Recently ranked #7 in the nation by The Princeton Review, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Master of Business Administration celebrates 60 years this fall. As part of the customizable curriculum, students in the fully online MBA@Nebraska program study one of the most influential people in the world of finance — Nebraska alum Warren Buffett, a 1951 graduate.

In the Security Valuation and the Buffett Investment Method course, graduate students calculate common inputs to financial models, convert accounting data from income statement to cash flows and utilize the various practitioner techniques to value companies. Then they learn which parts of these models Buffett uses.

Shane Moser, Nebraska Bankers Association Faculty Fellow and associate professor of practice in finance, teaches the online eight-week MBA course. He also teaches a course for undergraduate students called Security Analysis and Warren Buffett Business Valuation Techniques (FINA 463).

"These are fun classes where students learn practical financial modeling skills plus a lot about Buffett's history, philosophy, portfolio and performance. We also talk weekly about current events, market recaps, investment philosophies and more," said Moser.

Roland Griggs, a 2024 MBA graduate, found the MBA Buffett course applied directly to his work as a research associate in R&D at Novonesis, a biotech company headquartered in Denmark.

"One of the lessons from the course that stood out to me the most was that a company’s sales organization is the link between research and development and the market. If the sales organization lacks strong ties to both R&D and the market, the value of products developed by R&D will never be realized, and feedback from the market will never reach R&D," Griggs said.

He also noted three other lessons from class: 1. Management must have good relations with employees and treat all employees, especially blue-collar workers, with respect, 2. Employees and executives should feel the company is a good place to work and promotions should be based on ability, not favoritism, and 3. Companies should strive to produce products or services at the lowest cost possible. Having lower break-even points/higher profit margins than others enables a company to withstand depressed markets better than competitors.

Throughout the course, students also learn about Buffett, who was born in Omaha, Nebraska, and made his first investment at age 11. From his philosophies to his investment history, students gain insight into the Oracle of Omaha and his approach to portfolio management.

"Studying Buffett and his ideas felt like an MBA within an MBA. Buffett is a wealth of wisdom, and his philosophies are full of sound business and management principles," Griggs said.

This fall, Nebraska MBA faculty and staff are looking forward to reconnecting with the Nebraska MBA alumni at the MBA 60th Reunion on Saturday, Nov. 2. Free Executive Education and Professional Development sessions offer the opportunity to return to the classroom and learn from current faculty before celebrating at the ticketed tailgate. Share your experience in the program by completing the MBA Alumni Questionnaire. 

Those looking to advance their career by earning an MBA@Nebraska should start an application by December 1, April 15 or July 15.