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Mini MBA, Big Impact

Mini MBA

This 5-day crash course will prepare participants with a solid foundation in business and leadership strategy. Learn skills, terminology, and best practices in a variety of disciplines, all of which you can put to work right away. Round out this interactive course with a business simulation designed to test your newfound knowledge.

In the St. Thomas Mini MBA, you’ll learn how to be a more effective leader and make more informed, strategic business decisions. Prepare to tackle common challenges at work, including how to:

  • Approach challenges with an entrepreneurial mindset
  • Create strategic plans with all aspects of the business in mind
  • Converse of topics including accounting, finance, and marketing
  • Analyze market conditions and how they effect business operations
  • Make ethical business decisions and understand the legal implications
  • Lead while implementing managerial best practices
  • Understand managerial responsibilities as they relate to the entire business enterprise

This course includes online electives to strengthen participant skill sets in the areas of their choosing. The Mini MBA concludes with a business simulation designed to practice your new learnings across modules.

Small class sizes foster a collaborative learning environment and help you build your network of other business leaders. Sessions are held on our downtown Minneapolis campus and parking is available. The Mini MBA is a great introduction to a broad range of graduate programs offered at St. Thomas.

There are no prerequisites for this program, all professionals are welcome!

Contact

Abbey Welle

Program Manager
Email
abbey.welle@stthomas.edu
Phone Number
(651) 962-4616
A student writes on a paper while holding a book during an Executive MBA Class.

Is This Program Right For You?

Our Mini MBA Program is ideal for professionals looking for a change or advancement in their careers, as well as those who want to gain a better understanding of each area in the business ecosystem. This program is a great way to sample an MBA program at St. Thomas.

Common program participant job titles include:

  • Operations Manager
  • Office Manager
  • General Manager
  • Sales Manager
  • Marketing Director
  • Marketing Manager
  • Brand Manager
  • Project Manager
  • Customer Service Manager
  • IT Manager
  • Business Consultant
  • Business Analyst
  • Management Analyst
  • Program Analyst
  • Engineering Manager

Benefits of This Program

Real-World, Well-Rounded Perspectives.

This program is taught by industry professionals with real-world experience. We balance classroom theory with actual applications, to give you the most holistic education.

Skills you Can Use Monday Morning.

Our goal is for you to leave every session with tools you can use at work right away. Get ready to implement and share your learnings with your team!

Practice with your Peers.

Compete with other teams in a business simulation, making decisions and analyzing their real-world effects on a company. Sharpen your new skills alongside other business professionals, so you’re better prepared to apply them in your workplace.

Challenges Accepted.

Whether you own a business or work for one, the knowledge and tools you gain here will prepare you to handle any business challenge.

Network with Program Participants.

Turn to these professionals for support and advice long after the program ends. Engage with your peers during this course to challenge your perspectives and view issues from a variety of backgrounds.

Customize Your Mini MBA.

With a choice in online electives, you can customize your experience to best fit your background and future goals.

Curriculum

Be able to build a competitive advantage over other businesses with in-depth strategies. Analyze value sources in products and services and learn how to turn strategic plans into action.

All leaders have different strengths. It’s important to identify yours. Once you understand your own leadership style, you are better able to lead others. This module will show you how to create a positive culture and work environment by being a strong and influential leader.

For a business to be successful and sustainable, it needs to be profitable and maximize shareholder value. Learn how to conduct basic analyses to make informed decisions. Understand ethical dilemmas and how to handle those tough situations.

Learn how to create and capture value in your firm’s market. Experience market dynamics. Learn what it takes to keep a business running effectively by finding the right balance between the marginal costs of a decision and its marginal costs.

Being able to protect yourself and your organization is a valuable skill. You’ll learn how to make business decisions in a way that aligns with organizational goals with an understanding of potential legal risk and ethical considerations.

Gain an understanding of core marketing concepts and frameworks and be able to implement them. Discover your market segments and understand consumer behavior to best market to your audience in an effective and efficient way.

Understand how to create and deliver better goods and services. Improve your decisions in operational areas such as process management, Lean management, Six Sigma quality, supply chain management, capacity, demand management, waiting line management, and business analytics.

Entrepreneurial thinking helps businesses large or small create innovative solutions. Break free from internal politics, structure and overall bureaucracy to solve problems with your customer in mind and see the benefit to the bottom line.

Make sure your hiring strategy aligns with your organization competencies. Understand what it takes to have a successful Human Resources department and how it should align with both customer and employee strategy. Learn about new tools and technology that are available to help keep and retain top talent.

Put everything together and present on what you have learned to the class.

Choosing online elective courses will customize your learning. Each of these topics includes 30-45 minutes worth of online content. You can complete as many as you would like but must complete a minimum of three before your program is over. A sample of electives include:

  • Agile Project Management
  • Polarities: Managing Interdependent Opposites
  • Appreciative Inquiry
  • Decision-Making
  • Strategies for Effective Negotiation
  • Salary Negotiation
  • Digital Marketing
  • Overview of Health Care
A view of Terrence Murphy Hall in downtown Minneapolis.

From Mini MBA to Graduate School

The Mini MBA program inspired Janet to further her education in the Health Care MBA program at St. Thomas.
From Mini MBA to Graduate School

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Take the Next Step

St. Thomas Executive Education programs give you cutting-edge, practical knowledge and real-world skills you can apply at work the very next day. Gain the tools and techniques to be a more effective, strategic leader.
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