The Fuqua School of Business, Duke University

The Duke MBA program combines a foundational core of required courses with a selection of electives. The program spans two academic years of full-time course work with at least 79 credit hours. Two Integrative Learning Experiences (ILEs) extend and enrich the intensive classroom study.

The Duke MBA's elective offerings change frequently in response to the needs and interests of students and the business community. At Duke, courses are taught in two-and-one-quarter-hour classes that meet twice weekly during six-week terms. This shorter term structure allows students to take more classes, such as three or four per term, with the same number of faculty contact hours as a semester or quarter system. These extended class periods enable faculty to cover topics during a single class session and permit participation by members of the corporate community. For students, the extended periods also mean ample time for simulations, case presentations, questions, and discussion.

During the first year, students will be immersed in the core curriculum. The courses will provide a firm foundation in economics, quantitative analysis and statistics, accounting, finance, organizational behavior, marketing, and operations management. A year-long Individual Effectiveness course will help to develop communication, computing, and career-planning skills. In the spring of the first year, elective courses are selected to help develop broad perspectives and give students a competitive advantage in the internship search process. In addition, the the first-year class is divided into several sections. Within these sections, students will be members of several study groups, project groups, and case teams.

In the second year, students take a full load of elective courses. A student's course selection can be tailored to meet specific educational and career goals. Duke's leading professors and practitioners in business help students to develop expertise in functional skills and analytical thinking. The result is a well-rounded MBA education that combines critical thinking and communication skills with a strategic, global perspective.