Academics
The Belk College of Business Administration offers the Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Science in Economics (MSEcon), Master of Science in Accounting (MAcc), and Master of Science in Mathematical Finance (MsFin) as well as a Doctor of Philosophy in Business. Other programs include an interdiciplinary program in mathematical finance. The strongest areas of study are finance/commercial banking, management, information and technology management, economics, accounting, and marketing. The most popular courses are Investment Management, Entrepreneurship, and Executive Communication. Regular programs bring distinguished speakers and visiting professors to campus. The Executive Leadership series has featured prominet business leaders from many of the world’s most prestigious companies and non-profit organizations.
Forty-two total credits are required to complete the MBA, including 15 elective credits. Required courses include:
- The Economics of Business Decisions
- Business Information Systems
- Operations Management
- Organizational Leadership and Behavior I
- Managerial Accounting
- Marketing Management
- Financial Management
- International Business
- Management Policy
Required courses for the MSEcon include:
- Advanced Macroeconomic Theory
- Advanced Microeconomic Theory
- Graduate Econometrics
- Advanced Business and Economic Forecasting
Required courses for the MAcc (tax track) include:
- Tax Research, Planning and Practice
- Taxation of Corporations and Shareholders
- Taxation of Partnerships and S-Corporations
- Taxation of Estates, Gifts, and Trusts
Required courses for the MAcc (financial accounting/auditing track) include:
- Advanced Accounting Information Systems
- Advanced Auditing
- Controllership
- Business Tax Strategies
- Accounting Theory and Practice
Required courses for the MSFin include:
- Financial Economic Theory
- Financial Econometrics
- Derivatives I: Financial Elements
- Derivatives II: Partial Differential Equations
- Risk Management and Fixed Income Derivatives
- Statistical Techniques in Finance
- Stochastic Calculus for Finance
- Numerical Methods for Financial Derivatives
Students may eliminate or substitute requirements by transferring 6 hours from another AACSB-accredited program.
Business students may take relevant nonbusiness courses in other departments. The minimum time permitted to complete the master’s degree program attending full time is 1.5 years; maximum, 6 years. For students attending part time, the minimum is 2 years; maximum, 6 years.
There are 57 total full-time graduate business faculty, all of whom hold a doctorate; there are 3 part-time faculty, of whom 33% hold a doctorate. Faculty salaries are rated above average for Category IIA institutions, based on the AAUP rating system. Average number of courses faculty teach is 4; average business class size is 34.