The unique Kelley Master of Science in Management curriculum is designed to equip you with strategic leadership and problem-solving skills needed for leadership, human resources, and consulting roles within businesses and organizations. Our hands-on coursework offers you the chance to learn and experiment with graduate-level management concepts in a space where you can gain real-world experience before you graduate.
MS in Management courses add up to a versatile degree
Curriculum overview
The Kelley MSM curriculum offers a holistic approach that prepares you for success at every step:
- Begin with Business Foundations (for students from nonbusiness backgrounds) and Management Launch—immersive preparation that sets you up to reach your academic goals.
- Next, take eight Core courses specifically curated for MSM students to build competency in key business topics.
- Get hands-on experience with two practicum courses.
- Build industry expertise through programs and professional development offered by our exceptional career services.
- Complement your skill set with a wide array of business electives that deepen your knowledge in career-specific pathways and allow you to explore your area of personal interest.
- Students may also select one of three designed pathways within management (shown below) as an option for specialization.
Strategy
Leadership and HR
Entrepreneurship
The MSM starts with Management Launch, a custom program designed to introduce you to the challenges and rewards of management careers. You'll learn from Kelley faculty about the Six Domains of Leadership, participate in active learning simulations and cases, and attend career discovery workshops. You'll also meet your classmates and take part in a variety of social activities.
- Management Consulting
- Organizational Behavior and Human Resources
- Strategic Capabilities
- Data Analytics
Select a minimum of two electives from the paths listed below, including at least one International Business (IB) elective course.
Are you interested in a career in strategy? Consider these electives:
- BUS-D 594 International Competitive Strategy
- BUS-J 522 Strategic Management of Technology and Innovation
- BUS-W 511 Venture Strategy
- BUS-W 574 Corporate Entrepreneurship & Innovation
Are you interested in a career in leadership and human resources? Consider these electives:
- BUS-W 505 Power, Persuasion, Influence, and Negotiation
- BUS-Z 526 Self Leadership
- BUS-Z 506 Team Management
- BUS-W 531 Creating Diverse, Equitable, Inclusive Organizations
- BUS-Z 525 Leadership and People Management
Are you interested in a career in entrepreneurship? Consider these electives:
- BUS-W 530 Creative/Innovation: Creating New Venture Ideas
- BUS-W 504 New Venture Business Planning
- BUS-W 511 Venture Strategy
- BUS-W 574 Corporate Entrepreneurship & Innovation
- BUS-W 508 Social Entrepreneurship & Economic Development
All students are required to take at least one international business course:
- BUS-D 503 International Business Environments
- BUS-D 504 International Business Operations
- BUS-D 594 International Competitive Strategy
- BUS-D 595 International Management
To meet the program requirement of 12 credit hours in general electives, choose from any management electives or any of these electives from other areas of business:
Accounting
- BUS-A 506 Financial Reporting and Analysis I
- BUS-A 507 Financial Reporting and Analysis II
- BUS-A 545 Introduction to Financial Statements Analysis and Valuation
- BUS-A 546 Advanced Financial Statements Analysis and Valuation
- BUS-A 547 Strategic Tax Planning
Finance
- BUS-F 507 Short-Term Financial Management
- BUS-F 509 Financial Analysis for Corporate Decisions
- BUS-F 514 Finance and Society
- BUS-F 517 Venture Capital and Entrepreneurial Finance
- BUS-F 519 Behavioral Finance
- BUS-R 510 Real Estate Investment Analysis
Marketing
- BUS-M 510 Managing the Product Offering Process
- BUS-M 511 Market-Based Analysis
- BUS-M 512 Marketing Strategy
- BUS-M 522 New Product Management
- BUS-M 530 Business Marketing Strategy and Management
Operations
- BUS-K 513 Predictive Analytics/Data Mining
- BUS-K 529 Cloud-Based Analytics
- BUS-K 547 Design Thinking
- BUS-P 520 Strategic Sourcing
- BUS-P 550 Business Process Design
- BUS-P 552 Project Management
Business Economics & Public Policy (BEPP)
- BUS-G 570 Thinking Strategically
- BUS-G 572 Predictive Analysis for Business Strategy I
- BUS-G 574 The Federal Reserve System
- BUS-G 593 International Monetary Systems and Hedging
Note that variations on the plan of study may occur based on individual needs.
Credit Hours | Business Boot Camp Component |
|---|---|
6.0 | BUS-X 545 Business Foundations* *Required for all nonbusiness undergraduate majors and minors |
1.5 | Management Launch |
Credit Hours | Management Core 1 Component |
|---|---|
3.0 | BUS-Z 504 Organizational Behavior and Human Resources (OB/HR) foundation |
1.5 | BUS-K 507 Introduction to Spreadsheet Modeling |
1.5 | BUS-S 535 The Business of Technology |
Credit Hours | Management Core 2 Component |
|---|---|
1.5 | BUS-J 501 Developing Strategic Capabilities |
1.5 | BUS-W 506 Entrepreneurship: Leadership and Practice |
1.5 | BUS-Z 531 Strategic Human Resources (HR) |
1.5 | BUS-W 550 Management Consulting |
Credit Hours | Practicum, People Analytics, and Electives |
|---|---|
1.5 | BUS-W 561 Practicum 1 |
1.5 | Elective |
1.5 | Elective |
1.5 | Elective |
Credit Hours | Practicum, People Analytics, and Electives |
|---|---|
1.5 | Elective |
1.5 | Elective |
1.5 | Elective |
1.5 | Elective |
Credit Hours | Practicum, People Analytics, and Electives |
|---|---|
1.5 | BUS-Z 536 People Analytics |
1.5 | BUS-W 562 Practicum 2 |
1.5 | Elective |
1.5 | Elective |
MSM practicums
Key to your experience in the MSM program are two brand-new, immersive management practicum courses that lead you on a deep dive into the management strategies you’ll be able to deploy in your future career. These two practicums form the bookends of your MSM degree, as you take Practicum 1 in your first semester and Practicum 2 in your final term of the one-year program.
The goal of this intensive, experiential course is to put you in the driver’s seat of managerial problem-solving by interacting with a variety of professionals through live client case presentations. You’ll gain exposure to the different types of jobs and industries you may encounter in a managerial consulting career.
Practicum 1 goes beyond simple case competitions by putting you into direct interaction with businesses and executives as you deliver actionable recommendations and solutions to their real-world challenges.
This initial practicum focuses on:
- Building the functional, business, and interpersonal skills managers and consultants use to analyze and navigate widely difficult business problems
- Sharpening your critical thinking skills and approach to team leadership
- Developing in-depth analysis of available data, client interviews, outside research, analysis, and recommendations
Step directly into the role of consultant or corporate manager as you use what you’ve learned throughout this program to manage projects and solve strategic business challenges. Through a combination of lectures, hands-on projects, and live client engagements, you develop the management skills to succeed in consulting and corporate management.
In this field study, student teams work with a live client to address specific business problems and opportunities. This practicum draws upon all you’ve learned throughout this program in applied analytical thinking, teamwork, leadership, and stakeholder management.
This final practicum focuses on:
- Understanding the typical client life cycle
- Quantifying the value of recommendations for strategic change
- Delivering effective plans
- Building and maintaining client relationships
- Analyzing business drivers and alternatives
MS in Management paths
Unsure of the career path you’d like to pursue? Our Academic Advising team and Graduate Career Services are eager to explore the options with you—human resources, consulting, sales, entrepreneurship, and more. You don’t need to choose a specific career path at the beginning of the program. As you’re building business knowledge in the management field, we’re here to support your career exploration across a wide variety of industries and paths.
Practice your management skills abroad with a GLOBASE consulting project
Interested in gaining global business experience? Participate in a Global Business and Social Enterprise (GLOBASE) consulting project that includes an in-person trip to one of several different countries during Spring Break. GLOBASE is an option for you to collaborate with Kelley team members from both the MS in Management and the Full-Time MBA programs. The teams work with small- to medium-sized businesses and make vital contributions to clients, from overcoming obstacles to expanding their business.
GLOBASE offers MS in Management students an opportunity to:
- Build expertise in cross-cultural teamwork and project management
- Practice strategic problem-solving for an international client
- Make impactful decisions around time management and priorities
- Collaborate with Kelley Full-Time MBA students with varied perspectives and backgrounds
- Lead and motivate team members using effective communication and management strategies
An application process is required; funding is available.
