Advanced Core Options (formerly Bridge Electives)
During spring quarter, first-year Full-time and second-year Evening MBA students can take "electives" called Advanced Core Options. These students have priority registration into these classes, which are designed to provide additional knowledge beyond what is covered in the core classes, an introduction to fields of specialization such as entrepreneurship, international business, and real estate, and a chance to build leadership skills. Below you will find information about the schedule of advanced core options classes, course descriptions, and the request process.
Schedule of Advanced Core Options
A summary schedule of all the advanced core options (both day and evening) is available on the full spring course schedule.
Descriptions of Advanced Core Options
- BCMU 509 - Finding Your Voice (2 credits): In the first part of this course, you will identify your core values and use them to develop a leadership message, a message about some changes you want to effect in the world. In the second part of the course, you will apply the confidence and techniques you acquired in formulating and conveying your leadership message to a business presentation. As part of this assignment, you will learn how to create charts and PowerPoint slides that most effectively supplement your verbal presentation. Much of the class time will be spent listening to and critiquing the speeches of your fellow students. You will be expected to produce written evaluations of both your own speeches and those of your peers, both of which will be factored into your grade for the course. You will also receive frequent feedback from the instructor, and many of your speeches will be videotaped.
- ENTRE 509 - Foundations of Entrepreneurship (2 credits): Explore the formation of new ventures, cover aspects of evaluating new market opportunities and starting a new venture. The emphasis of the class will be on creativity, idea generation and opportunity exploration and validation. Multiple avenues for starting a business (apart from beginning from scratch) will be explored including franchising, buying a business and bootstrapping without external funding. Required for CIE certificate. Prerequisite for ENTRE/FIN 557.
- FIN 561 - Financial Futures and Options Markets (4 credits): This course provides a comprehensive overview of futures and options markets. We study the no-arbitrage pricing method and derive the prices of futures and options contracts as well as analyze various price relations. Risk management by hedging is given particular attention. Futures,
forwards, swaps and options are compared, and alternative investment strategies are discussed. Prerequisite for most second-year finance electives.
- IBUS 509 - Foundations of International Business (2 credits): This course examines key strategic issues that managers in multinational enterprises face when expanding operations globally. We will begin by considering globalization, trade issues, the role of the WTO, and the relationship among multinational firms, governments, and local partner firms. We will then explore decisions that influence global strategy and the coordination of subsidiaries. Finally, the influence of national cultural differences on working relationships and the social responsibility of multinational firms will be studied. Case analyses and short simulations will be the primary modes of instruction. Required for GBP certificate. Full-time MBA program: satisfies one of your international perspective activities.
- IS 579 - Information, Technology, and Innovation (4 credits): This course equips you with the vocabulary, key concepts, and frameworks for
management of Information Systems (IS) and its strategic application in businesses. The
goal is to train you in making strategic decisions both in Information Technology (IT)
industry and the businesses not directly related to IT. An understanding of IT
management and its incorporation into business strategy are essential for senior level
managers of companies, and critical for a senior manager aspiring to assume leadership. With current trends of IS enabling extensive globalization and new organization
structures, a robust understanding of emerging technologies, and innovative management
approaches is a life time learning prerequisite for successful future managers and
CIOs/CEOs.
- MKTG 579 - Advanced Marketing Strategy (4 credits): This course views marketing strategy from the general manager’s perspective. Less attention will be given to specific tactical activities that may be performed by the sales, marketing, or advertising groups in executing marketing strategy. The assumption is that everyone has acquired a basic knowledge of marketing management from the previous marketing courses (e.g., market management). Specifically, this course builds upon the fundamental topics explored in marketing management by focusing on specific marketing strategies and objectives in greater detail (e.g., innovation-based marketing strategies, brand-based marketing strategies) and by accentuating the integrative nature of the marketing function through the development of a strategic marketing plan.
- URBDP 598 - Foundations of Real Estate (2 credits): This course provides an introduction to the overall reqal estate process including concept generation, planning, acquisition/ production, marketing and disposition. The course will discus the space-time, money-time dimensions of real estate, paying attention to the linkages between the real estate adn capital markets. The course will also streess real estate fundamentals to help develop insights into operation of the unique as well as cultivate an appreciation for the unqiue asset class functions on an interdisciplinary level. With respect to ownership, coverage will span the public/private and debt/equity tiers, exploring the nature, roles and activities of the respective sources of capital. Emphasis will be placed on the behavioral and entrepreneurial aspects of real estate, exploring the decision-making processes of space users, space producers and facilitators.
Advanced Core Options Request Process
Students will request spaces in advanced core options via Catalyst survey. The links to the surveys are below. Note that surveys and deadlines will become available the week of February 11.
Each student will be given bid points to use in requesting their advanced core options. Students should use these points to specify their section preferences for the various classes. Evening MBA students will have priority for the evening sections of these classes. Available points are as follows:
- Full-time first year MBAs: 50 points to bid for 8 credits
- Evening second-year MBAs: 25 points to bid for 4 credits
Questions about advanced core options or about the request process should be directed to mbacore@u.washington.edu.