Brandeis International Business School

Last updated: September 2, 2020 at 1:54 PM

Established in 1994, Brandeis International Business School is a professional school dedicated to the study of the global economy through rigorous teaching and research in business, finance and economics.

The school prepares individuals from around the globe to become principled professionals in companies and public institutions worldwide, immersing them in international experiences and connecting them to best practices in business and policy. Its programs address the complex challenges decision-makers face in the global economy in varied business and policy-making environments.

The school's faculty consists of a body of highly renowned researchers and seasoned practitioners with extensive real-world experience. Their expertise ranges widely, embracing topics as diverse as municipal finance, global trade, cross-cultural fluency, monetary policy and central banking, strategic alliances, corporate governance, state-owned enterprises, entrepreneurial finance, initial public offerings, consumer judgment and decision making, leadership and identity in organizations, and the impacts of taxation, regulation and market structure on financial markets.

Centers and Initiatives

The school's centers and initiatives provide a springboard for the study of the global economy.

The Asia-Pacific Center for Economics and Business

The Asia-Pacific Center for Economics and Business conducts research, teaching and outreach on business and economic issues in the Asia Pacific region and on US-Asia Pacific relations. Its activities include faculty research projects, conferences, seminars, graduate and undergraduate courses, and exchange programs with Asia-Pacific universities.

The Asper Center for Global Entrepreneurship

The Asper Center for Global Entrepreneurship serves as Brandeis International Business School's platform to examine and understand the key trends affecting entrepreneurship across cultures and borders. It provides a diverse range of learning experiences through courses, seminars and conferences, internships, business plan competitions, field visits, and meetings with global entrepreneurs. The Asper Center was established in 2006 by Leonard J. Asper '86.

The Steven M. Bunson ’82 Finance and Society Initiative

The Steven M. Bunson ’82 Finance and Society Initiative serves as a cornerstone of the International Business School offerings in socially responsible business. It supports courses and programs that are closely aligned with our commitment to the social and environmental needs of the broader society. Experiential learning opportunities include internships, field trips, speakers and student club activities.

Hassenfeld Family Innovation Center

The Hassenfeld Family Innovation Center, founded in 2014, is overseen by Brandeis University’s Provost who facilitates collaboration between the Office of Technology Licensing (OTL) and Brandeis International Business School. The Center builds upon the university’s reputation as one of the nation’s leading research institutions by supporting faculty research while catalyzing innovation on campus. It provides a platform for increased corporate outreach to innovative firms, provides new educational opportunities for Brandeis students, and leverages the experience of industry professionals to ensure that the societal impact of the university’s groundbreaking research is maximized. The Hassenfeld Center also enhances efforts to bring Brandeis’ research and technology advances to commercial partners in sectors such as life sciences, clean energy and information technology. It serves as a platform to identify potential relationships with like-minded academic institutions and corporations around the globe.

India Initiative

The India Initiative at Brandeis International Business School is focused on further strengthening our relationships with India, which has historically accounted for a large number of students and alumni. India is not only a huge, rising economy, but it is an especially important partner driving innovation in today’s global economy. The India Initiative focuses on developing strong linkages between Brandeis and India that offer great opportunities for fostering innovation and developing partnerships with both Universities and the Indian Corporate sector. The India Initiative is designed to establish us as a leader in facilitating and championing the triangulation of innovative opportunities between the U.S., India, and Israel.

Latin American Initiative

The Latin American Initiative is a collaborative effort seeking to increase the visibility of Brandeis International Business School in Central and South America, through establishing strong business and governmental relationships, university partnerships, and outreach to local communities. The Initiative aims to have a long-term positive impact on student recruitment, alumni engagement, fundraising, and the creation of professional opportunities for students and graduates.

The Perlmutter Institute for Global Business Leadership

Established by Brandeis Trustee Louis '56 and Barbara Perlmutter in 2008, the Perlmutter Institute focuses on the intersection of business, the global economy, government, and civil society. Using a multi-disciplinary, holistic approach, the Institute prepares students for leadership in a globally interdependent world, promoting the value of balancing profit and the public good.

The Rosenberg Institute of Global Finance

The Rosenberg Institute of Global Finance seeks to analyze and anticipate major trends in global financial markets, institutions and regulations, and to develop the information and ideas required to solve emerging problems. The Institute, founded in 2002, is named for Barbara C. Rosenberg '54 and Richard M. Rosenberg.

Degree Programs

The degree programs are the academic heart of the school and focus on business, economics, and finance.

Master of Arts in International Economics and Finance Program

The Lemberg Master of Arts in International Economics and Finance (MA) is a two-year (four academic-year semesters) professional degree that integrates high-level conceptual analysis in economics and finance, on the one hand, with practical applications and a global economic perspective, on the other. The degree offers a strong focus on the analysis of economic phenomena and related issues, including economic modeling, forecasting and evaluation. The program is STEM-designated and prepares students for careers in finance, economic policy, consulting, multinational corporations, and international organizations.

Master of Business Administration Program

The MBA at IBS is a two-year (four academic-year semesters) professional degree, and offers in-depth preparation in all business and management functions. MBA students can customize their program by completing one of five optional concentrations: Finance, Marketing, Data Analytics, Real Estate, and Strategy and Innovation. The Data Analytics concentration is STEM-designated). Students may petition to transfer credits from previous master’s or advance undergraduate study in business, management, economics or finance or previous master’s study in a STEM related field taken at an accredited program in the last 10 years. Students may complete the MBA in three or four semesters.

Master of Science in Finance Program

The Master of Science in Finance (MSF) is a STEM-designated 16-month full-time program with a curriculum grounded in financial theory, quantitative problem solving and solid financial analytics. The program provides MSF students with these essential applied skills in addition to a required practicum which prepares them to compete in the financial job market.

Master of Science in Business Analytics

The Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) is a STEM designated 11-month or 16-month program that prepares students to gain a better understanding of statistical, programming, data visualization and econometric methods of analyzing data in order to make well-informed economic, financial and business decisions.

PhD in International Economics and Finance

The PhD in International Economics and Finance, offered in collaboration with the university's economics department, provides advanced training in economics, research techniques, and creative problem-solving in an integrated, global economic framework. This STEM-designated program prepares students for research, teaching, and policy making careers in business, government, and international agencies.

The PhD program enrolls every other year. The next intake will be in Fall 2022.

Combined BA/MA Programs

Brandeis and Wellesley College undergraduate students may apply for admission to a special BA/MA track within the Lemberg MA Program in the spring of their third year. They begin taking program courses in their fourth year of undergraduate study and satisfy the master's degree requirements in one additional year of study at the graduate level after receiving their BA.

Combined BA or BS/MSBA Program

Brandeis undergraduate students may apply for admission to a special BA or BS /MSBA track in the spring of their third year or fall of their fourth year. They begin taking program courses in their fourth year of undergraduate study and satisfy the master's degree requirements in one additional year of study at the graduate level after receiving their BA/BS.

BA or BS/MBA Dual Degree Program

Prospective or current Brandeis graduates with a BA or BS degree may apply for admission to one of two special BA/MBA tracks; applications are normally submitted in the student's senior year or after graduation. Brandeis students with a BS in any major or a BA in any field of science are eligible for admittance to the BA/MBA-Science track, even without work experience. Students with a BA in another field of Liberal Arts will be eligible for admittance to the BA/MBA-Liberal Arts track, if they have gained a minimal amount of work experience through internships. Students in the BA/MBA tracks will be able to count 16 credits of prior undergraduate work towards their MBA, thus reducing the time to completion for the MBA to three semesters beyond the Bachelor's degree.

Accelerated MA Program

The Accelerated MA Program allows undergraduate students studying economics or business in the United States to earn the MA degree in one additional year after completing their BA or BS by transferring a semester's worth of credit from their relevant undergraduate degree. The Accelerated MA Program curriculum combines graduate business coursework and practical learning in both international economics and finance, providing students expanded knowledge across both subjects and enabling them to succeed in the global job market across a wide range of opportunities. Accelerated MA students follow the same academic requirements as the two year MA program.

Accelerated MBA Program

For students with previous master’s or advance undergraduate study in business, management, economics or finance or previous master's study in a STEM related field and at least two years of work experience, this program can boost or re-direct careers with added training and an MBA degree. Up to one semester’s worth of courses may be transferred to Brandeis from a previous accredited program completed in the last 10 years. The Accelerated MBA can be completed in three semesters. This program offers the same courses, concentrations and degree as the two-year MBA.

MSF/MBA Dual Degree

Students with work experience who are interested in gaining the in-depth finance knowledge of an MSF degree combined with the broad, management expertise of an MBA can opt to apply for the MSF/MBA dual degree. Students who enroll in the dual degree when admitted to the business school or add the second degree within the first year of their first program are able to complete both degrees with a combined 79 credits, instead of the 109 credits required to earn each credential independently. Students must meet admissions requirements of both programs to be admitted to the dual degree program and complete the requirements of both programs to earn both degrees.

MSBA/MBA Dual Degree

Students with work experience who are interested in gaining the in-depth business analytics knowledge of an MSBA degree combined with the broad, management expertise of an MBA can opt to apply for the MSBA/MBA dual degree. Students who enroll in the dual degree when admitted to the business school or add the second degree within the first year of their first program are able to complete both degrees with a combined 77 credits, instead of the 105 credits required to earn each credential independently. Students must meet admissions requirements of both programs to be admitted to the dual degree program and complete the requirements of both programs to earn both degrees.

MSBA/MA Dual Degree

Students who are interested in gaining the in-depth business analytics knowledge of an MSBA degree combined with the broad, economics and finance expertise of an MA can opt to apply for the MSBA/MA dual degree. Students who enroll in the dual degree when admitted to the business school or add the second degree within the first year of their first program are able to complete both degrees with a combined 77 credits, instead of the 105 credits required to earn each credential independently. Students must meet admissions requirements of both programs to be admitted to the dual degree program and complete the requirements of both programs to earn both degrees.

Admission

Brandeis International Business School Admission Requirements

The school seeks outstanding candidates from around the world and from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. Factors critical in the evaluation of applicants to all Brandeis International Business School degree programs include academic achievement, aptitude for graduate study, motivation, leadership, and professional/internship experience. Specific application requirements can be found below and more detailed information about these requirements and application deadlines is available on the Brandeis International Business School website and by contacting the Office of Admissions.

Application Requirements (MA, MBA, MSF, MSBA)

Transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended
GMAT or GRE score
Essay
Video Essay
Resume (minimum of two years of full-time work experience required for MBA)
Letters of Recommendation (2)
TOEFL, IELTS, PTE Academic or Duolingo English Test Score, if applicable

Application Requirements (Accelerated MBA)

Transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended
Relevant transfer coursework (16 credits)
Essay
Video Essay
Resume (substantial work or managerial experience; minimum of two years of full-time work experience)
Letters of Recommendation (2)
TOEFL, IELTS, PTE Academic or Duolingo English Test Score, if applicable

Application Requirements (Accelerated MA)

Transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended
Essay
Video Essay
Resume
Letters of Recommendation (2)
TOEFL, IELTS, PTE Academic or Duolingo English Test Score, if applicable

Application Requirements (BA/MA)

Transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended
Essay
Video Essay
Resume
Letters of Recommendation (2)

The PhD program enrolls every other year and the next intake will be Fall 2022.

Academic Regulations

Registration

Every resident, post-resident, and continuation student must register at the beginning of each term, whether attending regular courses of study, carrying on research or independent reading, writing a thesis or dissertation, or utilizing any academic service or facility of the university. All students on semester abroad must register and enroll in ECON 290a for that semester.

Students enrolled in full time degree programs are required to enroll in and maintain a minimum academic load of 12 credits per semester, except for their last semester (see Residency Requirements section for further details). Eighteen credits per semester is the maximum load per semester allowed unless additional credits are authorized by a Brandeis IBS program administrator.

Please refer to the Academic Calendar for specific deadlines for adding and dropping courses. In order to drop a class after the end of the registration period, a student must receive permission from the instructor and Program Advisor by completing the Add/Drop form available from the Brandeis IBS Office of Academic Affairs and Student Experience. The completed form with all necessary signatures must be returned to the Office of the University Registrar, Kutz 121.

Auditing Courses

The privilege of auditing courses without paying a fee is extended to all regularly enrolled full-time graduate students except part-time or special students. Part-time or special students may audit courses by paying for them at the same rate as those taken for credit. No courses may be audited without the permission of the instructor. Auditors may not take examinations or expect evaluation from the instructor. No credit is given for an audited course.

Credit/No Credit Grading Option for Graduate Students

These policy changes for Brandeis graduate students are effective for Spring semester 2020 only.

Masters students in the International Business School may elect to cover any number of grades from Spring 2020 that are a C+ or higher with a CR once they have seen their grade in a particular course: CR would cover C+ or higher and NC for anything lower. Spring 2020 C+ or CR grades will not count toward the maximum number of C+ grades during their particular program and will be accepted for credit. CR or C+ grades for Spring 2020 will be allowed to fulfill any program or concentration requirement and will be allowed to double count for requirements as a regularly graded course would. Consistent with current policy, grades below a “C+” will be considered as unsatisfactory and will not be counted as credit for degree requirements.
Ph.D. students in the International Business School may elect to cover any number of grades from Spring 2020 that are a B- or higher with a CR once they have seen their grade in a particular course: CR would cover B- or higher and NC for anything lower.
The deadline for covering a Spring 2020 grade with a CR are May 13th for graduating students; August 21st for students graduating in August; and October 15th for all other graduate students. Once a Spring 2020 grade has been posted, students may email registrar@brandeis.edu to request the grade be covered with a CR or NC.

Credits Per Semester

Full-time MA students will be limited to enrolling in 18 credits per semester. MSF students will be limited to 18 credits in their first two semesters and 10 credits in their third semester. MSBA students will be limited to 19 credits in their first semester and 18 credits in their second semester, and 10 credits in their third semester. MBA students will be limited to 20 credits per semester. Enrollment limits can only be overridden by explicit permission of the student’s Program Advisor.

Course Exemptions

Students may request an exemption from one or more required courses, but all such requests must be made during a student's first semester.

For many required courses, exemption requires passing a test in September. Applied International Macroeconomics (ECON 202a), International Trade Policy and Institutions (ECON 260a), Managerial Economics (ECON 207a), Investments (FIN 201a), and Corporate Finance (FIN 202a) can only be exempted via an exemption exam. Accelerated MA and MBA students can petition to transfer equivalent coursework to meet these requirements.

For other courses students must demonstrate that comparable academic work was done prior to beginning a Brandeis International Business School program. The work must be relevant and relate closely with the material covered in the Brandeis International Business School class, as determined by the program directors. The request must be in writing on a specific form -- the Petition for Exemption from Degree Requirement form. These may be obtained from the Brandeis International Business School website. A course syllabus and transcript must accompany the completed form.

Obtaining an exemption from a required course does not reduce the number of courses needed to complete the program; rather, exempted courses need to be replaced with electives.

Academic Standing Committee

The Academic Standing Committee (ASC) serves as the academic review board for Brandeis International Business School students. The committee evaluates student records at the end of each semester to determine academic standing. Academic standing refers to whether a student has a satisfactory or unsatisfactory academic record (see the Academic Status section below for further details).

The committee also hears all cases of required withdrawal from Brandeis International Business School.

The committee consists of the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Student Experience, who serves as chair, and the Senior Associate Dean and the program directors. Also in attendance as nonvoting members are the program advisors.

A student deemed to have an unsatisfactory record may petition the committee through his/her program adviser, who will present the student's written petition to the committee. The ASC may ask the program adviser for clarification or additional information as necessary. The ASC determines by majority vote whether to approve or deny the petition. The ASC may, at its discretion, defer its decision and require additional information in support of the petition. The decision that the ASC reaches is communicated to the student by the program adviser.

A student may appeal a decision by the ASC under certain circumstances. In cases of required withdrawal from the university, the student may appeal the committee's decision to the dean of Brandeis International Business School. The decision of the dean is final and no further appeals are possible.

In all other cases, students may request reconsideration by petition to the ASC only under the following circumstances: where the student has new evidence, not previously available, which could have materially affected the decision of the ASC; or evidence of procedural error.

Academic Standing

Students are in good academic standing when they earn a grade point average of at least 2.67 and have not received a non-credit bearing grade for the semester, and have maintained satisfactory progress toward their degree (see 3. below).

Probation is an official notation that a student is not in good academic standing. Students will be placed on probation under any one of the following circumstances:

Their semester record contains one or more non-credit bearing grades. EA and EI grades do not result in probation.
Their semester GPA falls below a 2.67.
They are over 4 credits or more behind the natural progression toward the degree in the Accelerated MA program and 6 credits or more behind in all other academic programs.
Earn less than 12 credits (full-time students) or 8 credits (first-year BA/MA students) in a semester.

Full-time students placed on probation due to 1-2 will normally be returned to good academic standing following a semester of satisfactory grades, with the exception of the student who did not earn credit for a course that is a requirement for his/her degree. Students who must retake a degree requirement must continue on probation until the student has successfully completed this course. Part-time students on probation due to 1-2 will be expected to maintain satisfactory grades for 12 credits to be returned to good academic standing.

Advising Alert is a category within good academic standing, but serves as an indicator to the student that they are not performing at the academic level expected by the university. Students who earn the maximum 8 credits of C+ coursework, or have a cumulative grade point average of 2.8 or below will also be placed on Advising Alert.

Degree eligibility normally requires a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.67.

The following chart defines academic standing:

Semester Record	Cumulative GPA Less Than 2.67	Cumulative GPA 2.67 or Greater
All grades B- or better	N/A	Good Standing, unless cum. GPA is below 2.8, in which case Advising Alert
1 credit-bearing C+	Probation	Good Standing, unless cum. GPA is below 2.8, in which case Advising Alert
Maximum 8 credits of C+s to count toward degree	Probation	Advising Alert
1 or more grades that do not receive credit	Probation	Probation

If a student receives more than one non-credit bearing grade in a single semester, earns a cumulative GPA of less than 2.3 in any one term or has had multiple semesters with unsatisfactory grades, the student may be required to withdraw from the business school because of a lack of academic progress. Satisfactory academic progress in a program also involves maintaining the professional and departmental standards expected in a particular discipline or program.

A student may be required to withdraw from the business school even if the student has not been on advising alert or probation in a prior semester. The business school may require a student to withdraw at any time, should the business school determine that the student's academic performance is so profoundly deficient as to suggest an inability to meet academic requirements. Brandeis University reserves the right to deny admission or permission to register or require the withdrawal of any student at any time for any reason it considers sufficient, including but not limited to character and personal conduct. Students are informed in writing of any change in academic status.

The academic standing of students who earn unsatisfactory grades will be reviewed at the end of each semester by the Academic Standing Committee according to the above stated definitions.

A student with an unsatisfactory record who either voluntarily withdraws from the business school or who is required to withdraw from the business school may petition to return to the university. The ASC will consider petitions for readmission. The student is expected to spend a minimum of one year away from the business school.

Primary considerations in making readmission decisions are evidence of sustained and productive activity during the period of absence from the campus, evidence of serious academic purpose and pertinent letters of recommendation attesting to the candidate's readiness to resume formal study.

Courses taken for academic credit while on voluntary or involuntary withdrawal from the business school are not eligible for transfer toward the Brandeis degree. Petitions for readmission for a fall semester must be received no later than May 1 and petitions for readmission for a spring semester must be received no later than Nov. 1.

Time Limit for Degree

The time limitation for completing all of the requirements for all Brandeis International Business School master’s degree programs is five years. Students typically complete the PhD program within five to six years, but can have up to eight years to complete the program, if needed.

Time is counted from the beginning of a student’s program, even if a student takes a non-medical leave.

However, if a PhD student takes a medical leave, "then the clock stops" for the program. In other words, the time taken off for the medical leave is added to the length of the program for that particular PhD student.

Students have up to ten years after the start of their PhD program to successfully complete courses and other requirements towards their MSIEF and/or PhD degree. No work completed beyond ten years will count towards a degree.

Curricular Practice Training (CPT) Guidelines for PhD Students

Eligible after the 2nd year in the PhD program, after passing field exams.
Must get Program Director/advisor approval.
Up to 3 CPTs during the PhD Program allowed.
Enroll in BUS 297a (2 credits)

Requirements for academic credit for CPT are the following:

The internship/opportunity must be a minimum of 100 hours and a minimum of 6 weeks long.
The student must submit a 2-3 page paper at the end of the internship/opportunity to the assigned BUS 297a instructor.

If the CPT takes place during the student’s 3rd year, they must satisfactorily meet all 3rd year requirements, including:

Attend and present in Econ 399 each semester.
Complete the 3rd year paper.
Complete any remaining course work toward the 56 credit PhD program requirements.

Applying for F1 visa CPT

Please see the CPT checklist for students, including what needs to be in the offer letter.

The offer letter must include specific beginning and end dates.
CPT has to fall within our semester dates.
It can take up to 2 weeks to get authorization, although it usually takes less time.

For J-1 visas work authorization must come from their sponsor.

Transfer Credits

Transfer credits are only permitted in programs where the ability to transfer credits is specified in the program descriptions or if there are specific partner agreements that allow for transfer credits for students from specific academic programs. Students from partner universities may transfer up to 8 credits from a summer partner school. Students from partner universities are not permitted to study abroad during the fall or spring semester.

Residence Requirements

Residence requirements vary by program and can be found in a later section of this Bulletin.

During all semesters other than the final semester of their program, students must take at least 12 credits and pay full tuition to satisfy the residency requirement. However, students must take a minimum of two credits and pay full tuition to satisfy the final semester residency requirement. These two credits cannot be internship credits. Only students who have front-loaded their coursework will be eligible for a reduced course load in the final semester. As such, these students have taken their allotted credits early and therefore must still pay full-semester tuition. By paying full tuition, any scholarship they receive will still be applied.

Accelerated MAs, Partner BA/MAs, Accelerated MBAs: If students do not complete their program in three semesters, under usual circumstances they must fulfill the residency requirement of the normal four-semester MA or MBA program. This will result in the student being charged a full semester tuition for their fourth semester. Scholarships will not be applied to the fourth semester.

Vacation Semester

The vacation semester for degree-seeking Brandeis International Business School students is normally the third semester following two consecutive semesters of full-time enrollment. The vacation semester is normally when students enroll in practicums and internships that are part of their programs.

Brandeis Courses Outside of Brandeis International Business School

Students are only permitted to take courses for credit outside the business school (graduate or undergraduate) with permission from their program advisors, and must complete a petition to do so. Any non-International Business School coursework taken for credit while enrolled in a degree program will be counted toward the student's degree GPA. Students may audit non-International Business School courses without credit, with instructor permission.

Graduate Cross-Registration

A full-time graduate student at Brandeis may enroll in one graduate course each term at Boston College, Boston University, Tufts University (excluding the Fletcher School), Bentley University, or Babson College. Information on available courses for cross-registration is available at the graduate school office of each institution.

A student at Brandeis who wishes to enroll in a graduate course at one of the host institutions must obtain a cross-registration form from the Office of the University Registrar and secure the approval via signature of the Brandeis International Business School academic advisor, the instructor of the course, and both the Brandeis and host registrar's office.

Due to differences in academic calendars among the colleges in the consortium, it is not advisable for degree candidates to enroll in a cross-registered course in their final semester.

Academic Honors

At graduation, Brandeis will grant the honor of "Graduating with Distinction" to Brandeis International Business School MA, MBA, MSBA, and MSF graduates whose cumulative GPA is a 3.70 or higher.

These honors will be recorded on the official Brandeis transcript of each recipient.

Grading

Graduate students are graded on a scale from A+ to E. The lowest grade that will earn credit at International Business School is a B–, with the exception that students in the MA, MSBA, MBA, MSF and Exchange Program are permitted a total of two courses with C+ (total of 8 credits) over the course of their program of study. Any C+ grade or lower beyond this exception will not earn credit. This policy does not apply to the PhD program, which requires a minimum of a B- in all courses to earn credit.

Grade Appeal

A student who has a question about his or her grade in courses is strongly encouraged to meet with the instructor and discuss how the instructor came to the student’s final grade. If the student continues to have concerns about his or her grade, the student may appeal in writing to the student’s Program Director. The Program Director will review the petition based on the faculty rationale for the grade, the course syllabus information on grading and the student petition. If a student is not satisfied with the result of the appeal, the student may petition the Dean for a final ruling.

Incompletes

A student who will not complete the research or written work for a course may file for an extension. The approval of the instructor and advisor are required. Examples of conditions for which such an extension may be granted are serious illness, or family emergency. The instructor specifies on the form the due date for all outstanding work, and submits a temporary EI (Excused Incomplete) grade for the student. A final permanent grade must be submitted to the Office of the University Registrar by the incomplete grade deadline from the Brandeis Academic Calendar. After the deadline, if the grade is still outstanding, the EI will be converted to a grade of I (Permanent Incomplete) or E (Fail) at the instructor’s discretion.

A student who cannot take a final examination as scheduled during Finals Week may, with the permission of the instructor, file for a make-up exam by contacting his or her Program Advisor. The exam may be taken at a time mutually agreeable to the student and instructor. If a mutually agreeable arrangement cannot be identified, the make-up exam will be administered by the Office of the University Registrar according to university policy. A make-up examination may not take place prior to the scheduled exam.

A temporary grade of EA (Excused Absence) will show on the student’s transcript until the final grade for the course has been determined. The exam must be completed no later than is allowed by the university Registrar’s make-up exam schedule. Failing to do so will result in a failing grade on the exam.

Student Status

Part-time Status

A part-time graduate student is one who is enrolled in less than a full-time course load (12 credits) for the duration of their academic program at Brandeis International Business School. Part-time students are expected to enroll in two courses per term unless otherwise approved by their program director. Students select their status when they apply to their academic program. Scholarships are available to part-time students, but financial grants are not available to part-time students. Changes in student status must be done via petition through their program advisor and are not generally granted in a student’s last semester of study. If a student's petition to change status is approved, the student's scholarship and/or financial grant may change or be forfeited.

Extended Master Students

In special situations a Master's student who has completed residence requirements may be permitted to remain at the university while completing degree requirements. Such an "extended Master student" should register for the appropriate courses required to complete his/her program and will be permitted to utilize the full range of academic services and university facilities. Please refer to "Fees and Expenses" below for extended master tuition information.

Continuation Students

A doctoral student who has completed all degree requirements except the dissertation is eligible for continuation status. A student in this category enrolls on a full-time basis, and is eligible for university health insurance, borrowing privileges in the Library, a computer account, use of gym facilities, and purchase of a parking sticker. They are not normally eligible for fellowships or for leaves of absence, except for health reasons.

A student must be registered and enrolled in the term(s) in which the dissertation is defended.

Continuation students must enroll before the end of registration period each semester in CONT 500a (Graduate Research). For questions regarding these enrollments, please contact the Office of the University Registrar.

Special Students

Properly qualified applicants who wish to take courses without pursuing a degree may be admitted as Special Students. Special Students may enroll in courses on a space available basis, and are not eligible for university loans, scholarships, fellowships, or teaching or research assistantships. Should a Special Student wish to enroll in a degree program, the student needs to submit a full application by the application deadline for the term in which he/she wishes to enroll as a degree-seeking student. Special Students interested in enrolling in degree programs must have an undergraduate degree conferred from an accredited university prior to submitting an application to Brandeis International Business School. Special Students are allowed to complete up to eight credits in non-degree status in the Master of Arts in International Economics and Finance (MA), Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA), or Master of Science in Finance (MSF) program. Any courses completed as a Special Student will only apply to the degree program if the student has earned a minimum grade of “B” in the course. If a program allows for transfer credit, courses taken as a special student will not count toward the maximum transfer credits allowed.

Leave of Absence

A student who wishes to take a leave of absence from Brandeis International Business School (IBS) must meet with his/her Program Advisor in the Office of Academic Affairs and Student Experience to understand the full implications of his/her leave, develop a plan for reintegration into his/her academic program, and submit a Leave of Absence form to the Office of Academic Affairs and Student Experience. The Leave of Absence form must be submitted prior to the first day of the term for which the student wishes to begin his/her leave. If a student takes a leave of absence and returns to the program, the student may be subject to any curriculum changes that have taken place in the interim that apply to the corresponding graduating cohort.

Leaves of absence of up to one year will normally be granted to students in good academic standing. Returns from a leave will be subject to conditions established at the inception of the leave. If for any reason a student must extend a leave of absence, he or she must request such an extension in writing before the leave of absence expires. A student may only extend a leave for one additional year. Students who do not return after their approved leave period will be withdrawn from Brandeis International Business School.

Students on a medical leave of absence who have course incompletes are not expected to complete assignments while away. As a result they are not bound by the incomplete deadlines listed on the Academic Calendar in the subsequent semester but rather the deadlines listed in the semester in which they return. Students requesting a medical leave of absence must indicate it as such on the Brandeis International Business School change of status petition and must submit a Health Care Provider Report before they will be returned to active status.

Time spent on a leave of absence will be counted toward the maximum time permitted to complete the student’s degree requirements. A student who is receiving financial aid should contact the Office of Student Financial Services to discuss the potential impact of his/her leave on his/her financial aid package. A student who exercises a leave of absence while on Academic Probation must complete his/her probationary semester once he/she returns to the University.

A student who does not return for the term specified on his/her Leave of Absence form is considered to have withdrawn from the University. A student who absents himself/herself from the University without filing a Leave of Absence form will be withdrawn during the first term of the absence. If a student in this case wishes to return to his/her program, he/she must reapply to the program.

Withdrawal

A student who wishes to withdraw voluntarily from International Business School during a semester must do so in writing to the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Student Experience or to the student's Program Advisor. Failure to notify in writing of a withdrawal may subject the student to loss of eligibility for refunds in accordance with the refund schedule outlined in the "Fees and Expenses" section. Permission to withdraw voluntarily will not be granted if the student has not discharged all financial obligations to the university or has not made financial arrangements satisfactory to the bursar. When a student withdraws after a certain date each semester, course enrollments are not expunged from his or her record; rather, a grade of W ("withdrawn") is entered for each course.

Students who are obliged to register and fail to do so by the appropriate deadline or who fail to pay their bill will be administratively withdrawn. They may be readmitted (see below) for study in a subsequent term, but not for the term in which they were withdrawn for failure to register. Belatedly fulfilling financial obligations will not negate the effects of administrative withdrawal. Additionally, a student may be administratively withdrawn due to unacceptable academic performance, violations of academic integrity, or violations of the University's Rights and Responsibilities.

A student who wishes to voluntarily withdraw from his/her Brandeis International Business School program must meet with his/her Program Advisor in the Office of Academic Affairs and Student Experience to discuss the consequences of withdrawal upon the student’s academic future at Brandeis International Business School and/or other universities, as well as submit a Withdrawal form to the Office of Academic Affairs and Student Experience. The Withdrawal form must be submitted prior to the last day of instruction in a term. Failure to notify in writing of a withdrawal may subject the student to loss of eligibility for refunds in accordance with the refund schedule outlined in the "Fees and Expenses" section. When a student withdraws after the open add/drop period, enrollments are not expunged from his/her record; rather, a grade of "W" ("dropped") is entered for each course.

Permission to withdraw voluntarily will not be granted if the student has not discharged all financial obligations to the University or has not made financial arrangements satisfactory to the Office of Student Financial Services. A student who is expected to register and fails to do so by the appropriate deadline or who fails to pay his/her bill by the appropriate deadline will be administratively withdrawn. If a student in this case wishes to return to his/her program, he/she must reapply to the program. They may be readmitted for a subsequent term, but not for the term in which he/she was withdrawn for failure to register. Belatedly fulfilling financial obligations will not negate the effects of administrative withdrawal.

Program Changes and Reapplication

Program Change Policy

Students are admitted to and enroll in specific degree programs and requests to switch programs will only be considered in exceptional circumstances. A student's request to change programs will only be considered in the student's first term, by the university's last day to add classes.

Should a student be interested in applying for a program change, either during the application process or after the final deposit deadline of June 1, the following steps will be taken.

The student contacts the Admissions Office to discuss a possible program change. Should the student wish to proceed with the program change, the student will submit a Program Change Request form via Slate. As part of the request form, the student must include a detailed statement indicating why the student is requesting the program change.
Prior to June 1: Upon receipt of the form, the Admissions Office will evaluate the request and the student’s original application. The Admissions Office will submit the application to the new program’s Admissions Committee with a recommendation as to whether the student is a viable candidate for the new program. This application will be assessed with the subsequent round’s applications. The committee will make a recommendation to the Senior Associate Dean on whether the program change request should be approved or denied. The Senior Associate Dean will make a final decision as to whether the program change request will be approved or denied.
After June 1: Upon receipt of the form, the Admissions Office will evaluate the request and the student’s original application. The Admissions Office will submit the application to the Program Director and Program Adviser of the new program, with a recommendation as to whether the student is a viable candidate for the new program. The Director of Admissions, Program Director and Program Adviser will make a recommendation to the Senior Associate Dean on whether the program change request should be approved or denied. The Senior Associate Dean will make a final decision as to whether the program change request will be approved or denied.
The student receives his/her decision in writing from the Admissions Office.

Should the program change be approved, the Admissions Office will update the student’s application record with the new program. The student will be notified that he/she may not attempt to switch programs again at any time during his/her Brandeis IBS studies.

Should the program change be denied, the student may choose to enroll in his/her original program, with the understanding that the student may not attempt to switch programs again at any time during his/her Brandeis International Business School studies.

Readmission

A readmission applicant is any student previously enrolled in a Brandeis International Business School graduate program who would like to apply to return to the same degree program. Students who have withdrawn, whose leave of absence has expired, who were academically dismissed, or who were previously enrolled in a graduate program and were unable to meet the required minimum degree completion timeline are eligible to go through the readmission process.

Students who wish to be considered for a different program than the one in which they were previously enrolled must submit a full application for the new program through the Brandeis International Business School Admissions Office.

Please note that Brandeis International Business School graduate coursework will only apply toward the MA, MSF, and MSBA degrees if the coursework was completed within five years of the term for which the student is applying for readmission. Readmission to the PhD degree requires committee review in order to evaluate which course work still applies. Students should contact their Program Advisor to initiate the reapplication process.

Students reapplying to their previous academic program must submit the following:

Application
Résumé
Recommendation Letters: Two recommendation letters; one letter must be from a colleague or supervisor with whom you worked in the past year.
Reapplication Essay: Please describe the circumstances contributing to your previous withdrawal from the graduate program. This essay must state all reasons which, in the opinion of the applicant, should cause the Admissions Committee to conclude that you are now sufficiently able to complete the program.
Transcript(s): Readmission applicants need only supply transcripts of coursework they have completed outside of Brandeis International Business School since leaving.

Fees and Expenses

Tuition and Fees

Tuition

The annual tuition cost for MA, MBA, BA/MA and PhD full-time enrolled students for the 2020-2021 academic year is $54,596.The same tuition cost applies if studying abroad while participating in the Brandeis International Business School exchange program. Annual tuition costs typically increase 3-4% each year.

The total program tuition cost for new and continuing MSF students is $78,881. The total program tuition cost for new and continuing MSBA students is $68,243 for the 12-month program and $71,656 for the 16-month program. The total program tuition cost for Accelerated MA students is $68,245. The total program cost for Accelerated MBA students is $81,894.

Full-time MA students who take more than 65 credits, full-time MBA students who take more than 64 credits and full-time BA/MA students who take more than 32 credits will be charged the current FT per credit rate for additional credits. Full-time MA students who take more than 65 credits, full-time MBA students who take more than 64 credits and full-time BA/MA students who take more than 32 credits will be charged the current FT per credit rate for additional credits.

Full-time MSF students who take more than 45 credits will be charged the current FT per credit rate for additional credits.

Full-time Accelerated MA students who take more than 49 credits will be charged the current FT per credit rate for additional credits.

Full-time Accelerated MBA students who take more than 48 credits will be charged the current FT per credit rate for additional credits.

Full-time MSBA students who take more than 41 credits will be charged the current FT per credit rate for additional credits.

Students who added a dual degree program for the 2020-2021 year pay a per credit rate of $1,706 for each remaining credit of the dual degree. Students who switched to a dual degree program in their second year of their program pay a set tuition amount between $63,126 and $80,186 based on the dual degree program. Incoming MSBA/MA and MSBA/MBA students pay $65,684 for the first year of the dual degree program. Incoming MSF/MBA students pay $67,392 for the first year of the dual degree program.

Payment of tuition and other fees is due on August 21, 2020, for the fall semester and December 11, 2020, for the spring semester. A student who has not paid such fees by the first day of registration will be refused the privilege of registration. A late fee will be assessed to all student accounts with outstanding balances after the stated due date. The amount of the late fee will be $100, or 2 percent of the outstanding balance, whichever is greater.

Extended Master

If a 2-year MA, 2-year MBA, MSBA, or full-time MSF student does not complete all degree requirements by the end of their residency, any courses he or she takes to complete his or her degree are then charged at the current per-credit tuition rate as established by the University.

Returned Check Fee: $30 per incident

A bank service fee will be charged to a student's account if a payment or a check negotiated through Brandeis is returned by the bank for any reason.

Transcript Fee

Current and former students should request official transcripts of their records from the Office of the University Registrar. At this time, students can order official paper transcripts free of charge. Brandeis University has partnered with the National Student Clearinghouse to allow current and former students to obtain official electronic transcripts to be sent to themselves or a third party in a secure manner. The fee for an electronic transcript is $2.25 - $4.00. This fee is payable directly to the National Student Clearinghouse. Official transcripts will be issued only to those students whose financial records with the university are in order.

Orientation Fee: $75

Assessed once to incoming full-time students.

Graduate Activity Fee: $120 per year

Assessed yearly to all full-time students.

Student Health Insurance Plan (single coverage): $3,395 per year

All three-quarter or full-time students are required by state law to show certification of health insurance. Students without insurance of their own must purchase the Student Health Insurance Plan through the university. All international students at Brandeis University are automatically enrolled in the Student Health Insurance. The fee is payable prior to registration and no portion is refundable. Student insurance is optional for special students. Additional insurance options, including family coverage, are described in A Guide to University Health Services, which is available from Health Services. The Insurance Plan fee will include the ability to use student health services.

Parking Fee: $60 - $250 per year

Payable annually at fall registration for the privilege of parking an automobile on campus. Fee varies with assigned parking area.

Late Fees

A late fee of $100, or 2 percent of the outstanding balance, whichever is greater, is charged to any student’s account that is not paid by the due date.

Financial Regulations

A student who defaults in the payment of indebtedness to the university shall be subject to suspension, dismissal and refusal of a transfer of credits or issuance of an official transcript. Brandeis University may refer delinquent accounts to a collection agency. Students are responsible for paying the collection agency fee, which may be based on a percentage at a maximum of 40 percent of any delinquent account, together with all costs and expenses, including reasonable attorney’s fees, necessary for the collection of any delinquent account. Delinquent accounts may be reported to one or more of the national credit bureaus.

Such indebtedness includes, but is not limited to, delinquency of a borrower in repaying a loan administered by the student loan office and the inability of that office to collect such a loan because the borrower has discharged the indebtedness through bankruptcy proceedings. If the student is a degree, certificate, or diploma candidate, his or her name will be stricken from the rolls.

A student who has been suspended or dismissed for nonpayment of indebtedness to the university may not be reinstated until such indebtedness is paid in full.

Every student is required to complete a Financial Responsibility Agreement each semester. Any student who fails to complete this agreement prior to the start of classes will be denied the privileges of attending classes and using university facilities.

Final Doctoral Fee: $235

This fee covers all costs for the year in which the PhD degree will be conferred including costs for all the full publishing services for the dissertation; publication of the abstract of the dissertation in Dissertation Abstracts; issuance of a Library of Congress number, appropriate library cards, and deposit of the dissertation in digital format at the Library of Congress; binding charges for four copies of the dissertation—one hardbound for the author, and three xerographic softbound copies (for the author, International Business School, and Library); and a microfiche for the Brandeis Library. The final doctoral fee covers the rental expenses for academic robes for graduation and the cost of the diploma.

Note: All candidates for the PhD degree must pay the $235 final doctoral fee at the Office of Student Financial Services before they file the application for their degree with the Office of the University Registrar.

Refunds

The only fee that may be refundable, in part, is the tuition fee. No refund of the tuition fee will be made because of illness, absence, or dismissal during the academic semester. A student who is withdrawing must notify Brandeis International Business School in writing; refunds will be based on the date of notification and calculated in accordance with the following:

Tuition

Withdrawal

Before the opening day of instruction: 100 percent of the term's tuition.

On or before the second Friday following the opening day of instruction: 75 percent of the term's tuition.

On or before the fifth Friday following the opening day of instruction: 50 percent of the term's tuition.

After the fifth Friday following the opening day of instruction: no refund.

Requests for refunds should be addressed to the Office of Student Financial Services.
Scholarship

In the case of a scholarship student who withdraws, the student's account will be refunded consistent with the proportion of tuition paid. Of the total tuition paid, 100 percent will be reimbursed if the student leaves before the first day of instruction, 75 percent will be reimbursed if the student leaves on or before the second Friday; 50 percent on or before the fifth Friday, and no refund thereafter.
Stafford Loans

In compliance with federal law, special refund arrangements apply to students receiving aid under Title IV. Contact the Brandeis International Business School financial aid officer for additional information.
Tuition Assistance Funds

In compliance with federal law, special refund arrangements apply to students receiving Department of Defense Tuition Assistance funds. Contact the Brandeis International Business School financial aid officer for additional information.
Refund Policy for Dropped Courses

A student who drops courses on the per-course tuition-charge basis is allowed a refund following this schedule:
1. Full semester-long courses
  
  Before the opening day of instruction through the last day of the registration period (see the Academic Calendar): 100 percent of the dropped course’s tuition fee.
  
  On or before the fifth Friday following the opening day of instruction: 50 percent of the dropped course’s tuition fee.
  
  After the fifth Friday following the opening day of instruction: no refund.
2. Module courses
  
  On or before the 10th day of instruction for the module session: 100 percent of the dropped course's tuition fee. See the Academic Calendar page on the Registrar's site includes a link to the list of class meeting dates for a module session.
  
  After the 10th day of instruction for the module session: no refund.

Housing

Nine-month living expenses in the Waltham area for a single individual on an economical budget are estimated to range from $9,000 to $16,380. Limited housing is available in the university's graduate residence halls and is usually reserved for exchange students during the fall semester. Costs for on-campus housing range from approximately $5,110 to $6,625 per semester for a single person. Graduate housing includes kitchen facilities, but students may also purchase university meal plans.

Financial Aid

To be considered for need-based financial aid through federal loan programs, U.S. residents and eligible Permanent Residents must submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online. For more information about available loans, please contact Student Financial Services or refer to the loan section below.

Scholarships

Committed to enrolling a highly qualified student body, the school awards competitive merit-based scholarships to qualified applicants. Domestic and international students are automatically considered for scholarships during the admissions process and are notified at the time of admission if they have received a scholarship. Some merit- and need-based scholarships are available to students in their second year. A complete list of available scholarships and criteria can be found on the Brandeis International Business School website.

Scholarships are only applied to semesters in which students are billed the full-time tuition rate, and do not cover fees, health insurance, room and board or other program expenses. If a student withdraws from the program, fails to satisfactorily complete the required credits each semester or fails to maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, his/her scholarship will be permanently forfeited.

Assistantships

A limited number of research and teaching assistantships are available for qualified students.

Graduate Assistantships award students up to $7,500 for 10 hours of on-campus work per week during each semester of their master’s program.

All master’s students are automatically considered for merit-based Graduate Assistantship positions and will be notified of any awards upon admission.

Loans

The Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan is available to graduate students as a financing option. Applicants must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid to be eligible for this loan. Graduate students may borrow up to a maximum of $20,500 a year, not to exceed the cost of attendance minus scholarship and any other aid received, with an aggregate maximum of $138,500. For the 20-21 academic year, the interest rate on the Stafford Loan will be a fixed rate of 4.30 percent and the origination fee will be 1.059 percent.

Repayment of a Stafford Loan begins six months after the borrower ceases to be enrolled at least half-time (six credits) in a degree program. The standard repayment period is 10 years, while interest is charged. (For more information about alternative repayment plans, please go to www.studentloans.gov.) Students are required to pay the interest during the in-school period, or have it deferred and capitalized.

The terms for the above loan programs are subject to federal legislation, regulations and other guidance, and may change. Additional current information is available from the Graduate School. Students wishing to apply for loans should contact IBS for application materials.

The Graduate PLUS Loan is a federal loan that allows graduate students to borrow up to their total cost of attendance minus any financial aid received. The student must pass an independent credit review. For the 20-21 academic year, the PLUS Loan will have an interest rate of 5.30 percent and an origination fee of 4.236 percent. Go to www.studentloans.gov to apply for this loan.

Borrowers of the Federal Direct Stafford Loan, and the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan must complete the required promissory notes and entrance counseling online at the beginning of their entering semester upon receipt of correspondence from the Office of Student Financial Services. Anticipated credits on a student's account will be cancelled if all required steps are not completed.

Faculty

Hamza Aburezak
Corporate finance. Investment management. Risk management. Hedge funds.

Brenda Anderson
Accounting and financial analysis.

Robert Angell
Accounting. Business planning. Entrepreneurship. Financial management. Operations. Strategic planning.

John Ballantine
Political economy. Mergers and acquisitions. Energy and climate.

Edward Bayone
Credit risk. Real estate. Country risk. Leveraged finance.

Daniel Bergstresser
Municipal finance. Corporate governance. Household financial behavior.

Elizabeth Brainerd
Labor economics. Economic demography. Health economics, health and fertility in post-socialist countries.

Linda Bui
Environmental economics. Industrial organization. Public economics.

Stephen Cecchetti
Monetary policy. Financial stability policy. Central bank cooperation.

Sandra Cha
Leadership. Identity in organizations. Organizational behavior.

Judith Dean
International economics. Economic development. Econometrics.

Jane Ebert
Consumer judgment and decision-making. Temporal discounting. Health promotion.

Benjamin Gomes-Casseres
Strategy. Mergers and acquisitions. Alliance management. Innovation.

Kathryn Graddy
Applied microeconomics. Empirical industrial organization. Economics of the arts.

George Hall
Macroeconomics.

Alice Hsiaw
Behavioral Economics. Applied Microeconomic Theory.

Gary Jefferson
China. Technical progress. Open economy macroeconomics. Transition economics.

Blake LeBaron
International finance. Exchange rates. Artificial stock markets.

Michael McKay
Private equity. Public markets investing.

Nidhiya Menon
Development economics. Applied microeconomics.

Andrew Molinsky
Cross-cultural interaction. Organizational behavior.

Brad Morrison
System dynamics. Behavioral operations, healthcare operations, and operations management. Supply chain management. Medical decision making and patient safety.

Aldo Musacchio
Business Strategy in Emerging Markets. Technology Firms. Social Enterprises.

Ahmad Namini
Data Analytics. Quantitative Finance.

Debarshi Nandy
Corporate Finance. Financial Intermediation. Venture Capital and Entrepreneurial Finance.

Carol Osler
Currency market microstructure. Exchange rates. Behavioral finance.

Peter Petri
International trade and investment. Asia-Pacific trade policy. Asian economic development.

Davide Pettenuzzo
Time-series econometrics. Bayesian econometrics. Forecasting. Financial markets.

Scott Redenius
Economic History. The Economics of Financial Institutions.

Robert R. Reitano
Enterprise risk management. Financial derivatives pricing and hedging applications. Quantitative finance.

Anna Scherbina
Investment Management. Capital Markets. Behavioral Finance. Real Estate. Empirical Asset Pricing. Corporate Finance. Cybersecurity.

Raphael Schoenle
International Macroeconomics. Macro- and Monetary Economics. International Trade.

Benjamin Shiller
Empirical Industrial Organization. Economics of Information. Pricing.

Linda Stoller
Real estate. Finance. Financial accounting.

Detlev Suderow
Strategic HR Management. Leadership. Organization Behavior.

Yang Sun
Financial Institutions. Corporate Finance. Household Finance. Applied Microeconomics.

Xavi Vidal-Berastain
Quantitative Marketing. Demand Estimation. Machine Learning. Big Data.

Hagit Weihs
Financial Accounting. Managerial Accounting. Financial Statement Analysis.

Philippe Wells
Entrepreneurship. Private Equity. Hedge Funds. Sustainable Investing. Investment Management.

Qingxi Steve Xia
Investments, Portfolio Management. Fixed Income Securities. Asset allocation and Derivatives.

Grace Zimmerman
Marketing. Sales. Strategy. Entrepreneurship.

Other distinguished practitioners and educators serve as adjunct professors. An up-to-date list is available on the school's website.

Requirements for the Degrees

Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in International Economics and Finance (MAief)

Program of Study

Students must successfully complete an approved schedule of at least sixteen semester-length courses (or the equivalent), a total of 64 credits, during their four semesters of residency at Brandeis International Business School. All students must take courses in Accounting, Investments, Corporate Finance, Managerial Economics, International Trade, International Macroeconomics and Applied Econometrics. Students take a capstone course for the degree that either relates to Economics, Finance or their concentration. Students may concentrate in one of five areas: Applied Economic Analysis, Data Analytics, Financial Economics, Marketing or Real Estate Finance. Otherwise students select from a list of electives in Finance, Economics, and Business. Four semester-length courses (or the equivalent) may be completed during a semester abroad. While enrolled in the program a student may petition to take courses in a field related to a student's professional interests (e.g.:math, computer science, public health) that are deemed relevant to the MA degree. Courses taken without permission will not be counted toward the student’s 64-credit degree requirement. Students may exempt from all required courses except the Capstone and Applied Econometrics requirements.

Core Requirements (34 credits)

ECON 202a Applied International Macro (4 credits)
ECON 207a Managerial Economics (4 credits)
ECON 213a Applied Econometrics with R (4 credits)
FIN 201a Investments (4 credits)
FIN 202a Corporate Finance (4 credits)
FIN 212a Accounting and Financial Analysis or FIN 213a Intermediate Accounting (4 credits)
BUS 224g Launching Your Global Career (1 credit)
ECON 260a International Trade Policy and Institutions (4 credits) - Students who pursue a concentration in Data Analytics, Financial Economics, Marketing or Real Estate Finance may substitute a concentration elective course for ECON 260a, International Trade Policy.
A capstone course. Students who do not concentrate can choose one of the following courses.

ECON 286a International Institutions Laboratory (4 credits)
BUS 286a Applications of System Dynamics (4 credits)
BUS 294a Data Analytics Field Project (4 credits)
FIN 293a Finance Field Project (4 credits)
BUS 292a Marketing Field Project (4 credits)
BUS 295a Field Project: Social Impact Innovation (4 credits)
BUS 293a Real Estate Field Project (4 credits)
BUS 297c Leadership Internships in Social Impact Organizations (4 credits)

Software Proficiency Requirement

Students are expected to demonstrate proficiency in a software beyond STATA. This can be satisfied by successfully earning credit in the approved list of courses below or via project.

Advanced Stata (successful completion of ECON 261a)
Excel With VBA (successful completion of ECON/FIN 291g: Quant Lab Excel W/ VBA)
Tableau (successful completion of BUS 240f)
Python (successful completion of FIN 285a)
Advanced Python (successful completion of BUS/FIN 241a)
Advanced R (successful completion of BUS 212f)
SQL (successful completion of BUS 211f)
ARGUS (demonstrate in a course/project)
SPSS (successful completion of BUS 253a)
Advanced R (successful completion of BUS 256a or ECON/FIN 250a)

Residence Requirement

The program requires two years (four semesters) of consecutive full-time residence. One of these may be a semester spent at a foreign university associated with the program.

Concentration Requirements

MA students may complete one concentration in the fields of Applied Economic Analysis, Data Analytics, Financial Economics, Marketing, and Real Estate Finance. Students interested in declaring a concentration must do so by the last day of instruction of their second semester.

Economic Analysis and Consulting

Group 1 Required Courses (4 credits)

BUS 212a Big Data II (4 credits)
ECON 261a Empirical Analysis of Trade Policy (4 credits)
ECON/FIN 250a Forecasting in Finance and Economics (4 credits)

Group 2 Core Applied Economic Analysis (4 credits required)

ECON 241a Antitrust and Regulation (4 credits)
ECON 270a Economic Development Strategies (4 credits)
FIN 247a Transfer Pricing Theory and Practice (4 credits)
or any course from groups 1 not taken to satisfy those requirements

Group 3 Applied Economic Electives (8 credits required)

BUS 211f Analyzing Big Data I (2 credits)
BUS 253a Marketing Research (4 credits)
BUS 260a Competition and Strategy (4 credits)
BUS 262a Alliance, Acquisition, and Divestment Strategy (4 credits)
BUS 263a Strategy and Innovation (4 credits)
BUS 272a Operations Management (4 credits)
BUS 279f Corporate Fraud: Detection and Prevention (2 credits)
BUS/FIN 241a Machine Learning and Data Analytics for Business and Finance (4 credits)
ECON 217f Game Theory and Business Strategy (2 credits)
ECON 235a Central Banking (4 credits)
ECON/BUS 265a Business and Economic Strategies in Emerging Markets (4 credits)
ECON/FIN 209a Behavioral Economics and Finance (4 credits)
ECON/FIN 243a Technological Rivalry (4 credits)
FIN 254a Modern Finance, Fintech and Beyond (4 credits)
FIN 282f From Cyber to Covid: Shocks, Risks, and Opportunities in Finance (2 credits)
or any course in group 2 not used to satisfy that requirement

Capstone (at least 4 credits)*

ECON 286a International Institutions Laboratory (4 credits)

*Students may petition to have this requirement fulfilled using a field project, internship or independent study.

Data Analytics

Group 1 Required Courses (4 credits)

BUS 211f Analyzing Big Data I (2 credits)
BUS 215f Python and Applications to Business Analytics (2 credits)

Group 2 Quantitative Courses (4 credits required)

BUS 216f Python and Applications to Business Analytics II (2 credits)
BUS 240f Information Visualization (2 credits)
BUS 256a Marketing Analytics (4 credits)
BUS 259f Digital Marketing (2 credits)
BUS 276a Business Dynamics (4 credits)
BUS/FIN 241a Machine Learning and Data Analysis for Business and Finance (4 credits)
ECON/FIN 250a Forecasting in Finance and Economics (4 credits)

Group 3 Electives (at least 10 credits required)

BUS 212a Analyzing Big Data II (4 credits)
BUS 253a Marketing Research (4 credits)
BUS 274f Supply Chain Analytics (2 credits)
ECON 261a Empirical Analysis of Trade Policy (4 credits)
ECON 311a Advanced Econometrics (4 credits)
FIN 280a Financial Risk Management (4 credits)
FIN 285a Computer Simulation & Risk Analysis (4 credits)
FIN 288a Corporate Financial Engineering (4 credits)
or any course in group 2 not used to satisfy that requirement

Capstone (4 credits)

BUS 286a Applications of System Dynamics (4 credits)
BUS 294a Data Analytics Field Project (4 credits)

Financial Economics

Group 1 Required Course (4 credits)

Fin 270a Options and Derivatives (4 credits)

Group 2 Core Courses (8 credits required)

ECON 235a Central Banking (4 credits)
ECON/FIN 209a Behavioral Economics and Finance (4 credits)
ECON/FIN 250a Forecasting in Economics and Finance (4 credits)
FIN 217f Corporate Financial Modeling (2 credits)
FIN 218f Portfolio Financial Modeling (2 credits)
FIN 254a Modern Finance, Fintech and Beyond (4 credits)
FIN 261a Fixed Income Securities (4 credits)
FIN 271a Options and Derivatives II (4 credits)
FIN 279a Applied Risk Management (4 credits)

Group 3 Financial Electives (8 credits required)

BUS/FIN 241a Machine Learning and Data Analytics for Business and Finance (4 credits)
ECON 260a International Trade Policy and Institutions (4 credits)
FIN 230a Trading and Exchanges (4 credits)
FIN 231f Private Equity (2 credits)
FIN 232a Mergers and Acquisitions (4 credits)
FIN 234a Social Impact Investing (4 credits)
FIN 235a Investing in Energy (4 credits)
FIN 237f Security Analysis (2 credits)
FIN 242f Credit Risk Analysis (2 credits)
FIN 247a Transfer Pricing Theory and Practice (4 credits)
FIN 282f From Cyber to Covid: Shocks, Risks, and Opportunities in Finance (2 credits)
FIN 285a Computer Simulation and Risk Analysis (4 credits)
FIN 288a Corporate Financial Engineering (4 credits)
or any course in group 2 not used to satisfy that requirement

Capstone (4 credits)*

ECON 286a International Institutions Laboratory (4 credits)
FIN 293a Finance Field Project (4 credits)

Marketing

Group 1 Core Courses (8 credits)

BUS 252a Marketing Management (4 credits)
BUS 253a Marketing Research (4 credits)

Group 2 Marketing Electives (8 credits required)

BUS 254a Branding Strategy (4 credits)
BUS 255a Consumer Behavior (4 credits)
BUS 256a Marketing Analytics (4 credits)
BUS 257f Social Media & Analytics (2 credits)
BUS 258f Sales and Sales Management (2 credits)
BUS 259f Digital Marketing (2 credits)

Group 3 Electives (4 credits required)

BUS 211f Analyzing Big Data I (2 credits)
BUS 212a Analyzing Big Data II (4 credits)
BUS 233a Entrepreneurship and Rapid Prototyping (4 credits)
BUS 240f Information Visualization (2 credits)
BUS 260a Competition and Strategy (4 credits)
BUS 263a Strategy and Innovation (4 credits)
BUS 275a Introduction to Negotiations (4 credits)
BUS/ECON 265a Business and Economics Strategies in Emerging Markets (4 credits)
or any course in group 2 not used to satisfy that requirement

Capstone (4 credits)

BUS 292a Marketing Field Project (4 credits)
BUS 295a Field Project: Social Impact Innovation (4 credits)

Real Estate Finance

Group 1 Required Courses (6 credits required)

BUS 235f Real Estate Fundamentals (2 credits)
FIN 225f Real Estate Finance (2 credits)
FIN 242f Credit Risk Analysis I (2 credits)

Group 2 Electives (12 credits required)

BUS 211f Analyzing Big Data I (2 credits)
BUS 212a Analyzing Big Data II (4 credits)
BUS 236f International Real Estate in Emerging Markets (2 credits)
BUS 237f International Real Estate in Mature Markets (2 credits)
BUS 238f Real Estate Development (2 credits)
BUS 253a Marketing Research: Design and Analysis (4 credits)
FIN 216f Financial Statement Analysis (2 credits)
FIN 261a Fixed Income Securities (4 credits)
BUS 297c Leadership Internships in Social Impact Organizations (2 credits per semester)

Capstone (4 credits)

BUS 293a Real Estate Field Project (4 credits)

Combined BA/MA Program

International Business School offers a BA/MA for qualified Brandeis or Wellesley College undergraduates who wish to earn the Master of Arts in International Economics and Finance (MAief) with one year of post-BA study.

BA/MA students begin taking International Business School courses in their final year of undergraduate study and finish the master's degree with one additional year of study after receiving their BA. BA/MA students are considered undergraduates until they have successfully satisfied all of the requirements for the BA. Interested students apply in their junior year. Deadlines are listed on the International Business School website. Applications may be made online through the International Business School website.

Students must submit a completed application, official undergraduate transcripts, three letters of recommendation, essays, and a resume. An interview is required but the GRE or GMAT is not required. Admission is announced in mid-April for the fall semester. A student's preparation for the MA Program should include the following Brandeis undergraduate courses (or equivalent courses for Wellesley College students): Introduction to Economics (ECON 10a and 20a) and Statistics (ECON 83a). Students are recommended to take Macroeconomic Theory (Econ 82b) and Econometrics (Econ 184b).

Program of Study

Although some course substitutions are permitted, BA/MA students at Brandeis International Business School have to meet the same requirements as two-year MA students and can refer to the MA course requirements for a general overview.

BA/MA students must take sixteen semester courses in their “field of study” (64 credits) and must get credit for all required courses. All International Business School BUS, ECON and FIN courses (200 and 300 level) are relevant for credit towards this requirement, as are 100-level electives in ECON and BUS. Credit will be given for some or all of these courses taken prior to admission to the BA/MA program. Courses taken prior to admission to the BA/MA program will not reduce the sixty-four credits required during residency (see "Residency" below).

Some undergraduate ECON and BUS classes can fulfill MA program requirements. A detailed description of all acceptable substitutions for required courses can be found on the Brandeis International Business School website and in the Brandeis International Business School BA/MA Program Guide. Students should plan their four semesters of study upon admission to the program. While enrolled in the program a student petition to take courses in a field related to a student's professional interests (e.g.:math, computer science, public health ) that are deemed relevant to the MA degree. Courses taken without permission will not be counted toward the students 64-credit degree requirement.

BA/MA students are to gain graduate degree credit for a minimum of two Brandeis International Business School courses (8 credits) in their final undergraduate year after being accepted into the program. Any shortfall could result in a termination of the student’s MA degree candidacy.

For information on specializations please see the Degree of Master of Arts section of the Bulletin.

Residence Requirement

The BA/MA program requires three semesters of residency at Brandeis from the semester students begin the program. The one to two semesters of a student’s undergraduate senior year followed by two semesters as a graduate student constitute the four semester residency requirement. One of these may be a semester spent at a foreign university associated with the program.* During these four semesters students need to complete sixteen courses (64 credits) even if they have taken elective or required courses before they begin the program. The number of credits transferred from a student's BA to the MA degree program will not exceed 33 credits.

*Note: Since BA/MA students are required to pass at least two Brandeis International Business School courses in both the fall and spring of their final undergraduate year, study abroad is generally precluded until their second year of graduate work.

Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Finance (MSF)

Program of Study

Students must successfully complete an approved schedule of 23 credits in required core courses in Accounting, Investments, Advanced Corporate Finance, Fixed Income, Options and Derivatives, Financial Modelling and Careers. Students must also complete 4 credits of practicum experience (Internship, Consulting Field Project or Directed Research). Students are then required to complete the remaining 18 of the total 44 credits within one of the 5 concentration areas or complete the MSF without a concentration. The concentration areas are structured towards career outcomes in the following five fields: Asset Management, Corporate Finance, Fintech, Risk Management, and Transfer Pricing and Valuation.

Core Requirements (23 credits)

FIN 201a Investments (4 credits)
FIN 204a Advanced Corporate Finance Theory and Practice (4 credits)
FIN 212a Accounting and Financial Analysis or FIN 213a Intermediate Accounting (4 credits)
FIN 217f Corporate Financial Modeling (2 credits)
FIN 261a Fixed Income Securities (4 credits)
FIN 270a Options and Derivatives (4 credits)
BUS 224g Launching Your Global Career (1 credit)

Work Practicum Requirement (4 credits)

FIN 292a Internship (4 credits)
FIN 293a Field Project in Finance (4 credits)
FIN 294a Directed Research (4 credits)

Residence Requirement

The residency requirement is three academic semesters. Students are expected to complete their degree within sixteen months. In special situations, students may apply for a leave of absence for a one year period and multiples thereof.

Transfer Credit

Students who have earned an MBA degree from Brandeis International Business School within the last 10 years and enroll in the MSF program may transfer up to a maximum of 16 applicable credits from their previous degree to the 45 credit program.

Concentration Requirements

Students may choose to complete the MSF degree requirements within two of five concentrations, which are geared towards careers in the following five fields: Asset Management, Corporate Finance, FinTech, Risk Management, or Transfer Pricing and Valuation. Students may declare up to two concentrations. Students who cannot complete two concentrations within the 45 degree credits would be charged per credit for coursework beyond that.

Asset Management

Group 1 Required Courses (4 credits)

FIN 263a International Portfolio Management (4 credits)

Group 2 8 credits minimum required

BUS 211f Analyzing Big Data I (2 credits)
FIN 218f Portfolio Financial Modeling (2 credits)
FIN 230a Trading and Exchanges (4 credits)
FIN 234a Social Impact Investing (4 credits)
FIN 237f Security Analysis (2 credits)
FIN 242f Credit Risk Analysis (2 credits)
FIN 254a Modern Finance, Fintech and Beyond (4 credits)
FIN 271a Options and Derivatives II (4 credits)

Group 3 4 credits maximum

BUS 212a Analyzing Big Data II (4 credits)
FIN 231f Private Equity (2 credits)
FIN 232a Mergers and Acquisitions (4 credits)
FIN 236f Technical Analysis (2 credits)
FIN 240a Venture Capital and Entrepreneurial Finance (4 credits)
FIN 282f From Cyber to Covid: Shocks, Risks, and Opportunities in Finance (2 credits)
FIN 285a Computer Simulation and Risk (4 credits)
Or any course in group 2 not used to satisfy that requirement

Additional Finance or General Elective 2 credits maximum

BUS 297a Internship (in Asset Management) (2 credits)
Or any FIN, BUS (except BUS 249f), or ECON course offered at International Business School (including, but not limited to the courses listed above, if not used to fulfill another requirement)

FinTech

Group 1 Required 14 credits

FIN 215f Python and Applications to Finance (2 credits)
FIN 252a Predictive Analytics and Corporate Innovation (4 credits)
FIN 253a Advanced Quantitative Analysis in Finance (4 credits)
FIN 254a Modern Finance, Fintech and Beyond (4 credits)

Group 2 4 credits required

FIN 240a Venture Capital and Entrepreneurial Finance (4 credits)
FIN 285a Computer Simulation and Risk (4 credits)
FIN 288a Corporate Financial Engineering (4 credits)
ECON/FIN 243a Technological Rivalry (4 credits)

Corporate Finance

Group 1 Required Courses (4 credits)

FIN 214a Managerial Accounting (4 credits)

Group 2 8 credits minimum required

BUS 211f Analyzing Big Data I (2 credits)
ECON/FIN 250a Forecasting in Finance and Economics (4 credits)
FIN 216f Financial Statement Analysis (2 credits)
FIN 231f Private Equity (2 credits)
FIN 232a Mergers and Acquisitions (4 credits)
FIN 240a Venture Capital and Entrepreneurial Finance (4 credits)
FIN 242f Credit Risk Analysis I (2 credits)
FIN 247a Transfer Pricing: Theory and Practice (4 credits)
FIN 288a Corporate Financial Engineering (4 credits)

Group 3 6 credits maximum

BUS 212a Analyzing Big Data II (4 credits)
BUS 235f Real Estate Fundamentals (2 credits)
BUS 260a Competition and Strategy (4 credits)
BUS 279f Corporate Fraud: Detection and Prevention (2 credits)
BUS 297a Internship (in Corporate Finance) (2 credits)
ECON 213a Applied Econometrics with R (4 credits)
FIN 225f Real Estate Finance (2 credits)
FIN 234a Social Impact Investing (4 credits)
FIN 254a Modern Finance, Fintech and Beyond
FIN 282f From Cyber to Covid: Shocks, Risks, and Opportunities in Finance (2 credits)
Or any course in Group 2 not taken to satisfy that requirement

Risk Management

Group 1 Required Courses (8 credits)

FIN 285a Computer Simulation and Risk (4 credits)
FIN 279a Applied Risk Management (4 credits)

Group 2 (6 credits)

BUS 211f Analyzing Big Data I (2 credits)
BUS 212a Analyzing Big Data II (4 credits)
BUS 281f Cyber Security and Operational Risks: A Need to Secure the Future (2 credits)
BUS 297a Approved Internship in Risk Management (2 credits)
FIN 218f Portfolio Financial Modeling (2 credits)
FIN 242f Credit Risk Analysis I (2 credits)
FIN 254a Modern Finance, Fintech and Beyond (4 credits)
FIN 271a Options and Derivatives II (4 credits)
FIN 288a Corporate Financial Engineering (4 credits)

Group 3 (4 credits)

BUS 278f Corporate Governance (2 credits)
BUS 279f Corporate Fraud (2 credits)
FIN 280a Financial Risk Management (4 credits)

Transfer Pricing and Valuation

Group 1 Required Courses (8 credits)

FIN 214a Managerial Accounting (4 credits)
FIN 247a Transfer Pricing Theory and Practice (4 credits)

Group 2 6 credits minimum required

BUS 211f Analyzing Big Data I (2 credits)
FIN 216f Financial Statement Analysis (2 credits)
FIN 218f Portfolio Financial Modeling (2 credits)
FIN 231f Private Equity (2 credits)
FIN 232a Mergers and Acquisitions (4 credits)
FIN 242f Credit Risk Analysis I (2 credits)
ECON 213a Applied Econometrics with R (4 credits)
ECON/FIN 250a Forecasting in Finance and Economics (4 credits)

Group 3 4 credits maximum

BUS 212a Analyzing Big Data II (4 credits)
BUS 235f Real Estate Fundamentals (2 credits)
BUS 278f Corporate Governance (2 credits)
BUS 297a Approved Internship in Transfer Pricing (2 credits)
FIN 225f Real Estate Finance (2 credits)
FIN 254a Modern Finance, Fintech and Beyond (4 credits)
Or any course in Group 2 not taken to satisfy that requirement

Students who choose not to complete a concentration, may complete the MSF degree requirements by following the additional general finance requirements outlined below.

General Finance

Finance Electives 16 credits minimum required

BUS 211f Analyzing Big Data I (2 credits)
BUS 235f Real Estate Fundamentals (2 credits)
FIN 214a Managerial Accounting (4 credits)
FIN 216f Financial Statement Analysis (2 credits)
FIN 230a Trading and Exchanges (4 credits)
FIN 232a Mergers and Acquisitions (4 credits)
FIN 234a Social Impact Investing (4 credits)
FIN 236f Technical Analysis (2 credits)
FIN 237f Security Analysis (2 credits)
FIN 242f Credit Risk Analysis I (2 credits)
FIN 254a Modern Finance, Fintech and Beyond (4 credits)
FIN 263a International Portfolio Management (4 credits)
FIN 271a Options and Derivatives II (4 credits)
FIN 279a Applied Risk Management (4 credits)
FIN 280a Financial Risk Management (4 credits)
FIN 288a Corporate Financial Engineering (4 credits)
ECON 213a Applied Econometrics with R (4 credits)
ECON/FIN 243a Technological Rivalry (4 credits)
ECON/FIN 250a Forecasting in Finance and Economics (4 credits)
FIN 213a Intermediate Financial Accounting (4 credits) if not used to fulfill the core requirement

Additional Finance or General Elective 2 credits maximum

BUS 297a Internship (in any area of Finance) (2 credits)
Or any FIN, BUS, or ECON course offered at International Business School except BUS 249f (including, but not limited to the courses listed above, if not used to fulfill another requirement)

Requirements for the Degree of Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Program of Study

There are two MBA Program options. The first is a 2 year MBA that requires a minimum of 2 years work experience. The second is an Accelerated MBA that is three semesters long and intended for students with previous study in Business, Management, Finance or Economics. It requires a minimum of 1 year of work experience. In both programs, at least eight and one-half semester-course credits must be taken within a required set of subjects (in the areas of business analytics, accounting, finance, marketing, operations, organizational behavior, management communication, and strategy) and the remaining courses must be selected from a list of approved electives. Four semester-length courses (or the equivalent) may be completed during an optional semester abroad. Students may take up to four semester-length courses (or the equivalent) of cross-listed coursework at Heller, Rabb or qualifying coursework from a cross-registration school. One semester length course (or the equivalent) may be from the School of Arts & Sciences, if related to student’s career goals and approved by the Program Advisor.

Up to one semester of coursework may be transferred to Brandeis from an accredited graduate business program completed within the last ten years. Graduates of the Brandeis International Business School MA, MSBA and MSBA program within the last ten years can transfer up to 32 credits to the MBA program.

Foundational Courses: Prior to enrollment, students should have had a course in economics and one in statistics, which may be approved online courses.

Core Requirements (34 credits)

Accounting: FIN 212a Accounting and Financial Analysis (4 credits) or FIN 213a Intermediate Accounting (4 credits)
Finance: FIN 203a Financial Management (4 credits). May be substituted with FIN 201 and FIN 202a which is recommended for MBAs concentrating in Finance.
Economic Environment (4 credits): BUS/ECON 265a Business and Economic Strategies in Emerging Markets (4 credits) or ECON 207a Managerial Economics (4 credits), FIN 235a Investing in Energy (4 credits) or ECON/FIN 243a Technological Rivalry (4 credits)
Organizational Behavior: BUS 219f Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior (2 credits) plus one of the following: BUS 222f Global Dexterity (2 credits), BUS 226f Managing Global Human Capital (2 credits), BUS 227a Influence, Power and Identity (4 credits), BUS 275a Introduction to Negotiations (4 credits), HS 244a Responsible Negotiation (4 credits), HS 257b Conflict Resolution by Negotiation (4 credits), RPJM 113 negotiating and Conflict Resolution (3 credits, online).
Management Communication: BUS 228b MBA Career Strategy and Management Communication (2 credits)
Marketing: BUS 252a Marketing Management (4 credits)
Strategy: BUS 260a Competition and Strategy (4 credits)
Operations: BUS 272a Operations Management (4 credits) or BUS 276a Business Dynamics: Managing in a Complex World (4 credits)
Business Analytics: 4 credits from the following courses: BUS 211f Analyzing Big Data I (2 credits), BUS 212a Analyzing Big Data II (4 credits), BUS 253a Marketing Research and Design (4 credits), ECON 213a Applied Econometrics with R (4 credits), FIN 217f Corporate Financial Modeling (2 credits), FIN 218f Portfolio Financial Modeling (2 credits)

Residence Requirement

Three semesters in residence at Brandeis International Business School as a graduate student are required for the full-time program status. Students who are admitted as a part-time status may complete at a variable pace, within the 5-year degree time limit.

Concentrations

Requirements to complete the concentrations can be found below.

Requirements for the Concentrations for the Master of Business Administration

Concentration Requirements

MBA students may complete one or two concentrations in the fields of Finance, Marketing, Data Analytics, Strategy and Innovation and Real Estate. Each concentration requires some credits in foundational courses and some in electives. Courses may be double-counted between concentrations.

MBA Concentration in Finance

24 credits are required beyond the finance course taken in the MBA core. These credits may also be counted towards fulfillment of other concentrations or of the MBA Core requirements. Excess credits in Foundation courses are counted towards the Electives requirement. This concentration is STEM-designated.

Foundation 8 credits required

FIN 201a Investments (4 credits)
FIN 202a Corporate Finance (4 credits)

Elective Courses 20 credits required

BUS 211f Big Data I (2 credits)
BUS 215f Intro to Python for Bus Analytics (2 credits)
BUS 295a Field Projects (4 credits)*
BUS 297c Leadership Internships in Social Impact Organizations (4 credits)*
BUS/FIN 241a Machine Learning and Data Analytics for Business and Finance (4 credits)
ECON/FIN 250a Forecasting in Finance and Economics (4 credits)
FIN 214a Managerial Accounting (4 credits)
FIN 216f Financial Statement Analysis (2 credits)
FIN 217f Corporate Financial Modeling (2 credits)
FIN 218f Portfolio Financial Modeling (2 credits)
FIN 231f Private Equity (2 credits)
FIN 232a Mergers & Acquisitions (4 credits)
FIN 234a Social Impact Investing (4 credits)
FIN 237f Security Analysis (2 credits)
FIN 240a Venture Capital and Entrepreneurial Finance (4 credits)
FIN 242f Credit Risk Analysis (2 credits)
FIN 247a: Transfer Pricing Theory & Practice (4 credits)
FIN 252a Predictive Analytics and Corporate Innovation (4 credits)
FIN 253a Advanced Quantitative Analysis in Finance (4 credits)
FIN 254a Modern Finance, Fintech and Beyond (4 credits)
FIN 261a Fixed Income Securities (4 credits)
FIN 263a International Portfolio Management (4 credits)
FIN 270a Options & Derivatives (4 credits)
FIN 279a Applied Risk Management (4 credits)
FIN 280a Financial Risk Management (4 credits)
FIN 282f From Cyber to Covid: Shocks, Risks, and Opportunities in Finance (2 credits)
FIN 285a Computer Simulations and Risk Assessment (4 credits)
FIN 288a Corporate Financial Engineering (4 credits)
FIN 293a Field Project in Finance (4 credits)

BUS 295a and FIN 293a are Field Project courses – only one can be counted towards this concentration. BUS 297c is a one year Internship experience and can only be counted once towards this concentration. All must be STEM Finance projects to be counted toward the concentration.

FIN 201a and FIN 202a are prerequisites for FIN 288a.

MBA Concentration in Marketing

20 credits are required. These credits may also be counted towards fulfillment of other concentrations or of the MBA Core requirements. Excess credits in Foundation courses are counted towards the Electives requirement.

Foundation 8 credits required

BUS 252a Marketing Management (4 credits)
BUS 253a Marketing Research (4 credits)

Elective Courses 12 credits required

BUS 211f Analyzing Big Data I (2 credits)
BUS 212a Analyzing Big Data II (4 credits)
BUS 233a Entrepreneurship and Rapid Prototyping (4 credits)
BUS 254a Branding Strategy (4 credits)
BUS 255a Consumer Behavior (4 credits)
BUS 256a Marketing Analytics (4 credits)
BUS 257f Social Media and Advertising (2 credits)
BUS 258f Sales and Sales Management (2 credits)
BUS 259f Digital Marketing (2 credits)
BUS 275a Introduction to Negotiations (4 credits)
BUS 292a Marketing Field Project (4 credits)
BUS 295c Field Projects: Social Innovation Impact (4 credits)
BUS 297c Leadership Internships n Social Impact Organizations (4 credits)

BUS 292a and BUS 295c are Field Project courses – only one can be counted toward this concentration. BUS 297c is a one year Internship experience and can only be counted once towards this concentration.

MBA Concentration in Data Analytics

24 credits are required. These credits may also be counted towards fulfillment of other concentrations or of the MBA Core requirements. Excess credits in Foundation courses are counted towards the Electives requirement. This concentration is STEM-designated.

Foundation 8 credits required

BUS 211f Analyzing Big Data I (2 credits)
BUS 212a Analyzing Big Data II (4 credits)
BUS 240f Information Visualization (2 credits)

Elective Courses 16 credits required

BUS 215f Python and Applications to Business Analytics (2 credits)
BUS 216f Python and Applications to Business Analytics II (2 credits)
BUS 253a Marketing Research (4 credits)
BUS 256a Marketing Analytics (4 credits)
BUS 257f Social Media and Advertising (2 credits)
BUS 259f Digital Marketing (2 credits)
BUS 272a Operations Management (4 credits)
BUS 274f Supply Chain Analytics (2 credits)
BUS 276a Business Dynamics (4 credits)
BUS 286a Applications of System Dynamics (4 credits)
BUS 297c Leadership Internships in Social Impact Organizations (4 credits)
BUS 294a Data Analytics Field Project (4 credits)
BUS 295a Field Projects (4 credits)
ECON 213a Applied Econometrics with R (4 credits)
BUS/FIN 241a Machine Learning and Data Analysis for Business & Finance (4 credits)
FIN 217f Corporate Financial Modeling (2 credits)
FIN 218f Portfolio Financial Modeling (2 credits)
ECON/FIN 250a Forecasting in Finance and Economics (4 credits)
FIN 280a Financial Risk Management (4 credits)
FIN 285a Computer Simulation & Risk Analysis (4 credits)

BUS 294a and BUS 295a are Field Projects - only one can be counted toward this concentration. BUS 297c is a one year Internship experience and can only be counted once towards this concentration.

FIN 201a is a prerequisite for FIN 280a.

MBA Concentration in Real Estate

Foundation 10 credits required

BUS 235f Real Estate Fundamentals (2 credits)
FIN 225f Real Estate Finance (2 credits)
FIN 242f Credit Risk Analysis I (2 credits)
BUS 293a Real Estate Field Project (4 credits)
BUS 295a Field Projects (4 credits)
BUS 297c Leadership Internships in Social Impact Organizations (4 credits)

Elective and Allied Courses 10 credits required

BUS 211f Analyzing Big Data I (2 credits)
BUS 212a Analyzing Big Data II (4 credits)
BUS 236f International Real Estate: The Emerging Markets (2 credits)
BUS 237f International Real Estate: The Mature Markets (2 credits)
BUS 238f Real Estate Development (2 credits)
BUS 253a Marketing Research (4 credits)
FIN 261a Fixed Income Securities (4 credits)

BUS 293a and BUS 295a are Field Projects - only one can be counted toward this Concentration. BUS 297c is a one year Internship experience and can only be counted once towards this concentration.

MBA Concentration in Strategy and Innovation

20 credits are required beyond the strategy course taken in the MBA core. These credits may also be counted towards fulfillment of other concentrations or of the MBA Core requirements. Excess credits in Foundation courses are counted towards the Electives requirement.

Foundation in Strategy and Innovation 4 credits required

BUS 260a Competition and Strategy (4 credits)

Additional Foundational Courses in Strategy and Innovation 8 credits required

BUS 276a Business Dynamics: Managing in a Complex World (4 credits)
BUS/ECON 265a Business and Economic Strategies in Emerging Markets (4 credits)
BUS 231a Entrepreneurial Finances and Business Plans (4 credits)
BUS 261a Managing Technology and Innovation (4 credits)
FIN 240a Venture Capital and Entrepreneurial Finance (4 credits)

Elective Courses 8 credits required

BUS 211f Analyzing Big Data I (2 credits)
BUS 212a Analyzing Big Data II (4 credits)
BUS 226f Managing Global Human Capital (2 credits)
BUS 230a Entrepreneurship (4 credits)
BUS 232f Digital Fabrication with Robotics (2 credits)
BUS 233a Entrepreneurship and Rapid Prototyping (4 credits)
BUS 249f Immersion Experience (2 credits)
BUS 254a Branding Strategy (2 credits)
BUS 262a Alliance, Acquisition and Divestment Strategy (4 credits)
BUS 269f Building Sustainable Business (2 credits)
BUS 275a Introduction to Negotiations (4 credits)
BUS 278f Corporate Governance: From Colossal Failures to Best Practices (2 credits)
BUS 281f Cyber Security and Operational Risks: A Need to Secure the Future (2 credits)
BUS 286a Applications of Systems Dynamics (4 credits)
BUS 292a Marketing Field Project (4 credits)
BUS 295a Field Projects (4 credits)
BUS 297c Leadership Internships in Social Impact Organizations (4 credits)
ECON 207a Managerial Economics (4 credits)
ECON 241a Antitrust Economics: Regulating Competition (4 credits)
ECON/FIN 243a Technological Rivalry (4 credits)
FIN 214a Managerial Accounting (4 credits)
FIN 231f Private Equity (2 credits)
FIN 232a Mergers & Acquisitions Analysis (4 credits)
FIN 235a Investing in Energy: Fossil Fuels to Cleaner Energy (4 credits)
FIN 247a Transfer Pricing Theory and Practice (4 credits)
HS 244a Responsible Negotiation (4 credits)
HS 257b Conflict Resolution by Negotiation (4 credits)
HS 270a Business Law and Ethics for Managers (4 credits)
HS 518a Management of Health Care Organizations (4 credits)
RPJM 113 Negotiating and Conflict Resolution (3 credits)

BUS 292a and BUS 295a are Field Projects - only one can be counted toward this Concentration. BUS 297c is a one year Internship experience and can only be counted once towards this concentration.

BA or BS/MBA Combined Program

The BA or BS/MBA combined program allows Brandeis graduates with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS) degree to complete the MBA at an accelerated pace, and without a break in their studies. The business school offers this combined program in cooperation with the School of Arts and Sciences at Brandeis. Students will complete their BA or BS in one of the majors offered by the School of Arts and Sciences before enrolling in the MBA program at the busines school.

Admission to the BA/MBA Program

For this program, the business school will consider specific types of undergraduate experiences among the qualifications for admittance and will count certain undergraduate courses for credit toward the MBA degree itself. Aside from academic performance, the Admissions Office will also evaluate whether the student has acquired a minimum amount of part- or full-time work experience during or before college, and has shown a level of professional maturity consistent with the standards of the MBA. Once the student is enrolled in the MBA, the business school will count 16 credits from Brandeis undergraduate studies towards the MBA.

The remaining 48 credits required for the MBA will be earned during the following three semesters. The BA/MBA student will take core courses and electives in the normal MBA curriculum, although specific undergraduate courses in Business and Economics may allow exemptions from certain MBA requirements.

Residence Requirement for Full-Time Students

The BA/MBA program requires three semesters of residency at Brandeis from the semester students begin the program if taking courses full-time, which is after the attainment of the Bachelor's degree. During these three semesters, students need to complete twelve courses (48 credits), even if they have taken graduate level courses before they begin the program. The residency requirement may not be waived or reduced.

Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA)

Program of Study

The Master's in Business Analytics equips students to analyze data. This includes both theoretical and hands-on instruction in major elements of regression analysis, big data analytics, and related computational techniques, as well as the applications of these tools in financial and marketing analytics, as well as business dynamics. Students will learn data management and pre-processing, management-oriented visualization, data structures and analysis, selected machine learning methods, and predictive modeling. Through the use of widely adopted software tools, students will build models and execute analyses to address current needs of businesses. All students will take part in an experiential-learning field project, internship, or directed research. Program will include 40 credits.

Core Requirements 19 credits

BUS 224g Launching Your Global Career (1 credit)
BUS 215f Python and Applications to Business Analytics (2 credits)
BUS 211f Analyzing Big Data I (2 credits)
BUS 212a Analyzing Big Data II (4 credits)
BUS 240f Information Visualization (2 credits)
BUS/FIN 241a Machine Learning and Data Analysis for Business and Finance (4 credits)
ECON 213a Applied Econometrics with R (4 credits)

Group 1 Electives 4 credits required

BUS 256a Marketing Analytics (4 credits)
ECON/FIN 250a Forecasting in Finance and Economics (4 credits)
BUS 276a Business Dynamics (4 credits)

Group 2 Electives 8 credits required

BUS 216f Python and Applications to Business Analytics II (2 credits)
BUS 233a Entrepreneurship and Rapid Prototyping (4 credits)
BUS 252a Marketing Management (4 credits)
BUS 253a Marketing Research (4 credits)
BUS 254a Branding Strategy (4 Credits)
BUS 257f Social Media and Advertising (2 credits)
BUS 259f Digital Marketing (2 credits)
BUS 260a Competition and Strategy (4 credits)
BUS 261a Managing Technology and Innovation (4 credits)
BUS 272a Operations Management (4 credits)
BUS 274f Supply Chain Analytics (2 Credits)
ECON/FIN 243a Technological Rivalry
RPJM 101 Foundations of Project Management (3 credits)
FIN 201a Investments (4 credits)
FIN 203a Financial Management (4 Credits)
FIN 217f Corporate Financial Modeling (2 credits)
FIN 218f Portfolio Financial Modeling (2 credits)
FIN 234a Social Impact Investing
FIN 270a Options and Derivatives (4 credits)
FIN 282f From Cyber to Covid: Shocks, Risks, and Opportunities in Finance (2 credits)
FIN 285a Computer Simulations and Risk Assessment (4 credits)
HS 256f Healthcare Analytics and Data Mining
HS 340f Advanced Topics in Healthcare Analytics and Data Mining
May include any course from Group 1.

Group 3 Electives 6 credits required

BUS 297a Internship (2 credits) or any FIN, BUS (except BUS 249f), ECON, BUS/FIN or ECON/FIN course offered at International Business School (including, but not limited to the courses listed above, if not used to fulfill another requirement)

Capstone 4 credits required

BUS 286a Applications of System Dynamics (4 credits)
BUS 290a Directed Research (4 credits)
BUS 294a Field Project in Data Analytics (4 credits)
BUS 296a Internship (4 credits)

Concentrations

Management Concentration - 16 credits

Required - 8 credits

BUS 219f Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior (2 credits)
BUS 222f Global Dexterity (2 credits)
BUS 272a Operations Management (4 credits)

Choose - 8 credits

BUS 276A Business Dynamics (4 credits)
FIN 212a Accounting and Financial Analysis (4 credits)
BUS 253A - Marketing Research (4 credits)
BUS 252a Marketing Management (4 credits)
BUS 260a Competition and Strategy (4 credits)

Financial Analytics Concentration - 16 credits

Required - 12 credits

FIN 201a Investments (4 credits)
FIN 202a Corporate Finance (4 credits)
FIN 253a Advanced Quantitative Analysis in Finance (4 credits)

Choose - 4 credits

ECON/FIN 250a - Forecasting in Finance and Economics (4 credits)
FIN 212a Accounting and Financial Analysis (4 credits)
FIN 234a Social Impact Investing (4 credits)
FIN 240a Venture Capital (4 credits)
FIN 252a Predictive Analytics and Corporate Innovation (4 credits)
FIN 261a Fixed Income Securities (4 credits)
FIN 270a Options and Derivatives (4 credits)

Residence Requirement

The residency requirement is three academic semesters (normally Fall-Spring-Fall), however students may accelerate the program by petitioning to change their graduation date to the Summer semester. This petition must be received by a student’s program advisor by the last day of the student's first semester. Students approved to accelerate their program would do so by increasing their course load in fall and spring. If a student is approved to accelerate their program but does not take the course load required to complete by their new graduation date, the student will be required to pay for their remaining coursework in their fall semester on a credit basis. No scholarship will apply for this coursework.

Transfer Credit

Students who have earned an MA or MBA degree from Brandeis International Business School within the last 10 years and enroll in the MSBA program may transfer up to a maximum of 16 applicable credits from their previous degree to the 45 credit program.

Combined BA or BS/MSBA Program

International Business School offers a BA or BS/MSBA for qualified Brandeis undergraduates who wish to earn the Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) with one year of post-BA study.

BA or BS/MSBA students begin taking International Business School courses in their final year of undergraduate study and finish the master's degree with one additional year of study after receiving their BA. BA or BS/MSBA students are considered undergraduates until they have successfully satisfied all of the requirements for the BA. Interested students apply in their junior or senior year. Deadlines are listed on the International Business School website. Applications may be made online through the International Business School website.

Although some course substitutions are permitted, BA or BS/MSBA students at Brandeis International Business School have to meet the same requirements as the traditional MSBA students and can refer to the MSBA course requirements for a general overview.

Some undergraduate ECON and BUS classes can fulfill MSBA program requirements. A detailed description of all acceptable substitutions for required courses can be found in the Program Guide. Students should plan their four semesters of study upon admission to the program.

Residence Requirement

The BA or BS/MSBA program requires three semesters of residency at Brandeis from the semester students begin the program. The one to two semesters of a student's undergraduate senior year followed by two semesters as a graduate student constitute the four semester residency requirement. During these four semesters students need to complete 41 credits even if they have taken elective or required courses before they begin the program. The number of credits transferred from a student's BA or BS to the MSBA degree program will not exceed 9 credits.

Requirements for the Dual Degree of Master of Science in Finance (MSF) and Master of Business Administration (MBA)

This intensive program requires a minimum of 79 credit hours completed in 21-24 months. Dual MSF/MBA students must be admitted to each of the individual programs.

Course Requirements

Dual degree program must fulfill the following course requirements:

MSF Core Requirements (22 credits)

FIN 201a Investments (4 credits)
FIN 204a Advanced Corporate Finance Theory & Practice (4 credits)
FIN 217f Corporate Finance Modeling (2 credits)
FIN 212a Financial Accounting and Analysis (4 credits) or FIN 213a Intermediate Financial Accounting (4 credits)
FIN 261a Fixed Income Securities (4 credits)
FIN 270a Options and Derivatives (4 credits)

MSF Practicum (choose only one (4 credits)

FIN 292a Internship (4 credits)
FIN 293a Field Project in Finance (4 credits)
FIN 294a Directed Research (4 credits)

MSF Approved Finance Electives (18 credits)

Non-finance MBA Core Requirements (24 credits)

BUS 252a Marketing Management (4 credits)
BUS 219f Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior (2 credits)
BUS 228b MBA Career Strategy and Management Communication (2 credits)
BUS 260a Competition and Strategy (4 credits)
Operations Requirement: BUS 272a Operations Management (4 credits) or BUS 276a Business Dynamics (4 credits)
Economic Environment Course (4 credits) — various choices
Advanced Organizational Behavior course (2 credits) — various choices Business Analytics course (2 credits) — various choices

General Elective Requirement: (11 credits)

MBA concentration

All students will graduate with a finance concentration in the MBA. Students who complete the FinTech Concentration in the MSF degree may be able to complete a second concentration in Data Analytics in the MBA degree.

Graduation

After fulfilling all requirements for both master’s degree programs, students will receive two degrees: a Master of Science in Finance and a Master of Business Administration.

Students will be eligible to participate in commencement ceremonies following completion of all academic requirements listed for both components of this dual degree. Students will not receive partial degrees from either program. In the case of being unable to complete the dual degree, students may elect to complete the single degree in which they have satisfied the coursework.

Partnership Students and Accelerated MBA Students

Students in these programs must complete all 79 credits at Brandeis International Business School. Transfer credits do not apply. However, students may be exempt from requirements based on previous coursework or partnership agreements.

Requirements for the Dual Degree of Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) and Master of Business Administration (MBA)

This intensive program requires a minimum of 77 credit hours taken over 21-24 months. Dual MSBA/MBA students must be admitted to each of the individual programs.

Course Requirements

Students admitted into this dual degree program must fulfill the following course requirements:

MSBA Core Degree Requirements (18 credits)

BUS 211f Big Data I (2 credits)
BUS 240f Information Visualization (2 credits)
ECON 213a Applied Econometrics with R (4 credits)
BUS 212a Big Data II (4 credits)
BUS 215f Python and its Application to Business Analytics (2 credits)
BUS 241a Machine Learning and Data Analysis for Business and Finance ( 4 credits)

Data Elective Credit (4 credits) Choose one based on interest

BUS 256a Marketing Analytics (4 credits)
BUS 276a Business Dynamics (4 credits)
ECON/FIN 250a Forecasting in Economics and Finance (4 credits)

Practicum (4 credits)

BUS 296a Internship
BUS 294a Field Project
BUS 290a: Directed Research

Non-business analytics MBA Core Degree Requirements (30 credits)

FIN 212a Financial Accounting and Analysis (4 credits)
FIN 203a Financial Management (4 credits) — May be substituted with FIN 201a and FIN 202a, which is recommended for MBAs concentrating in Finance.
BUS 252a Marketing Management (4 credits)
BUS 219f Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior (2 credits)
BUS 228b MBA Career Strategy and Management Communication (2 credits)
BUS 260a Competition and Strategy (4 credits)
Operations Requirement: BUS 272a Operations Management (4 credits) or BUS 276a Business Dynamics (4 credits)
Economic Environment Course (4 credits) — various choices
Advanced Organizational Behavior course (2 credits) — various choices

General Elective Requirement (21 credits)

MBA Concentration

All students will graduate with a data analytics concentration in the MBA and could possibly complete a second MBA concentration depending on course selection.

Graduation

After fulfilling ALL requirements for both master's degree programs, students will receive two degrees: a Master of Science in Business Analytics and a Master of Business Administration.

Students will be eligible to participate in commencement ceremonies following completion of all academic requirements listed for both components of this dual degree. Students will not receive partial degrees from either program. In the case of being unable to complete the dual degree, students may elect to complete the degree in which they have satisfied all of their requirements.

Partnership Students and Accelerated MBA Students

Students in these programs must complete all 77 credits at Brandeis International Business School. Transfer credits do not apply. However, students may be exempt from requirements based on previous coursework or partnership agreements.

Requirements for the Dual Degree of Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) and Master of International Economics and Finance (MA)

This intensive program requires a minimum of 77 credit hours taken over 21-24 months. Dual MSBA/MA students must be admitted to each of the individual programs.

Course Requirements

Students admitted into this dual degree program must fulfill the following course requirements:

MSBA Core Degree Requirements (19 credits)

BUS 211f Big Data I (2 credits)
BUS 240f Information Visualization (2 credits)
ECON 213a Applied Econometrics with R (4 credits)
BUS 224g Launching Your Global Career (1 credit)
BUS 212a Big Data II (4 credits)
BUS 215f Python and its Application to Business Analytics (2 credits)
BUS 241a Machine Learning and Data Analysis for Business and Finance ( 4 credits)

Data Elective Credit (4 credits) Choose one based on interest

BUS 256a Marketing Analytics (4 credits)
BUS 276a Business Dynamics (4 credits)
ECON/FIN 250a Forecasting in Economics and Finance (4 credits)

Practicum (4 credits)

BUS 296a Internship
BUS 294a Field Project
BUS 290a Directed Research

Approved Business Analytics Group 2 Elective credits (4 credits)

Non Business Analytics MA core requirements (20 credits)

ECON 207a Managerial Economics (4 credits)
FIN 201a Investments (4 credits)
FIN 212a Accounting and Financial Analysis (4 credits) or FIN 213a Intermediate Accounting (4 credits)
ECON 202a Applied International Macroeconomics (4 credits)
FIN 202a Corporate Finance (4 credits)

MA Data Analytics concentration credits (2 credits)* May overlap with Bus Analytics Group 2 requirement depending on student choice.

General Elective credits (24 credits)

MA concentration

All Students will graduate with an MA concentration in data analytics.

Graduation

After fulfilling ALL requirements for both master's degree programs, students will receive two degrees: a Master of Science in Business Analytics and a Master of Arts in International Economics and Finance.

Students will be eligible to participate in commencement ceremonies following completion of all academic requirements listed for both components of this dual degree. Students will not receive partial degrees from either program. In the case of being unable to complete the dual degree, students may elect to complete the degree in which they have satisfied all of their requirements.

Partnership Students and Accelerated MA Students

BA/MA Students

Students previously in the BA/MA Program may apply to switch to the Dual Degree MA/MSBA. Students can apply all of their graduate-level coursework taken once they have been matriculated into the MA, in addition to up to 17 credits of the graduate level coursework taken while enrolled as an undergraduate.

Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy

Program of Study

Requirements include successful completion of formal course work (14 course requirement), outstanding performance in both comprehensive and field examinations, completion of a third year paper that requires some independent research, and completion of a doctoral thesis that represents substantial original research. Students are required to complete core courses (microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics) and complete courses towards two fields: Applied Methods, which is required, and in one of the following fields:

International Economics
International Development
International Business
Finance

As much as possible, students are required to enroll in ECON 399a (Dissertation Workshop). Students in their third year of the program and beyond are required to present their work in ECON 399. This workshop provides opportunities for students to listen to research presentations by their fellow PhD students, present their own work in progress, and to receive instruction on pedagogical material involving how to present and write in economics.

Residence Requirement

Three years of full-time residence are normally required. However, for most students it takes four or more years of full-time study to complete the degree.

Core and Field Examinations

At the end of the first year in the PhD program, each student must pass two written qualifying exams covering core required subjects in microeconomics and macroeconomics.

At the end of the second year, students are also required to pass two written field exams. Before taking either field exam, students should have obtained a passing grade in the classes required for that exam.

One exam is the Applied Methods field; it includes comprehensive testing on econometric methods as well as advanced empirical topics.

An exam is also required in a second major field (see above) to demonstrate competence in a broad specialty.

Third Year Paper

All students are required to complete a research paper during their third year. The paper must be an original and substantive piece of independent research. The paper may be co-authored with faculty, but in this case, the student's contribution should meet the standards of authorship as defined by the National Academy of Sciences. These standards are defined for academia here: https://www.pnas.org/content/115/11/2557 (accessed on January 30, 2020). In particular, "Each author is expected to have made substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data; or the creation of new software used in the work; or have drafted the work or substantively revised it; and to have approved the submitted version (and any substantially modified version that involves the author's contribution to the study); and to have agreed both to be personally accountable for the author's own contributions and to ensure that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work, even ones in which the author was not personally involved, are appropriately investigated, resolved, and the resolution documented in the literature."

The third year paper is usually solely authored by the PhD student and written under the direction of two faculty members in Economics/IBS who serve as primary and secondary advisers. The student may write the third year paper under the direction of a faculty member outside Brandeis who serves as the secondary adviser, but as it is part of a Brandeis degree requirement, the primary adviser must be a Brandeis faculty member in Economics/IBS. The third year paper must be presented by the PhD student in Econ 399a during the course of the year. The actual paper must be submitted by the last date of the final exam period in the Spring semester of the third year when it will be evaluated by the PhD student’s primary and secondary advisers.

Dissertation and Defense

Each PhD student must complete a dissertation. The dissertation is comprised of three chapters (papers), one of which must be solo authored by the PhD student.

Each student works on their dissertation under the direction of their dissertation committee, with the thesis chair providing most of the advising. The dissertation chair must be a Brandeis Economics/IBS faculty member. The other committee members include one or two other Economics/IBS faculty members and one outside (of Economics/IBS or Brandeis) faculty member.

All candidates for the PhD must follow the PhD checklist for required steps in the process, including when to indicate a degree date, when to schedule a dissertation defense date, and how to submit the final dissertation.

PhD Curriculum

Program Timeline

First Year

ECON 213 Applied Econometrics (4 credits) (Strongly recommended)
ECON 301a Advanced Microeconomics I (4 credits)
ECON 302a Advanced Macroeconomics I (4 credits)
ECON 303a Advanced Microeconomics II (4 credits)
ECON 304a Advanced Macroeconomics II (4 credits)
ECON 311a Advanced Econometrics I (4 credits)
Electives
End of first year: Qualifying exams in microeconomic theory and macroeconomic theory.

Second Year

ECON 307f Empirical Methods I (2 credits)
ECON 308f Empirical Methods II (2 credits)
ECON 312a Advanced Econometrics II (4 credits)
ECON 330a International Macroeconomics (4 credits) (Strongly recommended)
ECON 399a Dissertation Workshop (4 credits)*
Electives
End of second year: Field exams in Applied Methods and one additional field chosen by student (International Economics, International Development, International Business, and Finance.)

Third Year

ECON 399a Dissertation Workshop (4 credits)*
Third year paper requirement - see above for details.

Fourth Year and Beyond

ECON 399a Dissertation Workshop (4 credits)*

Core Curriculum (28 credits)

ECON 301a Advanced Microeconomics I (4 credits)
ECON 302a Advanced Macroeconomics I (4 credits)
ECON 303a Advanced Microeconomics II (4 credits)
ECON 304a Advanced Macroeconomics II (4 credits)
ECON 311a Advanced Econometrics I (4 credits)
ECON 312a Advanced Econometrics II (4 credits)
ECON 307f Applied Methods I (2 credits)
ECON 308f Applied Methods II (2 credits)

Field Concentrations

All students will write two field exams at the end of their second year. The students will write one field exam in Applied Methods (required) and one field exam in one of the following areas: International Economics, International Development, International Business, and Finance. Required courses for each field follow.

Applied Methods (Required)

ECON 311a Econometrics I (4 credits)
ECON 312a Econometrics II (4 credits)
ECON 307f Applied Methods I (2 credits)
ECON 308f Applied Methods II (2 credits)

International Economics

ECON 330a International Macroeconomic (4 credits)
ECON 360a International Trade (4 credits)
ECON 261a Empirical Analysis of Trade Policy (4 credits)

International Development

Any two of the required International Economics field courses (8 credits) plus either Econ 370a Development Economics (4 credits) or another PhD development class (4 credits) approved by the PhD Program Director.

International Business

Two full semesters of Finance field courses (8 credits) or International Economics field courses (8 credits) plus either BUS 398a, Independent Study (4 credits) or a set of MBA courses (4 credits) approved by the MBA and PhD Program Directors.

Finance

FIN 270a Options and Derivatives (4 credits)
FIN 271a Options and Derivatives II (4 credits)
FIN 305f Asset Pricing (2 credits)
FIN 306f Topics in Corporate Finance (2 credits)

* credits do not count towards graduation requirement

Masters of Science in International Economics and Finance (Terminal Degree for Students Who Do Not Continue in the PhD Program)

The MSief degree option awards an intermediate academic credential for continuing PhD students.

The requirements for the MSief degree are:

Successful completion (B- or above) of 13 courses (usually core courses plus approved electives).
Passing both the macroeconomics and microeconomics qualifying exams at the end of the first year.
Passing one of the two field exams at the end of the second year.

Brandeis International Business School Scholars

Brandeis International Business School Scholars (Scholars) are students who are pre-admitted to either
the BA/MA or BA/MSBA program when admitted to Brandeis as an undergraduate. Students in this
program are also offered priority admissions to the BA/MBA program. Details on these graduate
program requirements can be found in each program sections of the bulletin.

For those students who choose to enter the BA/MA in their 4th year, the following requirements must
be met in order to join the program in their senior year:

Minimum GPA of 3.0 at the end of the junior year.
"B" grade or better in each of the following required courses, to be completed prior to starting graduate coursework: ECON 10a Introduction to Microeconomics, ECON 20a Introduction to Macroeconomics, and ECON 83a Statistics for Economic Analysis or equivalent.
Completion of undergraduate degree in four years.

For those students who choose to enter the BA/MSBA in their 4th year, the following requirements
must be met:

Minimum GPA of 3.0 at the end of the junior year.
"B" grade or better in each of the following required course, to be completed prior to starting graduate coursework: ECON 83a Statistics for Economic Analysis or equivalent.
Completion of undergraduate degree in four years.

Scholars are also offered priority admission to the MBA program. Qualified students will have
demonstrated exceptional academic performance and internship experience. Students who have met
the following requirements by their last semester at Brandeis would be interviewed by Admissions to
determine if they are good fit for the MBA.

Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5
One required, related internship completed prior to senior year

Information about Courses

Listed on the following pages are graduate courses of instruction for Brandeis International Business School. Courses meet for three hours a week unless otherwise specified.

Most courses are available to all students qualified to take them. Access to some courses is governed by the signature of the instructor. Other courses impose a numerical limit to preserve environmental conditions suitable to the pedagogy the instructor employs; students increase their chances of gaining enrollment in such courses by participating in early registration.

Generally, a course is offered with the frequency indicated at the end of its description. The frequency may be designated as every semester, every year, every second year, every third year, or every fourth year.

Courses numbered 100-199 are for undergraduate and graduate students; courses numbered 200 and above are primarily for graduate students. Undergraduates may not enroll in courses numbered 200 or above without the written permission of the instructor.

Brandeis International Business School degree programs are structured with the assumption that all students will be taking their required courses at their first opportunity and as outlined in the program guide. While some electives may be taken concurrently to these required courses, most electives assume that the student has already mastered the core content of their program. Prerequisites are noted in the following course descriptions.

Students wishing to exempt from a course requirement based on earlier studies are expected to submit a Petition for Exemption in their first semester. Students are not to assume that an exemption will be granted.

Course abbreviations are as follows:

BUS Business
BUS/ECON Business and Economics
BUS/FIN Business and Finance
CONT Continuation
ECON Economics
ECON/FIN Economics and Finance
FIN Finance

Suffixes after course numbers have the following meanings:

A or B Semester course
F Half-semester course, half-course credit
G Quarter-course credit

A semester course carries one semester course credit (four semester-hour credits). Exceptions are noted under the individual course descriptions. Certain courses do not count for rate of work and do not carry course credit toward graduation.

The university reserves the right to make any changes in the offerings without prior notice.

Courses of Instruction

Expand All

(200 and above) Primarily for Graduate Students

BUS 200a Work Practicum
Open only to IBS BA/MA IEF students who are entering their final year of graduate study.
Allows students to enroll on a full-time basis during the summer semester in conjunction with a required internship course. Students will be concurrently enrolled in an internship course. Usually offered every year.
Staff

BUS 211f Analyzing Big Data I
Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
Surveys quantitative techniques and computer tools in management information systems including database manipulation. Objective of the course is to help students acquire advanced computer skills through cases and hands-on applications. Usually offered every semester.
Bharantendra Rai and Xavi Vidal-Berastain

BUS 212a Analyzing Big Data II
Prerequisite: BUS 211f. May not be taken for credit by students who took BUS 212f in prior years.
Teaches theory and best practices of modern business analytics, with particular attention to business intelligence, predictive, and prescriptive modeling. We continue with data preparation and visualization introduced in BUS 211f, and provide hands-on experience with major methods of data mining and machine learning. In addition to working with RStudio and R packages, students will become experienced in methods of reproducible research, professional communication of analytic results and creation of data products. Significant use of case studies. Usually offered every semester.
Arnold Kamis

BUS 215f Python and Applications to Business Analytics
Designed to be relevant to any business student that wishes to build a skillset that can harness the power of the computer, computer science, and data analysis to various applications in business analytics. A set of these applications in business analytics that are relevant is data analysis (statistics, machine learning), data visualization (charting), algorithms (optimization, numerical methods, linear algebra), and forecasting (time series analytics, stochastic methods). Usually offered every semester.
Ahmad Namini

BUS 216f Python and Applications to Business Analytics II
Prerequisite: BUS 215f. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
Harnesses the power of Python to build an application from design to deployment stages. Students will be learn about the product design stage, setting up a code development environment, developing and utilizing test-driven use-cases, harnessing Python-based libraries to build a GUI, implementing business analytics with user-developed and library algorithms, coding best practices, and finally, deployment to the intended device. All developed applications can be used by business analytics students that aspire to build analytics-based applications in the business world. Usually offered every semester.
Ahmad Namini

BUS 219f Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior
Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit. May not be taken for credit by students who took BUS 220a in prior years.
Covers the fundamentals of organizational behavior, including the topics of leadership, work motivation, organizational culture, organizational structure, group dynamics, perception, decision-making, and cross-cultural interaction. Final project includes analysis of cultural differences in organizational behavior concepts. Usually offered every year.
Andrew Molinsky

BUS 222f Global Dexterity
Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
To be a global worker and a true "citizen of the world" today means you are able to adapt your behavior to conform to new cultural contexts without losing your authentic self in the process. Work on developing "global dexterity" skills to accomplish this. Usually offered every year.
Andrew Molinsky

BUS 224g Launching Your Global Career
Offered exclusively on a credit/no credit basis. Meets for one-quarter semester and yields quarter-course credit.
The goal of this course is to equip students with the career management skills essential to surviving and excelling in today's global labor market. Provides graduate students with a foundation and necessary tools for identifying target positions; conducting an effective and efficient job search; building career-planning and job-search skills that will be useful throughout their careers. Usually offered every year.
Marcia Katz, Sonia Liang, and Jennifer Voldins

BUS 227a Influence, Power and Identity
Examines how many aspects of your career—landing a job, a promotion, or a new client—require you to influence other people and to affect how they think, feel and behave. Students will explore and apply the latest research on successful influence strategies. Usually offered every year.
Sandra Cha

BUS 228b MBA Career Strategy and Management Communication
Yields half-course credit.
Provides students the opportunity to develop career plans, professionalize management communication style, and fine-tune professional presentation alongside academic pursuits while at Brandeis IBS, so that students are prepared to take the steps needed to gain experience through internships during graduate studies and pursue an excellent and fulfilling career upon graduation. Usually offered every year.
Alice Ain Rich

BUS 230a Entrepreneurship
Addresses the fundamentals of starting and growing a business, including entrepreneurial finance and financial management. Covers theory and practice and includes presentations by speakers engaged in entrepreneurship, underwriting, and venture capital. The major assignment is a team project to construct a business plan for a startup company using actual data. Usually offered every year.
Philippe Wells

BUS 231a Entrepreneurial Finances and Business Plans
Open only to IBS students.
Introduces techniques for preparing business plans and explores the process of using a business plan to acquire funding. Requires students to prepare a business plan for a new venture and to present this plan in front of a critical audience. Usually offered every year.
Aldo Musacchio

BUS 232f Digital Fabrication with Robotics
Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
The goal of this course is for students to walk away with the ability to imagine a design and produce it in physical reality. Students will learn the fundamental underlying technologies in digital fabrication, 3D scanning, 3D design, and robotics. Through a combination of real world examples and hands-on experiences, students will learn to take a design from concept to reality. There will be a focus on literacy of underlying technologies: how things work, what their limitations are, why they fail, and how to troubleshoot or design around those limitations. Usually offered every semester.
Ian Roy

BUS 233a Entrepreneurship and Rapid Prototyping
Recommended prerequisites: BUS 152a and BUS 232f.
Focuses on prototyping/lean startup, minimum-viable products, design thinking, project management, and product/service development. Today, the most important skills entrepreneurs need to have are not necessarily learned in the traditional classroom environment. The work of an entrepreneur and project manager of any kind requires mastering the art of rapid experimentation/prototyping with multiple iterations to improve systems, products or services. This course is designed to allow students learn those tools in a hands-on, immersive approach, allowing students to launch one actual product or service in the course of a semester. Usually offered every year.
Ian Roy

BUS 235f Real Estate Fundamentals
Prerequisite: FIN 212a (can be taken concurrently). Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
Introduction to the analysis, financing, and management of income-producing real property. Explores how investors and developers identify projects, determine value, design marketing strategies, and obtain financing in the debt and equity markets. Usually offered every year.
Shaw Lupton

BUS 236f International Real Estate: The Emerging Markets
Prerequisite: BUS 235f. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
The course looks at the analysis, financing, and management of income-producing real property in the Emerging Markets. Using case discussion, we will explore how developers and investors identify projects, determine value, design marketing strategies, and obtain financing in their various markets. Usually offered every second year.
Edward Bayone

BUS 237f International Real Estate: The Mature Markets
Prerequisite: BUS 235f. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
Building on BUS 235f, this course looks at the analysis, financing, and management of income-producing real property in mature markets abroad. Using case discussion, it explores how developers and investors identify projects, determine value, design marketing strategies, and obtain financing in their debt and equity markets. Usually offered every second year.
Edward Bayone

BUS 238f Real Estate Development
Prerequisite: BUS 235f. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
Focuses on how developers create value from real estate assets. Examines development process: market analysis, site selection, acquisition, planning, construction, leasing and permitting. Working in teams, students plan and present actual original development projects to a visiting panel of professionals. Usually offered every year.
Staff

BUS 240f Information Visualization
Prerequisite: BUS 211f, or the equivalent. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
Modern computer graphics provide many ways to tame "big data," allowing users not only to view multidimensional information, but to interactively explore, combine, and interpret massive volumes of information using software tools including R, Microstrategy and Tableau. Usually offered every semester.
Arnold Kamis

BUS 248b Business in Global Markets
Noncredit.
Usually offered every year.
Staff

BUS 249f Immersion Experience
Prerequisite: BUS 248b. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit. Meets in a country with a dynamic business and economic environment. Consult the program administrator for details regarding special costs and meeting times.
Provides analysis of the host country's business, economy, markets, and institutions, in the broader context of its history, politics, culture, and society. Explores their relationship with broader global trends in business. In-country program consists of academic lectures, field trips to companies and other institutions, and group discussion. Preparatory lectures at Brandeis in advance of visit. Usually offered every year.
Staff

BUS 252a Marketing Management
An in-depth exploration and practical application of the basic marketing tools of product policy, pricing, promotion, distribution, sales management, customer segmentation, and retention in order to analyze marketing opportunities and develop marketing programs for a variety of management situations. Usually offered every year.
Grace Zimmerman

BUS 253a Marketing Research: Design and Analysis
A practical exploration of a broad sampling of market research techniques to compile, analyze, and apply consumer, product, and market intelligence to strategic and marketing decisions concerning market segmentation, targeting, positioning, product design, and demand forecast. Usually offered every year.
Jane Ebert

BUS 254a Branding Strategy
Prerequisite: BUS 252a.
Examines the value of building, sustaining, and communicating a company's brand and its value proposition through promotional activities and channels of distribution. A competitive, online simulation is used to enhance case studies. Usually offered every year.
Grace Zimmerman

BUS 255a Consumer Behavior
Focuses on fundamental theories and concepts in consumer psychology and exciting new findings to enhance students' understanding of how and why people choose, use and evaluate goods and services the way they do. This knowledge will come from lectures, readings and discussions in class, but also from hands-on experiential learning through involvement in a semester-long group project. Usually offered every year.
Jane Ebert

BUS 256a Marketing Analytics
Prerequisite: Statistics. Corequisite: BUS 211f.
Provides experience with applications of business analytics to marketing decisions. We begin each topic with a representative case study, practicing the skills of framing questions and decisions in ways that can be answered with available data. We study a group of widely-used statistical models to support and/or automate marketing decisions. Usually offered every year.
Xavi Vidal-Berastain

BUS 257f Social Media and Advertising
Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
Explores the activities a company undertakes to educate, engage and prompt to action its various target customer segments. Topics include advertising, promotions, event sponsorship, internet marketing, social media marketing, corporate blogs, word-of-mouth advertising, and marketing communications for social initiatives. Usually offered every year.
David Shaby

BUS 258f Sales and Sales Management
Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
Explores concepts and techniques for professional sales and sales management. Includes strategies for maximizing revenue and customer satisfaction while optimizing costs to sell, service and maintain customer relationships. Usually offered every year.
Robert Malenfant

BUS 259f Digital Marketing
Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
Introduces students to important concepts and techniques of online marketing, such as search engine optimization (SEO), paid search marketing (search and display ads), web analytics, and monetization models (sales funnel and email campaigns). Students will have first-hand experience applying these concepts and techniques by building a website themselves to market a product or service. Usually offered every semester.
David Shaby

BUS 260a Competition and Strategy
Introduces frameworks for analyzing industries and firm competitive advantage and reviews key concepts in business strategy. Uses case method to practice strategic thinking and team projects to practice business research. Core for MBA students and recommended for other business students. Usually offered every year.
Benjamin Gomes-Casseres

BUS 261a Managing Technology and Innovation
Focuses on skills and strategies needed to develop businesses based on new technologies. Through discussion of cases and concepts, the course explores innovation and technology management, strategy, marketing, financing, and performance of new ventures in entrepreneurial or existing firms. Usually offered every year.
Benjamin Gomes-Casseres

BUS 262a Alliance, Acquisition, and Divestment Strategy
Business combinations are central to competitive strategy. Inter-firm alliances of various sorts (e.g., joint ventures) are particularly valuable in rapidly changing industries and in unfamiliar markets. Mergers and acquisitions can add value when scale and scope are keys to success. Surveys the strategic and organizational issues involved in business combinations. Discusses ideas from research, and applies them to managerial decisions using case studies and projects. Jointly taught by researcher and experienced consultant. Usually offered every year.
Benjamin Gomes-Casseres

BUS 263a Strategy and Innovation
Prerequisites: Knowledge of microeconomics and business studies, and ability to analyze financial statements. May not be taken for credit by students who took BUS 260a in prior years.
Fast-moving and intensive study of the most important concepts and techniques in business strategy, with special emphasis on the process of innovation. The course is organized in three parts. First, we study fundamental frameworks in competitive strategy, and apply these to classic cases. Second, we examine how businesses create new value by combining assets in M&A and partnerships. Third, we use the ideas from both of these sections to explore how business and industries innovate. Usually offered every year.
Benjamin Gomes-Casseres

BUS 269f Building Sustainable Business
Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
A commitment to corporate sustainability affects business practices, values, and culture. This survey course examines the influence of corporate sustainability on internal operations, supply chain management, employee engagement, product development, market communications, strategic planning, corporate compliance, and investor relations. Highly recommended as an introduction to the field. Not offered in 2020-2021.
Mitch Tyson

BUS 272a Operations Management
Explores how different business strategies require different business processes, and, conversely, how different operational capabilities support different strategies to gain competitive advantage. Topics may include inventory management, cycle time management, supply chain management, quality management, and process management and improvement, as well as recent developments such as lean or world-class manufacturing, just-in-time operations, time-based competition, and business reengineering. Usually offered every year.
Brad Morrison

BUS 274f Supply Chain Analytics
Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
Instructs students how to optimize supply chain processes so that they can achieve a company's strategic goal of either efficiency or responsiveness. The course will cover supply chain metrics, production planning, inventory control and supply chain coordination. We will also investigate global supply chain design, logistics, and outsourcing. Usually offered every year.
Lawrence Strauss

BUS 275a Introduction to Negotiations
Introduces students to the fundamentals of negotiation analysis and practice. It uses case studies and experiential exercises, which take place inside and outside of the classroom to build an analytic and behavioral framework for sharpening understanding and improving performance in negotiation. Usually offered every year.
Sava Berhane

BUS 276a Business Dynamics: Managing in a Complex World
A study of why so many business strategies generate disappointing results or outright failure. Case studies include successful applications of system dynamics in growth strategy, management of technology, operations, project management, and implementation of improvement programs. Usually offered every semester.
Brad Morrison

BUS 278f Corporate Governance: From Colossal Failures to Best Practices
Prerequisite: FIN 212a or FIN 213a. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
How the board of directors, management, shareholders, and an external auditor should work. How individual goals and external pressures influence individuals, and how their decisions impact a corporation's failure or success. Focuses on the United States with comparisons to Europe and Asia. Usually offered every year.
Erich Schumann

BUS 279f Corporate Fraud: Detection and Prevention
Prerequisite: FIN 212a. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
Exposes students to the problem of fraudulent financial reporting, including its causes, impact, and practical, cost-effective responses. Using actual and simulated case material, students will acquire skills needed to identify, investigate, and report findings on corporate fraud. Usually offered every year.
Erich Schumann

BUS 281f Cyber Security and Operational Risks: A Need to Secure the Future
Prerequisite: FIN 212a or FIN 213a. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
Today's managers must be able to assess the risk profile of their business and respond to issues as they arise. Cyber security is an emerging risk for any company, small or large. Examines how companies are dealing with the challenges and legislation that have made executives in the U.S. and abroad fully accountable for effective cyber security and operational risk management processes. Usually offered every year.
Erich Schumann

BUS 286a Applications of System Dynamics
Prerequisite: BUS 276a.
Gives students the opportunity to apply the standard method of system dynamics to assist a real company or organization. The core activity in the course is to work with a client organization, using the tools of system dynamics, to develop insights into a problem the client has identified. Students experience conceptualizing and building a system dynamics model "from scratch," learn a set of standard pieces of model structure called "molecules," and gain an appreciation for the challenges and rewards of consulting for clients in a helping relationship. Usually offered every year.
Brad Morrison

BUS 290a Directed Research
Prerequisite: Two full semesters of MSBA coursework (at least 32 credits). Open to Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) students only.
The MSBA Directed Research is a 4-credit course that provides an opportunity for MSBA students to carry out a detailed directed research and independent study under the supervision of a faculty member. The MSBA Directed Research requires students to apply principles and frameworks from the MSBA curriculum to identify and analyze a question/puzzle with a data-driven approach that broadens the students understanding and knowledge on that particular issue and could potentially help the student in his/her job search. The Directed Research counts towards fulfilling the 4-credit core practicum requirement for the MSBA degree. As the MSBA Directed Research necessarily requires an advanced understanding of Business Analytics it is expected that students would have completed related coursework prior to undertaking this course. Usually offered every year.
Staff

BUS 291g General Education Seminar
Open only to IBS students. Enrollment is limited. Yields one-fourth course credit (one credit). May be repeated for credit as the seminar topic varies.
Addresses a narrow, important topic and is taught jointly by an IBS faculty member and a prominent outside expert. Each seminar involves nine hours of structured learning and discussion. Usually offered every year.
Staff

BUS 292a Marketing Field Project
Prerequisite: BUS 252a or permission of the instructor. Open to IBS MAief and MBA students only. May be repeated once for credit.
Students work in teams on marketing projects for external sponsors. This course provides an opportunity for students to apply their skills and knowledge to solving real-world problems under the supervision of a faculty member. The course culminates in a final presentation to the sponsor before the end of the semester in which it is undertaken. Field Projects serve as a transition point for students from education to professional practice. Requires a strong foundation in marketing, along with good presentation and teamwork skills. Usually offered every year.
Staff

BUS 293a Real Estate Field Project
Prerequisite: BUS 235f or permission of the instructor. Open to IBS MAief and MBA students only. May be repeated once for credit.
Students work in teams on real estate projects for external sponsors. This course provides an opportunity for students to apply their skills and knowledge to solving real-world problems under the supervision of a faculty member. The course culminates in a final presentation to the sponsor before the end of the semester in which it is undertaken. Field Projects serve as a transition point for students from education to professional practice. Requires a strong foundation in real estate, along with good presentation and teamwork skills. Usually offered every year.
Linda Stoller

BUS 294a Data Analytics Field Project
Prerequisite: BUS 211f or permission of the instructor. Open to IBS MAief and MBA students only. May be repeated once for credit.
Students work in teams on data analytics projects for external sponsors. This course provides an opportunity for students to apply their skills and knowledge to solving real-world problems under the supervision of a faculty member. The course culminates in a final presentation to the sponsor before the end of the semester in which it is undertaken. Field Projects serve as a transition point for students from education to professional practice. Requires a strong foundation in data analytics, along with good presentation and teamwork skills. Usually offered year.
Staff

BUS 295a Field Project: Social Impact Innovation
May be repeated for a total of 8 credits in BUS 295a and BUS 295f with permission of Program Director.
Students work in teams on projects for external sponsors. This course provides an opportunity for students to apply their skills and knowledge to solving real-world problems under the supervision of a faculty member. The course culminates in a final presentation to the sponsor before the end of the semester in which it is undertaken. Field Projects serve as a transition point for students from education to professional practice. Requires a strong foundation in business, along with good presentation and teamwork skills. Usually offered every semester.
Staff

BUS 295f Field Projects
Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit. May be repeated for a total of 8 credits in BUS 295a and BUS 295f with permission of Program Director.
Students work in teams on projects for external sponsors. This course provides an opportunity for students to apply their skills and knowledge to solving real-world problems under the supervision of a faculty member. The course culminates in a final presentation to the sponsor before the end of the semester in which it is undertaken. Field Projects serve as a transition point for students from education to professional practice. Requires a strong foundation in business, along with good presentation and teamwork skills. Enrollment by permission of instructor. Usually offered every semester.
Staff

BUS 296a Internship
Prerequisite: Two full semesters of MSBA coursework (at least 32 credits). Open to Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) students only.
The MSBA Internship is a 4-credit course that provides an opportunity for MSBA students to carry out a formal internship with a client organization under the supervision of a faculty member. The MSBA Internship requires students to apply principles and frameworks from the MSBA curriculum for a client organization seeking help with a business analytical challenge. The Internship counts towards fulfilling the 4-credit core practicum requirement for the MSBA degree. Along with the Field Project in Business Analytics, the MSBA Internship serves as a transition point for students from education to professional practice. Usually offered every year.
Staff

BUS 297a Internship
Prerequisite: Two semesters at IBS or permission of program director. Yields half-course credit. May be repeated for credit up to 3 times (6 credits) for IBS MAief and MBA students only. MSF and MSBA students may take only once.
Offers students an opportunity to apply the theories and key themes covered in the core courses in a real-life setting. Requires completion of at least six weeks of a paid or unpaid internship approved and monitored by a faculty advisor. The project could involve a research or consulting assignment or a structured internship in the school's fields. Interested students should consult the guidelines established by the school. Usually offered every semester.
Staff

BUS 297c Leadership Internships in Social Impact Organizations
Yields half-course credit per semester. Both semesters are required.
Provides an opportunity for students to individually assume high level strategic, tactical and/or leadership assignments in social impact organizations. Students may become a non-voting board fellow as part of their assignment and/or may be providing board level strategic and tactical consulting, depending on the nature of the host organization and the scope of each student's particular assignment. All opportunities will provide a forum for students to develop and amplify their own unique brand of high stakes contributions to real world social impact organizations. Usually offered every year.
Gene Miller

BUS 297g Internship
Prerequisite: Two semesters at IBS or permission of program director. Yields quarter-course credit. This course may be repeated twice for credit.
Offers students an opportunity to apply the theories and key themes covered in the core courses in a real-life setting. Requires completion of at least six weeks of a paid or unpaid internship approved and monitored by a faculty advisor. The project could involve a research or consulting assignment or a structured internship in the school's fields. Interested students should consult the guidelines established by the school. Usually offered every semester.
Staff

BUS 298a Independent Study
Normally available for a student who wishes to pursue advanced reading on research in a subject or field not available in the department's course listings. Usually offered every semester.
Staff

BUS 298f Independent Study
Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
See BUS 298a for course description.
Staff

BUS 299a Master's Project
Prerequisite: Two semesters at IBS or permission of program director.
A student wishing to complete a master's project under the guidance of a faculty advisor may enroll in this course during his or her second year in the master's program. Projects may involve a short analytical thesis, the solution of an applied problem, or a report on work completed in an appropriate internship. In exceptional cases a student may undertake a master’s thesis so demanding that it requires two semesters. In such cases, with careful consideration of the faculty adviser and the program director, the student may enroll in this course for his/her two final semesters. Usually offered every year.
Staff

BUS 398a Independent Study
Normally available for a PhD student who wishes to pursue advanced reading under the direction of a faculty member. Usually offered every semester.
Staff

BUS/ECON 250g Doing Business in the U.S. Economic Landscape
Studies emerging issues in the US economy, as interpreted by distinguished business leaders and economists. The proposed topics for this year’s course include the effects of the pandemic on business, business and international relations, and diversity, equity, and inclusion in the business environment. Special one-time offering, fall 2020.
Staff

BUS/ECON 265a Business and Economic Strategies in Emerging Markets
Formerly offered as BUS 265a.
Studies the economic strategies followed by emerging markets and examines the differences in the business environment in emerging and developed markets. We then zoom in and study the strategies of firms that successfully (and unsuccessfully) do business in emerging markets. We analyze strategy in large and small entrepreneurial firms, particularly social enterprises that target the base of the pyramid. Usually offered every year.
Aldo Musacchio

BUS/FIN 241a Machine Learning and Data Analysis for Business and Finance
Prerequisites: ECON 213a and BUS 215f, previous experience coursework in Python. May not be taken for credit by students who took BUS/FIN 241f in prior years.
Offers a general topics course on machine learning tools, and their
implementation through Python, and the Python packages, Scikit Learn, Keras,
TensorFlow, and the Natural Language Toolkit (NLT). The course is oriented
heavily to applications in business and finance, giving students the tools
needed to survive in the modern data analytics space. It is not intended as a deep theoretical approach to machine learning. Students will finish the class with a basic understanding of how to execute predictive analytic algorithms, as well as rigorously test their performance. The course is statistical in nature. Usually offered every semester.
Blake LeBaron

ECON 202a Applied International Macroeconomics
Using countries to illustrate, this course covers domestic and international macroeconomics. Topics include the goals and functioning of monetary authorities, financial crises, international competitiveness and PPP, exchange rate regimes, hyperinflation, and the sustainability of government finances. Students also master basic skills for manipulating and presenting macroeconomic information. Usually offered every year.
Carol Osler

ECON 207a Managerial Economics
Teaches students to apply basic microeconomic concepts to business and management decision-making. Key concepts include consumer behavior, properties of market supply and demand, firm's production decisions, market structures, government interventions in the markets, and optimal pricing strategy under various market conditions such as monopoly and oligopoly. Usually offered every year.
Alice Hsiaw

ECON 213a Applied Econometrics with R
May not be taken for credit by students who took ECON 184b.
Aims at introducing econometric models and empirical techniques that are useful to conduct economic research with data. The course covers linear regression models, discrete choice models, time series models, and panel data models. We will devote significant space to empirical applications, and give the students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience on how to conduct empirical work in econometrics using the R programming language. Usually offered every year.
Benjamin Koskinen and Davide Pettenuzzo

ECON 217f Game Theory and Business Strategy
Prerequisites: ECON 207a or an intermediate microeconomics course. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
In economics, a "game" is a situation in which the best course of action depends on what others choose to do. This course studies game theory as a form of strategic analysis that can be applied to a myriad of business settings, the foremost of which is economic competition. Not offered in 2020-2021.
Benjamin Koskinen

ECON 235a Central Banking Seminar
Prerequisites: ECON 82b or ECON 202a.
Studies the origins of banks and central banks; old and new debates about monetary policy including inflation targeting: sophisticated questions such as whether central banks should pay interest on reserves; and finally the appropriate policies for central banks in a financially turbulent world. Each week students read a substantial amount and synthesize it in a short paper. Class is devoted to discussion. Each student makes two presentations. Usually offered every year.
Lynn Browne

ECON 241a Antitrust Economics: Regulating Competition
Prerequisites: ECON 80a or ECON 207a.
Studies antitrust economics and economic regulation. The first part of the course will introduce the student to the economics of antitrust and to the economic theories and tools needed to understand and conduct antitrust policy analysis. The second part of the course will focus on economic regulation and introduce the student to the theory and practice of economic regulation involving the basics of natural monopoly regulation as applied to public utilities such as electricity, gas, water and telecommunications. Usually offered every year.
Agustin Ros

ECON 260a International Trade Policy and Institutions
Prerequisite: Intermediate Microeconomics or ECON 207a.
Develops the fundamental economic theories behind the various policies that regulate and interfere with international trade. Examines the predominant national and international institutions that are charged with administering these policies as well as the scope and process for potential reform. Usually offered every year.
Judith Dean

ECON 261a Empirical Analysis of Trade Policy
Prerequisites: One semester of econometrics, at either the undergraduate or graduate level, and one semester of international trade, at either the undergraduate or graduate level.
Explores contemporary trade policy issues, with a focus on emerging markets, while helping students learn advanced econometric techniques. Students read professional empirical studies to learn what we know and carry out their own original research on a policy issue, from data collection to econometric testing and evaluation. Usually offered every year.
Judith Dean

ECON 270a Economic Development Strategies
Prerequisites: At least one semester of undergraduate microeconomics and one semester of undergraduate macroeconomics, or the equivalent.
Discusses the current situation of developing countries and the main theories of development and underdevelopment. Introduces the field and tools of development economics, explores the theoretical and policy debates around developing economies, and looks at alternative development strategies. Usually offered every year.
Judith Dean

ECON 281f Challenges in the Global Economy: International Trade and Development
Prerequisites: ECON 260a or equivalent, or permission from the instructor. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
Focuses on the current challenges in trade policy and economic development. Students will apply tools and concepts from international trade, microeconomics, development and statistics to analyze key issues facing policymakers and international organizations. Usually offered every year.
Judith Dean

ECON 282f Challenges in the Global Economy: Macroeconomic Policy and Finance
Prerequisite: ECON 202a, ECON 207a, ECON 213a, FIN 201a, and FIN 212a or FIN 213a. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
Focuses on current challenges in growth, monetary, fiscal and regulatory policy. Students will apply tools and concepts from international macroeconomic, finance, accounting and statistics to analyze key issues facing policymakers and international organizations. Usually offered every year.
Stephen Cecchetti

ECON 286a International Institutions Laboratory
Prerequisites: ECON 202a.
International institutions—including the International Monetary Fund, multilateral development banks, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and many others—manage cooperation on global economic issues ranging from financial stability and fair trade to poverty reduction and climate change. This course examines the structure, operations and effectiveness of multilateral organizations and enables students to contribute to their work with research projects conducted under the guidance of Brandeis faculty and the staff of cooperating institutions. Usually offered every year.
Peter Petri

ECON 298a Independent Study
Normally available for a student who wishes to pursue advanced reading or research in a subject or field not available in the department's course listings. Usually offered every semester.
Staff

ECON 298f Independent Study
Open only to IBS students. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
Normally available for a student who wishes to pursue advanced reading on research in a subject or field not available in the department's course listings. Usually offered every year.
Staff

ECON 299a Master's Project
Prerequisite: Two semesters at IBS or permission of program director.
A student wishing to complete a master's project under the guidance of a faculty advisor may enroll in this course during his or her second year in the master's program. Projects may involve a short analytical thesis, the solution of an applied problem, or a report on work completed in an appropriate internship. In exceptional cases a student may undertake a master’s thesis so demanding that it requires two semesters. In such cases, with careful consideration of the faculty adviser and the program director, the student may enroll in this course for his/her two final semesters. Usually offered every year.
Staff

ECON 301a Advanced Microeconomics I
Prerequisites: Microeconomics and math.
Study of the theories of microeconomics, including optimization, theory of the firm, theory of the consumer, duality theory, general equilibrium, welfare economics, public goods, and externalities. Usually offered every second year.
Alice Hsiaw

ECON 302a Advanced Microeconomics II
Prerequisites: ECON 301a.
This course will focus on game theory with specific emphasis on its application to firm behavior, information economics, and the study of market organization including auctions. Important contributions of behavioral economics will also be address in this course. A strong emphasis will be placed on acquiring the tools that are required for economic research. Usually offered every second year.
Benjamin Koskinen

ECON 303a Advanced Macroeconomics I
Prerequisites: course work in microeconomics and mathematics.
Study of modern theories of short-run and long-run determination of aggregate income. Topics include private consumption and investment behavior, fiscal policy, the current account and exchange rates, economic growth, and stochastic dynamic programming with applications to macroeconomics. Usually offered every second year.
George Hall

ECON 304a Advanced Macroeconomics II
Prerequisite: ECON 303a.
Current research issues in macroeconomics, such as the impact of supply shocks, real demand shocks, and monetary shocks on output, interest rates, and exchange rates. Empirical studies and testing of competing macroeconomic theories. Usually offered every second year.
Jean-Paul L'Huillier

ECON 307f Applied Methods I
Prerequisite: ECON 304a. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
An advanced topics course on contemporary methods to solve, estimate, and evaluate structural models. Usually offered every second year.
Jean-Paul L'Huillier

ECON 308f Applied Methods II
Prerequisites: ECON 302a, ECON 311a, and knowledge of game theory and calculus. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit. Intended for IBS PhD students.
Develops both reduced form and structural modeling techniques commonly used within the more general field of microeconomics. Throughout the course, there will be an emphasis on the thought process the authors went through in writing the papers. What are the goals of the paper? Why is the question/topic important? Is a non-structural method sufficient for answering the question? Why or why not? What benefits do more complicated structural models yield (in some contexts)? Is the model identified (apart from by functional form)? Are there features missing in the model that bias the findings? Usually offered every second year.
Benjamin Shiller

ECON 311a Advanced Econometrics I
Prerequisites: Statistics and math.
Econometric theory and applications. Discusses the statistical theory of regression modeling and associated hypothesis testing, with emphasis on the construction, interpretation, and use of econometric models. Usually offered every second year.
Tymon Słoczyński

ECON 312a Advanced Econometrics II
Prerequisite: ECON 311a or consent of instructor.
Examines the models and statistical techniques used to study time series data. Topics will include linear and non-linear univariate as well as multivariate econometric models. One objective of the course is to provide the students with a good understanding of econometric models for time series data. These models are widely used in the empirical literature, and a good understanding of these models is crucial for the second objective of the course: to provide the students with the ability to evaluate recent empirical studies. The third objective of the course is to develop practical skills, which are necessary to perform independent research using real world data. A theme throughout the course is the use of computational methods for analyzing the material covered in class, and throughout the course we will rely heavily on examples and applications with Matlab. Usually offered every second year.
Davide Pettenuzzo

ECON 330a International Macroeconomics
Prerequisite: ECON 304a.
Applications of macroeconomic theory to open economies. Topics include international parity theorems, models of exchange rate determination, and central bank management of the exchange-rate. Usually offered every second year.
Raphael Schoenle

ECON 360a International Trade Theory
Open only to IBS students.
Analyzes the economic issues involved in the integration into world markets of trade in consulting and professional services, investment, financial and banking services, telecommunications, and transportation. Also addresses the tradeoffs in regulating services trade through the WTO's General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), regional initiatives, as well as conflict areas and dispute settlement. Usually offered every second year.
Judith Dean

ECON 370a Development Economics
Prerequisite: ECON 302a.
Reviews neoclassical and endogenous growth theory as it relates to the experience of developing countries. Also examines recent applied work relating to household fertility, natural resource depletion, technology, and sustainable growth, and various political economy issues, including the link between inequality and growth, the interaction between economic growth and political systems, and a range of issues that engage the new institutional economics. Usually offered every second year.
Nidhiya Menon

ECON 398a Independent Study
Normally available for a PhD student who wishes to pursue advanced reading under the direction of a faculty member. Usually offered every semester.
Staff

ECON 399a Dissertation Workshop
Prerequisites: ECON 302a and ECON 304a.
Involves invited lectures by Brandeis faculty and other researchers. Presentation and discussion of dissertation topics and work in progress. Usually offered every year.
Nidhiya Menon

ECON/FIN 209a Behavioral Finance and Economics
Prerequisites: ECON 207a or intermediate microeconomics and statistics.
How do economic agents make decisions? Though economists historically assumed that decisions are made "rationally," the evidence suggests otherwise. Examines evidence on human decision-making processes culled from many disciplines. Students investigate how those processes can explain observed patterns in economic and financial behavior. They also analyze how such behavior can explain observed market phenomena that would not emerge if agents were "personally rational." Usually offered every year.
Carol Osler

ECON/FIN 243a Technological Rivalry
From the digital transformation of production to social networks, innovations are disrupting industries and global competition. They not only create threats and opportunities for firms but are also determinants of the welfare and security of nations. This course examines how innovation affects economic progress, how governments try to manage innovation, how firms compete in exciting high-tech sectors, and how countries contest technological leadership, especially in the Asia-Pacific region. Usually offered every second year.
Peter Petri

ECON/FIN 250a Forecasting in Finance and Economics
Prerequisites: FIN 201a or FIN 203a and ECON 213a.
Covers the basics of forecasting and time series analysis as used in finance and economics. Time series topics will include linear regression, ARMA models, trend modeling, seasonal adjustments, and volatility modeling. We will also cover more unusual topics such as bootstrapping, and technical trading rules. Students will leave the course with a good introduction to many of the tools used in modern time series forecasting and quantitative finance. Usually offered every semester.
Blake LeBaron

ECON/FIN 291g Quant Lab Seminar
Offered exclusively on a credit/no credit basis. Open only to IBS students. Enrollment is limited; signature of the instructor is required. Yields one-fourth course credit. May be repeated for credit as the seminar topic varies.
Students will learn the basics of a programming language and its applications for data analytics in economics, business and finance. The course is graded on the basis of a final project that requires original coding to solve a particular problem or to analyze an original data set. Students are expected to attend class, watch tutorial videos, complete problem sets and work on the final project. Usually offered every year.
Staff

FIN 201a Investments
Prerequisite: Statistics. May not be taken for credit by students who have taken Econ 171a.
Covers topics related to financial economics, including investors' attitudes toward risk, capital allocation, portfolio selection, asset pricing models (Capital Asset Pricing Model and the Arbitrage Pricing Theory), the efficient market hypothesis, fixed income markets, equity valuation, and options and futures markets. Usually offered every semester.
John Ballantine and Anna Scherbina

FIN 202a Corporate Finance
Prerequisite: FIN 201a and FIN 212a.
Focuses on how companies make their investment, financing, and dividend decisions in a global environment. Examines the theory and practices of firms through a combination of current articles, problems in the text, and case analysis. Students will have a firm understanding of how companies create value through their decisions. Usually offered every semester.
Hamza Abdurezak and Yang Sun

FIN 203a Financial Management
May not be taken for credit by students who took BUS 71a, ECON 171a, FIN 201a, or FIN 202a in prior years.
Aims to develop the financial skills and logical thought processes necessary to make and implement business decisions in a global environment. The main objective is to analyze how financial managers make decisions within a framework which emphasizes the time value of money and the relationship between expected return and risk. The course also examines different techniques used by financial managers to evaluate feasibility of undertaking new projects (i.e., capital budgeting). Usually offered every year.
Staff

FIN 204a Advanced Corporate Finance Theory and Practice
Open to Master of Science in Finance (MSF) students only.
Develops depth of financial skills and logical thought processes necessary to formulate and implement corporate finance decisions in a competitive environment. Usually offered every year.
Debarshi Nandy and Robert Podorefsky

FIN 212a Accounting and Financial Analysis
Develops a fundamental understanding of financial accounting and corporate reporting issues. Students will be exposed to a variety of real world applications involving for profit financial statements. More specifically, students will acquire skills allowing them to read, interpret and analyze the income statement, balance sheet and the statement of cash flows. This course will primarily address accounting standards employed in the US (GAAP) but will acquaint students with international standards (IFRS) used by other countries in numerous accounting areas. Further, issues related to the project on the convergence of standards currently being conducted by the FASB and IASB will be discussed. Throughout the course, emphasis will be placed on interpreting financial statements to understand how accounting information, in a variety of decision settings, can be utilized by managers. Usually offered every year.
Brenda Anderson

FIN 213a Intermediate Financial Accounting
Prerequisite: FIN 212a or an approved an introductory course in the area of financial accounting.
Students should be familiar with the formal financial statements, transaction analysis, income measurement and accrual accounting. This course provides an extensive expansion of the introductory accounting course. Additional topics include revenue recognition, long term construction contracts, deferred taxes, capital leases, pensions, inventory valuation, dollar value LIFO, earnings per share and share based compensation. Usually offered every year.
Hagit Weihs

FIN 214a Managerial Accounting
Prerequisite: FIN 212a or FIN 213a.
Provides a general introduction to the concepts, problems and issues related to managerial accounting. Managerial accounting predominantly addresses the internal use of economic information regarding the resources used in the process of producing goods and providing services. Internal users of accounting information are all of those individuals that are involved in the business decision-making process of the economic entity. In the course, you will become acquainted with some of the conventional methods of internal reporting used in planning, control and decision-making. Fundamental aspects of cost behavior and cost accounting will also be discussed, but always from the perspective of the manager who must make decisions rather than the accountant who prepares the information. Usually offered every year.
Matthew Petit

FIN 215f Python and Applications to Finance
Open only to IBS Master of Science in Finance (MSF) students with a concentration in Fintech.
Designed for finance students to build a skill set that can harness the power of the computer, computer science, and data analysis to various applications in finance. A set of these applications in finance that are relevant is data analysis (statistics), data visualization (charting), algorithms (optimization, numerical methods, linear algebra), and forecasting (time series analytics, stochastic methods). Usually offered every year.
Ahmad Namini

FIN 216f Financial Statement Analysis
Prerequisite: FIN 212a or FIN 213a. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
Presents techniques of financial statement analysis that deepen the understanding of financial statements and the economic and strategic information they provide. Exposes students to the financial reporting environment and practices of U.S. companies. The course does not cover equity valuation. Usually offered every semester.
Robert Angell

FIN 217f Corporate Financial Modeling
Prerequisite or corequisite: FIN 202a, FIN 203a, or FIN 204a and FIN 212a. Corequisite may be taken during module 2. Students are expected to know basic excel. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
Develops skill sets required for an integrated corporate financial modeling. The course takes an approach of first developing the building blocks of financial models and integrate them into pro forma financial statements forecasting from which cash flows can be built for valuation, scenarios and sensitivity analysis. The course starts out with a quick review of critical excel skills required for this module, followed by developing coherent frameworks for financial modeling and valuation. The course culminates with students applying these modeling frameworks to real company of financial modeling project and presentation. Usually offered every semester.
Hamza Abdurezak

FIN 218f Portfolio Financial Modeling
Prerequisite or corequisite: FIN 201a or FIN 203a. Corequisite may be taken during module 2. Students are expected to know basic excel. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
Introduces fundamental methods and frameworks for portfolio financial modeling. Topics covered include mean-variance- covariance portfolio optimization, Black-Litterman approach to portfolio optimization and other portfolio models. The course is designed to be hands-on implementation of these models using real data and hence requires solid understanding of matrix and array functions and how to implement them in excel or any computational software. Usually offered every semester.
Hamza Abdurezak

FIN 225f Real Estate Finance
Prerequisite: BUS 235f. FIN 202a is strongly recommended. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
Focuses on debt and equity financing of income-producing real property, primarily in the U.S. market. Considers real estate finance from the perspective of the users of capital (developers and property owners) and the sources of capital (lenders and equity investors). Usually offered every year.
Staff

FIN 230a Trading and Exchanges
Prerequisites: FIN 201a or FIN 203a.
The microeconomics of financial markets, with special focus on the foreign exchange market. Topics include market structure, transparency, determination of bid-ask spreads, price discovery, common trading strategies, currency market efficiency. Not offered in 2020-2021.
Carol Osler

FIN 231f Private Equity
Prerequisites: FIN 202a, FIN 203a or FIN 204a. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
Explores the history, structure, players and adjacent industries of Private Equity; the kinds of companies that make attractive candidates for investment; how PE firms add value; what they do when things go wrong; and how they create successful exits. Usually offered every semester.
Michael McKay

FIN 232a Mergers and Acquisitions Analysis
Prerequisites: FIN 201a or FIN 203f and FIN 202a or FIN 204a (may be taken concurrently).
Reviews the core concepts involved in mergers and acquisitions; value, negotiation, deal structuring, corporate strategy and valued added, financing, and tax consequences. Usually offered every semester.
Tibor Toth

FIN 234a Social Impact Investing
Prerequisites: FIN 201a, FIN 202a, FIN 203a or ECON 171a.
Looks at the intersection of finance and a social conscience both from the perspective of investors, and the perspective of corporate decision makers. Investors and businesses face many ESG (environment, social and governance) concerns, including climate change, income inequality, discrimination, and worker welfare, to name only a few. Students will learn about the growing field of ESG investing, and the closely related field of Impact Investing. We will examine how ESG factors can be integrated with other investment criteria such as diversification and risk. In the second part of the course we will examine ESG decisions from the perspective of corporate decision makers, often referred to as CSR (corporate social responsibility). We will look at investments in green technology, investments in the community and involvement in social causes. We will examine these investments both from a social and a financial perspective. Usually offered every year.
Philippe Wells

FIN 235a Investing in Energy: Fossil Fuels to Cleaner Energy
How do energy companies and investors make investment decisions in our current economic/political environment? How do investors assess the risks and the long term opportunities, and what are the potential returns? And how do companies manage energy projects and implement new technologies across many markets and countries? To evaluate energy investments students need to acquire the background knowledge, the technical skills, and an appreciation of the politics of energy policy. This course will establish a broad framework of analysis and it will also let students analyze the economic viability of a specific energy project. Usually offered every year.
John Ballantine

FIN 236f Technical Analysis
Prerequisite: FIN 201a. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
From FX to equity indexes to real estate futures markets, traders rely on technically-derived signals to enter speculative positions, set protective orders, and time their exits. Provides an introduction to technical analysis and familiarizes students with strategies in common use. Usually offered every semester.
David Lundgren

FIN 237f Security Analysis
Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit. Prerequisites: FIN 201a and FIN 212a. FIN 216f is recommended.
Examines fundamental-based investment strategies that funds use to generate alpha or positive risk-adjusted returns, with a focus on long-short equity strategies used by hedge funds and 130/30 mutual funds. Usually offered every year.
Param Roychoudhury

FIN 240a Venture Capital and Entrepreneurial Finance
Prerequisites: FIN 201a or FIN 203a and FIN 202a or FIN 204a.
Emphasizes financial decision making skills for entrepreneurs. The structure will follow the firm's life cycle, with modules on contracting, valuation, and financial planning in the entrepreneurial context, raising capital, security choice, and the structure and valuation of exit decisions in the presence of information uncertainty. Usually offered ever year.
Debarshi Nandy

FIN 242f Credit Risk Analysis
Prerequisite: FIN 212a. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
Examines credit risk (i.e., the possibility that an obligor will fail to perform as agreed) from the perspective of the commercial banker. Focuses on a sound understanding of the firm and its business plan and how the banker constructs the appropriate structure for the senior loan. Topics include asset-based, real estate, and cash flow lending. Usually offered every semester.
Edward Bayone and Ed Dumas

FIN 247a Transfer Pricing Theory and Practice
Prerequisites: FIN 202a, FIN 203a, or FIN 204a and FIN 212a.
Introduces the economics of transfer pricing (a "price setting" exercise adopted by multinational enterprises among divisions within an enterprise). This course draws upon students' multi-disciplinary training across accounting, economics, and finance and applies them to the theory and practice of transfer pricing. Usually offered every year.
Shanto Ghosh

FIN 252a Predictive Analytics and Corporate Innovation
Prerequisite: FIN 204a.
Technology has disrupted business practices dramatically over the last several years. We see great opportunities in applying technology to strategic corporate decision making. The real power of financial technology lies in our ability to think outside the world of structured financial data; incorporate other related structured and non-structured data sources; and incorporate predictive analytics, and AI to develop insights that drive new financial thinking and processes to deliver innovative financial products and strategies for long run productivity improvements. This course will explore these ideas and take initial steps to incorporate predictive analytics in corporate decision making. Usually offered every year.
Debarshi Nandy

FIN 253a Advanced Quantitative Analysis in Finance
Prerequisites: FIN 201a, FIN 204a, and FIN 215f.
Advanced Quantitative Analysis in Finance is a course to introduce students to a broad range of topics related to using quantitative models and the latest financial technologies to generate time value of money via a term structure, trading signals, price instruments, calculate/manage risks and the creation of an algorithmic trading application. This course is designed to be relevant to any finance student that wishes to build a skillset that can harness the power of the computer, computer science, and quantitative analysis to various applications in finance. A set of these applications in finance that are relevant are time series analysis and forecasting, determining trading signals from an exchange limit order book, security pricing using Monte Carlo simulation, building a term structure of interest rates, algorithmic programming, and risk analysis. Usually offered every year.
Ahmad Namini

FIN 254a Modern Finance, Fintech and Beyond
Prerequisite: FIN 201a or FIN 203a.
Examines the modern financial system. First to be discussed is the nature of banking, including the role of shadow banks. We will then proceed to discuss financial regulation, why we need it and how it is changing followed by discussing central banking, examining the role of central banks in the economy. In the last part of the course, we bring the various strands together--banks, shadow banks, regulation and central banks--to examine the future of finance. Usually offered every year.
Stephen Cecchetti

FIN 261a Fixed Income Securities
Prerequisites: FIN 201a or FIN 203a, or permission of the instructor.
Studies fixed income securities; cash flow structures, pricing risk measures; features of major fixed income sectors; valuation of fixed income securities with embedded options; portfolio management and performance measurement; interest rate derivatives and applications to asset/liability management. Usually offered every semester.
Daniel Bergstresser, James Leu, and Robert Podorefsky

FIN 263a International Portfolio Management
Prerequisite: FIN 201a or FIN 203a.
A blend of advanced theory and state-of-the-art practice with a two fold aim: to ground students in the theory of international portfolio investments and to immerse them in the application of global portfolio management in the real world. Usually offered every semester.
Christopher Alt and Jay Leu

FIN 270a Options and Derivatives
Prerequisites: FIN 201a, or permission of the instructor.
Introduces students, using a reasonably formal mathematical approach, to a broad range of topics related to the traded securities, markets, pricing, and applications of financial derivatives. Special focus is placed on how replication is used to price financial derivatives. Derivatives studied include those defined on commodities, currencies, equities and equity indexes, with an introduction to fixed income derivatives. Usually offered every semester.
Christopher Alt, Ying Becker, Eric Nierenberg and Qingxi Xia

FIN 271a Options & Derivatives II
Prerequisites: FIN 270a.
Focuses on numerical methods for pricing various kinds of financial derivatives, with the first third of the lectures focused on reviewing and deepening the understanding of the calculations and models introduced in Options and Derivatives (i.e., FIN 270a). The second third of the course will study Monte Carlo numerical methods for these and related derivatives as well as the pricing of credit derivatives. The final third of the course will focus on interest rate derivatives. The level of mathematics for this courses is the same as FIN 270a. Usually offered every year.
Robert Reitano

FIN 279a Applied Risk Management
Prerequisites: FIN 201a and FIN 212a.
Studies risk management in a variety of contexts as well as the applications of financial derivatives. Focuses on case studies from many industries which address risks related to commodities, weather, foreign exchange rates, interest rate, and credit, and also corporate governance matters and integrated risk management. Students will be expected to be able to analyze a corporate risk situation, work through examples and develop hedging strategies. Usually offered every year.
Robert Reitano

FIN 280a Financial Risk Management
Prerequisite: FIN 201a, FIN 270a or FIN 279a.
Introduces many of the approaches financial institutions (investment and commercial banks, hedge funds, insurance companies and pension plans) take to model, quantify, and manage risk. Types of risks covered include financial (equity, currency, interest rate, and credit), as well as operational. The Basel II and Solvency II regulatory frameworks to risk management will also be studied. Students will be expected to have good exposure to financial derivatives from the prerequisite courses as well as to the basic concepts from calculus and statistics. Usually offered every year.
Robert Reitano

FIN 282f From Cyber to Covid: Shocks, Risks, and Opportunities in Finance
Prerequisite: FIN 201a or FIN 203a. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
Introduces students to new and developing topics in finance and economics, as well as to the new field of behavioral finance and its practical applications. The first part of the course will cover the new and still little understood cybersecurity risk that firms increasingly face as they are becoming more and more reliant on information technology. In the second part of the course, we will analyze the economic impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and its potential long-term effects on the economy. The third part of the course will be devoted to behavioral finance and its practical applications to investments, corporate finance, and entrepreneurship. This part of the course will also cover innovations in the field of asset management and its increasing reliance on big data. Usually offered every year.
Anna Scherbina

FIN 285a Computer Simulations and Risk Assessment
Prerequisite: FIN 201a or FIN 203a.
Introduces the computational tools and show how they can be used in various forms of ﬁnancial risk assessment and portfolio construction. We will look at classic risk methods such as exponentially weighted moving average model and GARCH model, and also other modern methods such as conditional forecasting and copulas. We will apply these concepts through practical examples such as construction of index ETFs and risk-parity strategies. Students are asked to do hands-on programming through both research projects and homework. This course has been taught in various programming languages and current iteration is done through Python. Usually offered every year.
Ying Becker and Qingxi Xia

FIN 288a Corporate Financial Engineering
Prerequisite: FIN 201a. Corequisite: FIN 202a or FIN 204a.
Focuses on how financial engineering is used in firms to reduce their costs of financing, to alter their fundamental risk exposures and, in a handful of cases, to provide them with new ways to compete. Primarily intended for students who plan to serve in corporate roles that will involve significant interaction with financial markets and institutions. Usually offered every year.
Hamza Abdurezak

FIN 291g General Education Seminar
Open only to IBS students. Enrollment is limited. Yields one-fourth course credit (one credit). May be repeated for credit as the seminar topic varies.
Addresses a narrow, important topic and is taught jointly by an IBS faculty member and a prominent outside expert. Each seminar involves nine hours of structured learning and discussion. Usually offered every year.
Staff

FIN 292a Internship
Prerequisite: Two full semesters of MSF coursework (at least 32 credits). Open to Master of Science in Finance (MSF) students only.
Provides an opportunity for MSF students to carry out a formal internship with a client organization under the supervision of a faculty member. The internship requires students to apply principles and frameworks from the MSF curriculum for a client organization seeking help with a management-related challenge. Along with FIN 293a, the Field Project in Finance, the internship serves as a transition point for students from education to professional practice. Usually offered every year.
Staff

FIN 293a Field Project in Finance
Prerequisite: One full semester of MSF coursework (at least 16 credits). Open to Master of Science in Finance (MSF) students only.
Provides a unique and valuable educational opportunity for MSF students to apply their skills and knowledge in a real world setting. Under the supervision of a faculty member, students will partner with a sponsoring firm to work deeply on a theme or question. The course culminates in a final presentation to the sponsor before the end of the semester in which it is undertaken. Each field projects team will consist of 4 to 5 students and an instructor. The primary student outcome is to gain experience evaluating and analyzing financial questions conduct in-depth and sophisticated analysis and market research and understand how financial decisions are taken in a corporation. Along with FIN 292a Internship, Field Project in Finance serves as a transition point for students from education to professional practice. Usually offered every year.
Staff

FIN 294a Directed Research
Prerequisite: Two full semesters of MSF coursework (at least 32 credits). Open to Master of Science in Finance (MSF) students only.
Provides an opportunity for MSF students to carry out a detailed directed research and independent study under the supervision of a faculty member. Directed Research requires students to apply principles and frameworks from the MSF curriculum to identify and analyze a financial question/puzzle that broadens the students understanding and knowledge on that particular issue and could potentially help the student in his/her job search. As Directed Research necessarily requires an advanced understanding of finance knowledge it is expected that students would have completed related coursework prior to undertaking this course. Usually offered every year.
Staff

FIN 298a Independent Study
Normally available for a student who wishes to pursue advanced reading or research in a subject or field not available in the department's course listings. Usually offered every semester.
Staff

FIN 298b Independent Study
Course yields half-course credit.
Normally available for a student who wishes to pursue advanced reading on research in a subject or field not available in the department's course listings. Usually offered every semester.
Staff

FIN 298f Independent Study
Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
Normally available for a student who wishes to pursue advanced reading or research in a subject or field not available in the department's course listings. Usually offered every semester.
Staff

FIN 299a Master's Project
Prerequisite: Two semesters at IBS or permission of program director.
A student wishing to complete a master's project under the guidance of a faculty advisor may enroll in this course during his or her second year in the master's program. Projects may involve a short analytical thesis, the solution of an applied problem, or a report on work completed in an appropriate internship. In exceptional cases a student may undertake a master’s thesis so demanding that it requires two semesters. In such cases, with careful consideration of the faculty adviser and the program director, the student may enroll in this course for his/her two final semesters. Usually offered every year.
Staff

FIN 305f Asset Pricing
Prerequisite: ECON 301a. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
A course in asset pricing for PhD candidates. Topics include risk aversion and choice under uncertainty, no arbitrage and stochastic discount factor, mean variance analysis, factor models, and recent empirical puzzles. Focuses on theory and empirical applications. Usually offered every second year.
Blake LeBaron

FIN 306f Topics in Corporate Finance
Prerequisites: ECON 302a, ECON 304a, and ECON 213a or equivalent. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
Equips students with some fundamental concepts in the field of Corporate Finance and to the tools commonly used to conduct empirical research in this field. This course exposes students to a few active research areas in empirical corporate finance and prominent papers in those areas, both to build a knowledge base and to learn to read and assess empirical research. It prepares students for producing their own high-quality, independent empirical research in corporate finance. Upon successful completion of this course, students will have developed an understanding on issues related to firm and project valuation, capital structure and security issuance decisions, payout policies, and venture capital financing. Usually offered every second year.
Debarshi Nandy

Courses of Related Interest

The following Heller courses may be taken by IBS MBA students only.

ECON 122b The Economics of the Middle East
[ nw ss ]
Prerequisite: ECON 2a or 10a or the equivalent. Does not count toward the upper-level elective requirement for the major in economics.
Examines the Middle East economies – past experiences, present situation, and future challenges – drawing on theories, policy formulations and empirical studies of economic growth, trade, poverty, income distribution, labor markets, finance and banking, government reforms, globalization, and Arab-Israeli political economy. Usually offered every year.
Nader Habibi

ECON 134b Public Sector Economics
[ ss ]
Prerequisites: ECON 80a and ECON 83a or permission of the instructor.
The effect of tax and expenditure policies on economic efficiency and equity. Topics include externalities and public goods, public choice, cost-benefit analysis, income redistribution, social security, and health care. Also discussion of U.S. tax system, public debt, and state and local finance. Usually offered every year.
Staff

ECON 135a Industrial Organization
[ qr ss ]
Prerequisites: ECON 80a and ECON 83a or permission of the instructor.
Microeconomic analysis of firm behavior under alternative market structures and implications for market outcomes. Topics include strategic interaction, entry and exit, collusion, predation, price discrimination, product differentiation, vertical relations, imperfect information, advertising, and patents and innovation. Usually offered every year.
Mahsa Akbari and Benjamin Shiller

ECON 141b Economics of Innovation
[ ss ]
Prerequisites: ECON 80a and ECON 83a or permission of the instructor.
Studies the innovation and technological change as the central focus of modern economies. Topics include the sources of growth, economics of research and development, innovation, diffusion and technology transfer, appropriability, patents, information markets, productivity, institutional innovation, and global competitiveness. Usually offered every year.
Gary Jefferson

ECON 172b Money and Banking
[ ss ]
Prerequisites: ECON 82b and ECON 83a or permission of the instructor.
Examines the relationship of the financial system to real economic activity, focusing especially on banks and central banks. Topics include the monetary and payments systems; financial instruments and their pricing; the structure, management, and regulation of bank and nonbank financial intermediaries and the design and operations of central banks in a modern economy. Usually offered every year.
Scott Redenius

ECON 173a Central Banking: Theory and Policy
[ ss wi ]
Prerequisite: ECON 82b.
Studies the purposes and functions of central banks over time and the challenges they confront. Examines central banks' roles in the recent financial crisis and explores current debates over the policies that central banks are following in its aftermath. Usually offered every year.
Lynn Browne

ECON 175a Introduction to the Economics of Development
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: ECON 2a or 10a or permission of the instructor. Does not count toward the upper-level elective requirement for the major in economics.
An introduction to various models of economic growth and development and evaluation of these perspectives from the experience of developing and industrial countries. Usually offered every second year.
Mahsa Akbari and Nidhiya Menon

ECON 182a Topics in Advanced Macroeconomics
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: ECON 80a, 82b, and 83a.
Contemporary theories of economic growth, business cycles, monetary economics, and financial crises and their implications for monetary and fiscal policy. Emphasis on empirical work and computer modeling. Usually offered every year.
George Hall

ECON 184b Econometrics
[ dl qr ss ]
Prerequisites: ECON 83a. Corequisite: ECON 80a or permission of the instructor. Students must earn a C- or higher in MATH 10a, or otherwise satisfy the calculus requirement, to enroll in this course. This course may not be taken for credit by students who have previously taken or are currently enrolled in ECON 185a or ECON 311a.
An introduction to the theory of econometric regression and forecasting models, with applications to the analysis of business and economic data. Usually offered every year.
Mahsa Akbari, Elizabeth Brainerd and Yinchu Zhu

HS 244a Responsible Negotiation
Provides concepts, observations and suggestions to improve analytical and operational negotiation skills. Everyone negotiates on a daily basis, but what about doing it responsibly? Faced with projects, contracts, conflicts or crises, coping with people, problems and process, how can negotiators lever the right reflections and actions in the right direction? How can they optimize utility for themselves and for others? This course also addresses negotiation foundations on how to do first things first, i.e. how to make the right moves at the right time in order to reach the right decisions and to achieve ad hoc implementation. Usually offered every year.
Alain Lempereur

HS 270a Business Law and Ethics for Managers
Provides a comprehensive introduction to U.S. legal concepts and issues with which contemporary managers should be acquainted as well as the broader ramifications of legal matters on the enterprise as a whole. Examines traditional topics such as contract law, employment law, product liability and legal structures of businesses. It will also include specialized topics such as intellectual property and internet law. Provides students with an understanding of legal issues guiding them with regard to appropriate legal treatment in a variety of settings and discusses ethical dilemmas that potentially present challenges to managers dealing with business and legal issues within organizations will be explored and discussed. Usually offered every year.
Jeffrey Rudin

University Bulletin (2020-2021)