PME 601 Essentials in Finance (1.5 credits)
This course is an introduction to the principles of finance and the application of these concepts as they pertain to financial decision making. Important concepts covered throughout this course center on applying the language of business (accounting), time value of money, valuation, capital budgeting, cost of capital, financing sources and capital structure. Through a combination of group work, weekly projects leading to the completion of a cumulative term project, homework and a final exam, each student is expected to apply traditional financial methodologies, analyzing and deconstructing real business situations, and develop concrete business evaluations, assessments and strategies. Students will also consider the implication of new or emerging dimensions that can affect decision making, such as sustainable investment criteria and emerging technologies (i.e. blockchain, quantum computing) throughout the course.
Typically Offered: Fall
PME 602 Essentials in Accounting (1.5 credits)
This course is designed to expose students to current developments in the accounting profession. Through readings from the current business press, discussions, guest speakers, and cases, students will gain an understanding of the real-world problems facing the accounting profession and how changes in accounting can broadly impact business. Topics covered will be revised as needed to reflect the rapid evolution of technology, changes in reporting standards, and global considerations.
Typically Offered: As needed
PME 603 Essentials in Marketing (1.5 credits)
This Marketing Essentials course explores the essential tools, techniques, and technologies organizations use to conduct marketing research, enhance value, shape product identity, and engage in two-way communications with customers. The course emphasizes sustainability and technology, focusing on different product offerings and technologies. An example of this is the electric vehicles (EVs) industry. Students will apply real-world marketing concepts to create an integrated marketing plan, with an experiential learning project that deconstructs a current marketing campaign for a sustainable product; an example could be a US-based campaign for an electric vehicle. Through this, students will assess the environmental impact, advanced technology, and consumer and societal benefits of EVs while analyzing how companies’ position EVs to meet government emissions targets and consumer demand for sustainable alternatives.
Typically Offered: Once a year
PME 604 Essentials in Digital Transformation (1.5 credits)
The Digital Transformation course provides the participants essential perspectives, insights and strategies to pursue long-term innovation in incumbent organizations in the form of digital transformation. This involves unlocking value by improving operations, customer service, agility and an innovative mindset within the organization by deploying digital technologies at scale. The participants will learn these by integrating lessons from intrapreneurship, change management and leadership, combining these with an understanding of the disruptive potential of emerging digital technology platforms. The participants will get the opportunity to exercise these knowledge elements, skills and capabilities by engaging in exercises for assessing organizational readiness, developing a digital transformation strategy, setting the stage for execution with leadership, cultivating organizational talent, and communicating with stakeholders across the organization.
Typically Offered: Summer
PME 605 Operations Management Essentials (1.5 credits)
Operations Management (OM) is the heartbeat of any organization, where strategy meets execution. In this course, students will learn to see businesses as systems of interconnected processes that transform inputs into valuable outputs for customers. Through guest speakers from industry, interactive case studies, a simulation game and a group project, students will develop process-thinking skills and apply core concepts such as process design, capacity, quality, inventory, and supply chain management. With a strong foundation in OM essentials, students will examine the role of technology and sustainability in modern operations and supply chains. Using frameworks and data, they will explore trade-offs among cost, speed, quality, and environmental impact.
PME 606 Organizational Effectiveness Essentials (1.5 credits)
In the Organizational Effectiveness course, students will explore the strategic practices, structures, and responsible leadership approaches that drive high-performing organizations. Through case studies, evidence-based frameworks, and experiential learning, students will analyze how elements of organizational culture, decision-making, and talent development impact organizational success factors. This course integrates principles from organizational behavior, strategy, and human resource management to equip future leaders with essential knowledge and skills to enhance efficiency, innovation, and employee engagement. By the end of the course, students will be able to diagnose organizational challenges, design effective interventions, and implement data-driven solutions to foster sustainable growth and competitive advantage.
Typically Offered: Once a year