Specialization options

BTMA 631 - Data Mgmt and Business Analytics

This course primarily targets business students interested in business intelligence and data analytics careers, offering a thorough understanding of data management techniques. It encompasses both traditional methods (such as Relational Databases, ERD, SQL, and Data Warehouses) and advanced approaches suitable for contemporary business analytics. Upon completion of the course, students should possess the proficiency to construct and manage data models using MS SQL Server, write optimized SQL queries, execute ETL operations, and generate reports through Power BI Desktop.

BTMA 635 - Enterprise Analysis

Canadian industries have a large and growing demand for business professionals with information technology management (BTM) skills. This course provides a solid foundation in enterprise analysis and IT-enabled change for business students who seek to leverage IT in their chosen major, or those seeking professional certification in business technology management.

BTMA 636 - Data Analytics I

This course introduces students to new tools for data analytics that can be used to discover, collect, organize, and clean data to make it ready for analysis. Topics related to empowering users’ knowledge of data will be covered. Emphasis is placed on using software to interact with data sources and learning the skills to create business applications that encompass a variety of business data sources. Software packages used to clean and organize data for analysis will be introduced, as well as software to enable users’ understanding of the data. The ability to obtain and utilize data from a variety of sources is critical. This class explores the collection and use of data for business purposes. The value of data comes from the insights gained from exploring and analyzing that data, so this course also introduces statistical and regression models in different settings.

BTMA 637 - Data Analytics II

This course is an examination of tools and methods used in data analysis. As technology advances, methods to explore data have expanded to include basic and advanced analytic tools. The available data has exploded in recent years, so it is critical to have the skills to conduct analysis upon which sound business decisions are made. The course will be based around usage of R programming to analyze and make predictions on different types of business data. Statistical and other analytic tools such as data mining, machine learning, social network analytics, text mining, and other data analytics tools and their application to business will be explored.

ENTI 609 - Technology and Innovation Management

The purpose of the course is to expose you to the dynamics of technological innovation and provide a deep grounding in the organizational practices and processes to manage innovation strategically. It is designed for students who may someday work or consult for and create firms to successfully bring technological innovations to the market. We will examine aspects of technological innovation: sources, patterns, and cycles of innovation; exploring innovation via experimentation and iteration; and organizing for innovation. Our focus will be on entrepreneurial firms (new and established) that have been successful and unsuccessful in their innovation effort.

ENTI 611 - Technology Commercialization

Unlike other theory or 'book' classes, this course provides a real in-person face-to-face experience in preparing students to start a technology-based company. It is NOT about writing a feasibility study or business plan. Instead, through computer simulation, we will place you into a very realistic high technology business setting where students will experience the uncertainty, ambiguity, and chaos of giving birth to a new business. Students will be working and studying in teams of their own choosing, although there will also be individual tests and assignments. The simulation software used in the course will let students build a tech firm, experiment with strategies, and compete with other students in a virtual business world. In addition to helping students develop skills that will be valuable in starting a new business, this course will help students decide if entrepreneurship is right for them.

ENTI 613 - Strategies in Social Enterprise

A social enterprise focuses on solving complex societal problems through market-based solutions. Social entrepreneurship can be found in any organizational setting, non-profit or for-profit, and remains agnostic to the ownership structure. The social enterprise community is rapidly growing on a global and local level. With the changing political landscape, social enterprises blur the traditionally separate roles of governments, non-governmental organizations, companies, and social ventures. This course will concentrate on for-profit models, but many of the principles and tools are applicable to any entrepreneurial or intrapreneurial (new social or environmental change initiatives in existing organizations) endeavors with a social mission.

ENTI 621 - (CDL) Start-up Venture Analysis

Application of entrepreneurship, stakeholder and financial theory to the development, analysis, valuation, and financing of new ventures. Course balances the learning of concepts, development of qualitative and quantitative analytical skills, and practice in entrepreneurial decision making. Opportunity to apply learning to exercises and cases, and to learn about real-world financing situations.

This course is designed to help students learn about venture formation, development of a viable business model, early-stage financing, and the management of massively scalable companies through a series of close interactions with early-stage technology ventures participating in the Creative Destruction Lab Rockies (CDL-Rockies) program. In addition, students will have the opportunity to observe the interaction between these ventures and their potential mentors and investors (CDL-Rockies Fellows and Associates). This course is suitable for students pursuing careers in strategy, innovation, entrepreneurship, and finance.

ENTI 623 - Creative Destruction Lab - Rockies 2

This course is designed to help students learn about the formation, financing, and management of massively scalable ventures through the effective secondment of a student into an early-stage deep technology company participating in the CDL-Rockies program. Each student is required to demonstrate, through the completion of several consulting projects and the preparation of a venture-specific investment memorandum, the ability to apply entrepreneurship theory and concepts learned over the course of their MBA studies to the development of new ventures.

ENTI 631 - New Venture Law

New Venture Law emphasizes the practical aspects of legal planning for new ventures as opposed to legal theory. This course is designed to provide students with an opportunity to address corporate/commercial legal issues that commonly confront managers and entrepreneurs, to incorporate strategic legal analysis into their decision-making skills, and to analyze and assess risk, threats, and opportunities from a legal perspective.

ENTI 668 - Generative AI and Prompting

Learn to use generative AI effectively through prompting techniques, templates, and tools. Emphasis on innovative and entrepreneurial applications through the use of ChatGPT (including Plugins and Code Interpreter), Midjourney, as well as APIs, scripting and no-code tools to build solutions with Generative AI.

FNCE 611 - Advanced Topics in Financial Administration

The purpose of this course is to develop an understanding of modern corporate finance so that the student will have the conceptual foundations to make intelligent corporate financial decisions. The course will deepen the student’s knowledge with respect to the topics that are covered in FNCE 601 and broaden the knowledge-base into other areas of corporate finance.

In particular, the course will provide an in-depth analysis of project valuation, cost of capital, capital structure theory, firm valuation, payout policy, and financing decisions. While the course is not designed to dwell on abstraction, the basic theoretical foundations of the various topics are a prerequisite to competent analysis and intellectual discussion. To highlight the practical importance of the material and as an illustration of the relevant theory, we will discuss several examples and cases throughout the course.

FNCE 613 - Investments and Portfolio Management

The purpose of this course is to introduce contemporary theories and practices of security analysis and investments. The first half of the course presents important ideas behind investment decisions – the benefits of diversification, and the principles for optimal capital allocation and portfolio management. It also demonstrates the consequences those decisions have on expected returns – the CAPM and other models linking risk and return. The second half focuses on the main techniques used for valuation and portfolio performance evaluation.

FNCE 631 - Fintech

In this course, we will try to understand fast-moving recent technological improvements in various industries and speculate how they change the conventional thinking & trading in the banking and finance industry. Students are highly encouraged to participate in the related discussion and provide ideas on Fintech-related business models in the future.

FNCE 645 - Futures and Options

This course will provide a theoretical and practical overview of Futures, Options, and other derivatives, including how they are used in hedging, speculating, and yield enhancement. Also covered will be risk management and the theory behind the pricing of each product.

FNCE 659 - Mergers & Acquisitions

A study of some theory and practical issues around takeover strategies, and takeover defense strategies. Valuation issues, corporate restructuring, corporate governance, and methods of ensuring congruence between management and shareholder goals are also discussed.

FNCE 663 - New Venture Finance

Application of financial theory and analysis to the growth, valuation, and financing of new ventures. Course balances learning of concepts, development of analytical skills, and practice in decision making. Opportunity to apply learning to cases, exercises and to learn about real-world financing situations.

FNCE 667 - Financial Risk Management

The course is designed to provide students a framework for evaluating financial risks and managing them with the use of derivatives. Students have already learned how to price derivative instruments, and hence, this class will provide students the opportunities to use these pricing methodologies for real-world risk management problems. Though extremely valuable as hedging tools, derivatives can be dangerous trading instruments. In fact, in this class, we will look in detail at a number or cases of financial disasters that have occurred in recent years due either to poor risk management techniques or to the abuse of derivative strategies. Prudent risk managers will be well advised to learn from the mishaps of others and avoid such mistakes themselves.

FNCE 669 - UCEED Haskayne Student Fund (UHSF)

Early-stage investment decisions are complex as the investment targets are nascent ventures, including startups still searching for a repeatable and scalable business model. Quality assessments are challenging as new ventures often do not have a track record, especially high-tech startups that need capital and other resources before demonstrating that their products work and fulfill needs in the marketplace. This course prepares incoming and returning students to harness and tackle the promise and peril of investing in new ventures. Students will receive education in early-stage investment decision-making combined with hands-on experience managing actual University of Calgary funds in the UCEED Haskayne Student Fund (UHSF).

SGMA 651 - Strategies in Sustainability

Our society is changing at an exponential rate. 'Sustainability' is no longer about recycling and turning off the lights at night. It is about how a company can sustain a rapid rate of change, while not negatively impacting the society and the environment. Alberta is at an inflection point; a complex carbon policy, a transitioning energy sector, and continuous pressure towards net-zero emissions for our industries.

This course is designed to provide you with the skills and tools to make strategic business decisions set against the backdrop of our society, the environment, and the economy. We will spend time in this class discussing the idea of businesses being able to solve social and environmental problems while generating a shareholder return. This strategy takes into consideration all stakeholder values and perspectives, and the impact environmental and social issues have on business strategy and performance. The course will deliver practical frameworks for decision-making, and some hands-on approaches that promote a competitive advantage through systems thinking, design thinking, and a shared value strategy.

SGMA 655 - Strategic Management in the Global Energy Industry

This course is intended for students who are already working in an energy industry or who are planning a career in an energy industry. In the course, we will link external complexities with firm-level strategic decision making. Key international strategic management concepts will be introduced and applied to the energy context, with a specific focus on the oil and gas industry. The case discussions will focus primarily on large multinational enterprises (specifically global vertically integrated oil and gas firms) to ascertain the foundations of their global corporate success.

The focus on dominant industry players in the oil and gas industry will provide students with an understanding of industry dynamics as well as identify strategic challenges also facing many smaller and less complex business organizations.

OBHR 649 - Rediscovering Leadership: The Haskayne Wilderness Retreat

As we enter what some have called the Anthropocene – a geological era in which human activity plays the dominant role in shaping the environment and climate - the human family stands at an unparalleled threshold of possibility and peril. Our technological capacity to shape the world has brought extraordinary benefits and freedoms – and it has led to multiple unintended and profoundly unsustainable social and ecological consequences. Building the foundation for a flourishing future is the great work of our times.

This course has a simple premise. What kind of leadership is needed for a sustainable world? And what does that mean in practice for our leadership and the way we live our lives? It is a course where the answers are not in the back of the book but can only be known in retrospect. And yet we find ourselves starting businesses, careers, families, lives, and organizations with the hope of a sustainable future. However, we are located, we must navigate through a landscape that is increasingly ecologically uncertain, socially complex, financially unpredictable, and ethically ambiguous. What are the principles and patterns that can we use to guide our way as leaders?

SGMA 668 - The Business of Clean Technology

Given the push towards a low carbon future, it is imperative that students develop a solid working knowledge of how the business of clean technology works. This course will be divided into three modules that focus on what clean technology is, how its development aligns to Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) leading to commercialization and how funding for such endeavors is currently achieved. This class will provide students an industry-aligned overview of how the business model for clean technology development works. Industry practices will be anchored via the course lectures, which are designed to give a representation of the current state of clean technology development and continuing development potential.

OBHR 668 - Sustainable Development With Indigenous Peoples

Reconciliation and sustainable development will not be sustained in Canada without meaningful participation of Indigenous peoples. This course provides in-depth analysis for the field of sustainable development in relation to Indigenous peoples and provides a meaningful space to create a framework to transforming the relationship of business with Indigenous peoples on the road to Reconciliation.

FNCE 668 - Sustainable Finance

This course focuses on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues and their relationship to financing of corporate investments, equity and bond valuation, and asset pricing. Sustainable finance has become a mainstream topic during the last couple of years, and corporate and asset managers need to understand the implications of ESG issues for their businesses. The course is based on case studies and studying individual corporations, supplemented with mini-lectures and guest speakers. The course relies significantly on student presentations, active class participation and discussions.

ENTI 609 - Technology and Innovation Management

The purpose of the course is to expose you to the dynamics of technological innovation and provide a deep grounding in the organizational practices and processes to manage innovation strategically. It is designed for students who may someday work or consult for and create firms to successfully bring technological innovations to the market. We will examine aspects of technological innovation: sources, patterns and cycles of innovation; exploring innovation via experimentation and iteration; and organizing for innovation. Our focus will be on entrepreneurial firms (new and established) that have been successful and unsuccessful in their innovation effort.

OPMA 647 - Fundamentals of Project Management

Application of management principles to the project environment; planning, control, scope, time and cost processes; project organization and human resource issues. Students review a current major capital project and submit and defend a project report. The Fundamentals of Project Management (PM) is an introductory course at the University of Calgary. Students will consider the strategic importance of projects and assess reasons why projects succeed or fail to achieve planned deliverables, meet timelines, or stay within budget. The course uses lecture content, activities, simulations, along with guest speakers to link course materials to real-world scenarios and application. Students have individual exams and class contribution along with group reports/videos and a presentation to further learn and apply key components of project management. Use of commercial computer software for planning and scheduling projects is also learned.

SGMA 668 - The Business of Clean Technology

Given the push towards a low carbon future, it is imperative that students develop a solid working knowledge of how the business of clean technology works. This course will be divided into three modules that focus on what clean technology is, how its development aligns to Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) leading to commercialization and how funding for such endeavors is currently achieved. This class will provide students an industry-aligned overview of how the business model for clean technology development works. Industry practices will be anchored via the course lectures, which are designed to give a representation of the current state of clean technology development and continuing development potential.

SGMA 668 - The Business of Oil & Gas

Given the impact of the Oil & Gas sector on the Canadian economy, it is imperative that students develop a solid working knowledge of how the sector operates. This course will be divided into four modules covering the upstream, midstream, downstream, and the current state of the industry.

ENTI 609 - Technology and Innovation Management

The purpose of the course is to expose you to the dynamics of technological innovation and provide a deep grounding in the organizational practices and processes to manage innovation strategically. It is designed for students who may someday work or consult for and create firms to successfully bring technological innovations to the market. We will examine aspects of technological innovation: sources, patterns, and cycles of innovation; exploring innovation via experimentation and iteration; and organizing for innovation. Our focus will be on entrepreneurial firms (new and established) that have been successful and unsuccessful in their innovation effort.

OPMA 631 - Predictive Analytics in Business

Application of data-driven predictive models to solve real-life business problems in operations, marketing, finance, and other business functions. Techniques covered include decision trees, classification and association rules, and cluster analysis.

BTMA 636 - Data Analytics I

This course introduces students to new tools for data analytics that can be used to discover, collect, organize, and clean data to make it ready for analysis. Topics related to empowering users’ knowledge of data will be covered. Emphasis is placed on using software to interact with data sources and learning the skills to create business applications that encompass a variety of business data sources. Software packages used to clean and organize data for analysis will be introduced, as well as software to enable users’ understanding of the data.

FNCE 631 - Fintech

In this course, we will explore recent technological advancements in various industries and their impact on traditional thinking and practices in the banking and finance sector. Students are highly encouraged to engage in related discussions and share ideas about future Fintech-related business models.

MKTG 631 - Marketing Analytics

This course equips students with the knowledge and skills to implement marketing strategies driven by data analytics techniques. It focuses on providing practical experience in analyzing empirical data and deriving marketing insights through data analysis.

MGST 631 - Prescriptive Analytics in Business

This course introduces fundamental concepts and modeling approaches to solve complex problems encountered by decision-makers in today’s data-rich business environment. Students will learn advanced quantitative decision-making and problem-solving skills, including data-driven optimization, deterministic and probabilistic modeling, and simulation, through case studies.

MKTG 655 - Marketing Research

This course is designed to introduce the student to basic research methods used in
management situations as well as research of social phenomenon. Major topic areas to
be covered include an overview of the scientific method, the research process, research
design, measurement, sampling, data collection, data analysis, and the fundamentals of
research communications.

MKTG 667 - International Marketing

This course aims to introduce a comprehensive global marketing framework and explore the environmental factors that influence international marketing strategies. To succeed in today's global business arena, managers must master competencies in environmental awareness, analytics, strategy, functionality, and leadership. The course will cover various theories, frameworks, concepts, knowledge, and skills required for effective international marketing management, with a focus on cross-cultural aspects of marketing mix strategies.

MKTG 631 - Marketing Analytics

In this course, students will acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to implement marketing strategies driven by data analytics techniques. The course focuses on providing practical experience in analyzing empirical data and extracting valuable marketing insights through data analysis.

MKTG 635 - Marketing Communications

This course offers students an understanding of marketing communications from a managerial perspective. It emphasizes the role of advertising and other promotional tools within the context of Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) programs. Specific communication tools, including advertising, public relations, direct marketing, sales promotion, digital marketing, and alternative marketing, will be explored. The course also delves into the planning, development, execution, and measurement of integrated marketing communication programs.

OPMA 645 - Project External Issues

All projects involve inherent risks, and effectively managing these risks is fundamental to achieving project success. This course offers students an in-depth exploration of external risks that impact organizations and equips them with tools and techniques to mitigate these risks in the context of project management. External factors encompass regulatory influences, funding accessibility and lending environment, human capital availability, political dynamics, competitive forces, economic factors, sociocultural influences, resource availability (including human capital), technology, and unforeseen environmental factors.

Key topics covered include risk-related terminology and processes, including risk identification, analysis, evaluation, mitigation, and monitoring. The course places special emphasis on understanding stakeholder needs/expectations, navigating political and environmental factors, and recognizing how an unstable economy can either pose a risk or offer an opportunity to projects. Students will engage in a variety of team-based and individual assignments and actively participate in class activities.

OPMA 647 - Fundamentals of Project Management

This introductory course at the University of Calgary focuses on applying management principles to the project environment. It delves into essential project management aspects such as planning, control, scope management, time management, and cost management processes. Additionally, the course addresses project organization and human resource considerations. Students will assess the strategic significance of projects and examine the factors contributing to project success or failure in terms of achieving planned deliverables, adhering to timelines, and staying within budget constraints.

The course employs a multifaceted approach, combining lecture content, activities, simulations, and guest speaker insights to link theoretical concepts to real-world scenarios. Assessment methods include individual exams, class participation, group reports, videos, and presentations, allowing students to deepen their understanding and application of key project management components. Furthermore, students will gain proficiency in the use of commercial computer software for project planning and scheduling.

OPMA 649 - Project Procurement & Logistics

This course explores project procurement and logistics management within the domains of engineering, construction management, and manufacturing, encompassing both national and international contexts. The curriculum covers the fundamental principles of procurement management, including the preparation of request for proposals, bidder selection, bid evaluation, supplier selection, and contract management. It also addresses inventory control, material flow management, warehousing, logistics strategy, and global considerations. Students will gain insights into the complexities and strategies involved in managing procurement and logistics for various types of projects.

OBHR 668 - Optimizing Team Dynamics

This course employs a diverse range of teaching methods, including lecture sessions, experiential learning activities, assigned readings, in-depth case study analyses, group exercises, introspective self-assessment, and team performance evaluations. It is specifically tailored for students who currently work or plan to work collaboratively with others in industries where success hinges on individuals' capacity to synthesize diverse knowledge domains or perspectives. Examples of such industries include the energy sector, enterprise development and new ventures, entrepreneurial endeavors, knowledge-intensive interdependent fields like medicine, and organizations characterized by a 'think-tank' approach.

OPMA 635 - Operations Planning & Supply Chain Management

This course delves into the realm of supply chain management within a context where multiple organizations participate in the sourcing, production, distribution, and sales of materials and products. It emphasizes the significance of effective planning and management in complex supply chain ecosystems. Real-world scenarios are examined to illustrate situations that necessitate the application of cutting-edge models and solution methodologies for enhancing the design, planning, control, and optimization of supply chain operations. The curriculum encompasses a comprehensive exploration of core concepts and terminology within the domain of supply chain management, which are subsequently applied to practical situations.

REAL 607 - Fundamentals of Real Estate Development

This introductory course offers a comprehensive overview of real estate development, emphasizing its practical applications in the business context. It explores the economic, social, environmental, and technological impacts and challenges within the field, while also delving into ethical and corporate social responsibility considerations. The course utilizes the real estate industry's value chain as a framework to examine various topics, including asset valuation, market dynamics, business operations, financial aspects, risk assessment, industry trends, and innovation. Additionally, it covers considerations associated with different asset classes, such as residential, industrial, commercial, mixed-use, new development, and redevelopment.

REAL 627 - Real Estate Investment and Analysis

This course delves into the structure and operations of the Canadian mortgage and asset-backed securities markets. It scrutinizes the risks and rewards associated with investments and financing in commercial real estate ventures. Key concepts encompass investment strategies, financing mechanisms, site analysis, property valuation, lending practices, market research, and the management of real estate portfolios and corporate real estate assets. The curriculum also addresses various instruments, techniques, and institutions within real estate finance, funding sources, mortgage risk assessment, and the fundamentals of residential and commercial real estate contracts.

REAL 667 - Real Estate Advanced Capstone

The Real Estate Advanced Capstone course involves the preparation of comprehensive development proposals, encompassing research, market analysis, financial assessments, development planning and design, presentations, and engagement with key industry stakeholders. Its primary objective is to provide students with real-world development projects that present significant issues and challenges. These projects serve as platforms for students to apply their knowledge and skills in financial analysis, capital budgeting, development planning and design, market analysis, marketing strategies, sales tactics, communications, presentations, and navigating the complexities of politics and stakeholder interactions.

REAL 637 - Land Development & Planning

This course will guide students through the process of adding value to property along the real estate value chain. It explores the risks, opportunities, challenges, and diverse desired outcomes associated with property acquisition, operations/entitlements, marketing/engagement, sales, and ongoing maintenance. Real-world examples from industry practitioners sharing their experiences in city building will be used to illustrate key concepts.

REAL 647 - Real Estate Legal and Operating Environment

Topics covered include real estate transactions, real estate brokerage, real property ownership interests, legal aspects of real estate transactions like sales, leases, and mortgage financings. The course also delves into challenges within the approvals process, government relations, stakeholder perceptions, risk management (especially in development and construction scenarios), and workers’ compensation issues in the construction industry. Throughout the course, students will gain insights into how legal principles impact the real estate value chain and how technology influences their practical application.

REAL 657 - Real Estate Marketing & Strategy

This course explores the evolution of real estate marketing and emphasizes the use of research, strategy, and marketing practices to bring various real estate projects to market in both residential and commercial segments. Asset categories discussed include, but are not limited to, new community development (greenfield/brownfield), mixed-use development, single-family, multi-family, retail/office, purpose-built rental, and resort development. Topics encompass Market + Competitive Intelligence, Bringing Mixed-Use Communities to Life, Community Visioning + Engagement Processes, Creating Community Brands, Customer Experiences For Real Estate, Strategic + Tactical Marketing Processes, Marketing Mixed-Use Development, Project Marketing + the Sales Process.

The course examines the marketing opportunities and challenges faced by real estate developers in different economic climates, covering concepts like research intelligence, community visioning, marketing strategy + plan development, budget control reporting, media planning, community engagement, the sales environment, and enhancing the customer experience.

REAL 668 - Real Estate Disruptions

This class explores how technology is transforming various aspects of the real estate industry and creating opportunities for new business models. It addresses the impact of technology on real estate demand, its potential to change the way real estate is used, designed, developed, constructed, managed, leased, maintained, and financed. The course provides an overview of emerging trends and recent technological developments, encouraging students to think critically about detecting, analyzing, and adapting to disruptions in the real estate sector.