First Year
We're interested in students
who have an appreciation, not just a tolerance, for differences between
people and cultures.
Lee H. Radebaugh
Former Executive
Director, Center for International Business Education and Research
Overview
The Marriott School MBA program provides a comprehensive management education that prepares students for professional managerial and leadership positions in a changing world. The program offers a curriculum that exposes students to the underlying disciplines, then reinforces those principles with practical field-study projects--an interactive approach to management education that binds knowledge to experience.
Another strength of the Marriott School program is the intimate class setting: the typical entering MBA class averages 140 students. Small class size becomes a considerable advantage in a program that takes a team-oriented approach to solving business problems. This team emphasis begins immediately. New students are introduced to each other and to the program through participation in a series of outdoor activities in the beautiful Wasatch Mountains. They develop a sense of cooperation and trust by solving problems and achieving personal and group goals. The bonding and support established in this experience continues to grow as students pursue their course work together, helping each other achieve success.
First Year
All entering MBA students are required to be enrolled in the management core classes during the first year (two 15-week semesters) of study. The Marriott School program follows a strict lockstep format wherein first-year students enter the program in the fall, then take all their classes together during the first year. Because of the intensity of the courses and the number of hours spent in group work outside the classroom, students cannot work during the first year of the program.
The required courses, though challenging for most first-year students, provide vital tools, concepts, and techniques for analysis in the basic functional areas of business. Basic courses in economic principles, accounting and statistics are required before coming to the MBA program.
Instruction in the management core enables students to apply the tools learned in one course to the solution of problems encountered in another. Often, a case discussion will be led by a group of faculty members from several of the functional areas, providing a viewpoint that encourages students to analize issues from multiple perspectives. To support classroom activities, the Marriott School sponsors weekly management seminars where respected business leaders from around the world share their diverse experiences and expertise. Students are required to participate in these seminars each semester.
Team Work
Entering MBA students are divided into three sections of approximately 40 students each. A section is then organized into smaller study teams of approximately five students. Group assignments are made according to such factors as undergraduate major, academic background, language background, and previous work experience.
In a lockstep format, the team experience is critical. Much of the students' learning takes place in their groups and outside the classroom as they learn to work together to deal with the pressures and uncertainties of management positions.
First-year Course Work
In order to establish a solid background in the essential business disciplines, all students take the required core classes. Following is the list of core classes for the fall and winter semesters:
FALL SEMESTER CORE |
|
|---|---|
| MBA 501 | Corporate Financial Reporting |
| MBA 505 | Written & Oral Communications 1 |
| MBA 520 | Business Finance |
| MBA 530 | Operations Management |
| MBA 548 | Strategic HR Management |
| MBA 550 | Marketing Management |
| MBA 593R | Management Seminar |
| MBA 693R | Track Professional Seminar |
WINTER SEMESTER CORE |
|
| MBA 502 | Managerial Accounting 1 |
| MBA 580 | Introduction to Strategy |
| MBA 593R | Management Seminar |
| MBA 604 | Ethics |
| MBA 680 | Strategy 2 |
Summer Internships
Following the second semester of the program, students are strongly encouraged to spend the summer in independent work experiences or internships that further their professional interests. As students return for their second year, they bring back professional experiences that enrich their academic work.
