Bentley University faculty are committed to providing impactful and relevant graduate programs and have developed curricula based upon their intended learning goals and outcomes. On this page, you will find learning goals and objectives for all MBA and Master of Science Degree programs. These goals and objectives are assessed regularly through the assurance of learning process.
Master of Business Administration (MBA) Degrees
Goal One
Integrating and applying core business knowledge.
Objectives
Students will be able to:
1.1 Demonstrate an understanding and application of business fundamentals and functions, including economics, finance, marketing, accounting, and management.
1.2 Evaluate an organization’s strategic direction and organizational integration.
Goal Two
Critical thinking and problem solving.
Objectives
Students will be able to:
2.1 Frame a business problem.
2.2 Identify and evaluate the logic, validity and relevance of data and/or information.
2.3 Make informed and feasible conclusions and recommendations.
Goal Three
Ethical leadership.
Objectives
Students will be able to:
3.1 Recognize organizational issues that have ethical implications.
3.2 Identify alternative solutions to address ethical issues and/or dilemmas.
Goal Four
Written communication.
Objectives
Students will be able to:
4.1 Write business documents that are clear, concise and logical.
Goal Five
Students will be ethical and socially responsible leaders.
Objectives
Students will be able to:
5.1 Identify the ethical issues associated with a business problem.
5.2 Devise appropriate responses to ethical dilemmas that consider the perspective of all stakeholders.
5.3 Explain the importance of being socially responsible.
5.4 Evaluate the benefits and costs of socially responsible alternatives.
Knowledge
Core Business Knowledge
Students will be able to:
1.1 Demonstrate an understanding and application of business fundamentals and functions, including economics, finance, marketing, accounting, and management.
Technology
Students will be able to:
1.2 Identify and analyze the impact of established and emerging technologies for a business purpose.
1.3 Conduct an ethical analysis of implications and potential consequences of technology-driven solutions.
1.4 Argue the strategic perspective of adopting and bypassing technologies within an organizational context for technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Skills
Managing Self
Constantly developing practices and internalizing routines for maximizing one’s ability to deal with the uncertainty of an ever-changing environment. Specific skills include learning, personal organization and time management, personal strengths, and problem solving and analysis.
Students will be able to:
2.1 Examine situations from their career through theoretical and conceptual frameworks.
2.2 Practice receiving direct feedback on performance in group and individual work.
2.3 Appraise and develop solutions for multi-faceted business problems.
Communicating
Interacting effectively with a variety of individuals and groups to facilitate the gathering, integrating, and conveying of information in many forms (e.g., verbal, written). Specific Skills include interpersonal, listening, oral and written communication.
Students will be able to:
2.4 Practice active listening in courses and small groups.
2.5 Deliver formal presentations on a business-related topic, incorporating engaging visual aids, maintaining eye contact, and responding to questions from the audience.
2.6 Write effectively in business formats including formal reports, correspondence and notes/memos.
Managing People & Tasks
Accomplishing the tasks at hand by planning, organizing, coordinating, and controlling both resources and people. Specific skills include coordinating, decision-making, leadership and influence, managing conflict, planning and organizing.
Students will be able to:
2.7 Develop and implement a project plan to coordinate a group assignment.
2.8 Reflect on an experience of conflict in either the professional or educational setting and provide examples of how similar situations can be managed in the future.
2.9 Lead a team activity and implement effective management and influence techniques.
Mobilizing Innovation & Change
Conceptualizing as well as setting in motion ways of initiating and managing change that involve significant departures from the current mode, meets the client needs, and produces viable solutions. Specific skills include ability to conceptualization, creativity, risk-taking and visioning.
Students will be able to:
2.10 Apply knowledge from multiple sources to propose a solution to a novel problem.
2.11 Analyze and defend taking innovative and alternative paths to meet an objective.
2.12 Create a plan to monitor objectives inclusive of options to address failure/unmet objectives.
Data analytics
Ability to use moderately complex analytical tools and techniques to model an organizational situation to improve one’s understanding of a problem or opportunity, to convey ones’ perspective, and to make informed decisions with data.
Students will be able to:
2.13 Use moderately complex analytical tools and techniques to make informed decisions with data.
Perspectives
DEI, Ethics, and Social Responsibility
Creating positive societal impact, having a purpose-driven perspective, and seeking to understand and appreciate differing ideas and perspectives.
Recognizing personal integrity and its relation to overall ethics. Accepting personal responsibility for ethical behavior. Investigate and address complex problems in an ethical manner. Approaching business and personal activities with a sense of civic responsibility.
Students will be able to:
3.1 Investigate an ethical dilemma in an organization and propose principled solutions for addressing the concern.
Global Orientation
Having an open mind while actively seeking to understand cultural norms and expectations of others, leveraging this gained knowledge to interact, communicate and work effectively outside one’s environment (Hunter, 2004).
Students will be able to:
3.2 Connect with others from a different cultural background to reflect on differences in values, norms and expectations.
Design & Systems Thinking
Perceiving the whole organization within its context and seeing opportunities for growth and betterment.
Students will be able to:
3.3 Describe the behavior of interconnected systems including how changes in one element impact the entire system.
3.4 Apply design and systems thinking in developing innovative solutions to complex problems.
Sustainability Mindset
Taking a conscious and holistic approach towards decision-making and actions that prioritize long-term environmental, social, and economic well-being to ensure the health and resilience of current and future generations.
Students will be able to:
3.5 Create business solutions that prioritize sustainable environmental, social, and economic well-being.
Master of Science (MS) Degrees
Goal One
Accomplished business professionals
Objectives
1.1 Demonstrate critical thinking skills when solving problems
1.2 Develop a global mindset
1.3 Communicate professionally in business situations
1.4 Evaluate an organization's strategic direction and organizational integration
Goal Two
Proficient accounting professionals
Objectives
2.1 Exhibit competence with accounting knowledge and skills
2.2 Demonstrate the analytical knowledge and skills needed to solve problems
2.3 Utilize current information technology tools to process and share information
2.4 Appraise future trends facing the profession
Goal Three
Ethical leaders
3.1 Recognize, analyze and evaluate ethical issues in business context
3.2 Demonstrate skills in creating and sustaining diverse & inclusive work environments
Goal One
Business Statistics. Students will have strong quantitative and statistical foundations to analyze data rigorously and support evidence-based decision-making in business environments.
Objectives
Students will be able to:
1.1 Apply regression models to support business decision-making.
1.2 Apply time series techniques to support business decision-making.
1.3 Apply optimization and simulation techniques to support business decision-making.
Goal Two
Advanced Analytics. Students will have advanced skills in data mining, machine learning, and predictive modeling, enabling students to uncover patterns, generate forecasts, and derive insights from complex datasets.
Objectives
Students will be able to:
2.1 Apply advanced supervised and unsupervised learning methods to solve business problems.
2.2 Apply data mining approaches to business problems based on the structure of the data and the business question at hand.
Goal Three
Technology. Students will have technical proficiency in analytics tools, programming, and database management, ensuring students can implement end-to-end analytics solutions using industry-standard technologies.
Objectives
Students will be able to:
3.1 Use statistical software to conduct business-relevant data analysis.
3.2 Use relational database tools in a business context.
Goal Four
Business Skills. Students will be prepared to lead in data-driven business contexts, integrating technical expertise with strategic thinking and clear communication.
Objectives
Students will be able to:
4.1 Communicate analytical results in writing in a business context.
Goal One
Students will apply basic portfolio theory including equity and fixed income asset pricing models and implications of the efficient market hypothesis.
Objectives
Students will be able to:
1.1 Describe the assumptions behind the capital market theory and the development of the CAPM.
1.2 Apply CAPM to security valuation.
1.3 Value equities using different models and the assumptions behind them.
1.4 Value fixed income instruments and valuation methods.
1.5 Describe basic option terminology and factors that affect option valuation.
1.6 Calculate the risk and return of both individual securities and portfolios.
1.7 Describe market efficiency, including the differences between the different types.
Goal Two
Students will be effective at applying corporate financial management tools and techniques.
Objectives
Students will be able to:
2.1 Demonstrate the interplay of the various elements of financial statements.
2.2 Reinforce and extend examples of time value of money calculations.
2.3 Use capital budgeting techniques, including NPV, IRR, and profitability index. Conduct analysis on capital budgeting projects, such as sensitivity and scenario analysis.
2.4 Calculate bond and stock valuation and the financial conventions used to express risk and return.
2.5 Evaluate a firm's capital structure and how a firm's choice in the way it itself affects firm value.
Goal Three
Students will be knowledgeable about how international markets and exchange rates affect corporate and investment decisions.
Objectives
Students will be able to:
3.1 Demonstrate theoretical and analytical grasp of exchange rate determination and parity relationships.
3.2 Demonstrate the impact of currency exposure on investment risk and return.
3.3 Demonstrate knowledge of and critical thinking with respect to FX risk exposure management strategies based on market information and corporate risk appetite.
3.4 Evaluate the use and valuation of currency derivative instruments.
3.5 Evaluate the use and valuation of structured instruments such as swaps.
3.6 Evaluate the use and valuation of a covered interest arbitrage.
Goal Four
Students will be intellectually disciplined and skillful in conceptualizing, applying, and evaluating information for financial statements analysis and modeling.
Objectives
Students will be able to:
4.1 Analyze financial statements and demonstrate the inter-relationship among different component parts
4.2 Use Excel financial functions to solve practical finance problems
4.3 Organize and analyze data using financial modeling techniques
Goal One
Students will understand a comprehensive range of human behaviors relevant to product and experience design.
Objectives
Students will be able to:
1.1 Identify relevant behaviors within a given system design and experience
1.2 Provide product research and design recommendations
1.3 Create and manage a project plan and communicate and competitive strategy, and solutions aligned with stakeholders’ goals.
Goal Two
Students will employ research and evaluation methods that will optimize human performance, workflow, the quality of user experience, and return on investment.
Objectives
Students will be able to:
2.1 Design a proper evaluation/ assessment protocol.
Goal Three
Students will be able to understand interaction design including multimodal experience design, visualization, intelligent interfaces and service.
Objectives
Students will be able to:
3.1 Perform a user-task and requirements analysis.
3.2 Design a human-centered interface and experience.
Goal Four
Students will understand product and experience design including its implications for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I), universal accessibility, and internationalization.
Objectives
Students will be able to:
4.1 Use cultural and DE&I variables to inform product experience design and research.
4.3 Recognize the ethical and regulatory requirements of human subject research that is inclusive of all individuals and their identities.
Additional Learning Objectives
Students in the Research Path will also be able to:
5.1 Apply a range of research methods.
Students in the Design Path will also be able to:
5.2 Define accessibility requirements.
Goal One
Students will understand the legal principles of Taxation, which includes an understanding of the rationale and logic behind our system of Taxation including the political and judicial processes that shape the tax law.
Objectives
Students will be able to:
1.1 Read, understand and demonstrate a working knowledge of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) and state income and sales/use tax codifications.
1.2 Identify and apply sections of the tax law that are relevant to a particular tax situation.
1.3 Describe the political process and motivations behind tax laws.
Goal Two
Students will demonstrate critical skills for use in the Tax profession.
Objectives
Students will be able to:
2.1 Acquire the facts relevant to a Tax case and use that information to identify the issues.
2.2 Locate authority to address the Tax issue, using technology tools when appropriate and apply the rules to the situation.
Goal Three
Students will develop communication skills for use in the Tax profession.
Objectives
Students will be able to:
3.1 Write professional documents that will serve as an effective means of communication with clients and regulatory agencies.
3.2 Advocate a client's position clearly and effectively.
Goal Four
Students will be cognizant of the ethical responsibility associated with the Tax profession
Objectives
Students will be able to:
4.1 Identify situations that provide ethical challenges
4.2 Explain the appropriate actions based on the ethical standards of the Tax profession.