Business Economics & Public Policy, MBA

The Business Economics and Public Policy major equips future business leaders with the tools to analyze incentives and policies of firms, governments, and consumers. Whether a firm is engaged in real estate development, bringing new products to market, developing new technologies, exporting products, addressing environmental issues, or providing infrastructure services, it will need to be familiar with the incentives of competitors and the role of government so that it can understand which actions it can take, and how other actors will respond.

The major offers students to apply the best economic techniques for understanding corporate decision making and formulating public policy. These are critical skills for analysts, consultants, and executives across a wide range of industries and government. It helps future private managers to understand, react to, and help form the environment in which they will operate.

The department’s courses focus on understanding the implications for the business world of challenges to increased globalization; technological change, such as the internet and e-commerce; the increasing role of intellectual rights; the rise of emerging economies; and the ever-changing landscape of government policies. These new developments have resulted in privatization, deregulation, and changes in health, antitrust, and environmental policy — all of which critically affect business interests.

For more information: https://bepp.wharton.upenn.edu/programs/mba/

Curriculum

Major electives taken on a pass/fail basis cannot be counted toward the Business Economics & Public Policy major.

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Students may seek approval to have one of the four course units be from other departments of The Wharton School or in other schools of the University.

MBA Core Requirements

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Students cannot enroll in both FNCE 6210 and FNCE 6230.

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STAT 6210 is by placement only.

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Enrollment in WHCP 6180 requires pre-approval.

The degree and major requirements displayed are intended as a guide for students entering in the Fall of 2025 and later. Students should consult with their academic program regarding final certifications and requirements for graduation.

The Global Experience Concentration facilitates MBA student participation in a study abroad program. Students must complete two full credit units in an approved International Exchange Program at the partner university’s location. In addition, students must take one full credit unit of internationally focused MBA electives to satisfy the concentration requirement.  

Curriculum

Students must complete two full credit units in an approved International Exchange Program at the partner university’s location. Approved International Exchange Programs include:

• Australia – AGSM, Sydney
• Brazil – COPPEAD, Rio de Janeiro
• Chile – Universidad Adolfo Ibanez, Santiago
• China – CEIBS, Shanghai
• China – Peking University, Beijing
• France – HEC/ISA, Paris
• France – INSEAD, Fontainebleau
• Hong Kong – HKUST, Kowloon
• India – ISB, Hyderabad
• Israel – IDC, Herzliya
• Israel – Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv
• Italy – SDA Bocconi, Milan
• Japan – Keio University, Tokyo
• Netherlands – RSM, Rotterdam
• Philippines – AIM, Makati City
• Singapore – INSEAD, Singapore
• Spain – IESE, Barcelona
• Sweden – Stockholm School of Economics, Stockholm
• Thailand – Sasin, Bangkok
• United Kingdom – LBS, London

In addition to two full credit units taken in an approved study-abroad program, students must take one full credit unit of internationally focused MBA electives to satisfy the concentration requirement. The electives should be selected from the list below and cannot be taken on a pass/fail basis.

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Global Modular Courses (0.5 CU) offered in a foreign location also count.

Other courses with substantive international content may be counted upon approval of the concentration adviser.

Concentration advisor: Alyssa Swanson