Each student identifies a professional concentration for their MBA degree. Most students select a concentration based on their chosen career objective. Because the concentration courses provide depth and specificity of knowledge, students find that employers are particularly interested in their concentration.

The purpose of the professional concentrations is to provide students with depth and specificity of knowledge so they may focus on career direction. There are five professional concentrations: Finance, Marketing, Information Technology, Operations Management, and General Management. All students must select and meet course requirements for at least one professional concentration. Students may choose to pursue two concentrations and must meet the curriculum requirements for both.

Finance
The professional concentration in Finance prepares students to pursue a career in the financial management function or in the financial services industry. Students interested in a career as a credit analyst, stockbroker, portfolio manager, investment banker, financial planner, future and options trader, a financial risk analyst, or an OTC derivative dealer may wish to pursue this concentration.

Marketing
The Marketing concentration helps students build a springboard for a career as a successful marketing entrepreneur, consultant, executive, or manager. To help individualize the program, the Marketing concentration can be further specialized. Many students focus their coursework in brand management, technology marketing, consumer-packaged goods marketing, business-to-business marketing, international marketing, or consulting and entrepreneurial marketing.

Information Technology
The Information Technology (IT) concentration is aimed at students with a general management background and for students with a technical background. It is ideal for students who wish to pursue a professional career as an information systems manager, a manager consultant, a systems analyst, an e-business manager, a manager of e-commerce development, or an e-commerce entrepreneur.

Operations Management
The Operations Management concentration focuses on developing skills to manage resources productively and create value. Students concentrating in Operations Management will typically seek careers as strategy/operations consultants, supply chain managers, manufacturing/service operations managers, and as leaders within other mission-critical functions of an organization. Students frequently choose to enhance their concentration in operations with a focus in marketing, finance, or information technology.

General Management
The General Management concentration comprises courses that  tend to view the world from an organization’s perspective (in contrast to viewing the world from an investor’s or a customer’s perspective). Accordingly, courses tend to focus on developing concepts and insights for creating value through productive decision making and the effective mobilization of resources. As such, the concentration is targeted to students who aspire ultimately to lead organizations or to spearhead critical projects within organizations. Typical job functions basically run the gamut in management and consulting, including but not limited to, strategic planning, project management, product management, technology management, and leadership development. Likewise, applicable industries run the gamut and include, but are not limited to, consulting, supply chain and distribution, information technology, manufacturing, financial services, and health care.

A concentration consists of at least 16 hours from the pre-approved course selection list.