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Academics

Undergraduate Majors

Accountancy

Accounting professionals are valued critical thinkers and problem solvers in today’s competitive marketplace. As a thoughtful voice who understands how money flows, you can help others make good decisions and have a positive impact. The possibilities are endless — your accounting knowledge can help individuals, small businesses or major companies thrive in Nebraska and across the world.

You can also choose to minor in accounting if you are a business major.

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Actuarial Science

Prepare to solve complex, challenging problems that impact the financial security of people and businesses. You'll use mathematical and analytical skills to manage and identify real-world risks. Crucial to insurance companies, hospitals, banks and more, actuaries consistently enjoy a top-ranked job in salary, security and satisfaction. This close-knit program combines the knowledge of economics, finance, mathematics and statistics with purposeful experiences to best transition from the classroom to the workplace.

You can also choose to earn a minor in actuarial science with a business or arts and science major.

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Agribusiness

As demand builds on the world’s food supply, are you interested in helping produce, finance and market the food, fiber and energy products we need? Agribusiness involves one in every four jobs in Nebraska and one in every five in the nation, including careers in finance, lending, renewable fuels trading, management, farm management, international trade, government and sales. The program emphasizes decision-making, management and strategic skills, and the technical aspects of agriculture and food systems required in today’s global marketplace. Tailor your coursework and build expertise for your specific career interests.

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Business Administration

A major in business administration enables you to explore a multitude of business disciplines and opportunities. You’ll co-create your degree while developing skills in everything from the basics of accounting to the principles of management, all while opening the door to endless career options.

You can also choose to minor in business administration if you are a business major.

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Business and Law

Meet the high demand of employers who need professionals to develop business solutions from a legal and interdisciplinary perspective. If you are interested in law and want to work in business, you’ll be able to solve critical challenges and impact the future of business by knowing the best legal practices when making decisions. Many jobs need knowledge of both business and legal concepts but don't require attending law school.

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Economics

Do you look at current trends and issues and wonder what’s behind them? Are you interested in people, business or society and how to improve the world? Economics teaches you how to think, make informed decisions and apply your analytical ability to issues facing individuals, businesses, governments or entire nations. As an economics major at Nebraska, you concentrate on one or two of 12 specialized areas. Economics students find careers in banking, insurance, brokerage, financial services, corporate consulting and government. Students planning to enter professional and graduate programs, particularly in law, foreign service, labor relations or business administration also choose to major in economics.

You can also choose to minor in economics if you are a business major.

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Finance

Do you want to learn more about money, investments and the markets that affect the economy? Financial professionals analyze and improve the financial health of businesses, organizations and individuals. Finance majors gain experience measuring risk, solving problems, managing money, and analyzing investments and financial statements. Choose one of three finance major options: banking and risk management, investments or general finance. In the investments option, you study in one of the few CFA University Affiliated Programs, prepare for the Level I CFA exam and take a year-long portfolio management course in which you manage the Cornhusker Fund, a real multimillion-dollar investment fund.

You can also choose to minor in finance if you are a business major.

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International Business

Do you want to do business in other countries or work locally with a strong command of how to deal with global teams? International business offers exciting possibilities for careers in the U.S. and around the world in various sectors, from banking to manufacturing. At Nebraska, this major combines academic studies in an area of business with language study and international experience. You learn about the culture and management methods that differ around the globe. Beyond diverse career opportunities, you prepare to purposefully and effectively serve businesses and organizations – and ultimately, the world – as a global citizen.

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Management

Do you see yourself as a decision maker? Are you energized by turning ideas into action or by helping people be at their best? Through this major, you learn the skills necessary to effectively manage people and resources. You’ll study theories, explore strategies and acquire tools so you can lead the future of business. Choose between four major options: entrepreneurship and innovation, human resource management, general management or Clifton Builders management, in which you need to apply for the Clifton Builders Program and get selected to declare this option.

You can also choose to minor in management if you are a business major.

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Marketing

Do you ever wonder why companies made their ads a certain way? Do you enjoy figuring out the best way to pitch an idea or product? From product creation to price, placement and promotion, marketing professionals see the big picture to ensure their product or service reaches its target audience. In a marketing career, you earn a seat at the table to represent the needs of the customer. Whether you prefer to build your creative or analytical talents, develop your marketing skills to work in industries such as retail, e-commerce, manufacturing or nonprofits. As a marketing major, you gain relevant, hands-on experience needed to launch your career through courses, competitions and more.

You can also choose to minor in marketing if you are a business major.

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Supply Chain Management

The pandemic demonstrated how crucial it is for supply chains to run efficiently. As competitive pressures escalate, market and supply uncertainties increase, and consumers continue to demand timely production and deliveries, there is a need to build more resilient and agile supply chains. Make an impact by designing and managing supply chains, the cornerstones of success for any organization.

Supply chain professionals work in any industry – such as manufacturing, technology, health care or retail – to design, source, manufacture and deliver the best products and services for customers, providing companies with an edge over their competition. Help businesses improve profits, while increasing their sustainability and responsibility to the greater good.

You can also choose to minor in supply chain management if you are a business major.

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Co-Create Your Experience Through These Options

Business Minor for Non-Business Majors

Available to: undergraduate non-business majors across the university

The business minor delivers an overview of accounting, economics, business law, finance, management and marketing. Taking classes either online and on-campus, you earn a valuable skill set for the professional world that sets you apart from your peers.

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Business Analytics Minor

Available to: undergraduate business majors

The business analytics minor provides an edge in today’s competitive job market. Designed to have broad appeal for employers, this minor cultivates your critical thinking skills. You learn how to analyze data to develop solutions for specific business problems. The methods and tools introduced in the business analytics coursework apply to any industry for which interpreting and applying data are important.

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Clifton Builders Management Minor

Available to: undergraduates of any UNL major who apply and are accepted into Clifton Builders program

Offered for students selected into the Clifton Builders Program, this minor enables you to pursue a blend of management and entrepreneurship courses. You gain the confidence and tools to help develop your strengths and leadership skills. Three possible tracks – business builders, team builders and community builders – allow you to tailor your minor to the type of impact you prefer to achieve.

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Entrepreneurship Minor

Available to: undergraduates of any UNL major

Creatively strategize and gain the knowledge and skills necessary to start your own business, work at a startup or lead growth for an established company. Two available tracks allow you to tailor your minor according to your experience in business coursework. The track for business majors emphasizes core entrepreneurship courses, and the track for non-business majors covers basic business courses with an entrepreneurship core.

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Global Leadership Minor

Available to: undergraduates of any UNL major except those majoring in international business

Become a global citizen prepared to lead in a culturally complex world. You can impact your future employer by identifying global opportunities to create, expand or re-energize organizations and initiatives. The minor offers specialized coursework and hands-on experience through participation in an approved study abroad program.

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Law and Business Minor

Available to: undergraduates of any UNL major

Taught by College of Law professors at the College of Business, the law and business minor prepares you for jobs requiring some knowledge of the law. These include the growing fields including human resources, accounting, procurement, technology consulting, policy analysis, financial services, environmental regulation, health care and real estate. The courses also allow you to explore a possible career in law while an undergraduate.

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Certificate in Sales Excellence

Available to: undergraduates of any UNL major can apply to program

Learn how to sell yourself to anyone, pitch your ideas and influence others. The coursework enables you to be more productive and influential, no matter what career path you choose. You will hone the skills employers seek, such as the ability to communicate effectively, solve problems, make decisions and influence others. With the certificate in professional selling on your résumé indicates you’re a strong candidate for jobs and helps you sell yourself when applying for jobs or starting a business as an entrepreneur.

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Nebraska Business Honors Academy

Available to: students selected through an application process

The Nebraska Business Honors Academy is a four-year, cohort-based, enhanced business curriculum for high-ability students who have the potential and desire to become the next generation of business leaders. You complete most of your foundation and core business courses together as a cohort using an action-based learning style focused on the development of critical thinking, technical and communication skills. These classes allow students to discuss and develop solutions for real-world business problems and create the social and intellectual bonds necessary to ready yourself for the ever-changing business world. If you are a goal-oriented student with an interest in an enhanced academic experience and a willingness to challenge your leadership potential, then the Nebraska Business Academy will be right for you.

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View All Business Minor Options

Online Master’s Programs

MBA@Nebraska

Recognized for its quality, flexibility and value, our Big Ten online MBA program is delivered in a series of eight-week courses. The customizable 48-hour curriculum gives you time for work or other responsibilities. The same dedicated, research-based faculty who teach the on-campus program also teach the online courses. Designed to provide you with strong analytical and strategic thinking skills, our program will take you to the next chapter in your professional career. As an MBA student, you may choose to add a specialization in business analytics, finance, international business, marketing or supply chain management. You can also earn an additional graduate certificate at the same time.

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Business Analytics

From logistics to digital marketing, companies must manage complex data every day as big data and new computing technologies transform all aspects of business in every industry. Subsequently, growing demand exists for employees with experience in managing and analyzing data. The M.S. in Business Analytics curriculum develops your expertise in quantitative business methods and tools and software for data analysis. The core courses build on any background and provide you with comprehensive skills directly applicable to a variety of industries. Created by faculty with real-world experience in using analytics techniques to solve business problems, the 30-credit-hour program, delivered in a series of eight-week courses, is fully online and mobile-optimized.

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Finance

Businesses in every sector rely on financial management for success. The M.S. in Finance curriculum provides you with fundamental skills employers need to make smart financial and investment decisions and assists in preparing you for certification exams or your next career move. In a series of eight-week courses taught by faculty who advance finance research and lead the conversation in the discipline, the online 30-credit-hour program gives you the flexibility to balance your responsibilities.

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Supply Chain Management

At the heart of business, effective supply chain management can transform an organization. In our fast-paced global environment, individuals with the knowledge and skills to help organizations expand their reach and become more resilient are in high demand. Designed to build on any background, the M.S. in Supply Chain Management combines business fundamentals with specialized supply chain management courses to give you a broad skillset applicable to almost any industry. You will discover the concepts and innovative tools used in supply chain management and learn to apply analytics to design, analyze and improve supply chain systems. Delivered in a series of eight-week courses, the 30-credit-hour program is fully online and mobile-optimized, giving you the flexibility to maintain your current responsibilities while advancing your career.

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On-Campus Master’s Programs

Accountancy

As the field of accounting grows increasingly dynamic and educational requirements for taking the CPA exam increase, many students seek an advanced accounting degree. The 36-credit-hour MPA program strives to develop accounting professionals for the workplace they will enter now and in the future, as well as qualifying candidates to sit for the CPA exam. We do this by providing further technical education combined with a focus on communication and critical thinking.

Open to students from various backgrounds, this program requires previous coursework in accounting. As an undergraduate accounting student, you may enter the master’s program while in the final year of your undergraduate studies as long as you maintain good academic standing with the university and complete the required courses. As an MPA student, you may be eligible to receive a teaching or research assistantship.

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Actuarial Science

Actuarial science is a rewarding profession that consistently ranks as one of the top jobs in the United States for salary, job security and job satisfaction. Open to students with undergraduate degrees in a variety of disciplines, this 30-credit-hour program enables you to succeed in careers in life insurance, pensions and property or casualty insurance. As a student in one of only 20 actuarial science programs in the United States designated as a Center for Actuarial Excellence by the Society of Actuaries (SOA), you will learn from distinguished faculty, benefit from a close-knit community and gain the knowledge necessary to pass the professional actuarial exams.

Previous coursework in actuarial science is not required, but you must have a strong aptitude for mathematics as well as a solid mathematical background, including calculus and mathematical statistics, for admittance with provisional or conditional standing. For admittance with full standing, you must also pass Exams P and FM of the SOA.

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Economics

At Nebraska, economists begin with solid technical training in economic theory and quantitative methods and progress to applications of those tools in selected fields. Our 36-credit hour program prepares you for a Ph.D. program at Nebraska or other institutions. As a master’s student, you will take the same core classes as a doctoral student. If admitted to our Ph.D. program, your coursework and examinations transfer directly to the Ph.D. Before admittance to the program, we expect you to have strong academic achievement and training in economics, mathematics and statistics.

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MPA/Juris Doctor

As business continually evolves, the need for professionals with backgrounds in both accounting and law rapidly increases. Retirement and estate planning, internal auditing, corporate accounting, and forensic accounting are growing fields, and tax attorneys and FBI tax agents are in high demand. The joint program, offered by the School of Accountancy and the College of Law, combines concepts and analytic methods from both fields.

As a student in the program, you will take a wide variety of courses that provide interdisciplinary insights, preparing you to sit for both the Bar exam and CPA exam. You must complete a total of 87 credit hours at the College of Law and 36 credit hours at the College of Business. You must meet the application requirements of each college to for admittance to the joint degree program.

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MBA/Architecture

This 73-credit hour, dual degree program focuses on the strengths between the professions of architecture and business administration. In recognizing the reality of these expanding interdisciplinary professional responsibilities and opportunities, this dual degree program provides a means of completing requirements for the Master of Business Administration (MBA) and the Master of Architecture (MArch) degrees in a three-year sequence. Individually, they each require two-year programs. While in the program, you may pursue either of the following: a master’s thesis track or professional project/design studio track.

Intended for those who hold a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies (BSAS) degree, you must satisfy all entrance requirements for each of the two master’s degree programs before admittance.

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MBA/Juris Doctor

Our MBA-JD program integrates the study of law and business and thus expands career opportunities. The joint program is a collaboration between the Nebraska College of Business and the College of Law. Students who complete both degrees often go on to become transactional attorneys, corporate in-house counsel or compliance officers, non-profit directors, management consultants, investment bankers, human resource officers, entrepreneurs or business owners.

During the program, you will take a total of 84 credit hours from the College of Law and complete the 48 credit hours required to receive the MBA degree. Up to 15 hours of the 84 hours of courses taken at the College of Law can be used to satisfy the 48 hours required for the MBA degree. You must meet the application requirements of each college for admittance to the joint degree program.

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Contact information for individual master's programs can be found at the bottom of each individual program page.


Online Graduate Certificate Programs

Business Analytics

12 Credit Hours | 100% Online | Eight-Week Courses

Learn to leverage the power of big data to improve business decision-making. As demand for data analysis grows across industries, you will be equipped with the skills necessary to be successful and gain an edge in this dynamic environment. The certificate prepares you to work collaboratively with information technology and statistical specialists to collect, maintain and analyze data.

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Financial Analytics

12 Credit Hours | 100% Online | Eight-Week Courses

Firms are operating in an increasingly challenging business environment, with greater competition, more informed customers and rapidly changing market trends. They also have access to more information about their customers, the marketplace and their competitors than ever before. This 12-credit-hour online program will help expand your understanding of the data available to you and how to make use of it most effectively.

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Human Resource Management

12 Credit Hours | 100% Online | Eight-Week Courses

Enhance your human resource management skills, become a better leader and expand your understanding of recruitment, selection, performance evaluation, compensation and the legal aspects of employment.

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Marketing Analytics

12 Credit Hours | 100% Online | Eight-Week Courses

Discover how to conduct meaningful marketing analytics to fuel your insights and impact your organization's marketing and sales. Whatever your undergraduate degree or career path, this 12-credit-hour online program provides you with dynamic methods and tools to use the data available to you to make optimal business decisions.

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Sales Excellence

12 Credit Hours | 100% Online | Eight-Week Courses

Learn the cutting-edge concepts dealing with sales and sales management and gain the skills and tools necessary to engage in revenue-generating activities in your organization. This 12-credit-hour online program will help expand your understanding of the sales process, negotiating, data-driven decision-making and sales-leadership.

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Strategic Innovation and Entrepreneurship

12 Credit Hours | 100% Online | Eight-Week Courses

Innovation is considered a cornerstone for how companies create value for both customers and their shareholders. Entrepreneurs are the drivers of new ideas, products and services. In this 12-credit-hour online program, you learn how to assess growth decisions and options using a variety of qualitative frameworks, understand and apply principles and skills relevant to innovating new products and services, and identify, describe and analyze a business opportunity.

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Strategic Marketing

12 Credit Hours | 100% Online | Eight-Week Courses

Explore how to best make strategic business decisions by using your organization's resources most efficiently to reach your target audiences. Whatever your undergraduate degree or career path, this 12-credit-hour online program provides you with necessary skills and tools to design and implement an effective integrated marketing strategy that drives revenue growth for your company, department of product line.

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Supply Chain Analytics

12 Credit Hours | 100% Online | Eight-Week Courses

Learn to analyze data and apply the quantitative methods used by supply chain management professionals. Connect with Nebraska's Big Ten faculty in accessible and relevant online classes while elevating your career with services from a leading career center.

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Supply Chain Management

12 Credit Hours | 100% Online | Eight-Week Courses

Sharpen your analytical skills and learn to leverage key concepts, tools and technologies to make supply chains faster, more flexible and more efficient. The certificate covers a wide array of important topics, including strategic supply chain design, supply chain planning and forecasting, sourcing and procurement, logistics, distribution and inventory management and lean management principles.

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Contact information for individual certificate programs can be found at the bottom of each individual program page.

Ph.D. Programs

Accounting

Are you interested in learning about a diverse set of accounting areas, including audit, tax and financial accounting, using both experimental and archival-based research methods? Our small program gives you a personalized experience while collaborating closely with distinguished faculty and prepares you to conduct high-quality research with the goal of attaining a position at a research-oriented institution.

It normally takes four years to complete the program. If like many of our students, you come into the program with a master’s degree, those hours may be used to partially fulfill the requirements. Prior to entering the program, we expect you to complete the equivalent of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Calculus I-III.

All students take the same classes for the first semester, nine hours in each of the second, third and fourth semesters and three hours in the fifth. Your program of study will include at least four tool courses consistent with your chosen accounting concentration area (such as mathematics, econometrics or statistics). The program requires you to write a second-year research paper, complete a comprehensive examination, normally at the end of the fifth semester, and write an original dissertation, normally during the third and fourth years. In addition to the skills cultivated from coursework and collaborating closely with faculty, you will gain valuable insights through weekly workshops meant to familiarize you with accounting research topics and the scientific process.

Contact
Dr. Tom Kubick
tkubick@unl.edu

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Finance

Are you thinking of pursuing an academic career in finance? An intensive course of study in both the theory and empirical application of finance, this lock-step program includes a combination of classroom instruction, seminars and work with distinguished finance faculty. You must pass written comprehensive examinations, write a dissertation and pass a final oral examination.

The program takes at least four years to complete with two years focused on the dissertation. Before starting the program, you should complete a minimum of one year of calculus and one semester of probability and statistics, but we strongly recommend three semesters of calculus, one semester of linear algebra and a probability and statistics course.

The curriculum requires a minimum of 42 hours of coursework in the Department of Finance, divided into 15 hours of finance seminars, nine hours of econometrics, nine hours of probability and statistics, six hours of economic theory and three hours of research and teaching methods classes. Forty-eight additional hours focus on the dissertation.

Contact
Dr. Julian Atanassov
julian@unl.edu

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Management

Are you interested in gaining expertise in and contributing new knowledge to the field of management? Pursing a doctorate in management is a versatile and lucrative degree for those interested in becoming professors and academic researchers. You can work in areas of organizational behavior, entrepreneurship, human resource management, strategic management and organization theory.

- Collegial faculty and student environment
- Complete your degree in 4-5 years
- Work with innovative and forward-thinking faculty
- Coursework entailing 4 foundational seminars supplemented with research methods, statistics and elective courses
- Departmental support for conference travel and research
- Emphasis on training students to craft original research publishable in reputable scholarly journals

Contact
Dr. Varkey Titus Jr.
vtitusjr2@unl.edu

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Marketing

Are you considering an academic career in marketing? Our program offers a stimulating and supportive environment that will challenge you to grow as a serious scholar who will contribute to knowledge in the field of marketing and develop as a researcher and teacher.

The program is tailored to meet your needs, objectives and prior coursework. It normally requires four years to complete: two to two-and-a-half years of coursework and the remaining time spent in dissertation research and writing. For consideration, you must have a master’s degree in business or related field from an accredited university.

Individual programs vary, but the curriculum typically consists of six marketing courses, several research methods courses, and four courses in an outside area relevant to your interests (such as communication, psychology, economics or sociology). Working closely with faculty, you will develop two papers and complete your dissertation. Over the duration of the program, you will teach for four academic semesters.

Additionally, you may attend brown bag seminars, faculty research seminars, visiting scholar presentations and the Mittelstaedt & Gentry Doctoral Symposium, which attracts doctoral candidates and faculty from the Big Ten and research universities west of the Mississippi River.

Contact
Dr. Amit Saini
asaini2@unl.edu

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Supply Chain Management and Analytics

Are you interested in pursuing an academic career in supply chain management and analytics? Our doctoral program is designed for those interested in becoming professors and academic researchers with specializations in:

• Supply Chain Management
• Operations Management
• Analytics

Our program enables you to work closely alongside faculty to develop the research skills necessary to find solutions for important and challenging problems in diverse application areas including supply chains, health care, agriculture, transportation systems and many others.

The program consists of rigorous coursework and takes at least four years to complete, with the final two years focused on the dissertation. Before starting the program, you should have completed required calculus courses, one semester of linear algebra and statistics. We also strongly recommend one semester of intermediate microeconomics.

The curriculum requires 59-65 hours of coursework. This coursework will help you develop knowledge of a variety of research methods and will provide exposure to the main functional areas of operations management, supply chain management and analytics. You will also have the opportunity to choose electives based on your research interests. The required coursework includes 16 credit hours of supply chain management and analytics seminars, 10 credit hours of economics and 3 credit hours of statistics. The program of study also includes 25-31 credit hours that focus on the dissertation, which you will complete in close collaboration with our world-class faculty. You will also have the opportunity to teach at the undergraduate level under the mentorship of our faculty. Additionally, you can attend research seminars, industry presentations and professional conferences.

Contact
Dr. Özgür M. Araz
oaraz2@unl.edu

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Economics

Are you interested in furthering your career as an economist? Our program enables you to work closely alongside faculty to develop the research skills necessary to answer the economic questions of today and pursue a career in academics, business or government.

The degree requires successful completion of coursework, comprehensive exams in two fields of concentration and doctoral dissertation. The core coursework consists of mathematical statistics, two courses in microeconomic theory, two in macroeconomic theory and two in econometrics. In addition, you will take at least two seminar courses in two major fields of concentration:

- Econometrics
- Economic education
- Feminist economics
- International trade and development
- Labor economics
- Public and urban economics

As a graduate student, you may work on research projects at one of our five centers: the Bureau of Business Research, Central Plains Research Data Center, National Center for Research in Economic Education, Nebraska Council on Economic Education and Lincoln Center for Economic Education.

Before entering the program, you must have intermediate level training in both macroeconomics and microeconomics, as well as a strong mathematical background including at least two semesters of calculus, a course in linear (matrix) algebra and a course in mathematical statistics. We also recommend experience with differential equations and math analysis.

Contact
Dr. Edward Balistreri
edward.balistreri@unl.edu

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Doctoral Minor in Business

As a doctoral student at UNL, you may declare a doctoral minor in business from the College of Business in your Program of Studies. Per graduate school requirements, the minor’s credit hours are included in the total for the doctoral program and must include at least 15 hours, with 6 hours in courses open exclusively to graduate students (900 level, or 800 level, without 400 level or lower counterparts). The doctoral minor in business is flexible and gives you the freedom to choose classes that will advance your unique career objectives. The specific courses may come from one or more of the following departments:

- Accountancy
- Finance
- Management
- Marketing
- Supply Chain Management and Analytics

If you choose to minor in business, you may want to take courses from more than one department and pursue a breadth of knowledge in business or take courses from within a specific department. For example, if your program emphasizes administration (e.g., health, public, or education administration), you might choose to take courses from the Department of Management. If you study math or statistics, you may prefer doctoral minor courses in the Department of Finance or the Department of Supply Chain Management and Analytics. If you pursue psychology, you might want to focus your courses in the Department of Marketing. If you study in the Fine Arts, you might be interested in our courses in Entrepreneurship, housed in the Department of Management.

The minor is designed to allow UNL Ph.D. students from outside the College of Business to select courses that best supplement their doctoral program at Nebraska. Students in the Ph.D. Program in Business may not enroll in this minor, although students in the Ph.D. Program in Economics may do so.

Contact
Dr. Janet P. Near
jnear2@unl.edu