MS in Management

Gain pivotal business skills in just one year

Whether you want to switch your career or grow where you are, the online master's in management is designed to help professionals like you – at any career stage – reach their goals. Our MSM program offers not only flexible learning from any location and time zone but also a highly engaging curriculum that will give you an advantage in any field.

Stacking the iMSM into the iMBA

Once you’ve completed your degree, you’ll be eligible to fully stack your Master’s in Management into the Gies iMBA. This means if you choose to continue on to your MBA – either immediately afterward or years down the road – you’ll instantly be halfway done with your degree.

This is the first time in the history of the University of Illinois that a degree can stack into another degree, and it’s one of the very rare examples of this being done at any business school in the country.

• All iMSM graduates are eligible to apply.
• All 36 credit hours of the iMSM can be applied to your MBA degree (50% of the 72 hours) upon acceptance.
• You must still apply to the iMBA program and all admission requirements must be met. Your iMSM GPA and group participation scores will also be considered within the holistic application review. Admission is not guaranteed.
• Start your application with the University of Illinois Graduate College.

Required Courses

The curriculum includes 24 hours of required business fundamentals courses such as marketing, strategic business management, leadership, process management, global business, communicating with data, and finance.

• ACCY 503: Managerial Accounting
• BADM 508: Leadership and Teams
• BADM 544: Strategic Management
• BADM 567: Operations Management
• BADM 520: Marketing Management
• FIN 500: Introduction to Finance

Elective Options

With the remaining 12 credit hours, students have the opportunity to customize their degree by taking elective courses focused on global business challenges as well as data-driven decision-making and communications. Elective options are subject to change based on the semester and faculty availability. At Gies, our faculty strive to develop relevant, timely coursework – so this list of electives will continue to grow. Enrolled learners will always be notified of new courses.

• ACCY 500: Accounting Measurement, Reporting, and Control
• BADM 509: Managing Organizations
• BADM 589: Project Management
• MBA 549: Multiculturalism in Management and the Marketplace
• MBA 547: Global Marketing
• MBA 548: Global Strategy
• MBA 561: Introduction to Business Analytics with R*
• MBA 562: Introduction to Data: Communicating with Data*
• MBA 565: Infonomics

Suggested Course Pairings

If you are interested in focusing your elective courses on a specific topic, the iMSM currently offers three unique paths as listed below. Please note that these paths are only suggested course pairings – they are not transcriptable nor will you receive any recognition of completion.

Business Value and Project Management

• ACCY 500: Accounting Measurement, Reporting, and Control
• BADM 509: Managing Organizations
• BADM 589: Project Management

Global Business Challenges

• MBA 547: Global Marketing
• MBA 548: Global Strategy
• MBA 549: Multiculturalism in Management and the Marketplace

Business Data Management and Communication

• ACCY 500: Accounting Measurement, Reporting, and Control
• MBA 561: Introduction to Business Analytics with R*
• MBA 562: Introduction to Data: Communicating with Data*
• MBA 565: Infonomics

*Denotes a 2 Credit Hour Course

Course structure and format

Generally, you will spend 10-15 hours per class, per week. The course load is flexible – you can take one or two courses, or skip a term depending on your capacity.

• Weekly live classes and office hours with top faculty
• Did you miss a live class? Watch the recording at a more convenient time
• Self-paced, downloadable course material on Coursera
• Group discussions and projects with peers around the globe
• Immediately applicable graduate-level coursework

Our faculty have designed a customized curriculum to propel the careers of emerging leaders. The curriculum includes business fundamentals:

• Marketing
• Process Management
• Global Business
• Communicating with Data
• Project Management
• Finance
• Quantitative Reasoning

Courses and Schedule

The Master of Science in Management (MSM) consists of 36 credit hours taken over two semesters (fall and spring) starting in August. The courses are drawn from a set of required and elective courses.

Fall Semester Schedule

• Leadership and Teams
• Marketing Management
• Communicating with Data and Decision Making
• Managerial Accounting
• Communication Strategy in Business
• Process Management
• Introduction to Finance
• Action Learning

Spring Semester Schedule

• Strategic Management
• Action Learning
• Electives (12 credit hours)

Reach your goals with the power of a versatile degree

No matter what field you're in or how long you've been in it, the iMSM is designed to deliver on your goals.

• Gain knowledge and tools that are relevant, essential, and immediately applicable.
• Develop confidence by expanding communication and leadership skills.
• Understand – and be able to discuss – new technologies, global change, and market trends.
• Apply integrative thinking and problem-solving across areas such as finance, marketing, operations, and accounting.

The iMSM program is designed for learners who are interested in gaining fundamental business management knowledge. Admission decisions are based on the individual’s previous academic accomplishments, personal statement, full-time work experience, resume, references, and demonstrated potential for success in the iMSM program and in their careers.

A strong return on investment

By combining business management knowledge with any undergraduate degree you can achieve greater earning power and gain a competitive advantage. Career opportunities include management, consulting, analytics, entrepreneurship, and other high-demand jobs.

If you want to take your undergraduate degree and really put it to work, the master's in management program at Gies Business will give you the tools and skills you need.

On-Campus Recruiting Opportunities

The reputation of our College and our graduates bring hundreds of recruiters from the world’s top companies to campus each semester. The Gies Business Career Services team sponsors recruiting fairs each fall and spring semester, which provides opportunities for students to interview with companies for full-time and internship positions.

In addition, you have additional opportunities to participate in recruiting fairs across campus, including two in The Grainger College of Engineering; one in the College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences; one in the Research Park; and two all-campus recruiting fairs. As a Gies student, you can take advantage of a full array of resources and the experience of our Gies Business Career Services professionals to prepare you for these recruiting opportunities.

Positions Filled by MSM Graduates

• Associate Consultant
• Associate Production Supervisor
• Business Analyst
• Marketing Coordinator
• Operations and Quality Management
• Project Coordinator
• Project Manager
• Property Administrator
• Sub Contract Manager
• Tech Consultant

Client-based projects in each semester

Real-world, client-based projects are integrated into the culture of the MSM program. This hands-on experience prepares our students for career success, and employers recognize this added value from day one.

Our hands-on projects enable you to solve business problems for real clients, and they provide valuable experience to support your career. You will tell a better story to recruiters, improve your ability to work in a team and enhance your ability to solve complex problems

Learning by doing is not just a feature in the MSM. It’s in our DNA.

Tailor your degree experience

You can also customize your degree with concentrations in data analytics and finance or create your own track in areas like marketing, global business, and management. These options will allow you the flexibility to tailor your degree experience to your specific interests.

Learn the language of business

The program is specifically designed as a graduate degree to help develop the knowledge, skills, and capabilities to prepare students for management in any business function.

You’ll learn the language of business, so you will be prepared to speak with a chief financial officer, read a balance sheet, set up a marketing plan, and more.