The following advising guides are designed to assist MBA students with flexible and elective course selection based on career goals, along with recommended co-curricular activities. Please note that these guides are recommendations, not official concentrations or tracks. These recommendations are a living document and will be updated as industry trends evolve and curriculum changes.
Program, Faculty, and Career advising is available for all Zicklin graduate students. Students can also learn more about classes by reviewing the Course Syllabi Repository.
While some industries recruit directly through on-campus recruiting or employer partnerships, others rely more heavily on networking, internships, and independent job searches. These guides are intended to help students explore and prepare for a variety of career paths, regardless of recruiting structure.
Note: Additional guides will be added as they are developed.
Brief description: The Finance career path equips students with the knowledge and skills to manage financial resources, analyze investment opportunities, and support corporate financial strategy.
- This path is ideal for students interested in careers in investment management, corporate finance, financial analysis, banking, or asset management. Students develop expertise in financial modeling, valuation, portfolio management, and risk assessment.
- Key competencies include quantitative analysis, strategic thinking, proficiency with financial software, and the ability to communicate complex financial information effectively.
- Topics may include capital markets, equity and fixed income analysis, mergers and acquisitions, and financial statement analysis.
Sample job titles: Financial Analyst/Associate; Business Development Analyst; Credit Risk Analyst; Pricing Analyst
Preferred flexible classes : FIN 9770 Corporate Finance
Possible elective classes (note: prerequisite courses may be required):
| ENT 9951 Forecasting and Decision Making for Innovation | FIN 9777 Data Science in Finance | FIN 9797 Options Markets |
| FIN 9781 Intermediate Corporate Finance | FIN 9782 Futures & Forward Markets | FIN 9762 Introduction to Quantitative Tools for Finance |
| FIN 9783 Investment Analysis | FIN 9784 Management of Financial Institutions | LAW 9250 Financial Regulation of Emerging Technologies |
| FIN 9759 Mergers & Acquisitions | FIN 9795 Debt Instruments & Markets |
Recommended co-curricular activities: Subotnick Financial Services Center; Training the Street; ExPrep; Neuberger Berman ESG Investment Challenge; Zicklin Graduate Student Case Competition; Zicklin Finance Club; ASCEND; Prospanica; Wall Street Prep
Brief description: The Finance (Risk) career path equips students with the analytical and strategic tools to identify, assess, and manage financial risk in today’s complex business environment.
- This path is ideal for students interested in roles related to credit risk, market risk, operational risk, or enterprise risk management across industries such as banking, insurance, and consulting. Students develop expertise in financial modeling, quantitative analysis, regulatory compliance, and risk assessment frameworks.
- Key skills include critical thinking, attention to detail, proficiency in Excel and risk management tools, and the ability to communicate risk insights to stakeholders.
- Topics may include risk analytics, derivatives, financial institutions, credit analysis, and regulatory risk management.
Sample job titles: Risk Analyst/Manager; Credit Risk Analyst; Market Risk Analyst/Manager; Risk and Compliance Associate; Quantitative Risk Analyst
Preferred flexible classes: FIN 9770 Corporate Finance, OPM 9700 Managing Business Operations, CIS 9000 Information Technology Strategy
Possible elective classes (note: prerequisite courses may be required):
| ECO 9723 Econometrics – Theory & Applications I | FIN 9853 The Measurements & Management of Market Risk II |
| FIN 9783 Investment Analysis | FIN 9856 Risks in Operations And IT |
| FIN 9795 Debt Instruments & Markets | FIN 9790 Seminar in Finance (risk management case studies) |
| FIN 9852 The Measurements & Management of Market Risk I | LAW 9250 Financial Regulation of Emerging Technologies |
Recommended co-curricular activities: Subotnick Financial Services Center; Training the Street; ExPrep; Neuberger Berman ESG Investment Challenge; CFA Research Challenge; Zicklin Graduate Student Case Competition; Zicklin Finance Club; ASCEND; Prospanica, Personal Investing or Portfolio Projects, CFA Society of New York
Brief description: The Marketing career path equips students to pursue roles in digital marketing, media strategy, agency account management, and analytics. Successful marketers combine strong communication and creative problem-solving skills with the ability to collaborate across diverse teams and functions.
- Students build fluency in key marketing concepts and tools, including consumer insights, marketing analytics, digital and media planning, marketing automation, and pricing strategy.
Sample job titles: Account Manager; Marketing Analyst/Associate; Digital Marketing Manager; Brand Manager; Social Media Strategist; Consumer Insights Analyst
Preferred flexible classes: MKT 9703 Data-Driven Marketing Management; ENT 9973 Creating Strategies for Innovation
Possible elective classes (note: prerequisite courses may be required):
| MKT 9702 Marketing Research | MKT 9716 Consumer Behavior |
| MKT 9737 Marketing Analytics | MKT 9740 Applied Marketing Analytics & Business Intelligence |
Recommended co-curricular activities: MarkLab; L’OréalBrandstorm; American Marketing Association (AMA); Zicklin Graduate Student Case Competition; ALPFA; Reaching Out MBA; Zicklin Graduate Student Ambassadors; Zicklin Women in Business; Zicklin MBA Club
Brief description: The Digital Marketing career path equips students with the skills to build, manage, and optimize campaigns across digital platforms.
- This path is ideal for students interested in using data, technology, and creative strategy to engage target audiences, drive brand awareness, and generate leads. Students develop expertise in content marketing, paid media, SEO/SEM, social media strategy, and marketing automation.
- Key skills include creativity, analytical thinking, familiarity with digital tools and platforms, and the ability to interpret performance metrics.
- Topics may include digital advertising, email marketing, web analytics, influencer strategy, and customer journey mapping.
Sample job titles: Digital Marketing Manager; Marketing Analyst/Associate; Account SEO / SEM Specialist; Social Media Strategist
Preferred flexible classes: MKT 9703 Data-Driven Marketing Management, ENT 9973 Creating Strategies for Innovation
Possible elective classes (note: prerequisite courses may be required):
| MKT 9702 Marketing Research | MKT 9780 Digital Marketing |
| MKT 9728 Media Planning in the Digital Age | MKT 9784 Branding and Content Strategy for the Digital Age |
| MKT 9742 Social Media Analytics | MKT 9785 Digital Marketing Strategy |
| MKT 9764 Internet Marketing & Global Business | MKT 9795 Special Topics in Digital Marketing |
Recommended co-curricular activities: MarkLab; Digital Marketing Certifications (Google Ads, HubSpot, Meta Ads); Acadium; American Marketing Association (AMA); L’Oréal Brandstorm; Digital Summit NYC; Zicklin Graduate Student Case Competition; ALPFA; Reaching Out MBA; Zicklin Graduate Student Ambassadors
Brief description: The Marketing Analytics career path prepares students to harness data for strategic marketing decisions.
- This path is ideal for students interested in using analytics to understand customer behavior, optimize campaigns, and measure ROI across digital and traditional channels. Students develop expertise in market research, consumer insights, data visualization, and predictive modeling.
- Key skills include critical thinking, statistical analysis, proficiency in tools such as Excel, SQL, and Tableau, and the ability to translate data into actionable business insights.
- Topics may include marketing research, customer relationship management (CRM), digital marketing metrics, and data-driven storytelling.
Sample job titles: Market Research Associate; Customer Insights Analyst; Marketing Data Analyst; CRM Analyst; Business Intelligence Analyst; Marketing Operations Analyst; Digital Marketing Analyst
Preferred flexible classes: MKT 9703 Data-Driven Marketing Management, CIS 9000 Information Technology Strategy
Possible elective classes (note: prerequisite courses may be required):
| MKT 9702 Marketing Research | MKT 9740 Applied Marketing Analytics & Business Intelligence |
| MKT 9716 Consumer Behavior | MKT 9741 Marketing Analytics with Big Data |
| MKT 9737 Marketing Analytics | MKT 9742 Social Media Analytics |
| MKT 9738 Web Analytics and Intelligence | MKT 9759 Marketing Consulting Practicum |
Recommended co-curricular activities: MarkLab; L’OréalBrandstorm; Advertising Week NYC; American Marketing Association (AMA); Acadium; Zicklin Graduate Student Case Competition; ALPFA, Reaching Out MBA; Zicklin Graduate Student Ambassadors; Certifications in Google Analytics, HubSpot, Meta Blueprint, or SQL for Marketing Analysts
Brief description: The Technology career path prepares students to lead innovation at the intersection of business strategy and digital transformation.
- This path equips students with a robust foundation in analytics, programming, cybersecurity, and financial technology, enabling them to design and drive strategic, tech-enabled initiatives across industries. Students pursuing this path typically possess a passion for emerging technologies, and the ability to bridge technical expertise with business insights.
- Key competencies include data modeling, risk assessment, AI/ML applications, and a working knowledge of financial systems and digital platforms.
Sample job titles: Business Analyst; Data Analyst; Product Manager; Project Manager; Information Systems Officer; Cybersecurity Analyst; AI Engineer; Data Scientist
Preferred flexible classes: CIS 9000 Information Technology Strategy, ENT 9973 Creating Strategies for Innovation, IBS 9769 Developing a Global Mindset, LAW 9000 Legal and Ethical Environment of Business
Possible elective classes (note: prerequisite courses may be required):
| CIS 9340 Principles of Database Management Systems | CIS 9797 Special Topics in Information Systems Strategy |
| CIS 9350 Networks and Communications | ENT 9951 Forecasting and Decision Making for Innovation |
| CIS 9444 E-Business Principles & Technologies | LAW 9250 Financial Regulation of Emerging Technologies |
| CIS 9467 Business Modeling with Spreadsheets | LAW 9708 Technology: Protecting Innovation, Managing Exposures, and Achieving Compliance With Law and Regulation |
| CIS 9480 Information Technology Project Management | MKT 9737 Marketing Analytics |
| CIS 9490 System Analysis & Design | MKT 9741 Marketing Analytics with Big Data |
| CIS 9558 Information Technology Audit | MKT 9738 Web Analytics and Intelligence |
| CIS 9559 Practical Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Business | MKT 9742 Social Media Analytics |
| CIS 9793 Special Topics in Information Technology |
Recommended co-curricular activities: Data Science and Analytics Society; NY Tech Meetup; AI Summit NY; Case Competitions (Citadel Data Open, Deloitte Data Analytics Challenge, KPMG Ideation Challenge, Citi Ventures FinTech Challenge, Datathon); Zicklin Graduate Case Competition; Zicklin Graduate Student Ambassadors
Brief description: The Business Analytics career path prepares students to leverage data and analytical techniques to drive strategic business decisions.
- This path is ideal for students interested in applying statistical analysis, data mining, and predictive modeling across functions such as marketing, operations, finance, and supply chain. Students develop expertise in data visualization, database management, programming languages such as Python and SQL, and advanced analytics tools.
- Key skills include critical thinking, problem-solving, technical proficiency with analytics software, and the ability to communicate data-driven insights effectively.
- Topics may include big data analytics, machine learning, data governance, and optimization techniques.
Sample job titles: Business Analyst; Data Analyst; Operations Analyst; Pricing Analyst; Product Analyst
Preferred flexible classes: CIS 9000 Information Technology Strategy, IBS 9769 Developing a Global Mindset, LAW 9000 Legal and Ethical Environment of Business
Possible elective classes (note: prerequisite courses may be required):
| CIS 9440 Data Warehousing and Analytics | MKT 9737 Marketing Analytics |
| CIS 9444 E-Business Principles & Technologies | MKT 9741 Marketing Analytics with Big Data |
| CIS 9467 Business Modeling with Spreadsheets | MKT 9742 Social Media Analytics |
| CIS 9490 System Analysis & Design | MKT 9738 Web Analytics and Intelligence |
| CIS 9557 Business Analytics | OPR 9730 Simulation Modeling & Analysis |
| CIS 9559 Practical Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Business: Essentials and Responsible Use | OPR 9750 Software Tools for Data Analysis |
| CIS 9650 Programming for Analytics | STA 9700 Mod Regression Analysis |
| CIS 9660 Data Mining for Business Analytics | STA 9794 Special Topics in Statistical Analysis |
| LAW 9708 Technology: Protecting Innovation, Managing Exposures, and Achieving Compliance With Law and Regulation | STA 9797 Advanced Data Analysis |
Recommended co-curricular activities: Data Science and Analytics Society; NY Tech Meetup; AI Summit NY; Case Competitions (Citadel Data Open, Deloitte Data Analytics Challenge, KPMG Ideation Challenge, Citi Ventures FinTech Challenge, Datathon); Zicklin Graduate Case Competition; Zicklin Graduate Student Ambassadors
Brief description: The Technology (Cybersecurity and Risk) career path equips students with the knowledge and skills to protect organizations from cyber threats and manage technology-related risks.
- This path is ideal for students interested in roles that combine IT security, risk management, and regulatory compliance. Students develop expertise in cybersecurity frameworks, threat detection, risk assessment, and incident response.
- Key skills include analytical thinking, technical proficiency with security tools, a strong understanding of data privacy laws, and the ability to effectively communicate security risks to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Topics may include network security, ethical hacking, cyber risk management, and compliance standards such as GDPR, HIPAA, and NIST.
Sample job titles: Information Systems Officer, Cybersecurity Analyst, IT Risk & Compliance Associate, Security Operations Analyst, IT Auditor; Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) Analyst; Cyber Risk Consultant
Preferred flexible classes: CIS 9000 Information Technology Strategy, IBS 9769 Developing a Global Mindset, LAW 9000 Legal and Ethical Environment of Business
Possible elective classes (note: prerequisite courses may be required):
| CIS 9355 Cybersecurity | CIS 9558 Information Technology Audit |
| CIS 9340 Principles of Database Management Systems | LAW 9250 Financial Regulation of Emerging Technologies |
| CIS 9440 Data Warehousing and Analytics | LAW 9708 Technology: Protecting Innovation, Managing Exposures, and Achieving Compliance With Law and Regulation |
| CIS 9480 Info Tech Project Management | MKT 9738 Web Analytics and Intelligence |
| CIS 9556 Risk Management and Information Security |
Recommended co-curricular activities: ISACA NYC Chapter; Data Science and Analytics Society; NY Tech Meetup; NYC Cybersecurity Summit; Case Competitions (Citadel Data Open, KPMG Ideation Challenge, Citi Ventures FinTech Challenge, Datathon); Zicklin Graduate Case Competition; Zicklin Graduate Student Ambassadors
Brief description: The Technology (Data Science) career path prepares students to analyze and interpret complex data sets to drive informed business decisions.
- This path is ideal for students interested in roles involving machine learning, statistical modeling, and data engineering across industries such as finance, marketing, healthcare, and technology. Students develop expertise in programming languages like Python and R, data visualization, big data technologies, and predictive analytics.
- Key skills include critical thinking, problem-solving, technical proficiency with data science tools, and the ability to communicate analytical insights clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Topics may include supervised and unsupervised learning, natural language processing, data mining, and cloud computing.
Sample job titles: Data Analyst, Data Scientist; Machine Learning Engineer; Data Engineer; Applied Data Scientist; AI/ML Analyst; Business Intelligence Engineer
Preferred flexible classes: CIS 9000 Information Technology Strategy, IBS 9769 Developing a Global Mindset, LAW 9000 Legal and Ethical Environment of Business
Possible elective classes (note: prerequisite courses may be required):
| CIS 9310 Object-Oriented Programming I | MKT 9737 Marketing Analytics |
| CIS 9410 Object-Oriented Programming II | MKT 9741 Marketing Analytics with Big Data |
| CIS 9650 Programming for Analytics | STA 9700 Modern Regression Analysis |
| CIS 9655 Data Visualization | STA 9705 Multivariate Statistical Methods |
| CIS 9660 Data Mining for Business Analytics | STA 9715 Applied Probability |
| CIS 9665 Applied Natural Language Processing | STA 9890 Statistical Learning for Data Mining |
| LAW 9708 Technology: Protecting Innovation, Managing Exposures, and Achieving Compliance With Law and Regulation | STA 9891 Machine Learning for Data Mining |
Recommended co-curricular activities: Data Science and Analytics Society; NY Tech Meetup; AI Summit NY; Case Competitions (Citadel Data Open, Deloitte Data Analytics Challenge, KPMG Ideation Challenge, Citi Ventures FinTech Challenge, Datathon); Zicklin Graduate Case Competition; Zicklin Graduate Student Ambassadors
Brief description: The Real Estate career path prepares students to evaluate, develop, and manage real estate investments across commercial, residential, and institutional markets.
- This path is ideal for students interested in real estate finance, development, investment, and asset management. Students gain knowledge in property valuation, market analysis, real estate law, and capital markets.
- Key skills include financial modeling, negotiation, due diligence, and risk assessment. Topics may include real estate finance, urban economics, REITs, and portfolio strategy.
Sample job titles: Real Estate Analyst; Investment Analyst; Asset Management Associate; Development Associate; Property Manager; Financial Analyst – Real Estate; Acquisitions Analyst
Preferred flexible classes: FIN 9770 Corporate Finance, LAW 9000 Legal and Ethical Environment of Business
Possible elective classes (note: prerequisite courses may be required):
| RES 9776 Real Estate Finance | RES 9900 Advanced Real Estate Investment Analysis |
| RES 9790 Law of Real Estate | RES 9910 Analytical Skill for Real Estate Decision Making |
| RES 9800 Real Estate Valuation and Market Analysis | RES 9930 Real Estate Taxation |
| RES 9850 Real Estate Capital Markets | RES 9980 Real Estate Entrepreneurship |
| RES 9860 Real Estate Development |
Recommended co-curricular activities: Zicklin Graduate Real Estate Club; NAIOP; Urban Land Institute (ULI) NYC; Baruch Real Estate & Infrastructure Club; REBNY; Case Competitions; Project Destined; Zicklin Graduate Student Ambassadors
The following courses are recommended by the academic departments, regardless of career goals. The concepts and skills can be broadly applied. Students can also review more options on the Zicklin Elective Courses tab.
- Engagement with the Graduate Career Management Center (GCMC):
- e.g., 1-1 coaching, resume/LinkedIn prep, career assessments [CliftonStrengths, MBTI, FIRO-B], Career Readiness Badges
- Skill building:
- e.g., The Forage, LinkedIn Learning, Baruch MakerHub, CUNY Startups, SkillsCamp, Wasserman Trading Floor
- Participation in career fairs and conferences:
- e.g., NABA, ALPFA, Ascend, National Black MBA Association, Prospanica, Reaching Out MBA, MBA Veterans
- Participation in case competitions:
- e.g., Zicklin Graduate Student Case Competition, Adobe Analytics Challenge, Kogod Case Competition, PRMIA Institute Risk Management Challenge, Neuberger Berman ESG Investing Challenge, Rosen Family Foundation Entrepreneurship Case Study Competition
- Student club and organization membership and leadership opportunities:
- e.g., Zicklin Graduate Student Ambassadors, Data Science and Analytics Society, MBA Club, Zicklin Women in Business, Zicklin Graduate Accounting Society