Business Administration, M.B.A., Online

The M.B.A. concentration in Data Analytics provides students with solid knowledge and training in data analysis and statistical computing. The concentration includes the courses shown below.

12 Required Credit Hours:

• STQM 5420, Topics in Regression Analysis (3)
• STQM 5440, Topics in Categorical Data Analysis (3)
• STQM 5900, Special Topics in Data Analysis (3)
• STQM 5900, Special Topics in Data Analysis Capstone (3)

The M.B.A. concentration in Marketing gives students the toolbox and analytical skills to operate effectively in an increasingly dynamic marketplace. Students will be prepared for the immediate application of progressive techniques within marketing that utilize new technology and digital capabilities while strengthening foundational marketing principles.

12 Required Credit Hours:

• MKT 5600, Professional Selling and Sales Management (3)
• MKT 5700, Healthcare Marketing (3)
• MKT 5800, Customer Relationship Management (3)
• MKT 5900, Special Topics and Trends in Marketing (3)
• MKT 5950, Marketing Capstone (3)

The M.B.A. concentration in Hospitality Management offers courses specifically developed to support the advancement of hospitality and tourism management professionals. Along with a strong business management foundation, students who pursue this concentration will also receive relevant instruction related to contemporary topics in hospitality and tourism.

12 Required Credit Hours:

• HADM 5100, Global Hospitality and Tourism Operation (3)
• HADM 5200, Hospitality Services Marketing (3)
• HADM 5600, Contemporary Hospitality Service Management (3)
• HADM 5900, Special Topics and Trends in Hospitality and Tourism (3)

The M.B.A. concentration in Real Estate provides students the leverage to increase diversity and inclusion in the commercial real estate industry across the United States. There is a compelling need for more minority professionals in the commercial real estate industry. This course will also educate M.B.A. students enrolled in the Real Estate Concentration through coursework, internships and mentorship; help M.B.A. graduates secure professional positions in various sectors of the commercial real estate industry; and create an affiliated Real Estate Center to enrich the concentration primarily through projects that increase minority economic development and wealth creation in Durham, North Carolina, and elsewhere. This concentration is offered through an online or face-to-face delivery method.

Sample Courses:

• REST 5100, Fundamentals of Real Estate
• REST 5200, Real Estate Investment and Finance
• REST 5300, Real Estate Development
• REST 5900, Special Topics in Real Estate

The M.B.A. concentration in Wealth Management is open to individuals from diverse backgrounds; its primary purpose is to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in the wealth management industry to address the significant underrepresentation of African-American professionals and to decrease the racial wealth gap between African Americans and whites.

The racial and ethnic wealth gaps are large and persistent according to the 2016 Federal Reserve Board Survey of Consumer Finances Report. The real median net worth in an African-American household still lags far behind white households. The median household wealth gap between African-Americans and whites grows larger as education levels rise. The report also shows that African-American households are less likely to own assets, such as a house, business, retirement savings and savings account, when compared to white households. Those who do own assets own far fewer in each category. Along with wealth gaps, there are substantial knowledge gaps in basic financial education.

This program answers the growing call to address the wealth gap and improve the financial literacy skills in the African American community and among college students. This concentration is offered through an online or face-to-face delivery method.

Sample Courses:

• PFIN 5110, Survey of Personal Financial Planning
• PFIN 5120, Retirement and Estate Planning
• FIN 5558, Investment
• PFIN 5130, Personal Financial Planning

The use of Information Systems (IS) is proliferating, not only at the individual level but at the corporate level. We are also witnessing a significant growth in the use of the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) systems that have revolutionized the way we interact and conduct business. These systems are generating a lot of data (big data). As such, there is a need for a well-trained workforce to guide organizations on the strategic use of the existing and emerging IS as well as the resultant big data. The goal of this concentration is to train the next group of corporate IS leaders.

Some of the potential areas of exploration include the use of AI and ML, blockchain technologies, quantum computing, and big data in strategic business decision making. The courses include multiple hands-on labs related to real-world tasks to reinforce the covered concepts.  The concentration also aims at increasing the diversity of the IS workforce, especially among African American and other underrepresented minorities. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, "employment in computer and information technology occupations is projected to grow 15 percent from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations; this increase is expected to result in about 682,800 new jobs over the decade."

Prospective employment opportunities related to this concentration include chief information officers, business analysts, database administrators, network administrators, and programmers. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the "median annual wage for this group was $97,430 in May 2021, which was higher than the median annual wage for all occupations of $45,760."

The Information Systems Management (ISM) concentration in the M.B.A. program is composed of 12 credit hours as shown below, and the M.B.A. with a concentration in ISM comprises 39 credit hours.

12 Required Credit Hours:

• CSEC 5000: Cybersecurity Technology and Management (3)
• ISM 5440: Applied Database Systems for Managers (3)
• CIS 5620: Project Management (3)
• ISM 5630: ISM Special Topics (3)

Research and innovations are driving the tremendous growth in information systems and related industries. Consequently, security threats and vulnerabilities are emerging every day, making it impossible to achieve perfect cybersecurity as the world continues to experience an increase in the negative and devastating effects of cyberterrorism and corporate espionage. Modern cybersecurity is becoming a moving target, making it necessary for cybersecurity personnel to constantly keep abreast of the latest developments in the cybersecurity arena. This concentration exposes the cybersecurity management personnel to the technical operations of computers, networked computing systems, and the security and management of resources on a networked computing system. Courses in this concentration integrate theory and practice to provide an in-depth understanding of how to protect corporate and government data against cyberattacks.

Specific areas explored include ethical hacking and penetration testing life cycle, current penetration testing standards from the National Security Agency (NSA), the Payment Card Industry (PCI), and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), current tools and penetration testing methodologies, and the rules of engagement in a penetration test. Other areas include the latest threats and vulnerabilities, footprinting and reconnaissance, network-level attacks, and countermeasure techniques and processes. The courses also cover the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification, the NIST Privacy Framework, and organizational cybersecurity risk identification, assessment, and management. The courses include multiple hands-on labs related to real-world tasks to reinforce the covered concepts.

The concentration in Cybersecurity is composed of 12 credit hours as follows.

12 Required Credit Hours:

• CSEC 5000: Cybersecurity Technology and Management (3)
• CSEC 5010: Cybersecurity Ethical Hacking and Penetration Testing (3)
• CSEC 5020: Cybersecurity Law, Policy, and Risk Management (3)
• CSEC 5030: Cybersecurity Special Topics (3)