The Wisconsin Full-Time MBA curriculum integrates a strong foundation in general management with highly focused preparation in your chosen career field. You will begin taking courses in your career specialization right away. This early start helps you achieve your full potential and makes your applied learning experiences richer.

Applied learning opportunities connect you with industry leaders and help you build a strong résumé. Students apply the general business knowledge and specialized preparation gained in their first year to mid-program internships, where they tackle real-world business challenges and propose solutions.

You may also choose to participate in a global learning experience, gaining a wider perspective by working on a team project for a company outside of the United States.

The strategic human resource management specialization in the Wisconsin MBA Program counts as two years toward the work experience required by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) in order to sit for the certification exam. This is an advantage for those seeking SHRM certification for the first time, as well as current SHRM-CP holders.

Customize Your MBA with Flexible Options

In addition to the courses listed here, the curriculum also provides flexibility by incorporating open electives. Students are encouraged to enhance their cross-functional perspective on organizations.

You can also focus on an area of interest to you by pursuing one or more graduate-level certificates in topics such as business analytics, entrepreneurship, strategic innovation, and sustainability.

First Year

First Semester

  • Data to Decisions*
  • Financial Accounting*
  • Introduction to Financial Management*
  • Leading and Working in Teams*
  • Marketing Management*
  • Operations Management*
  • Strategic Human Resource Management

Second Semester

  • Ethics, Integrity and Society*
  • Integrated Company Analysis*
  • Business Strategy*
  • Economics for Managers*
  • Personnel Staffing and Evaluation
  • Human Resources Capstone

Second Year

First Semester

  • Managing Technology and Organizational Change
  • Compensation: Theory and Administration
  • Negotiations (either semester) or Elective
  • Electives (2)

Second Semester

  • Labor Management Relations
  • Negotiations (either semester) or Elective
  • Human Resources Capstone
  • Elective

*Core courses, taken by all Wisconsin Full-Time MBA students, provide a foundation in key functional areas of business and essential managerial skills. The curriculum shown is representative of the course of study; specific course offerings may vary.

Photo of Amy Rong

“Thanks to the first-year MBA core courses and the specialized strategic human resource management courses, I was able to learn very quickly how to handle challenging projects and think strategically to make impressive recommendations. In fact, the internship program manager was so impressed with the specialized education I received from the Wisconsin MBA program that she started to consider including the University of Wisconsin–Madison as one of IBM's few target universities.”

—Amy (Jin) Rong, MBA