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Curriculum Overview

In the Full-Time MBA Program, you’ll learn practical skills and knowledge that will act as a catalyst for your career in the business world. Our customizable, future-forward curriculum will challenge you think differently, tackle problems head on and find innovative solutions.

You won’t do it alone, however. Teamwork, an essential skill in real-world settings, is also a critical component of our program. During orientation, you’ll be assigned to a study team with whom you’ll work closely throughout the core courses. As a team, you’ll learn the principles of team effectiveness, solve problems and cases together, and practice giving and receiving feedback

Along the way, you’ll complete 62 credit hours across core courses, electives, independent study projects and concentration courses.

Learn what it takes to join the UNC-Kenan Flagler Full-Time MBA program

The core curriculum

In 14 required core courses, you’ll build the foundation of your education and develop solid literacy with key business concepts. You’ll work across several disciplines, including finance, accounting, economics, data analytics, business strategy, operations, marketing, and you’ll learn important soft skills in leadership, communications, and ethics.

Check out a sample schedule for two-class and three-class days.

FALL CLASSES SPRING CLASSES
Module I-A Module I-B Module II Module III Module IV
Building Communities of Belonging Financial Accounting Operations Finance1 Management Communication2
Leading and Managing Financial Tools Business Strategy Management Communication2 Ethics, Corporate, and Individual Responsibility2
MBA Foundations and Skills (this course covers the three topics below): Business Statistics & Data Analytics Strategic Cost Analysis & Performance Management Ethics, Corporate, and Individual Responsibility2 Electives
Professional Presence

Marketing

Core Electives
(choose 1 below):
Finance1
Electives
Macroeconomics

Microeconomics

Consulting Skills & Frameworks
Structured Problem Solving Marketing Strategy for Technology-Intensive Environments
1Taken in either Mod 2 or Mod 3
2Taken in either Mod 3 or Mod 4

Core course descriptions

Electives

The breadth of our 125 electives, and the unique curriculum covered in these courses, allow you to tailor your education to focus on specific career goals. Our curriculum reflects emerging topics in business and faculty research, and, as such, approximately 10% of the electives we offer each year are newly developed courses. You’ll begin taking electives during Module III of your first year in the program.

Electives focus on the same disciplines for which we offer concentrations. These disciplines include broad concepts, such as data analysis, operations and marketing, as well as industry-specific topics in real estate, healthcare and energy.

Independent study projects

In addition to the elective courses, independent study projects allow you to develop specialized knowledge that expands your business and professional insight. You can pursue independent studies by serving as a teaching assistant, conducting faculty-directed research or completing an unpaid internship during the academic year.

Some recent examples of independent study projects include:

  • Industry and market analysis for an alternative energy company seeking a new digital marketing platform.
  • Market analysis of various geographies for a real estate development firm.
  • Assessment of various investment options for a private equity firm.
  • Development of mobile payment options for a software company seeking entry into foreign markets.

Applied work experience

Applying the skills and knowledge you learn through tangible work experience will prepare you to make an immediate impact when you begin your career. Before beginning your second year of coursework, you’ll need to fulfill the Applied Work Experience degree requirement with an established company or organization. Prior to starting your MBA, and while you’re in the program, our Career & Leadership coaches will help you identify, evaluate, and find opportunities to complete this requirement. These opportunities can include company internships, entrepreneurial endeavors, consulting engagements, faculty-directed research projects and other externally oriented experiential opportunities.

Concentrations

We offer thirteen concentrations, plus one focus area, which allow you to further customize your academic plan. Whether it’s our popular Consulting concentration, our innovative Real Estate concentration (one of the country’s largest), our dynamic Healthcare concentration (which teams up with UNC’s top-tier School of Medicine), our Business Analytics & Management Science concentration, one of several other concentrations, or a fully customized approach, choosing to focus on a specific area can help you deepen your expertise and become more marketable for particular roles and industries.

Learn more about our concentrations