Students who focus on entrepreneurship spend considerable time looking at company start-up and growth. Strong academic programs and close ties with the Kansas City business community make the MBA concentration a solid basis for career growth.

The MBA program ranges from 30 to 48 credit hours. The curriculum is comprised of two distinct stages: core classes and classes taken beyond the core. There are no prerequisites for our MBA program. Rather, the total number of hours required for the MBA depends upon the focus of your undergraduate coursework. Students with an undergraduate degree in a business-related field will have an MBA around 30-39 credit hours, while students with undergraduate degrees in other fields will have close to a 48-hour MBA.

Core courses (24 credit hours)

Previous college coursework in business is not required; however, you must have completed college algebra and possess skills equivalent to MIS 203: Computer Applications for Business, before taking more advanced quantitative coursework in the program. Core courses may be waived after admission by an academic advisor.

ACTG 5517 Survey Of Accounting (3)
BA 5501 Economics For Administration (3)
BA 5519 Operations Management (3)
BA 5531 Marketing (3)
BA 5532 Financial Management (3)
BDS 5508 Statistical Analysis In Business (3)
BMA 5505 Organizational Behavior (3)
BMA 5510 Legal And International Environment Of Business (3)

In addition you will take BMA 5537, Competitive Strategies; 12 credit hours in entrepreneurship; and 9-15 hours of electives.

Entrepreneurship Emphasis (12 hours)

525 Entrepreneurship: Managing Creativity and Innovation (3). The course examines the nature of creativity and innovation and how entrepreneurship involves the ability to identify market opportunity based on new ideas. Detailed attention is given to the entrepreneurial process: the concepts, skills, know-how and know-who, information, attitudes, alternatives and resources that entrepreneurs need to manage creativity in the process of creating something with tangible economic value.

535 Small Business Management and Entrepreneurship (3). This course focuses on the nature of the entrepreneurial organization; its volatility and flux, where standard operating procedures are lacking and organizational structure, culture and leadership style are created anew each day. Successful small business management requires that a series of developmental challenges be identified and addressed if the venture is to succeed.

541 Personal Entrepreneurial Strategy (3). This course is a cooperative offering between UMKC, University of Kansas, and Rockhurst University and is taught at Kauffman Legacy Park. The course applies the case method to allow the student to learn about the entrepreneur and the entrepreneurial process, understand the sacrifices and benefits of being an Entrepreneur, and develop professional skills relevant to entrepreneurial activity. Prior approval require for enrollment. Prerequisites: BA 531, BA 532, BMA 506.

542 Technology and new Ventures (TNV)I (3). This course will build skills needed to create successful, high-value enterprises with technology. Emphasis will be on markets for technology, and venture capital. Case studies will emphasize the information technologies and energy/environmental technologies. Prerequisite: None

543 Technology and New Ventures (TNV)II (3). This course will draw upon the skills developed in ENT 542 to enable student teams to prepare business plans for new ventures they might actually like to start. The information technologies and energy/environment will be emphasized, but students are welcome to propose any technologies. Prerequisites: ENT 542, Technology and New Ventures I

545 Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation (3). The objective of this course are: (1) to build personal appreciation for the challenges and rewards of entrepreneurship in an independent mode by examining/simulating its environment; (2) to present and examine, through the use of complex case studies and high level guest/lectures, economic, legal and managerial mechanisms proven useful in creating new wealth; and (3) to foster continued development of venture ideas, suitable as career entry options or for investments, using a tutorial approach to business plan development, presentation and evaluation. Suggested Prerequisites: BA 531, BA 532, BMA 506, and one of the following. ENT 525, ENT 535, or ENT 541.

545E Innovation and Entrepreneurship I (3). (two-course sequence) Covers the entrepreneurial and innovation process from conception to birth of the new business. It looks at both process and people involved in assessing ideas, exploiting opportunities, and converting concepts into high-growth businesses. Application of these processes will be extended to both start-ups and well as new business groups within existing organizations, with an emphasis on nurturing a climate of innovation. Students will identify opportunities for high-growth potential new enterprises, develop a business plan, and present their plans to a panel of potential investors and/or senior managers. Topics covered include organization form, funding sources, the start-up team, and the product launch.

545IE Innovation and Entrepreneurship (3). (two-course sequence) Covers the entrepreneurial and innovation process from conception to birth of the new business. It looks at both process and people involved in assessing ideas, exploiting opportunities, and converting concepts into high-growth businesses. Application of these processes will be extended to both start-ups and well as new business groups within existing organizations, with an emphasis on nurturing a climate of innovation. Students will identify opportunities for high-growth potential new enterprises, develop a business plan, and present their plans to a panel of potential investors and/or senior managers. Topics covered include organization form, funding sources, the start-up team, and product launch.

585 Venture Capital Finance and Investment (3). This course is designed for students who wish to learn about or become involved in the venture capital market as investors or intermediaries in emerging growth companies seeking capital. With this goal, the course will define the venture capital market and where it fits relative to other sources of capital, examine how private equity funds are raised and structured, how investments are sourced, selected, and negotiated, and the role of the value-added investor through investment to liquidity. The course presents and provides applications for various frameworks of valuing and structuring investment opportunities. Suggested Prerequisites: BA 531, BA 532, BMA 506, and one of the following ENT 525, ENT 535, or ENT 541.

587 Seminar in Entrepreneurship (1-6). A course on advanced and/or newtopics. This course is designed to facilitate at least one of two purposes: an initial offereing of a new course (prior to formal approval) or an initial and possibly final offereing of new topics. New topics include those that are contemporary, cutting edge, or advanced topics that are not currently covered by existing courses. Prerequisite: Various, including permission of instructor.

591 Small Business Management Practicum (3). An integrated management course designed to examine the principles of business management applicable to solving the problems of small and medium size businesses and assisting in their development. Prerequisite: Completion of stage I requirements.

597 Independent Research (3). Study and research in Entrepreneurship under individual faculty direction. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor