuses on how to develop and execute marketing strategies that create sustainable competitive advantage. Key topics include finding strategic market segments, differentiation through value networks, value propositions, channel innovation, global branding, and marketing organization. This course also explores difference between marketing strategy and tactics and discusses how a leader can motivate an organization to rally behind its marketing strategy. Typical project: student will apply marketing strategy models to their own firm and a variety of other firms. (BA 719, 2 credits) |
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Examines how managers implement business strategy, including employing a portfolio management approach to select initiatives that will drive an organization toward strategy fulfillment. This class explores techniques to visualize and measure relationships between strategy and operational level actions. There is significant focus on the art and practice of plan execution. Typical project: prepare a critical linkage strategy map that shows implementation projects through the operational level. (BA 725, 3 credits) |
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This course looks at strategic and tactical issues pertaining to the distribution and delivery of products and services. Methodologies and systems for designing, tracking, and managing complex global operations are also examined. (BA 710, 2 credits) |
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Explores the strategic and operational issues confronting managers in firms engaged in global business. Guest executives will help integrate fundamental concepts and emerging events and issues in the global economy. The course develops the skills to effectively manage in cross-cultural environments. Typical project: student teams analyze how companies respond to the complex challenges of global business. (BA 726, 3 credits) |
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Introduces the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, a spirited approach to leadership that involves identifying high-potential opportunities, gathering resources, and managing rapid growth and significant risks through principled decision-making. (BA 710, 3 credits) |
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Introduces and recognizes the impact of business on the natural environment, identifying practices that might improve the environment and generate profit. The proper role of governmental regulation and private initiative is also studied. (BA 710, 3 credits) |
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The Capstone project completes Oregon Executive MBA. Students individually develop, research, and analyze a new business opportunity for their firm in an integrative, hands-on learning experience that can take the form of a business plan or a feasibility study, and. The Capstone project covers both strategy formulation and strategic implementation issues and serves as an important return on investment opportunity for student sponsors. Students develop the business project throughout the second year of the program and are supported by an individual faculty advisor. (BA 740, 6 credits) |
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Each student will choose four credits of electives which will give them more focused coursework in a specific area. Examples of specific electives which might be offered are:
(BA 718, 5 credits) |
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Students learn how to prepare a comprehensive strategy for launching a new business inside a corporation or as a start-up, using their entire business education and experience. Working in small teams, students research the market for a product or service, prepare a detailed plan, and present it to the class or a panel of experts. Typical project: preparation and presentation of a new venture business plan. (BA 710, 3 credits) |
The Lundquist College of Business at the University of Oregon is fully accredited by the Association for Advancement of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB); Oregon Executive MBA is a member of The Executive MBA Council, which advances executive education worldwide.