Professional MBA Curriculum

Cox graduates are equipped with a curriculum anchored in analytical rigor, refined leadership skills to support complex problem solving, and knowledge with practical application gained through hands-on experiential learning.

Shaping future leaders

SMU Cox recently launched the new STEM-designated NextGen MBA Curriculum, designed to shape future leaders who are not just job-ready, but also future-prepared. The NextGen Curriculum integrates three foundational pillars: Leadership, Analytics, and Experiential Learning, to develop graduates who can confidently navigate any business environment.  

Foundational Pillars

SMU Cox graduate programs are grounded in three core foundational pillars:

leadership, experiential, analytics icon

PMBA Curriculum

The Professional MBA (PMBA) at SMU Cox gives you the skills you need to lead in a changing corporate climate. The PMBA program is designed for those individuals who want to enhance their current career progression without leaving the workforce. Structured around seven-week courses, the modular curriculum lets you customize your learning to match your schedule and goals. With two start terms each year, you can start your MBA journey in the fall or spring. You'll devote your first year to developing a strong foundation in fundamental business principles.

During year two, you'll build on that foundation by targeting concentrations and electives that give you the expertise you need to succeed in your field. With 11 elective courses built in to the curriculum, you can build a unique academic experience that will get you exactly where you want to go.


Fall Entry Curriculum Plan

This is representative of the curriculum of the program. To confirm the most up-to-date curriculum for your academic year, please contact your Enrollment Advisor here.

Module A Courses

  • Organizational Behavior: Managing & Leading People
  • Data Analytics

Module B Courses

  • Financial Accounting
  • Data Analytics (continued)

Module A Courses

  • Financial Accounting II or Strategic Cost Analysis
  • Managerial Finance
  • Managing Your Career

Module B Courses

  • Marketing Management
  • Management Decision Analysis

Module A Courses

  • Operations Management
  • Business Communications

Module B Courses

  • Managerial Economics
  • Strategic Management

Module A Courses

  • Macroeconomics or Financial Markets & Monetary Policy
  • Elective | One (1) Course

Module B Courses

  • Leading Teams & Organizations
  • Elective | One (1) Course

Module A Courses

  • Electives | Three (3) Courses

Module B Courses

  • Electives | Two (2) Courses

Module A Courses

  • Electives | Two (2) Courses

Module B Courses

  • Electives | Two (2) Courses

Spring Entry Curriculum Plan

This is representative of the curriculum of the program. To confirm the most up-to-date curriculum for your academic year, please contact your Enrollment Advisor here.

Module A Courses

  • Operations Management
  • Strategic Management

Module B Courses

  • Managerial Economics
  • Leading Teams & Organizations

Module A Courses

  • Organizational Behavior: Managing & Leading People
  • Data Analytics

Module B Courses

  • Financial Accounting
  • Data Analytics (continued)

Module A Courses

  • Financial Accounting II or Strategic Cost Analysis
  • Management Decision Analysis

Module B Courses

  • Marketing Management
  • Managerial Finance

Module A Courses

  • Electives | Two (2) Courses

Module B Courses

  • Electives | Two (2) Courses

Module A Courses

  • Macroeconomics or Financial Markets & Monetary Policy
  • Managing Your Career
  • Elective | One (1) Course

Module B Courses

  • Business Communications
  • Elective | One (1) Course

Module A Courses

  • Electives | Three (3) Courses

Module B Courses

  • Electives | Two (2) Courses

(Curriculum subject to change. See course details for more information.)

Concentrations

SMU Cox is one of only a few schools that give Professional MBA students the opportunity to declare a concentration. You can choose to follow a general business concentration for the greatest flexibility in course scheduling, or gain deeper expertise in a particular area by focusing your courses on one of 11 concentrations. If you specialize, you'll take six or more elective courses in your chosen concentration. You can also pursue a minor depending on specific requirements.

  • Accounting
  • Finance: Further specializations in Corporate Finance, Energy Finance and Investments.
  • ITOM: Business Analytics
  • ITOM: Supply Chain
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Real Estate
  • Strategy & Entrepreneurship
  • General Business     

PMBA Faculty

We don't just teach business — we're immersed in business. When they’re not educating you in applicable knowledge and skills, your professors are consulting for Fortune 500s, publishing books and research, running their own businesses and serving in government. Small class sizes and a calendar full of events where you can mingle informally mean you’ll be able to build one-on-one relationships with the academics and professionals who are invested in your future.

See All Faculty


Meet the Faculty

Millar

Darius Miller

Professor, Caruth Chair of Financial Management

Darius Miller is the Caruth chair in finance at Southern Methodist University (SMU), Cox School of Business, where he conducts research in financial market regulation, corporate governance, and financial disclosure. 

Darius Miller's bio
Thomas

Jacquelyn Thomas

Associate Professor, Frank and Susan Dunlevy Faculty Fellow

Professor Thomas' research interests are in the areas of CRM, direct marketing, multichannel retailing, and marketing communications.  She is on the editorial board of the Journal of Marketing and is an ad-hoc reviewer for several other marketing journals.

Jacquelyn Thomas's bio
Wally Boudry

Wally Boudry

Clinical Professor of Real Estate, Clara R. and Leo F. Corrigan Sr. Endowed Chair

Wally Boudry is the Clara R. and Leo F. Corrigan, Sr. Endowed Chair and Clinical Professor of Real Estate. An award winning teacher and researcher, his research expertise is in real estate capital markets, with a focus on real estate investment trusts (REITs).
Wally Boudry's Bio
graduates

Next Steps

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