MS Plan of Study

Degrees

How to Apply

MS Plan of Study

The plan of study is the order that you and your Purdue cohort will move through the program. It is designed so that your group will stay together when in Purdue classes, and when intermingled with the public MBA students in the Kelley Executive Degree Programs.

Download a MS printable plan of study (pdf).

Year One

Pre-Fall Module

V599: Leading Individual Change

Aug. 6-11, 2023

COURSE TYPE:

Residency

UNIVERSITY:

Indiana

COURSE CREDITS:

1.5

Held in Bloomington, Ind.

This course will provide students with an introduction to the concept of personal leadership, using the reflective lens of the DLS self-observant leadership model.  Topics covered will include building your capacity for personal awareness, creating and leading meaning in your work, internal / external feedback processing through a self-observant lens, and leadership communications excellence.  Students will hear from expert practitioners from the field, as well as top rated Kelley Faculty.  Students will have the opportunity to practice each concept in detail throughout the week, and will also be provided the option of seven Executive / Communications Coaching follow up sessions (4 EC and 3CC) to reinforce key concepts, and develop a personal action plan as they begin the Kelley MBA Program.  As a result of this course students will be better able to state their personal values and vision, understand how to drive meaning in their work, and be ready to lead themselves through transitional experiences like the Kelley MBA Program.

Fall Module

AGEC 681: Economics for Food and Agribusiness Managers

Aug. 14 – Nov. 2, 2023

COURSE TYPE:

Online

UNIVERSITY:

Purdue

COURSE CREDITS:

3

Addresses the institutional setting and structure of the food and agricultural markets. Encompasses both the domestic and international dimensions of the food chain, including consumer demand, global sourcing and worldwide production potential. Also focuses on managerial economics as applied to such topics as food system market structure, the nature and dimensions of domestic and global competition, the components of cost and revenue, and the food system value chain.

AGEC 684 – Applied Quantitative Methods for Decision Making

Aug. 14 – Nov. 2, 2023

COURSE TYPE:

Online

UNIVERSITY:

Purdue

COURSE CREDITS:

3

Explores the application of contemporary concepts and quantitative techniques for decision making in the face of uncertainty and/or multiple conflicting objectives. Focus is on application of these tools to decisions facing the food and agricultural business manager. Also explores key areas of risk management of the food and agricultural firm including price, production, strategic, regulatory, technology, market/competitor, political, financial, and exchange rate risk.

Purdue Residency

Oct. 23–27, 2023

COURSE TYPE:

Residency

UNIVERSITY:

Purdue (West Lafayette, Ind.)

Purdue residency session to be held in West Lafayette, IN. This residency is a continuation of the distance education courses above.

Winter Module

C521 – Managing Accounting Information for Decision-Making

Nov. 6, 2023 – Feb. 8, 2024

COURSE TYPE:

Online

UNIVERSITY:

Indiana

COURSE CREDITS:

3

Provides a user-oriented understanding of how accounting information should be managed to ensure its availability on a timely and relevant basis for decision making. The first part of the course reviews financial accounting and reporting while the second part of the course focuses on cost-benefit analysis for evaluating the potential value-added results from planning, organizing, and controlling a firm’s accounting information. Cases, forum discussions and computer support are used extensively.

C570 – Strategic Marketing Management

Nov. 6, 2023 – Feb. 8, 2024

COURSE TYPE:

Online

UNIVERSITY:

Indiana

COURSE CREDITS:

3

An introduction to the process of creating a market-driven organization. Specific topics include marketing strategy, market research and analysis, and the development of products and services, pricing, distribution and promotion. The course employs lecture, classroom discussion through threaded discussion forums, case analysis and field research projects.

Thanksgiving & Winter Break

Thanksgiving Break: Nov. 20-24, 2023

Winter Break: Dec. 25, 2023 – Jan. 1, 2024

Spring Module

C540 – Financial Management

Feb. 12 – May 2, 2024

COURSE TYPE:

Online

UNIVERSITY:

Indiana

COURSE CREDITS:

3

Provides a working knowledge of the tools and analytical conventions used in the practice of corporate finance; establishes an understanding of the basic elements of financial theory to be used in application of analytical reasoning to business problems; and explores the interrelationship among corporate policies and decisions. Coursework will include problem sets, study group preparation of executive summary memos and critiques and use of PC spreadsheets to develop a planning model for a case focusing on funds requirement.

C550 – Law and Ethics in Business

Feb. 12 – May 2, 2024

COURSE TYPE:

Online

UNIVERSITY:

Indiana

COURSE CREDITS:

3

The objective is to provide the student of management with a basic knowledge of the American legal system, the legal process and relevant substantive law that is necessary to making informed and effective business decisions. The law develops and evolves in response to changing social, economic, political and technological forces, and business decisions often carry long-lasting, as well as delayed effects. This course emphasizes the study of the law of torts, contracts and product liability. It is hoped that consideration of a study of these legal principles will give prospective managers insight into the dynamics of the legal process to enable them to predict as soundly as possible the future legal environment in which their present decisions will bear fruit.

Summer Module

AGEC 687 – Problem Solving and Project Management for Decision Makers

May 13 – Aug. 1, 2024

COURSE TYPE:

Online

UNIVERSITY:

Purdue

COURSE CREDITS:

3

Develops a structured approach to problem solving, including problem definition, development of alternatives, identifying consequences, assessing trade-offs and making informed choices. Research methods and project management concepts will be addressed. A major business analysis project will be framed during the course, to be completed as part of the capstone course in business analysis.

C580 – Operations Management – RECOMMENDED BUT NOT REQUIRED FOR M.S. ONLY 

May 13 – Aug. 1, 2024

COURSE TYPE:

Online

UNIVERSITY:

Indiana

COURSE CREDITS:

3

Surveys the management of operations in manufacturing and service firms. Diverse activities, such as determining the size and type of production process, purchasing the appropriate raw materials, planning, and scheduling the flow of materials and the nature and content of inventories, assuring product quality, and deciding on the production hardware and how it gets used, comprise this function of a company. Managing operations well requires both strategic and tactical skills. The topics considered include process analysis, workforce issues, materials management, quality and productivity, technology and strategic planning, together with relevant analytical techniques. The course makes considerable use of business cases. Most classes will be spent discussing the cases assigned. For each case, students will be asked to review actual company situations and apply technical and managerial skills to recommending courses of action. Most cases will be taken from manufacturing, but some will be service oriented. Several of the cases will focus on international companies or issues.

Year Two

Pre-Fall Module

C511 – Pre-Fall Intensive: Organizational Development and Change

Aug. 4-9, 2024

COURSE TYPE:

Residency

UNIVERSITY:

Indiana

COURSE CREDITS:

1.5

Held in Bloomington, Ind.

Today’s business environment forces executives to use every tool at their disposal to create and maintain an effective and adaptable organization. A major source of effectiveness and adaptability is the way in which the company’s efforts are organized — its systems, structures, management process, rewards and strategies. The primary job of senior management today is to design, build and operate organizations that function effectively. What this means is that the organization is in a constant state of change. Understanding the change process is vital. Knowing the roadblocks to effective change is very important. The role of the manager as a change agent becomes critical. Often the problems arise not from the change itself, but the process of making the change. Individuals resist change. It is a natural phenomenon. How and why this change manifests itself is a central issue in this course. Developing the skills to move through the change process not knowing what roadblocks one might encounter is becoming incredibly valuable.

Fall Module

AGEC 685 – Quantitative Managerial Decision Making

Aug. 12 – Oct. 31, 2024

COURSE TYPE:

Online

UNIVERSITY:

Purdue

COURSE CREDITS:

3

Students explore appropriate statistical techniques to analyze different types of economic data for managerial decision-making. Students will learn about the appropriate design, development, and implementation of surveys followed by an opportunity to put theory into practice with the creation of their own survey. Next, the appropriate analysis and interpretation of survey data is examined from a conceptual and practical perspective. Key areas of risk management for food and agricultural firms are also examined making use of tools, including decision trees, payoff matrices, and scenario analysis.

AGEC 682 – The Macroeconomic, Trade, and Policy Environment of the Food System

Aug. 12 – Oct. 31, 2024

COURSE TYPE:

Online

UNIVERSITY:

Purdue

COURSE CREDITS:

3

Objectives are to expose students to the nature and importance of linkages between agriculture, international markets and the macro-economy, which are key to the fortunes of U.S. farmers and agribusiness in the future. Examination of theories and methods that might allow students to establish or quantify these linkages and evaluate the consequences of alternative policies, demonstrating the usefulness of economic analysis as a tool for understanding these issues. Also explores current policy issues facing the food and agribusiness industries, including international trade agreements, farm legislation, environmental regulations, and food safety and nutrition labeling rules, among other policy topics.

Purdue Residency

Oct. 13 – 18, 2024

COURSE TYPE:

Residency

UNIVERSITY:

Purdue (West Lafayette, Ind.)

Purdue residency session to be held in West Lafayette, Ind. This residency is a continuation of the distance education courses above.

Winter Module

C555: Global Talent Management

Nov. 4, 2024 – Feb. 6, 2025

COURSE TYPE:

Online

UNIVERSITY:

Indiana

COURSE CREDITS:

3

Recent surveys of senior corporate leaders reveal that finding, growing and retaining top talent is among the very top challenges in leading a contemporary organization. Effective talent management is certainly strategic—how an organization invests in and allocates resources to the attraction, retention and development of its talent pipeline. But talent management is also intensely individual—how effectively members of the organization identify and pursue personal development and are coached to effectively acquire the skill-set they will need to function effectively as a senior leader.

With that in mind, this course is designed to mirror the multi-dimensional nature of talent management in organizations. The first segment of the course will focus on your course text and some of the best writing and cases associated with effective talent management practice in organizations. The second segment will ask you to specifically assess how to integrate talent management processes into an effective management structure.

Thanksgiving & Winter Break

TBD

Spring Module

AGEC 688 – Business Analysis Capstone Course

Feb. 10 – May 1, 2025

COURSE TYPE:

Online

UNIVERSITY:

Purdue

COURSE CREDITS:

3

Capstone experience where students will work on team and individual projects focused on a comprehensive detailed analysis of an issue facing their employer or an issue of general interest to the student. It is expected that this project will draw on tools and concepts developed throughout the MS-MBA program. In addition, it is expected that the project will lead to an analysis that can be delivered to an appropriate audience of decision makers upon completion.

AGEC 686 – Strategic Food and Agribusiness Management

Feb. 10 – May 1, 2025

COURSE TYPE:

Online

UNIVERSITY:

Purdue

COURSE CREDITS:

3

This course explores integration of the functional areas of business at the corporate level. Heavy emphasis is on analysis of the business environment, setting strategic direction, assessing core competencies, choosing a market position and developing competitive advantage, and organizational implementation and control in the context of the food and agricultural markets. The course makes heavy use of case studies based on firms in the food and agricultural marketplace.

International Residency

May 4 – 10, 2025 (not confirmed)

COURSE TYPE:

Residency

UNIVERSITY:

Purdue

International residency to be held at an international partner school. This residency is a continuation of the distance education courses above.

Purdue Sessions Complete and Commencement

Aug. 9, 2025

UNIVERSITY:

Purdue (West Lafayette, Ind.)

Purdue University Sessions Complete, M.S. Awarded

Credits Earned: 36
(Kelley: 15, Purdue: 21)

Attend commencement ceremony at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind.