Joint Semikha + MBA Program Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary RIETS Semikha Syms Online MBA Artificial Intelligence Biotechnology Computer Science Cybersecurity Data Analytics and Visualization Digital Marketing and Media Mathematics Occupational Therapy Physician Assistant Physics Speech-Language Pathology Â鶹Çø the Program Learn the leadership and organizational skills that will heighten your success as a rabbinic and community leader with an MBA from the Sy Syms School of Business at Â鶹Çø. The newly redesigned MBA program will enable you to develop a solid foundation of monetary and economic principles in addition to organizational and leadership abilities. The program covers all major functions including finance, marketing, accounting, data analysis, and entrepreneurship.Whether it’s as a shul rav, menahel or rebbe in a school, executive director of a tzedakah organization, even chairman of a board of directors, acquiring the strategic and business skills the Syms MBA offers will broaden your skill set and offer many benefits.A rabbi with an MBA has the added skills to lead with knowledge, compassion and an understanding of the financial workings of an organization that can help a synagogue or non-profit succeed. Non-profit does not mean non-efficient, and your financial expertise will provide your lay partners with a sense of confidence and security. Â鶹Çø the Sy Syms School of Business Sy Syms School of Business is a small, selective graduate school that offers advanced training in various business disciplines built on a foundation of values and market-ready skills. Our intensive graduate programs are designed to prepare students for leadership positions at prominent organizations in a constantly evolving world. We offer an Online MBA, JD + MBA, and Semikha + MBA, all of which are structured to meet the needs of the working professional. Our graduates emerge with the technical skills, practical knowledge, and business connections to succeed. Â鶹Çø the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary Vital in its approach and vibrant in its tradition, the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS) is the Western Hemisphere’s leading center for Torah learning and training for the rabbinate.For over a century, RIETS has provided an unsurpassed educational experience in the classic mold of the great yeshivot. Embodying the historic concept of Torah Lishmah—learning for its own sake—and a responsiveness to community needs, RIETS is a deep fount of Jewish knowledge and a preeminent source of rabbinic leadership for the next generation and beyond. Join a True CommunityCommunity is at the heart of everything we do at Syms. The emphasis on collaboration in our online courses is not simply intended to teach you to be a team player; it fosters a deeper understanding among your diverse group of classmates. Our faculty take this mission to heart as well, ensuring their availability to students both during scheduled office hours and beyond them to enable our cohort of working professionals to have every opportunity to benefit from their expertise. Online Master of Business Administration42 creditsFull-time option: 16 monthsPart-time option: spread out over 2-4 yearsOnline Program Structure42 credits15-16 courses6 core courses, the rest are electivesOptional residency in New York or Israel or culminating Innovation Lab capstone experienceThree 14-week terms per year, with two 7-week courses taken each termAll courses are 7 weeks in length except the capstone, which is 14 weeks in lengthThe flexibility to complete program in as little as 16 months or as much as four yearsThree opportunities to start per year: August, January and May Program BenefitsIntegrated with the RIETS schedule and programFulfills the RIETS corequisite—completed within your 4 years of Semikha with 1–2 courses per semesterValuable for those with undergraduate degrees in liberal arts and sciences, in addition to businessFlexibility regarding location and timing— courses are asynchronous online and can be taken from the US, from Israel, or elsewhereOpportunity to increase your effectivenessLearn how to make decisions in challenging situationsDevelop both business and rabbinic skills, as well as learn how to integrate them effectivelyJewish ethics and values are infused across the curriculumNew concentration currently being designed: Non-Profit LeadershipSkill DevelopmentHard skills: understand the major business functions (e.g., finance, marketing, accounting), whole-organization thinking, sense of strategy, and fundraising (e.g., donors, grant applications)Intangibles: organizational and leadership skills, teamwork, entrepreneurial mindset, ability to set goals, establishing a vision, motivating and inspiring people, ability to delegate, and innovationThe Rabbi/MBA model created by the Syms MBA and RIETS Semikha program will be the gold standard for those who love, support, and demand the best from their synagogue and organizational leaders. Full Program Breakdown Join a True CommunityCommunity is at the heart of everything we do at Syms. The emphasis on collaboration in our online courses is not simply intended to teach you to be a team player; it fosters a deeper understanding among your diverse group of classmates. Our faculty take this mission to heart as well, ensuring their availability to students both during scheduled office hours and beyond them to enable our cohort of working professionals to have every opportunity to benefit from their expertise. Online Master of Business Administration42 creditsFull-time option: 16 monthsPart-time option: spread out over 2-4 yearsOnline Program Structure42 credits15-16 courses6 core courses, the rest are electivesOptional residency in New York or Israel or culminating Innovation Lab capstone experienceThree 14-week terms per year, with two 7-week courses taken each termAll courses are 7 weeks in length except the capstone, which is 14 weeks in lengthThe flexibility to complete program in as little as 16 months or as much as four yearsThree opportunities to start per year: August, January and May Program BenefitsIntegrated with the RIETS schedule and programFulfills the RIETS corequisite—completed within your 4 years of Semikha with 1–2 courses per semesterValuable for those with undergraduate degrees in liberal arts and sciences, in addition to businessFlexibility regarding location and timing— courses are asynchronous online and can be taken from the US, from Israel, or elsewhereOpportunity to increase your effectivenessLearn how to make decisions in challenging situationsDevelop both business and rabbinic skills, as well as learn how to integrate them effectivelyJewish ethics and values are infused across the curriculumNew concentration currently being designed: Non-Profit LeadershipSkill DevelopmentHard skills: understand the major business functions (e.g., finance, marketing, accounting), whole-organization thinking, sense of strategy, and fundraising (e.g., donors, grant applications)Intangibles: organizational and leadership skills, teamwork, entrepreneurial mindset, ability to set goals, establishing a vision, motivating and inspiring people, ability to delegate, and innovationThe Rabbi/MBA model created by the Syms MBA and RIETS Semikha program will be the gold standard for those who love, support, and demand the best from their synagogue and organizational leaders. Swipe to learn more! Join a True CommunityCommunity is at the heart of everything we do at Syms. The emphasis on collaboration in our online courses is not simply intended to teach you to be a team player; it fosters a deeper understanding among your diverse group of classmates. Our faculty take this mission to heart as well, ensuring their availability to students both during scheduled office hours and beyond them to enable our cohort of working professionals to have every opportunity to benefit from their expertise. Online Master of Business Administration42 creditsFull-time option: 16 monthsPart-time option: spread out over 2-4 yearsOnline Program Structure42 credits15-16 courses6 core courses, the rest are electivesOptional residency in New York or Israel or culminating Innovation Lab capstone experienceThree 14-week terms per year, with two 7-week courses taken each termAll courses are 7 weeks in length except the capstone, which is 14 weeks in lengthThe flexibility to complete program in as little as 16 months or as much as four yearsThree opportunities to start per year: August, January and May Program BenefitsIntegrated with the RIETS schedule and programFulfills the RIETS corequisite—completed within your 4 years of Semikha with 1–2 courses per semesterValuable for those with undergraduate degrees in liberal arts and sciences, in addition to businessFlexibility regarding location and timing— courses are asynchronous online and can be taken from the US, from Israel, or elsewhereOpportunity to increase your effectivenessLearn how to make decisions in challenging situationsDevelop both business and rabbinic skills, as well as learn how to integrate them effectivelyJewish ethics and values are infused across the curriculumNew concentration currently being designed: Non-Profit LeadershipSkill DevelopmentHard skills: understand the major business functions (e.g., finance, marketing, accounting), whole-organization thinking, sense of strategy, and fundraising (e.g., donors, grant applications)Intangibles: organizational and leadership skills, teamwork, entrepreneurial mindset, ability to set goals, establishing a vision, motivating and inspiring people, ability to delegate, and innovationThe Rabbi/MBA model created by the Syms MBA and RIETS Semikha program will be the gold standard for those who love, support, and demand the best from their synagogue and organizational leaders. For more information about the online MBA program contact:onlinesyms@online.yu.edu866-545-9506 Application Requirements Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college Transcripts ¸éé²õ³Ü³¾Ã© Completion of TOEFL or IELTS score (if applicable) Core Courses (21 credits) Electives (18 credits) • Statistics and Data Analysis (3 credits)This course introduces the student to statistical and analytical techniques which are directly applicable to business.• Financial Reporting & Analysis (3 credits)This course will help students answer critical questions from financial statements about a business—whether it is a large multinational company like Apple or a single-owned business such as a software consulting company, a restaurant or retail store. At the end of this course, the student should be able to evaluate a company’s current and future profitability, growth potential and solvency.• Marketing Management (3 credits)Marketing activity is the core of an operating business. It provides the managerial focus for interfacing with customers and the source of intelligence about customers, competitors, and the general environment. Managers must identify and measure consumers’ needs and wants, assess the competitive environment, select the most appropriate customer targets, and then develop marketing programs that satisfy consumers’ needs better than the competition. Further, marketing focuses on the long-run relationship of a company to its customers as well as short-run sales and profits.• Financial Management (3 credits)The purpose of the course is to provide an introduction to the basic concepts and tools of modern financial analysis in the Customized Online MBA curriculum. In the course, the student learns how to assess and value investments, on both the corporate and personal level. This includes loans, leases, mortgages, and small business financing. It also shows how to approach investment in the stock and fixed-income markets.• Leading with Emotional and Moral Intelligence (3 credits)This course will introduce students to the conceptual frameworks, interpersonal skills and values that are essential to effective leadership in business. The historical and philosophical context of leadership will be explored, as well as emotionally intelligent skills and values critical to successful engagement and maintenance of a constructive alliance with colleagues, supervisors and clients.• Capstone (6 credits)In this capstone for the Customized Online MBA curriculum, students will coalesce the multidisciplinary foundation developed during the program and apply it to real-world problems. More details to follow upon enrollment. Course descriptions for the following electives can be found here.• Data Visualization (3 credits)• Corporate Finance (3 credits)• The Founder’s Dilemmas (1.5 credits)• Marketing Through New Technology (1.5 credits)• Entrepreneurial Finance (1.5 credits)• Negotiations (1.5 credits)• Data Mining for Business Analytics (1.5 credits)• NYC Residency in International Business (3 credits)• Crisis Management (1.5 credits)• International Business - Emerging Markets (3 credits)• Entrepreneurship and the Management of Change (3 credits)• Decision Models and Management Controls (3 credits)• Business Law, Regulation and Ethics (3 credits)• Accounting Information System (1.5 credits)• Tax 1 (1.5 credits)• Contemporary Topics in Accounting (1.5 credits)• Accounting Ethics (1.5 credits)• Forensic Accounting (1.5 credits)• Leveraging AI for Marketing (1.5 credits)In addition to the core program, we are currently developing plans for a Non-profit Leadership course which will explore how non-profits differ from the for-profits studied across the rest of the program, including in the Founder’s Dilemmas course taught by author and Sy Syms’ dean, Dr. Noam Wasserman. Core Courses (21 credits) • Statistics and Data Analysis (3 credits)This course introduces the student to statistical and analytical techniques which are directly applicable to business.• Financial Reporting & Analysis (3 credits)This course will help students answer critical questions from financial statements about a business—whether it is a large multinational company like Apple or a single-owned business such as a software consulting company, a restaurant or retail store. At the end of this course, the student should be able to evaluate a company’s current and future profitability, growth potential and solvency.• Marketing Management (3 credits)Marketing activity is the core of an operating business. It provides the managerial focus for interfacing with customers and the source of intelligence about customers, competitors, and the general environment. Managers must identify and measure consumers’ needs and wants, assess the competitive environment, select the most appropriate customer targets, and then develop marketing programs that satisfy consumers’ needs better than the competition. Further, marketing focuses on the long-run relationship of a company to its customers as well as short-run sales and profits.• Financial Management (3 credits)The purpose of the course is to provide an introduction to the basic concepts and tools of modern financial analysis in the Customized Online MBA curriculum. In the course, the student learns how to assess and value investments, on both the corporate and personal level. This includes loans, leases, mortgages, and small business financing. It also shows how to approach investment in the stock and fixed-income markets.• Leading with Emotional and Moral Intelligence (3 credits)This course will introduce students to the conceptual frameworks, interpersonal skills and values that are essential to effective leadership in business. The historical and philosophical context of leadership will be explored, as well as emotionally intelligent skills and values critical to successful engagement and maintenance of a constructive alliance with colleagues, supervisors and clients.• Capstone (6 credits)In this capstone for the Customized Online MBA curriculum, students will coalesce the multidisciplinary foundation developed during the program and apply it to real-world problems. More details to follow upon enrollment. Electives (18 credits) Course descriptions for the following electives can be found here.• Data Visualization (3 credits)• Corporate Finance (3 credits)• The Founder’s Dilemmas (1.5 credits)• Marketing Through New Technology (1.5 credits)• Entrepreneurial Finance (1.5 credits)• Negotiations (1.5 credits)• Data Mining for Business Analytics (1.5 credits)• NYC Residency in International Business (3 credits)• Crisis Management (1.5 credits)• International Business - Emerging Markets (3 credits)• Entrepreneurship and the Management of Change (3 credits)• Decision Models and Management Controls (3 credits)• Business Law, Regulation and Ethics (3 credits)• Accounting Information System (1.5 credits)• Tax 1 (1.5 credits)• Contemporary Topics in Accounting (1.5 credits)• Accounting Ethics (1.5 credits)• Forensic Accounting (1.5 credits)• Leveraging AI for Marketing (1.5 credits)In addition to the core program, we are currently developing plans for a Non-profit Leadership course which will explore how non-profits differ from the for-profits studied across the rest of the program, including in the Founder’s Dilemmas course taught by author and Sy Syms’ dean, Dr. Noam Wasserman.
