MBA Prep | Course Descriptions | MBA for Executives | Berkeley Haas (2024)

Here's a peek at what you'll be learning this summer, in Term 1!

As we explained within the Admissions process, all MBA students at Haas experience the same Core Curriculum within the first three terms. These core classes create a strong foundation of knowledge that covers the areas of Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Strategy, and Finance. This will allow you to thrive in any business setting. There are a number of advantages to this structure, including the opportunity to learn alongside your EMBA cohort for the first year before branching into your elective courses (Terms 4 and 5).

One advantage of being an Executive MBA student at Berkeley Haas is that all of your class registration and enrollment processes for your Core Curriculum (Terms 1-3) are completed by the Assistant Director of Academics (Mikhaila Sung). There’s no lottery, no agony of deciding which classes to take, no navigating through the course registration system - you will be automaticallyenrolled in your first term of core classes (Financial Accounting; Data and Decisions; Managerial Economics (Micro); and Leadership Communication) after you’ve taken a few key stepsto fulfill the University Requirements for all incoming students.

All Term 1 courses, except Leadership Communication, will be taught on campus through four “Blocks” of instruction. Each 2 unit course will have ten sessions (each session is three hours) throughout the fall term. Each 0.5 unit course will have 3 sessions (each session is three hours).All required Field Immersions, including Leadership Communication will be held off campus. In sum, each Term consists of four on-campus Blocks and one off-campus Field Immersion.

Want more information about our EMBA Academic course offerings for future Terms? Be sure to review the EMBA Academics Overview, and note that the electives offerings (Terms 4 and 5) may change slightly for your cohort.

In addition, please take a few minutes to read this document in order to get familiarized with UC Berkeley’s campus-wide Academic Systems. You will see these terms referenced in other academic emails to be sent in the coming weeks, and will actively engage with said systems while you are a student here at Haas.

Textbooks

All required textbooks are covered within the EMBA Student Fees. If you have any questions about Term 1 textbooks or questions related to your EMBA Academic Experience, please contact Mikhaila Sung, Assistant Director of Academics (msung22@berkeley.edu).

Building Trust-Based Relationships (Terms 1 and 2)
XMBA291RA | 1 unit

Building Trust-Based Relationships is a course in applied leadership. The objective of this one-unit course is to help students become better leaders by strengthening their ability to build trust-based relationships with others such as direct reports, supervisors, peers, and customers. In this course, we will introduce students to key concepts, frameworks, and techniques around building trust-based relationships. The ultimate indicator of whether the course has realized its objectives is your ability to build more and deeper trust-based professional relationships.

Note About Schedule

Building Trust-Based Relationships spans Terms 1 and 2. Students will receive ½ credit in each term. There are 6 class sessions, 3 class sessions in Term 1, and 3 class sessions in term 2 (each session is three hours).

Data and Decisions
XMBA 200S | 2 units

Note About Schedule

The following three courses take place as part of the four Blocks that begin in September and end in December. There are ten class sessions (each session is three hours) throughout the four Blocks.

Managerial Economics (Micro)
XMBA 201A | 2 units

The goal of this course is to teach you how to use the tools of microeconomics to understand your business environment. There are two ways in which microeconomics is useful to managers. First, it will help you understand markets. Since business is filled with markets – from product markets to input markets to labor markets to financial markets – this tool will be useful in many contexts. Second, an understanding of microeconomics in general and markets in particular, can help you think systematically about managing your firm’s resources. This, in turn, will help you formulate strategic decisions to create and capture value.

Financial Accounting
XMBA 202 | 2 units

This required core course in Financial Accounting covers the generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) used in preparing financial statements. It emphasizes the rationale for and implications of the fundamental accounting concepts. The course provides a foundation to critically analyze and interpret accounting data and to use accounting data in various decision situations. The course requires no prior academic knowledge of accounting, and it is designed accordingly.

Leadership Communication - Field Immersion
XMBA 200C | 2 units

Students will explore the vital link between leadership and communication. They will increase self-confidence when speaking, learn how to think fast and clear under pressure, use voice and body effectively, and learn to be deep and brief with their content. The course also focuses on giving, receiving, and applying feedback, as well as understanding one's leadership strengths and weaknesses.

XMBA200C: Leadership Communication will take place on the Monterey Coast in Santa Cruz. This Field Immersion will be from August 6 through August 10, 2024.