Curriculum and Courses

This course introduces the technical, analytical, and methodological foundations of project management, emphasizing its application in complex, data-driven environments. Students learn how projects are initiated, structured, and executed across industries, with a focus on quantitative reasoning and evidence-based decision-making. Through computational modeling, risk and resource optimization, and scenario-based analysis, students develop the ability to evaluate project structures, trade-offs, and outcomes. The course integrates predictive, adaptive, and hybrid methodologies, (including Agile, and systems-based frameworks), while incorporating industry-standard software tools for planning, scheduling, and performance control. By blending project management theory with applied technical practice, the course equips students with the analytical and methodological skills needed to design, optimize, and manage high-performing projects in quantitatively intensive professional contexts.

This course provides a comprehensive foundation in planning, scheduling, and controlling projects across diverse industries. Students will learn the principles, methods, and quantitative tools used to develop work breakdown structures, establish project baselines, and apply critical path method (CPM) analysis to identify, sequence, and manage project activities. Emphasis is placed on integrating cost, schedule, and resource planning, as well as applying monitoring and control techniques to track progress and manage risks. Coursework includes hands-on experience with widely used project management platforms such as Microsoft Project and Oracle Primavera, alongside case studies that connect theory to practice. By the end of the course, students will be equipped to design and implement effective project schedules, analyze performance using earned value and related metrics, and apply control strategies to keep projects on time and within scope.

This course provides a foundational understanding of accounting and finance principles essential for effective management and decision-making across industries. Students will explore core topics such as financial reporting, managerial accounting, budgeting, internal controls, and financial statement analysis, while also examining issues of taxation, investment, and risk. Emphasis is placed on interpreting financial information for strategic planning, resource allocation, and performance evaluation, with attention to ethical and regulatory considerations in financial decision-making. Through case studies, applied exercises, and guest lectures, students will develop the financial literacy and analytical skills necessary to lead projects and organizations with confidence and accountability.

This course introduces students to the principles of effective leadership and collaborative team performance, emphasizing how leaders influence outcomes, foster engagement, and navigate challenges in dynamic, multidisciplinary environments. Students will examine leadership qualifications, ethical considerations, strategic decision-making, and performance development frameworks while gaining practical skills in multicultural collaboration, communication, conflict management, and high-performance team practices. By bridging technical project management competencies with interpersonal and strategic leadership skills, the course equips students to lead ethically, manage diverse teams, and contribute to organizational success across industries.

This course explores the integration of technology into modern project management, equipping students with the skills to navigate digital transformation and technology adoption in complex project environments. Students will gain hands-on experience with project management information systems (PMIS) and enterprise platforms such as MS Project, Asana, Trello, SAP, and Oracle Primavera, while also learning to leverage AI, automation, and data analytics tools like Power BI to enhance decision-making and performance monitoring. The course emphasizes the use of agile and hybrid methodologies supported by tech-enabled tools, preparing students to lead projects with efficiency, adaptability, and innovation in digitally driven organizations.

The Capstone Project serves as the final integrative experience of the M.S. in Project Management program, enabling students to integrate and apply the knowledge, skills, and methodologies acquired throughout their coursework. Working in teams, students will design, analyze, and deliver a comprehensive project plan or applied research study that addresses a real-world challenge in project management. Emphasis is placed on problem definition, stakeholder analysis, application of quantitative and qualitative methods, and the use of project management frameworks to evaluate outcomes and propose actionable solutions. Faculty mentorship and peer collaboration guide students through the process, resulting in a final presentation and written deliverable that demonstrates professional readiness and thought leadership in the field.

This course concentrates on the importance of proper means and methods for insuring cost-effective design, construction and maintenance, as well as a safe work environment. The course includes guest speakers from the industry who will discuss various construction methods. Students work in teams on a semester-long case study of a Manhattan construction project, examining field activities, site safety, work progress and quality control.

A definitive review of and comprehensive introduction to construction industry best practices and fundamental concepts of environmental health and safety management systems (EH&S) for the construction management field. How modern EH&S management system techniques and theories not only result in improved safe work environments but ultimately enhance operational processes and performance in construction projects.

This course introduces students to the principles, methods and tools necessary to manage the design and construction processes. Among the topics examined in detail are: elements of planning, estimating, scheduling, bidding and contractual relationships; valuation of project cash flows; critical path method. The course includes a survey of construction procedures, cost control and effectiveness, and practical techniques for completing capital projects on time and within budget. 

Practical focus upon legal concepts applicable to the construction industry. Provides sufficient understanding to manage legal aspects, instead of being managed by them. Topics include contractual relationships, contract performance, contract flexibility and change orders, liability and negligence, dispute avoidance/resolution, surety bonds, insurance and site safety

What is the practical application of key concepts and issues in sports management within the sports business workplace? This class emphasizes the key concepts and issues in various disciplines of the sports industry, and the relationship between disciplines within the industry. Students and faculty share practical experience and incorporate student experimentation to fully prepare students for advancement in the Sports Management program.

This course explores the techniques and activities used to advertise and promote sports events. Topics discussed include: the marketing mix, the evolution of media in the 21st century, advertising awareness, brand awareness, other critical and frequently used brand metrics, message recall, consumer motivation and attitudes, behavior, endorsements, promotions, naming rights, licensing, sponsorship, media management, constructing the advertising message, designing advertising and more broadly, sports marketing campaigns.

This course provides students with an understanding of the complexity involved in sport facility and event management. Sport facility management includes a variety of activities such as planning and designing a sports facility, staff management, facility marketing, developing revenue streams, and facility scheduling and operating. Sport event management consists of identifying goals of the event and coordinating people in the organizations involved to achieve those goals with the resources available.

Digital, social, and mobile media continue to heavily impact every aspect of sports business, often in profound and unanticipated ways, particularly in managing and optimizing revenue streams. All revenue line items are fully intertwined and integrated with each other, media, sponsorship, ticketing, hospitality, concessions and licensing, etc. Students of this course will learn to analyze and optimize the ecosystem of sports business including content rights, ticketing, sponsorship, merchandising, marketing, etc., as well as make business analytics decisions by leveraging business analytics software to run scenario analysis.

Sustainability management matters because we only have one planet and we must learn how to manage our organizations in a way that ensures that our planet is maintained. The course is designed to introduce you to the field of sustainability management.  This is not an academic course that reviews the literature of the field and discusses how scholars think about the management of organizations that are environmentally sound.  It is a practical, professional course organized around the core concepts of management and the core concepts of sustainability. The course will have a specific emphasis on urban sustainability as the planet’s urban population continues to expand.  

At the end of this course, students will be prepared to fully evaluate the technical and financial aspects of a solar project. They will be equipped with skills allowing them to either develop or rigorously vet solar project proposals. The course introduces and provides students with a holistic understanding of the end-to-end solar development process. The course has two goals:  

1. To provide students a deep understanding of the dozens of critical interrelated steps critical to developing a successful operating solar project.  
2. To equip the students with the tools and understanding of the skills necessary to develop a solar project beginning with site selection encompassing the entire process to commissioning and operations.  

This course provides an introduction to computer-based models for decision-making. The emphasis is on models that are widely used in diverse industries and functional areas, including finance, accounting, operations, and marketing. Applications will include advertising planning, revenue management, asset-liability management, environmental policy modeling, portfolio optimization, and corporate risk management, among others. The aim of the course is to help students become intelligent consumers of these methods. To this end, the course will cover the basic elements of modeling-- how to formulate a model and how to use and interpret the information a model produces. The course will attempt to instill a critical viewpoint towards decision models, recognizing that they are powerful but limited tools.

Explores operational practices that minimize environmental impact while optimizing efficiency. Topics include supply chain sustainability, life cycle assessment, and resource management.

This course provides a foundational understanding of technology's role in modern organizations, exploring its evolution, strategic implementation, and governance. Students will examine leadership, ethics, financial considerations, and risk management in a technology-driven environment. The course emphasizes the integration of technology with organizational culture, communications, and compliance, preparing students to navigate complex technological landscapes effectively.

This course explores the principles, strategies, and challenges of technology-driven transformation in organizations. Students will examine emerging technologies, digital disruption, and frameworks for implementing large-scale change. This course provides a comprehensive understanding of digital transformation, focusing on how businesses leverage technology to drive transformation based on various drivers including efficiency, productivity, competitive advantage, and compliance. Students will explore key topics such as product development, systems development lifecycle, enterprise architecture, IT capabilities, and automation. Through case studies, research, and hands-on projects, students will develop the skills needed to lead strategic and technical skills necessary to lead and manage digital transformation initiatives.

Full course details to come.

Full course details to come.

This course is a seminar-based elective and is designed to expose and engage students on advanced topics in project and enterprise management. There will be invited guest speakers in addition to the main instructor of the course. The course will focus on critical discussions around advanced topics related to the management of large complex construction programs and projects. By drawing on organizational and management theory as well as case studies the course will going beyond means, methods, tools, and techniques and introduce power, politics, systems-dynamics, and risk management to the practice of project management. Students are expected to have a strong understanding of the fundamental competencies of construction management and are expected to have some experience in leadership roles. Ideally this experience would include having taken advanced or professional training courses in project-based leadership, field operations, planning and supply-chain management, and large scale infrastructure or complex project execution.

With the advent of generative AI and the impending arrival of quantum computing, risks to organizations and individuals have grown exponentially. Innovation in offensive and defensive tools and technologies continues to increase. How does a leader keep up? Leaders must know how to work with internal experts and to manage these issues internally, with Boards, and for the public. Proficiency in strategies and principles, some of which date back to the ancient Greeks and Chinese, prevail over tools.

This class is a journey into the “fat edge” of technological innovations that could transform our economy and society over the coming years. We will tackle big questions: How do innovations redefine jobs and industries? What is the real impact of these changes from the C-suite to citizens? This course is about igniting a passion for change, a realization of its risks, and equipping you to lead with vision and principle.

Generative AI represents a pivotal technological evolution with profound implications for the global economy and modern society. This course delves into the decades-long development of AI and machine learning, emphasizing its emergence as a critical economic and strategic force. As we explore this technology, we will assess its potential to revolutionize industries, enhance capabilities, and introduce complex challenges related to security, identity, and ethical considerations.

In this dynamic landscape, both incumbent businesses and governmental bodies face the urgent need to adapt to this disruption and the transformative changes it heralds. This course seeks to unpack the catalysts of this technological surge, its foundational principles, and the critical knowledge required for modern leadership in the AI era.

The Pandemic made us all aware of the fragility of supply chains and how significant the consequences of failure of our supply chains can be. It is paramount to note that global and local economies can break down, and scarcity of essential resources can foment wars. Risk professionals must know what best practices bring security to supply chains and related companies, governments, and other institutions. Students taking this course are prohibited from taking Third-Party Risk Management (ERMC PS5575) at any time. Contact your advisor for more information.

Workshop-like course that addresses a variety of communication skills, including listening skills, presentation skills, leadership communications, conflict resolution, management interactions, and professional communication techniques.

Tools for Risk Management examines how risk technology platforms assess risks. These platforms gather, store, and analyze data; and transform that data to actionable information. This course explores how the platforms are implemented, customized, and evaluated. Topics include business requirements specification, data modeling, risk analytics and reporting, systems integration, regulatory issues, visualization, and change processes. Hands-on exercises using selected vendor tools will give students the opportunity to see what these tools can offer.

Review of the types of strategic risks, such as a flawed strategy, inability to execute the strategy, competitor risk, supply chain risk, governance risk, regulatory risk, M&A risk, international risk, etc. Includes case studies, research, and common mitigation techniques, such as strategic planning practices, management techniques, governance practices, supply-chain management, etc.

In this course, we will explore negotiation from several points of view and approaches. We will also look at characteristics that impact the quality of our negotiations and the outcomes, such as the role of emotions, cultural considerations, effectiveness of our communication, and opportunities to seek out negotiation to transform relationships. The course will be a blend of concepts and skills, theory and practice. On some occasions, you will be introduced to a concept and then asked to apply those concepts in an experiential activity. At other times, you will be asked to engage the activity or simulation and then the concepts will be elicited based on your experience. You will have several opportunities to practice developing your skills throughout the course, in terms of enhancing your practice and honing your analytical and conceptual understanding.

Studies systems of infrastructure (water, waste, energy) supporting sustainable, resilient urban development.

Transportation accounts for about 25% of global GHG emissions.  Significantly reducing emissions in this sector is fundamental for addressing climate change.  Historically, the technical and commercial tools for tackling emissions in this sector have lagged other sectors (for example, electricity production).  But over the last several years, this dynamic has changed and there is now unprecedented capital and brainpower focused on transportation decarbonization. The course focuses on capturing the key elements that will speed the scale-up to low- and no- carbon transportation (“sustainable transportation”) across the breadth of transportation sectors.  In doing so, this scale-up will create new industries and business models – and has the potential to benefit a wide group of people, including those who in the past have been disproportionally affected by poor air quality caused by existing transportation sources.  The course is designed for any student who wishes to understand these elements in a deeper way.  The course will explore the decarbonization opportunities and challenges across the various transportation sectors, including light duty, commercial fleets, public transportation, aviation, and marine sectors – as well as areas that cut across all sectors, such as battery adoption, the supply chain for materials, fueling/charging. and the impact of hydrogen.  Because the carbon content of propulsion fuels is dependent on other sectors (for example, the transition to renewable electricity), the course will examine the energy transition in transportation in the context of broader decarbonization trends.  In exploring each transportation sub-sector, the course will focus mainly from the commercial perspective, but will incorporate the external factors (e.g., innovation, policy, macro-factors) that affect commercial success. 

The course is intended for anyone wishing to further their knowledge or their career in the areas of sustainable transportation – especially in areas related to electric transportation.  The course will rely on lectures and discussions, both led by the professor and guest lecturers.  There are no prerequisites for the course.  The course assignments will include a combination of problem sets, financial modeling, and case studies/written assignments.  No previous financial modeling experience is required; the professor and/or TA will provide any extra help sessions required for any financial modeling work. 

The focus of Energy & Sustainable Development is the planning and implementation of energy projects, programs, businesses and policies (collectively "energy enterprises") in frontier markets; that is, smaller, less developed countries, as well as niche opportunities within larger settings and more developed economies.  Students should consider this course if they wish to: 

• Examine the interconnections of energy to the major issues that comprise sustainable development, such as health, poverty, economic opportunity, social and environmental conditions, climate and weather, and energy ethics and justice.
• Explore established and cutting-edge options for delivering modern energy in developing countries and other frontier markets; and,
• Prepare market analysis, and energy for development proposals. It is helpful but not essential for students to be comfortable with rudimentary financial analysis and feasibility tools. 

The main topics covered in this course include generation of solid waste in municipal, commercial and industrial sectors with proper identification and characterization of various waste streams involved with emphasis on waste prevention in terms of mass, volume and toxicity at the source, along the processing phase and at the disposal facility, as well as waste minimization by waste reuse and recycling in major commercial and industrial sectors (such as paper, glass, plastics, metals, wood, tire, electronics and construction/demolition wastes) including analysis of state-of-art technologies. In addition, various collection and transport methods are covered along with all typical disposal methods, including incineration, sanitary landfill, composting, recovery and reutilization. Economic evaluations of factors affecting selection of disposal methods and its impact of reuse/recycling along with all applicable local, state and national legislative trends and regulatory requirements. Furthermore, examples of public and private reuse and recycling programs in New York City are covered.

The course provides an overview of the scenario analysis and climate risk modeling process for corporate issuers and government entities. There is a brief introduction to the climate models utilized by the IPCC, both global and regional. There is a description of the scenario generation and analysis process, with linkages to benchmark scenarios outlined by international bodies. This is followed by a review of the linkages between climate models and socio-economic variables in the form of integrated assessment models, Ricardian models and economic input-output analysis. There is one module on the information systems needed to ensure good adaptation and a review of best practices and guidelines for climate risk management strategies. Integrated examples of climate risk and opportunities for specific issuers are discussed in the last 2 classes. The problem sets and exercises are designed to provide practice in applying high-level guidelines and climate damage relationships to the strategies and operations of specific countries, industries and companies.

The purpose of this course is to prepare its students to understand, analyze, and develop policies and procedures to address the sustainability issues being faced by urban centers of developed and developing world, their decision-makers and inhabitants. Students in the course are assumed to have had no previous in-depth exposure to sustainable urban development. By the end of the course, students will have learned to develop strategies and related actions to enhance sustainability of cities covering the following areas: 

• Sustainability enhancing practices in urban development management;
• Emerging policies, practices and technologies that promote efficient and low carbon delivery of urban services including transportation, energy, waste, water and sanitation;
• Approach to manage climate change risks and related adaptation actions; and
• Practices of sustainability management adopted by global cities.

One in three seems to be the indicative number. 30% of earth’s land area is covered by forests (5000 years ago it was 50%); one third of current total CO2 emissions are reabsorbed by forests; one third of humanity cooks with wood every day; agroforestry is the preferred system for these same 2 billion people. Hundreds of millions of indigenous peoples have their native land in forests. The biodiversity score is much higher: more than half of all of earth’s species are found in forests (about 25% are in the oceans); forests are the major system for fresh water conservation; and the traded value of global forest products is about $300 billion.  Finally, to be in the forest (especially with your eyes open) makes life worth living. Forests are therefore intimately connected with climate, water, biodiversity, food production, global poverty, indigenous people, and human spiritual well-being; not to mention the major global industries based on them.  They are best understood when considered holistically, and that is the approach of this course. 

We will examine all the issues mentioned above and their connections with forests to develop a comprehensive understanding of them.  We will study both forest ecology, economics and business.  We will examine indigenous peoples’ vision and view of forests and nature. We will delve deeply into the role of forests in climate change; forests both absorb and produce CO2 emissions. We will consider temperate, tropical and boreal forests.  On Saturday field trips we will learn to measure forest biomass, commercial volume and carbon content.  We will learn to financially analyze forest business ventures.  Students will produce reports at the end of the course on one of the connections outlined above or on a country of interest. Mid semester, students will develop analytical work products on measurement and financial analysis. Without an understanding of forests, one’s grasp of all the issues mentioned above is incomplete. Also forests provide a rather straight-forward context for understanding and analyzing many issues that are critical to all areas of sustainability. We will utilize the forest context to better understand, for example, management of water, biodiversity, poverty alleviation, environmental justice, forest industries and the global carbon cycle and climate.  In other words, skills acquired here will be useful in other fields of study.

This course is an introduction to how Global Agriculture and Sustainability issues are at the intersection of natural resource management and business. The course will devote a significant of time covering the fundamental principles of agribusiness and how sustainability issues are key factors in business decision making today and in the future. The course will consider that agricultural production will need to double over the next three decades in order to meet growing demand. Demand for increased food, feed, fuel, and fiber is driven by increased population and an increase in the middle class in emerging economies. Coupled with a shift in dietary preferences from grains and staple carbohydrates to more protein-based diets including pork and beef (and perhaps fish), and biofuel production, more grains will be used to feed animals and fuel our automobiles. As an energy intensive sector, agriculture is closely linked to energy markets, with crop production and demand potentially adversely affected by higher oil prices, while crop inputs (such as fertilizer) may benefit from lower natural gas prices. These shifting dynamics will affect profit margins in different segments of the agricultural supply chain. In addition to energy prices, likely constraints to the productivity growth of agriculture include climate change, water resources, infrastructure, education and training of producers, and social / governmental policy that distort agricultural markets. New technologies, product platforms and innovative business models in agriculture technology and food systems will dominate the shift from industrial agriculture to a more socially just and environmentally sustainable food production and distribution system. The agricultural technology sector is large, comprising over 8,500 companies generating over $1.3 trillion of revenue per year, in the US alone. Moreover, the volume of transactions in the agricultural sector is greater than $15 billion per year with an estimated peak of over $70 billion in 2007.

Biodiversity, a term popularized in the 1980s, refers to the variety of life at the genetic, species, and ecosystem levels. It is crucial for sustainability, as it supports ecosystems that underpin human life, economic activities, and ecological stability. The loss of biodiversity threatens essential ecosystem services like clean air, water filtration, climate regulation, and food security. This course explores how climate change, both current and projected, impacts biodiversity and how natural ecosystems influence greenhouse gas concentrations. Human survival depends on these ecosystems, yet there is uncertainty about how much biodiversity loss can be tolerated. Climate change now poses as serious a threat to biodiversity as direct development activities. Understanding the science behind these threats is essential for sustainability students, and this course aims to provide that knowledge. Uniquely, this course is taught through collaboration among the SUMA professors who otherwise teach biodiversity classes of their own. Indeed, this course has incorporated several SUMA faculty as guest lecturers partly to ensure full compatibility and complementarity of different courses. We will study biodiversity and climate change in both terrestrial, aquatic, and marine ecosystems, including urban and agricultural landscapes. There is great biodiversity, and great threats to it, in all these ecosystems. Sustainable management of all these different ecosystems can help conserve biodiversity and reduce the rate of climate change. In fact, natural ecosystems have a very significant role in both emissions and sequestration of carbon. Over half of current emissions are absorbed by the forests and oceans rather than remaining in the atmosphere.

This onsite course takes students on a virtual journey through the world’s leading innovation hubs across North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, and Africa. Students will analyze the structures, dynamics, and key stakeholders that shape entrepreneurial ecosystems worldwide, including entrepreneurs, corporations, investors, policymakers, universities, accelerators, incubators, and industry associations.

This course provides a comprehensive examination of modern software product development, focusing on creating solutions that address clear user needs and challenges. A “product” in this context refers to a software program that instructs computer hardware to operate, solve problems, and manage tasks effectively.

Modern product development benefits from systematic practices that enhance efficiency, sustainability, and continuity. These practices, including flexibility, iterative development, customer feedback, and efficient project management, are essential for adapting quickly to rapidly evolving market and technology landscapes.