First-Semester Core

Through first-semester core, students build the foundation of their MIT Sloan education. Working with a highly diverse team of five or six classmates, they gain fundamental skills through required course work in economics, accounting, managerial communication, business statistics, and organizational processes (as well as an elective in either strategic marketing or finance). And they absorb indelible lessons about teamwork.

Only one semester long, the core allows students great freedom and flexibility in pursuing their unique goals and interests throughout the rest of their time at MIT Sloan. And students enjoy the company and intellectual stimulation of their cohort — a group of roughly 60 students (made up of 10-12 teams) who take their courses together.

The First-Semester Core Requirements

Required for all MBA candidates, the MBA Core curriculum consists of the following courses:

Economic Analysis for Business Decisions — 15.010
Data, Models, and Decisions — 15.060
Leadership and Personal Effectiveness Coaching (closely linked with the 15.280 Communications for Managers Course) — 15.277
Communication for Managers — 15.280
Organizational Processes — 15.311
Team Project — Special Seminar in Organization Studies (closely linked to the 15.311 Organizational Processes course) — 15.328
Financial Accounting — 15.515
One elective chosen by the student, either Finance Theory I, Marketing Management, Competitive Strategy, or Operations Management.