“I knew Wharton was a place I could learn all the tools I was missing, across all disciplines. In particular, I loved the idea of the core.”
Student Profile
Core
Wharton's intensive, cross-functional core curriculum provides the essential management skills to succeed in any career, focusing on leadership, analytical skills, communication, and business fundamentals. Wharton’s new curriculum combines flexibility and rigor so students can customize learning by selecting a course pathway through content areas based on their educational and career experience and goals.
In your first term, you will work through key core classes with your learning team – a group of five or six classmates with whom you work closely on projects and cases. You will also be able to move more elective courses into Year One, and select which core requirements to postpone to later in the program, based on your academic and short- and long-term career plans.
Following is a brief summary of core courses. As the new curriculum design rolls out, more options and specific descriptions will become available. For complete course listings, including class format, requirements, and prerequisites, visit Core Curriculum in the online MBA Resource Guide.
Leadership Essentials (2.5cu)
- Foundations of Leadership and Teamwork: Unpredictable work environments require leaders and teams to learn rapidly and change quickly. This course focuses on lateral and vertical leadership, team building and performance, and team leadership. This course cannot be waived.
- Management Communication: Designed to prepare business leaders for the communication challenges of the workplace, this course works with students to improve their oral and written presentation skills, regardless of current skill level. This course cannot be waived.
- Additional MGMT Core
- Legal Studies Core
Analytical Foundations (2.0cu)
- Managerial Economics: How can microeconomics enhance decision making in an organization? This course teaches students both how to understand the economic environment in which a firm operates and how to think strategically within it.
- Statistical Analysis for Management: This course considers two key statistical methodologies: regression analysis and experimentation. Students learn techniques such as least-squares estimation, tests and confidence intervals, correlation and autocorrelation, co-linearity, and randomization.
Core Business Fundamentals (5.5cu)
STRATEGY
- Finance
- Accounting
- Operations
- Marketing
- Strategy
New Core Options
Beginning in 2012, students will be able to choose from at least two options to satisfy requirements in the majority of core courses while delving into specific content areas:
- Finance and the Global Economy
- Ethical and Legal Responsibility
- Managing the Global Enterprise
- Understanding and Serving Customers
- Corporate Reporting and Control
- Management of Operations, Innovation, Information, and Decisions Under Uncertainty
The individual departments and Curriculum Review Committee continue to develop options that fulfill both core requirements and the individual career paths of students in a changing environment.
Examples of Core Options
- When you take strategy and managing people in the Management department, you can choose course tracks for “entrepreneurial” or “established firm” interests. The course is capped by a global summit, one full day devoted to global issues related to the course.
- After taking OPIM 631 with your cohort, choose a 0.5cu course from a menu that might include:
o Technology
o Supply Chain
o Innovation
o Managerial Decision Making
For complete updated course listings, including class format, requirements, and prerequisites, visit Core Curriculum in the online MBA Resource Guide. Please note the guide does not reflect the new core options — the current guide pertains to the incoming class (class of 2013) only.
