<div class="edu-card" data-widget-id="1" data-cy="edu-card"> <div class="edu-card-banner" data-cy="edu-card-banner"> Advertisement </div> <div class="edu-card-container" data-cy="edu-card-container"> <div class="edu-card-content" data-cy="edu-card-content"> <div class="edu-card-title" data-cy="edu-card-title"> <h1 class="edu-card-title-heading" data-cy="edu-card-title-heading"> UNC Kenan-Flagler’s top-ranked online MBA </h1> <p class="edu-card-title-subheading" data-cy="edu-card-title-subheading"> STEM-designated. Tar Heel ROI. No compromises. </p> </div> <div class="edu-card-content-description" data-cy="edu-card-content-description"> <div class="edu-card-content-description-content"> <p>UNC Kenan-Flagler’s top-ranked online MBA is designed for experienced professionals looking to take their career to the next level. Students have access to lifelong career benefits and a global network of 51,000+ business school alumni. Earn your MBA online in as few as 18 months or up to three years. MBA Fellowships Available.</p> </div> <span class="edu-card-content-description-readmore"> <input type="checkbox" id="edu-card-content-description-readmore-input-1" class="edu-card-content-description-readmore-input" /> <label for="edu-card-content-description-readmore-input-1" class="edu-card-content-description-readmore-label"> <span class="edu-card-content-description-readmore-label-arrow"></span> </label> </span> </div> <a class="edu-card-content-button" target="_blank" href="https://onlinemba.unc.edu/requestinfo/index/">Learn More</a> <span class="edu-card-content-caption"> </span> </div> <div class="edu-card-action" data-cy="edu-card-action"> <picture class="edu-card-picture" data-cy="edu-card-picture"> <img src="https://fortune.com/img-assets/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/UNC2UadCURRENT.png?w=250&amp;h=165" class="" alt=""> <span class="edu-card-picture-label"> </span> </picture> <div class="edu-card-action-cta" data-cy="edu-card-action-cta"> <a class="edu-card-action-button" target="_blank" href="https://onlinemba.unc.edu/requestinfo/index/">Learn More</a> <span class="edu-card-action-caption"> </span> </div> </div> </div></div><script> function checkWidgets() { document.querySelectorAll('.edu-card-content-description-content').forEach((content) => { const readMoreBtn = content.nextElementSibling; if (!readMoreBtn) { return; } if (content && content.clientHeight === content.scrollHeight) { readMoreBtn.style.display = 'none'; } else { delete readMoreBtn.style.removeProperty('display'); } }) } window.removeEventListener('resize', checkWidgets); window.addEventListener('resize', checkWidgets); checkWidgets();</script>

<div class="edu-card" data-widget-id="71" data-cy="edu-card"> <div class="edu-card-banner" data-cy="edu-card-banner"> Advertisement </div> <div class="edu-card-container" data-cy="edu-card-container"> <div class="edu-card-content" data-cy="edu-card-content"> <div class="edu-card-title" data-cy="edu-card-title"> <h1 class="edu-card-title-heading" data-cy="edu-card-title-heading"> The Online MBA From Rice Business </h1> <p class="edu-card-title-subheading" data-cy="edu-card-title-subheading"> Rethink Your Approach to Business </p> </div> <div class="edu-card-content-description" data-cy="edu-card-content-description"> <div class="edu-card-content-description-content"> <p>GMAT waivers are available for the online MBA from Rice Business, ranked a Top-20 Online MBA by U.S. News & World Report. Ranked #1 in graduate entrepreneurship in the U.S. by the Princeton Review for 2024, aspiring entrepreneurs can earn their MBA in as few as 24 months.</p> </div> <span class="edu-card-content-description-readmore"> <input type="checkbox" id="edu-card-content-description-readmore-input-71" class="edu-card-content-description-readmore-input" /> <label for="edu-card-content-description-readmore-input-71" class="edu-card-content-description-readmore-label"> <span class="edu-card-content-description-readmore-label-arrow"></span> </label> </span> </div> <a class="edu-card-content-button" target="_blank" href="https://onlinebusiness.rice.edu/requestinfo/index/">Learn More</a> <span class="edu-card-content-caption"> </span> </div> <div class="edu-card-action" data-cy="edu-card-action"> <picture class="edu-card-picture" data-cy="edu-card-picture"> <img src="https://fortune.com/img-assets/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Rice2UadCURRENT.png?w=250&amp;h=165" class="" alt=""> <span class="edu-card-picture-label"> </span> </picture> <div class="edu-card-action-cta" data-cy="edu-card-action-cta"> <a class="edu-card-action-button" target="_blank" href="https://onlinebusiness.rice.edu/requestinfo/index/">Learn More</a> <span class="edu-card-action-caption"> </span> </div> </div> </div></div><script> function checkWidgets() { document.querySelectorAll('.edu-card-content-description-content').forEach((content) => { const readMoreBtn = content.nextElementSibling; if (!readMoreBtn) { return; } if (content && content.clientHeight === content.scrollHeight) { readMoreBtn.style.display = 'none'; } else { delete readMoreBtn.style.removeProperty('display'); } }) } window.removeEventListener('resize', checkWidgets); window.addEventListener('resize', checkWidgets); checkWidgets();</script>

<div class="edu-card" data-widget-id="2" data-cy="edu-card"> <div class="edu-card-banner" data-cy="edu-card-banner"> Advertisement </div> <div class="edu-card-container" data-cy="edu-card-container"> <div class="edu-card-content" data-cy="edu-card-content"> <div class="edu-card-title" data-cy="edu-card-title"> <h1 class="edu-card-title-heading" data-cy="edu-card-title-heading"> UNC Kenan-Flagler’s top-ranked online MBA </h1> <p class="edu-card-title-subheading" data-cy="edu-card-title-subheading"> STEM-designated. Tar Heel ROI. No compromises. </p> </div> <div class="edu-card-content-description" data-cy="edu-card-content-description"> <div class="edu-card-content-description-content"> <p>UNC Kenan-Flagler’s top-ranked online MBA is designed for experienced professionals looking to take their career to the next level. Students have access to lifelong career benefits and a global network of 51,000+ business school alumni. Earn your MBA online in as few as 18 months or up to three years. MBA Fellowships Available.</p> </div> <span class="edu-card-content-description-readmore"> <input type="checkbox" id="edu-card-content-description-readmore-input-2" class="edu-card-content-description-readmore-input" /> <label for="edu-card-content-description-readmore-input-2" class="edu-card-content-description-readmore-label"> <span class="edu-card-content-description-readmore-label-arrow"></span> </label> </span> </div> <a class="edu-card-content-button" target="_blank" href="https://onlinemba.unc.edu/requestinfo/index/">Visit Website</a> <span class="edu-card-content-caption"> </span> </div> <div class="edu-card-action" data-cy="edu-card-action"> <picture class="edu-card-picture" data-cy="edu-card-picture"> <img src="https://fortune.com/img-assets/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/UNC2UadCURRENT.png?w=250&amp;h=165" class="" alt=""> <span class="edu-card-picture-label"> </span> </picture> <div class="edu-card-action-cta" data-cy="edu-card-action-cta"> <a class="edu-card-action-button" target="_blank" href="https://onlinemba.unc.edu/requestinfo/index/">Visit Website</a> <span class="edu-card-action-caption"> </span> </div> </div> </div></div><script> function checkWidgets() { document.querySelectorAll('.edu-card-content-description-content').forEach((content) => { const readMoreBtn = content.nextElementSibling; if (!readMoreBtn) { return; } if (content && content.clientHeight === content.scrollHeight) { readMoreBtn.style.display = 'none'; } else { delete readMoreBtn.style.removeProperty('display'); } }) } window.removeEventListener('resize', checkWidgets); window.addEventListener('resize', checkWidgets); checkWidgets();</script>

cat_Graduate

Low Intent

ptype_Explainer

Sam Becker

<p>Business school can feel like a slog, but elective courses can break up the process of earning a degree and allow students to expose themselves to different—albeit related—topics and subjects. Business school electives, in short, are exactly what they sound like: courses that students elect to take, that count toward credits toward an <a href="https://fortune.com/education/business/best-mba-programs/">MBA</a>, but are outside of a student’s core focus of study.</p><div class="paywall-selector"></div><div class="paywall">



<p>For instance, if you’re earning an <a href="https://fortune.com/education/articles/mba-entrepreneurship-concentration/">MBA with an entrepreneurship concentration</a>, you may opt to take elective courses in <a href="https://fortune.com/education/business/best-online-mba-programs/accounting/">accounting</a>, analytics, or even corporate ethics—subjects that could placate your specific interests, and help pile on additional credits that you’ll need to ultimately graduate from business school.</p>



<p>“My introduction to entrepreneurship course is really important to people getting into consulting,” says Doug Villhard, a professor of practice in entrepreneurship and academic director for entrepreneurship at <a href="https://fortune.com/education/business/washington-university-in-st-louis-olin/">Washington University in St. Louis</a>, but in many cases, “it’s sampled by people who never intend to start companies.”</p>



<p>Accordingly, some of the principles Villhard teaches prospective entrepreneurs can be helpful to other business school students, making his courses coveted electives in many cases. “These students are naturally curious people,” he says, and “I think I’ve created a reputation within my classroom to dabble with different concepts,” often outside a student’s core focus.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>How to choose an MBA elective</strong> </h2>



<p>For many students, perhaps the best way to choose your MBA electives is to give some serious thought to how those electives may, in the future, help you achieve specific career goals. </p>



<p>For example, Debora Jackson, dean of the business school at <a href="https://fortune.com/education/business/worcester-polytechnic-institute/">Worcester Polytechnic Institute</a> in Worcester, Massachusetts, says that when she was deciding on the classes she wanted to take while earning a degree working as a <a href="https://fortune.com/education/articles/software-engineer-vs-software-developer/">software developer</a>, she thought about the specific skills she needed to foster to advance in her role. </p>



<p>“I knew I wanted electives that helped understand how to lead. I was doing a lot of project management, organizational behavior and leadership in the context of a tech environment,” she says, adding that she needed “classes that helped me learn to relate” to the people she wanted to manage.</p>



<p>A similar frame of mind can help you choose your MBA electives, too. Here are some tips to keep in mind when making decisions related to your business school electives.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">1. Consider your core classes</h3>



<p>It’s important to think about your electives in the context of your core classes. “There’s always a core, and the core courses for <a href="https://fortune.com/education/articles/what-is-an-mba-and-when-does-it-make-sense-to-get-one/">an MBA</a> are going to expose you to the basics or foundational information you need,” says Jackson. Those core classes, then, should serve as guideposts in helping you pick your electives. </p>



<p>Because you’re not likely going to want to pick electives that are too similar to your core classes—you’ll want to use the opportunity to explore similar or adjacent business topics or areas outside of your core. This will require some thinking on your part, but the basic idea is to not retread on topics or areas you’re already studying—or, at least not too much.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">2. Think about what resonates with you</h3>



<p>After thinking about your core classes and specific concentration, give some consideration to what topics or classes resonate with you. “Whatever it is where you want to go deeper into an area, where you want to take a breath and learn something new,” says Jackson. Again, this will largely depend on personal preferences, so it may be worth taking some time to think about the topics or lessons in other classes that piqued your interest.</p>



<p>Then, look at what potential elective classes are offered that might give you a chance to explore those topics or areas in more detail. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">3. Think about the skills that align with your career goals</h3>



<p>Another good idea is to think about electives that may teach you, or at least touch on, skills that align with your core career goals. For example, if you’re pursuing an MBA with an entrepreneurship concentration, it may be worth checking out an accounting class to further develop your understanding of the discipline—you may not end up working as an accountant, but if you found a company, knowing a bit about <a href="https://fortune.com/education/articles/accounting-certifications/">accounting</a> beyond a 101-level class won’t hurt.</p>



<p>Further, if you’re a <a href="https://fortune.com/education/careers/how-to-become-an-entrepreneur/">prospective entrepreneur</a>, elective classes focused on business ethics, as another example, may be interesting and help in guiding your thinking as you gear up to start a company. Again: think about the bigger picture, and what potential classes may help supplement your core courses.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">4. Think about what might give your career a boost</h3>



<p>Similarly, beyond what merely aligns with your career goals, experts suggest that you think about intangible factors that you may pick up from elective classes that could otherwise give your career a boost. This can be difficult to qualify, but the mere act of taking a class that’s outside of your comfort zone or way outside of your core area of study could help you at some point down the road. For example, if you’re in a <a href="https://fortune.com/education/articles/mba-programs-ai-artifical-intelligence-concentration/">tech-focused MBA program</a>, a class focused on social impact, or one that delves deep into business models, may saddle you with knowledge and skills that others in your immediate field lack.</p>



<p>In that way, taking electives that cultivate a different mindset, or at least plant seeds that can help you become a quicker, more creative worker in the future, may make a difference at some point in your career. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>The takeaway</strong> </h2>



<p>Choosing business school electives isn’t an exact science. You’ll want to give some consideration to your core classes, but also think a lot about what other potential skills could help you in the years ahead. Choosing electives that complement or supplement your core courses can be helpful, but also, taking a class that may be way out in left field could also serve you in some unforeseen way later in your career.</p>



<p>But it’ll all depend on each student’s individual tastes, preferences, and interests. There’s no “right” or “wrong” elective. You may, however, be best served by choosing business school electives that pique your interest, or that otherwise resonate with you in some way.</p>



<div class="wp-block-group pro-tip-box-widget"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained">
<h3 class="wp-block-heading pro-tip-box-heading">Read more</h3>



<li>Choose from our rankings of the <a href="https://fortune.com/education/business/best-mba-programs/">best MBA programs</a> to find the next phase of your educational journey.</li>
<li>This list helps those looking for <a href="https://fortune.com/education/business/best-mba-programs/no-gmat-gre-required/">MBA program options that do not require submission of test scores</a> to apply.</li>
<li>Our directory of the <a href="https://fortune.com/education/business/most-affordable-online-mba-programs/">most affordable online MBA programs</a> can help you find the school that best fits your budget.</li>
<li>You can work towards your career goals on your own time by selecting from our list of the <a href="https://fortune.com/education/business/best-parttime-mba-programs/">best part time MBA programs</a>.</li>
<li>To help you pick the program that’s the best fit for you, we made this list of the <a href="https://fortune.com/education/business/best-executive-mba-programs/">best executive MBA programs</a>.</li>
<li>Interested in earning your MBA online? Here’s our ranking of the <a href="https://fortune.com/education/business/best-online-mba-programs/">best online MBA programs</a>.</li>
</div></div>
</div>

There are examples of interesting classes within business school curriculums that push the conventional boundaries of what is considered typical pedagogy.

Unusual B-school electives and where to find them

F-Search

How-to

Education Articles

Jasmine Suarez

Business

You may be able to squeeze an elective course or two into your class schedule, and there are some unusual ones to choose from at various schools.

How to choose MBA electives: 4 tips to help you narrow down your choices

Fortune earns a commission for purchases made from affiliate partners via some links on our site; other links are not affiliate partner links. <a href='/affiliate-disclosure/'>Click here</a> to read the full Fortune advertiser disclosure and how we earn commissions.

We have independently evaluated the products and services below. We may earn affiliate revenue from links in the content.

Fortune Editors

Fortune Education is designed to be your guide to navigating this new, rich and somewhat overwhelming world of education. Our team of experienced editors is committed to scouring the universe of online offerings in order to rank, rate, provide comparisons and recommend the right solutions for you and your career.

Fortune Education

Uncategorized

homepage

articles

Articles Hub

By Region

By State

By Cost

Career Hub

Health and Wellness

Tech

EDUCATION

UNUSUAL B-SCHOOL ELECTIVES AND WHERE TO FIND THEM

Unusual B-school electives and where to find them | Fortune Education

Rich Griset

10 free data analytics courses you can take online

https://fortune.com/education/articles/free-data-analytics-courses/?itm_source=parsely-api

Preston Fore

2024 real estate school review: AceableAgent

https://fortune.com/education/articles/real-estate-school-review-aceableagent/?itm_source=parsely-api

Brad Haft

Best health coach certifications for 2024

https://fortune.com/education/articles/best-health-coach-certifications/?itm_source=parsely-api

Brit Morse

A law associate making $300,000 a year at Skadden Arps quit over the firm’s deal with Donald Trump

/article/rachel-cohen-making-300k-year-law-associate-skadden-arps-quit-protest-firms-deal-trump/

Get ready to pay more than $2,000 for a new iPhone: Experts say Trump’s 125% tariff on China is a ‘complete disaster for Apple’ akin to ‘Armageddon’

/2025/04/10/apple-iphone-16-price-complete-disaster-china-trump-tariffs/

It’s about to get a lot harder for job seekers as tariffs are set to make the hiring landscape even more daunting

/2025/04/07/trump-tariffs-labor-market-more-challenging-job-seekers-economists-say/

This company does peer performance reviews—And then lets everyone read each other’s evaluations

/2025/03/24/performance-review-process-company-allows-all-workers-read-garner-health-workplace-culture/

2024 health coach certification review: Catalyst Coaching Institute

/education/articles/health-coach-certification-review-catalyst-coaching-institute/

A guide to a nurse’s salary: Broken down by all 50 states and industry type

/education/careers/nurse-salary/

2024 health coach certification review: Institute for Integrative Nutrition

/education/articles/health-coach-certification-review-institute-for-integrative-nutrition/

10 high-paying public health jobs right now

/education/careers/public-health-jobs/

Jason Del Rey

Is eBay actually sexy again as the ecommerce old-timer’s stock surges to an all-time high?

/2025/07/31/ebay-earnings-live-sports-cards-trading-pokemon/

Erik German

Meet the CIA-backed venture fund behind Palantir, Anduril—and a spy tool that might be on your phone

/2025/07/29/in-q-tel-cia-venture-capital-palantir-anduril/

Dana Hull

Kiel Porter

Bloomberg

Tesla engineering VP Moravy says company in ‘big swing moment’

/2025/07/27/tesla-engineering-vp-lars-moravy-big-swing-moment-musk-robotaxi-optimus-semi/

Christiaan Hetzner

Volkswagen seeks audience with Trump, dangling more than $10 billion in U.S. investments in exchange for tariff exemptions

/2025/07/25/volkswagen-trump-tariffs-exemptions/

Whether you’ve just completed your undergraduate degree or you are a professional with years of experience, Fortune is here to guide you on the next step of your educational journey.

Education

How to choose MBA electives: 4 tips to help you narrow down your choices

About the Contributors

Top Articles

10 free data analytics courses you can take online

2024 real estate school review: AceableAgent

Best health coach certifications for 2024

UNC Kenan-Flagler’s top-ranked online MBA