MBA Subjects in Pakistan 2026: Semester Wise List by University

MBA subjects in Pakistan by semester: core courses, specializations and credit hours at LSE, FAST, Bahria, IBM Lahore, BZU and more.

MBA Subjects in Pakistan 2026: Semester-Wise List by University

An MBA in Pakistan teaches accounting, finance, marketing, management, economics and quantitative methods in the early semesters. Later semesters add strategy, research methods, electives in a chosen specialization, and a thesis, project or extra courses. There is no single national list. The Higher Education Commission (HEC) sets the broad structure, and each university publishes its own scheme of study.

This page explains how MBA subjects are organised, compares first-semester subjects at several universities, and gives semester-wise lists for programmes at LSE, FAST, Bahria, IBM Lahore, BZU, CUST, IIU and more. For the PDFs and outlines behind them, see the MBA syllabus page .

What subjects does an MBA include?

Our MBA guide summarises the usual credit-hour split like this: a core of 45 credit hours (accounting, finance, marketing and quantitative techniques at 6 each, management at 15, and economics at 6), about 12 credit hours of electives, a 3–6 credit-hour project or thesis, and a short Fehm-e-Quran course. Non-business graduates complete roughly 62–66 credit hours in total. Business graduates on the relevant-degree route need fewer, because up to 30 credit hours can be exempted. Individual universities vary, so treat these figures as a guide and confirm with the department.

Core subject areas

Area

Typical course names

Seen at

Accounting

Financial Accounting; Cost and Managerial Accounting

Bahria, IBM Lahore, BZU, FAST, LSE

Finance

Financial Management; Business Finance; Corporate Finance

Bahria, BZU, FAST, LSE, CUST

Marketing

Principles of Marketing; Marketing Management; Strategic Marketing

Bahria, IBM Lahore, BZU, FAST, CUST

Management and people

Principles of Management; Organizational Behavior; Human Resource Management

IBM Lahore, BZU, Bahria, LSE

Quantitative and research

Business Mathematics and Statistics; Business Research Methods

IBM Lahore, BZU, Bahria, FAST

Economics

Business Economics; Managerial Economics

BZU, LSE, FAST

Communication

Business Communication

IBM Lahore, BZU, Bahria, CUST

Strategy

Strategic Management; Business Policy

Bahria, LSE, CUST

Specializations

Specialization courses usually start in the later semesters. CUST's official MBA scheme lists these clusters:

  • Finance: Analysis of Financial Statements, Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management, Financial Markets and Institutions, International Financial Management, Financial Modeling.

  • Human resource management: Recruitment and Selection, Training and Development, Salary and Compensation Management, Strategic HRM, Change Management.

  • Marketing: Services Marketing, Brand Management, Advertising and Sales Promotion, Customer Relationship Management, International Marketing.

IIU Islamabad's 1.5-year scheme draws four specialization courses from a wider set of areas, including marketing, finance, accounting, banking, economics, management and HR, public sector management, environment management and management information systems. Which electives actually run in a semester depends on the department.

MBA programme length and credit hours

Programme

Who it is for

Credit hours (examples)

3.5 years

Graduates of a 14-year degree (BA, BSc, B.Com)

CUST: 96 credit hours over 7 semesters

2 years

Graduates of a 16-year degree

Bahria and IBM Lahore: 60 credit hours; PIDE: up to 66

1.5 years

Graduates of a relevant business degree

IIU: 30 credit hours (5 core, 4 specialization, 1 project)

Executive MBA

Working professionals

LSE: 66 credit hours over about 2½ years

For who qualifies for each route, see the MBA eligibility criteria .

First-semester subjects compared

First semesters are almost all foundation courses.

Bahria University

IBM Lahore (UET)

BZU Multan

FAST (NUCES)

LSE Executive MBA

Marketing Management

Principles of Marketing

Fundamentals of Marketing

Marketing

Marketing Management Practices

Financial Accounting

Financial Accounting

Financial Accounting

Accounting for Managers

Financial Accounting

Stats and Math for Management

Business Mathematics and Statistics

Business Mathematics and Statistics

Applied Statistics for Business

Business Mathematics and Statistics

Theories and Practices of Management

Principles of Management

Principles of Management

Management and Organizational Behaviour

Management: Policy and Practice

Business Communication

Business Communication

Business Communication

Business Economics for Managers

(not in first term)

Computer Applications in Business

The pattern is consistent: accounting, management, marketing and a quantitative course, plus either communication or economics.

Semester-wise subject lists by university

Each list is from the university's scheme as summarised on this page. Check the department for the session you will join.

Bahria University: MBA 2 years (60 credit hours)

Semester 1

Semester 2

Semester 3

Semester 4

Marketing Management

Human Resource Management

Strategic Management

Corporate Leadership and Social Responsibility

Financial Accounting

Cost and Managerial Accounting

Corporate Finance

Contemporary Issues in Business

Stats and Math for Management

Economics

Dissertation (Proposal Development)

Thesis Write-up and Defense

Theories and Practices of Management

Financial Management

Specialization I

Specialization III

Business Communication

Methods in Business Research

Specialization II

Specialization IV

IBM Lahore (UET): MBA 2 years (60 credit hours)

Semester 1

Semester 2

Semester 3

Semester 4

Principles of Marketing

Managerial Accounting

Thesis I / Elective / Industrial Project I

Project Management

Financial Accounting

Supply Chain Management

Financial Management

Organizational Behavior

Business Communication

Business Research Methods

Management Information System

Elective I

Principles of Management

Human Resource Management

Marketing Management

Elective II / Elective III / Thesis

Business Mathematics and Statistics

Operations Management

Elective I

BZU Multan: MBA 2 years

Semester 1

Semester 2

Semester 3

Semester 4

Financial Accounting

Management Information System

Operations Management

Entrepreneurship

Computer Applications in Business

Human Resource Management

Managerial Accounting

Managerial Policy

Business Communication

Marketing Management

Analysis of Pakistan Industry

Organizational Behaviour

Principles of Management

Financial Management

Elective I

Elective III

Fundamentals of Marketing

Business Research Methods

Elective II

Elective IV

Business Mathematics and Statistics

Economic Environment of Business

FAST (NUCES): MBA 2 years

Semester 1

Semester 2

Semester 3

Semester 4

Accounting for Managers

Finance for Managers

Financial Reporting and Analysis

Applied Corporate Finance

Marketing

Managerial Economics

Strategic HR and Leadership

Communication for Managers

Business Economics for Managers

Managing Human Resources

Strategic Marketing

Cases in Management

Applied Statistics for Business

Business Analytics

Elective I

Elective III

Management and Organizational Behaviour

Advanced Research Methods

Elective II / Dissertation I

MBA Project / Dissertation II

Lahore School of Economics: Executive MBA (66 credit hours, about 2½ years)

Source: the school's own programme page. Most courses carry 3 credit hours.

Year Winter Spring

Year 1

Marketing Management Practices; Management: Policy and Practice; Business Mathematics and Statistics; Financial Accounting

Business Economics; Corporate Finance; Human Resource Management; Consumer Behavior

Year 2

Analysis of Financial Statements and Reporting; Organizational Behavior and Leadership; Advanced Corporate Finance; Marketing Research

Managerial Accounting; Pakistan Economy; Decision Analysis; Marketing Strategy; Understanding of Holy Quran / Rule of Law and Civil Society (2 credit hours)

Year 3

Advanced Operations Management; Business Policy; specialization options (such as Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management, International Marketing, Strategic Supply Chain Management); Research Project; Artificial Intelligence for Business Administration

Admission to the Executive MBA requires 16 years of education and three years of professional experience, according to the school.

CUST Islamabad: MBA regular (96 credit hours, 7 semesters)

Semester

Courses

1

Principles of Accounting I; Principles of Management; Principles of Marketing; Business Mathematics and Statistics; Verbal Communication Skills

2

Principles of Accounting II; Business Communications; Principles of Microeconomics; Introduction to HRM; Marketing Management

3

Cost Accounting; Legal Environment in Business; Ethical Issues in Corporate Environment; Principles of Macroeconomics; Business Finance

4

Entrepreneurship and Innovation; Financial Management; Organizational Behavior; Management Information System; Business Research and Report Writing

5

Corporate Finance; Strategic Management; Elective I; Specialization I

6

Strategic Marketing; Advanced Project Management; Elective II; Specialization II

7

Specialization III; Specialization IV; Research Thesis (optional, 6 credit hours)

CUST's page also lists a 6-credit undergraduate business project among the degree requirements. Confirm with the department how the project and the optional thesis fit together.

IIU Islamabad: BBA (Hons) to MBA 1.5 years (30 credit hours)

  • Core (15 credit hours): Management Accounting, Strategic Marketing Management, Managerial Finance, Strategic Management, Leadership.

  • Specialization (12 credit hours): four courses from the areas listed above.

  • Project (3 credit hours).

How to read a subject list

  1. Match the programme length to your degree (see the table above) so you compare like with like.

  2. Check the credit hours. A list that shows 16 courses for a 66-credit programme is incomplete.

  3. Find the capstone: thesis, dissertation, project, internship or substitute courses. Schemes differ.

  4. Look at when specializations begin and how many electives you can choose.

  5. Check the session printed on the scheme. Universities revise lists between batches.

Related guides

Need help choosing a programme? Use the Free Admission Advice form on this page.

Related Disciplines of Master of Business Administration

More on Master of Business Administration

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many subjects are there in an MBA in Pakistan?

It depends on the programme. A 60-credit-hour, 2-year MBA with 3-credit courses has about 20 courses. A 1.5-year MBA can have around 10 (IIU's has five core courses, four specialization courses and a project).

What are the first-semester subjects of an MBA?

Usually financial accounting, principles of management, marketing, business mathematics and statistics, and business communication or economics.

What are the core subjects of an MBA?

Accounting, finance, marketing, management and organizational behavior, quantitative methods and research methods, economics, and strategy.

Which specializations can I choose?

Common ones are finance, marketing and human resource management. Some universities also offer banking, supply chain management, management information systems and others.

Is a thesis compulsory?

Not everywhere. Some schemes require a thesis or dissertation; others offer a project or extra courses instead.

Do 2-year and 3.5-year MBA students study the same subjects?

The MBA-level courses overlap, but the 3.5-year programme adds undergraduate-level foundation courses in the first years.

Do BBA graduates study fewer subjects?

Often yes: up to 30 credit hours may be exempted, depending on the university.