Politics, Economics, and Business, MA

The Master of Arts in Politics, Economics, and Business (MAPEB) is a unique transdisciplinary degree program that provides a cutting-edge perspective on local and international concerns. Rather than approaching disciplines in isolation, a collaborative effort with the Peter F. Drucker & Masatoshi Ito Graduate School of Management enables multi-disciplinary study of the interrelationship of fields, crucial to broader understanding and future opportunities.

The innovative MAPEB program provides students with a rich blend of analytical skill, practical experience, and technical training useful in many environments. Politics responds to and shapes the environment in which business operates and, in return, provides useful information about the processes and impacts of decisions. Knowledge of the fundamentals of economics and business fortifies the student with a comparative advantage when competing for key employment opportunities in the private, public, and research environments. Analytical tools acquired in economics and statistics are increasingly fundamental to success in a variety of positions in business, government, and nonprofit organizations.

Admission requirements are detailed in the Admission section of the Bulletin.

Degree Requirements

Coursework. 48 units; no Master’s research paper required.

Final Paper Portfolio. All students are required to submit two papers to the program office. One paper must be written during the student’s first semester of enrollment in the program. A second paper should represent the student’s best work and may come from any subsequent semester that the student is enrolled in the program. Papers are used for accreditation reviews of the program.

University Policies. University policies detailed in the Academic Policies section of the Bulletin apply.

Core Course Requirements (20 units)

SP&E 471 - Strategic Modeling for Politics, Economics and Business Decisions
ECON 313 - Microeconomic Analysis I OR SP&E 324 - Economics of Management & Organization OR SP&E 313 - Microeconomics and Public Policy (with permission)
MGT 326 - Financial Accounting
MGT 335 - Corporate Finance
MGT 340 - Strategy

Research Tools (8 units)

MGT 306 - Business Analytics OR PP 481 Quantitative Research Methods
PP 482 Advanced Quantitative Research Methods

Tracks

Risk Management (20 units)

Internship. Two-unit internship required.

Choose from the following for the remaining 18 units:

MGT 307 - Game Theory (2 units plus 2-unit elective) OR SP&E 315 - Game Theory
MGT 391 - Introduction to Risk Management (2 units)
MGT 383 - Economics of Strategy (2 units)
SP&E 486 - Data Analytics & Visualization (4 units)
SP&E 448 - Seminar in Social Network Analysis (4 units)
An approved elective

Financial Policy (20 units)

Internship. The two-unit internship is optional for this track.

Core

ECON 350 - Global Money and Finance
ECON 336 - Financial Economics
ECON 337 - Behavioral Finance and Risk Management OR MGT 373 - Financial Strategy and Policy
MGT 402 - Asset Management Practicum (Faculty approval required)
2-unit internship (optional) OR 1 Elective

Leadership (20 units)

Internship: Two-unit intership required.

Courses:

MGT 362 - Revitalization
MGT 345 - Organizational Behavior
MGT 367 - Leadership in the 21st Century
SP&E 411 - International Political Economy
SP&E 324 - Economics of Management and Organization (if not taken as a core class)

Note: Any other Drucker course from the Leadership sequence (list available from the MBA advisor) may be substituted for MGT 345. SP&E 476 The Global Economy may be taken as an alternative to PP 411.

Public Policy (20 units)

PP 330 - Public Policy Process
PP 338 - Policy Design and Implementation
1 approved Elective

Plus one of the following sub-concentrations:

EDUC 525 - Politics of Inequality
EDUC 337 - Issues in Contemporary Education

PP 345 - Urban Politics
PP 346 - Economic and Community Development

Non-Profit & Sustainable Development (20 units)

Choose from the following:

MGT 372 - Sustainability for Strategic Advantage (2 units)
MGT 312 - Doing Business in a Culture of Sustainability (4 units-international trip)
PP 330 - Public Policy Process
PP 338 - Policy Design and Implementation
PP 346 - Economic and Community Development
An approved elective