Darden MBA Curriculum: Core Courses, Electives, Concentrations, DBP and Capstone Leadership Experience

Darden First Year MBA Program covers core courses in Management Communication, Global Economies and Markets, Financial Management and Policies, Accounting for Managers, Marketing, Operations Management, Leading Organizations, Decision Analysis, Business Ethics, and strategic thinking and Action. The core courses are mandatory and required by all MBA students. This builds the Foundation for the electives and internships. Interestingly, the courses are developed from real cases that allow students to form Business and decision making skills.

Darden has made Case Study Method an integral part of teaching MBA students. During the two-year course duration, more than 500 real-life Business Problems are discussed and solutions developed. The purpose behind case study method is to provide limited information about a problem, and let students make decisions under the guidance of faculty members. This exercise develops and strengthens leadership and communication skills. Making decisions with limited information and uncertainty is a skill that most C-Level executives develop over time. Students will get a sneak peek into making such decisions. Like in any team, students cannot dictate their decisions. They have to convince the team members about the best feasible solution.

The second year starts with Darden Business Projects and Electives. Students get to pick a wide range of topics in Accounting, Consulting, Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Strategy, Ethics, Finance, Global Economies and Markets, Leadership and Organizational Behavior, Management Communications, Marketing, Operations, Quantitative Analysis, Sustainability and Specialty Areas. The specialty areas are courses that are not covered in the core curriculum. It includes Energy, Health Care, Media, Entertainment & Sports, Real Estate, Retail & Luxury Goods, Social Enterprise, and Technology.

The elective curriculum gives a much wider exposure. But for those who want to choose a specialization, Darden Concentrations give additional guidance. The concentrations are divided based on Career and Theme. The career track concentration allows students to pick Asset Management/Sales & Trading, Corporate Finance/Investment Banking, Entrepreneurship, Consumer Marketing, Business-to-Business Marketing, Strategy Consulting, and Supply Chain Management. On the other hand, Theme based track cover Corporate Innovation, Market Analytics and Sustainability, and Business Development and Growth.

Another key experiential learning aspect of the MBA program is Darden Business Projects (DBP). It is a 60-180 hours project in Consulting, Venturing, and Case Development. As the majority of students from Darden join the consulting sector, the project presents students with first-hand experience on handling issues in managerial roles for some of the best corporate partners or for projects of their own. Students learn the value of framing problems, extensive data analysis and create solutions for real world. The Venturing DBP involves developing Business ideas into presentable proposals that include a feasibility study, project development, and funding plan. Case Development DBP focus on current management issues and encourage students to develop case appropriate for MBA curriculum.

In 2011, Darden introduced an innovation in its curriculum with the 1-Week Capstone Leadership Experience. Students were required to create mini-companies, develop a Business idea, build team, identify roles and responsibilities, devise a marketing strategy, and manage sales. The profits from the project are given back to the local non-profit organization. In the inaugural year, all 330+ students participated in the project. Students were divided into teams of 12. Some of the entrepreneurial ventures that the students set up in 1-week were GMAT Tutoring, Butler service, language translation services, shoe shining business, and e-mail management software. The team earned a total of $35,000 from $100 seed money that was given to each team.

Recommended Reads: Why Darden MBA