Master of Science
Acquisition and Contract Management Degree
Gain the specific business expertise needed to manage the complete lifecycle of a contract.
Acquisition and Contract Management Degree
A unique degree in contract management and acquisition with a focus on business.
Be prepared for mid- to advanced-level roles in acquisitions and contract management and gain business acumen for any industry. While you’re here, you’ll share coursework with the MBA program, filled with unique learning experiences that prepare you to be an effective leader. The master’s in contract management curriculum combines various disciplines with projects in business, financial management, and procurement principles. Develop your abilities in the following areas:
- Business relationships
- Strategic sourcing
- Risk management
- Contract financing
- Subcontracting plans
- Supplier selection
- Customer analysis
- Contractor responsibility
If you already have a Level II or Level III DAWIA certificate through DAU/FAI, you may be able to apply a limited amount of credit to certain master’s-level courses.
Simplified admission—No GMAT or GRE required.
Select a career-focused degree program without the cost and hassle of admissions tests. Our admissions team is here to help you apply and enroll so you can get started quickly on the education you want.
Take the next step in earning your Master of Science in Acquisition and Contract Management. We’re ready to help you get there.
Courses
What You’ll Learn
At Bellevue University, the master’s in contract management curriculum can help you prepare to obtain Level II or III Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) certification through Defense Acquisition University/FAI, which will enhance your resume and help you to stand out. Graduates, through our innovative curriculum, will learn how to:
- Manage, supervise or develop policies and procedures involving procurement of supplies, services, construction, or research and development; using formal advertising, request for proposal and negotiation.
- Evaluate contract price proposals.
- Administer or terminate and close out contracts.
- Know the legislation, regulations and business methods related to contracts, fiscal law, subcontracting, dispute and claims, fraud, debt, and terminations.
- Apply data analysis, critical thinking and problem solving to contract management.
- Use time-series data and graphical tools to make forecasting and quality management decisions, as well as use visual and numerical tools to manage time and cost of projects.
- Plan and execute project schedules using critical path, PERT and Gantt charts.
- Acquire and manage resources to plan and control the transformation of those resources into goods and services.
Acquisition and Contract Management Degree Courses
Current students please login to BRUIN and select “Academic Progress” for your curriculum requirements.
Requirements (36 credit hours)
(Click a course name below to view course details)
Foundation
Emphasis is placed on understanding reported financial information used to assess a company’s current performance, future risks, and business opportunities. Students develop skills necessary to understand the performance impact on financial statements and how economic events such as operating activities, corporate investments, and financing transactions affect the three main financial statements - the income statement, balance sheet, and statement of cash flows. Cross-listed with MSF 520 MBA 520 Prerequisite: Graduate standing
Skills learned in this course include:
- Accounting Cycle
- Equity Issuance
- Financial Accounting
- Financial Analysis
- Financial Statements
- Generally Accepted Accounting Principles
- Internal Controls
- International Financial Reporting Standards
- Ratios Analysis
- Revenue Analysis
The use of a variety of business analytics techniques, including quantitative and qualitative descriptive analysis tools, to support informed decision-making serves as a major focus of this course. Techniques addressed include tabular and graphical displays of data such as the bar chart and histogram, numerical measures such as the mean and standard deviation, and linear regression. Critical evaluation of actual business scenarios will be conducted during this course. Cross-listed with MSF 624. MBA 624 Prerequisite: MBA 500 and MBA 520 Prerequisites for MSCM program only: MBA 500 and MBA 520 or MSCM 500 and MBA 520.
Skills learned in this course include:
- Analytical Techniques
- Business Statistics
- Data Analysis
- Decision Making
- Descriptive Statistics
- Forecasting
- Linear Regression
- Prediction
- Project Management
- Quality Management
The program requires 36 graduate credit hours of coursework. No undergraduate courses will count toward the Master of Science in Acquisition and Contract Management.
Core
In this course, students will learn to interpret the role of professional responsibility in project management and evaluate the application of the proper project management tools and techniques to create a project plan. The course also will allow students to determine the necessary components to create a project schedule including critical path, PERT, and Gantt charts. MAQC Prerequisite: MBA 520 and MBA 624
This course focuses on the pre-award business and contracting knowledge necessary to process complex procurement with an emphasis on the following topics: business relationship, strategic sourcing, risk management, contract financing, subcontracting plans, source selection, and contractor responsibility. Students can apply the knowledge learned to practical exercises involving acquisition planning, source selection, and award of technical support service contracts. Additional topics include service case communication, teaming and leadership, customer analysis, spend analysis, multiple award IDIQ, and formal source selection. Prerequisite: MBA 520 and MBA 624
This course focuses on the legal considerations in the procurement process with an emphasis on contract law, fiscal law, protests, assignment of claims, subcontracting, dispute and claims, fraud, debt, and terminations. Prerequisite: MBA 520 and MBA 624
This course focuses on cost analysis and negotiation techniques and topics including cost analysis, quantitative techniques, indirect cost, accounting and est. systems audits, FCCM, profit analysis, and negotiations of acquisition planning, cost analysis, negotiation, and contract administration. Prerequisite: MBA 520 and MBA 624
Students develop the knowledge of accounting information concepts that enable them to develop recommendations for improving the performance of the firm. Students gain skills and knowledge in topics such as cost-volume-profit analysis and the balanced scorecard to support budget preparation and variance analysis to improve company performance. Students with undergraduate degree or 21 credit hours of accounting: A graduate level accounting elective may be substituted for MBA 641 if students have an undergraduate degree in Accounting or 21 credit hours in accounting and have taken an undergraduate Cost or Advanced Managerial course and have earned at least a C or better in all of these courses. Cross-listed with MSF 641 Prerequisite: MBA 624
Skills learned in this course include:
- Activity-Based Costing
- Budgeting
- Cost Accounting
- Cost Volume Profit Analysis
- Data Analysis
- Lean Accounting
- Management Accounting
- Microsoft Excel
- Performance Management
- Regression Analysis
This course focuses on the human and structural aspects of organizational management at the individual, group, and organization levels. Students assess, evaluate and apply evidence-based management practices and theory that can lead to tangible organizational performance outcomes, such as increased job satisfaction and organizational commitment, increased revenue and profits, improved motivation and conflict resolution techniques, greater work-life balance, and enhanced leadership effectiveness. Prerequisite: MBA 500 Prerequisites for MSM program only: MSM 500, MSM 510, MSM 520, MSM 610, MSM 620, and MSM 630.
Skills learned in this course include:
- Change Management
- Communications
- Decision Making
- Emotional Intelligence
- Employee Satisfaction
- Performance Management
- Positive Reinforcement
- Problem Solving
- Social Perceptiveness
- Socialization
Emphasis is placed on the operational activities that successfully create and deliver products and services across the entire supply chain from the raw material to the final product. Included is the development of those performance skills which enhance the supplier and customer relationships and the order fulfillment activities. Techniques addressed include demand forecasting, quality performance analysis, and productivity measurement. Prerequisite: MBA 641 and MBA 655; Prerequisite for SCMTMS: MBA 670 and MSCM 550; Prerequisite for MAQC: MBA 641 only; Prerequisite for MSBAN: MBA 520 and BAN 600; Prerequisite for MSA: MBA 624.
Skills learned in this course include:
- Demand Forecasting
- Inventory Management
- Just In Time Methodology
- Operations Management
- Performance Analysis
- Problem Solving
- Product Design
- Project Management
- Quality Management
- Supply Chain
This course examines classical and contemporary issues in managing supply chains in domestic and global environments. The capabilities that a supply chain must have to support a firm’s business strategy are studied. Students learn to analyze and assess the strategic role of the supply chain and the fundamental issues in managing them. Methodologies for designing and planning a supply chain are introduced and methods to apply them in supply chain activities are learned. Prerequisite: MBA 500 or MSCM 500; MAQC Prerequisite: MBA 500
The course provides students with a thorough overview of the Logistics Management concepts and their interface with other functional areas. Students will learn about activities involved in moving and storing materials and information through the supply chain. Course activities include developing and integrating models of procurement, transportation, warehousing, materials handling and information storage. Problem solving projects and assignments require basic knowledge of Excel and Access. Prerequisite: MBA 624 and MBA 670, MAQC Prerequisite: MBA 520 and MBA 624
This course is a comprehensive study of law and its application in business operations and examines the influence of ethical, political, social, and regulatory issues on the formation and interpretation of the law. Topics include ethics, common law contracts, sales and lease contracts, negotiable instruments, bankruptcy, agency and employment relationships, and property concepts. Emphasis is placed on applying these concepts to business decisions while considering both ethical and global perspectives. Prerequisite MBA 500 Prerequisites for MSM program only: MSM 500, MSM 510, MSM 520, MSM 610, MSM 620, and MSM 630.
This course is a study of the causes and resolution of conflict. Emphasis is placed on the theory and practice of negotiation as a primary means of resolving conflict. Prerequisite: Graduate Standing
† A Level 2 DAWIA certification for the contracting career field through DAU/FAI may be used to transfer 9 credit hours to the Master of Science in Acquisition and Contract Management for MAQC 660, 670, and 675.
University Accreditation
Bellevue University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org).
Whether a college, university, or program is accredited is important to students with financial aid, employers who provide tuition assistance, donors, and the federal government.
This program is considered a non-licensure degree/certificate program and is not intended for those seeking licensure or the practice of licensed profession. This program may be relevant to multiple occupations that do not require licensure and was not designed to meet educational requirements for any specific professional license or certification.
*Consult with an admissions counselor to determine your eligible credits, as well as to verify minimum graduation requirements for this degree. Transfer credits must be from a regionally accredited college or university. Bellevue University makes no promises to prospective students regarding the acceptance of credit awarded by examination, credit for prior learning, or credit for transfer until an evaluation has been conducted.
Use what you know and build on it in the master’s in acquisition and contract management program.
Format
100% Online learning that works for your life and your goals.
Our flexible online courses are designed to bring quality learning into a format that fits your schedule, without sacrificing meaningful faculty feedback and collaboration with peers across the country. Stay on track with the help of your Student Coach — with you from day one to graduation.
Develop your legal skills conveniently with 100% online learning in the master’s degree in acquisition and contract management program.
Tuition & Financial Aid
Graduate degrees can be more affordable than you think.
Earning a degree is an investment in yourself. We want to help you make sure it’s a wise one.
2024 / 2025 Academic Year
$660 In-Class or Online Cost Per Credit
(Additional fees may apply to individual courses within your major requirements)
Curious about financial aid? We’ve got the answers.
As a graduate student, you may be eligible for up to $20,500 per year in unsubsidized Direct Student Loans.
And, students often apply for graduate program scholarships through Bellevue University or tuition reimbursement through their employers. Talk to us and we’ll help you explore your options.
Move forward with a master’s degree that’s worth your time and investment.
Admissions
Start on the path to your master’s. No GRE or GMAT required.
We believe in reducing roadblocks to education. That’s why our admissions requirements focus only on what matters—helping hardworking students access the education they deserve.
For admission to Bellevue University, applicants must:
- Possess a bachelor’s or master’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university, or a U.S. equivalent degree from a nationally or internationally accredited college or university.
- Have maintained a GPA of 2.5 or better from the most recent 60 credits of coursework earned toward the bachelor’s degree or have maintained a GPA of 3.0 or better in previous graduate level coursework earned toward the graduate degree.
If you haven’t already, take a moment to request information about your masters program and get in touch with our admissions team. We’ll help make sure you have what you need and answer your questions.
When you’re ready to apply, start your application online. You’ll then:
- Submit your deposit to Bellevue University. (You can do this at any point in the process.)
- Submit your transcripts from past institutions and any other required documentation.
- Complete the FAFSA and see what grants and loans you’re eligible for.
If you are an international student, please see the following specific information: International Student Master Admissions.
You'll just need to create an account and complete a pre-application to Bellevue University through Guild. Once you receive confirmation that your pre-application to Bellevue University has been approved, you'll need to complete the required steps to get fully accepted and registered. These include:
- Submitting transcripts from past institutions
- Submitting related documentation
Degree Specific Admission Requirements (in addition to the Bellevue University requirements for admission)
Students are eligible to enter the MAQC program if they are currently working and have a 5-year minimum requirement in a contract-related field for approval into the MAQC program (resume should be submitted as part of the pre-admission packet). Program Director will review all resumes for approval into the program.
The program requires 36 graduate credit hours of coursework. No undergraduate courses will count toward the Master of Science in Acquisition and Contract Management.
Ready to get started?
Reach out to admissions.
- Get your questions answered about the Acquisition and Contract Management Degree
- Understand your financial aid and scholarship options
- Map out a schedule that fits with your priorities
