How Oommen Thomas Keeps Learning as a Leader
Oommen Thomas, Walmart's Senior Vice President of Global Supply Chain and Commerce Acceleration, shared his thoughts on a role that requires him to keep learning.
10/14/2026 | By Matt Waller
Advance your career with the University of Arkansas Executive MBA. Flexible online coursework, monthly in-person sessions and access to a powerful professional network.
What Alumni Say

“Staying connected to the Walton MBA network keeps my perspective sharp.”
Angelo Welihindha, '14
VP and GM of Civilian and School Safety · Axon

“I loved the network. I loved the challenge. I loved learning from this organization.”
Andrea Albright, '15
Former EVP & Chief Growth Officer · Walmart International

“It has expanded my perspective and strengthened the way I approach complex challenges.”
Bruna Fell Lautert, '26
Senior Director of Business Development · Walmart
The Walton EMBA Advantage
Career Outcomes & ROI
Students are increasingly choosing the Walton MBA program to strengthen their professional skill set and advance their careers in one of the fastest-growing regions in the United States.
35%
average increase in salary during the program
65%
reported a promotion while in program
99%
Agreed or Strongly Agreed with the statement, “The Walton EMBA program has equipped me with valuable knowledge and skills and expanded my professional network.”
99%
Agreed or Strongly Agreed with the statement, “The Walton EMBA program helps students accelerate their careers.”
Two Years
Part-time schedule: *6 credit hours of coursework per semester. Students attend class approximately one Saturday each month.
*8 credit hours in the first semester
July 19*
*Late applications may be accepted on a case-by-case basis. Please reach out to Jaime Tucker with any questions: JTucker@walton.uark.edu
$50,076.40
Fall
No Test Score Required
Curriculum
Every course connects academic concepts to practical skills you can apply in the workplace.
MGMT 56103: Leadership and Organizational Behavior - Managing in a global workforce, including human resource issues, motivation, performance evaluation, quality concepts, transformational leadership, and selection/ recruitment/ development of employees.
BADM 5370V: Special Topics - Artificial Intelligence for Business Leaders helps students understand and apply AI within their workplace. This hands-on course explains how AI tools work, what they do well, and where they fall short. As AI changes the way work is conducted, students learn to identify practical AI opportunities, enhance their own performance, and advance the strategy of their organizations.
ISYS 53603: Business Analytics - This course in managerial business analytics provides future managers with the key concepts of decision modeling and information technology management concepts. Students will learn to utilize real time operational business data, as well as quickly process and effectively leverage information. In addition, students will exercise strategic IT deployment skills for supply chain and marketing processes as well as develop strong decision modeling abilities.
FINN 51103: Corporate Financial Management - Financial analysis, planning and control; decision making and modeling for financial managers; and financial policies for management. Prerequisite: Graduate standing in the Master of Science in Finance program.
ACCT 52203: MBA Accounting Analysis - Highlights the role played by accounting information in managing supply chains and retail operations. Provides tools for managing cost flows, including activity-based costing, retail accounting, and operational budgeting. Focuses on improving decision making processes, and linking the impact of retail/supply chain decisions to financial statements and shareholder value.
MKTG 52203: Marketing - Product management, market research, marketing communications, retailing and distribution, consumer behavior, and social and ethical implications of marketing.
SCMT 56303: Foundations for New Product Launch and Integrated Demand-Driven Value Networks - Supply chain management is the integration of key business processes from end user through suppliers. The focus of this course is on the business fundamentals and core processes that must be linked throughout the supply chain in order to ensure the effective development and delivery of products and services that satisfy customers.
BADM 56002: Introduction to Strategy - This course provides an introduction to business strategy, the driving force behind virtually all decisions of the firm. The goal of strategy is to make decisions that ensure the long-term survival and success of the firm.
SEVI 53103: Strategic Management - Strategy formulation, strategy implementation, and other topics related to the long-term success of the firm. Includes role of the general manager, international issues, and the impact of management fads on decision making.
ECON 52403: Managerial Economics - This course will provide students with a strong foundation in core economics principles, with emphasis on industrial organization issues and applications geared toward the supply-chain and retail focus of the redesigned MBA program.
BADM 5530V: Global Business - Provides MBA students with the opportunity to explore a business problem in depth under the guidance of a graduate faculty member.
MKTG 55603: Retail Strategy - The purpose of this course is to investigate the changing landscape of the retail industry. It should be noted that "retail" is an incredibly broad topic covering everything from consumer insights to supply chain to sales management. Retail is currently experiencing somewhat of a revolution as companies experiment with new technology, innovative ways to make shopping more enjoyable, or ways of engaging the customer in a way they are not likely to forget. This course will be based on identification and discussion of new trends that emerge in the retail environment.
MKTG 55203: Marketing Analytics - This course is intended to teach students how to use data analytics to improve marketing decision making at every stage of the Strategic Marketing Process. The focus will be on the skills and tools needed to obtain, process, and analyze data to formulate and answer critical marketing questions and make managerial recommendations. This is a hands-on course that employs real-world databases, lectures, cases, and exercises.
SCMT 56803: SOURCE: Global Procurement and Supply Management - In the global supply chain sourcing and procurement plays a critical role in ensuring supply, growing margins and contributing to reliable delivery to customers. This course covers the core sourcing and procurement processes of strategic sourcing, supplier relationship management and takes a leadership approach to those covering topics such as change management and business alignment issues involved.
SCMT 56903: Supply Chain Performance Management and Analytics - This course will survey standard and advanced analytical techniques used to transform data into actionable business intelligence and students will gain hands-on experience with these techniques. They will gain an understanding of the practical considerations that arise in real-world applications by means of a term project. They will gain exposure to data science software capable of advanced predictive analytics and also through cases, expose them to innovative ways in which firms are using analytics to improve supply chain management processes.
FINN 53003: Advanced Corporate Financial Management - Focus on financial policy issues using real situational cases. Topics include cost of capital, capital budgeting and long-term planning, value-based management, real options, as well as project financing and valuation.
FINN 53303: Investment Theory and Management - Integration of theory, practice of investments with solution of individual and institutional portfolio management problems; risk management; Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts' Problems.
SEVI 53203: New Venture Development - Focuses on the identification and analysis of new venture opportunities and how entrepreneurs acquire the human and financial resources needed to develop successful businesses. Topics include market analysis, development of products and services, negotiation, developing and executing business plans, and new venture financing. Students are required to complete summer assignments before the course begins in the fall semester.
SEVI 54103: New Venture Development II - A large-scale, real world, 10 week project involving hands-on work addressing issues faced by managers in partnering firms. Corequisite: Instructor consent.
SEVI 52303: Human-Centered Design - This course will serve as a highly hands-on experience through the human-centered design process, organized around the following modules: design research, problem identification, concept generation & creativity, prototyping, testing, communication & visualization. Within this course, students have the structure and space to be collaborative, creative, and agile, enabling them to rapidly design viable solutions for their organizational partners.
SEVI 52403: Product Management - This course presents an integrated overview of the field of product management. Through this interactive course, students will be able to take organizational innovation ideas formed in the pre-requisite Human Centered Design course to the next level by learning and implementing the fundamentals of product management which included improving technical acumen, strategy development, business modeling, product market fit, understanding OKR's, EPIC's, and Retrospectives.
ISYS 58303: Data Management Systems - Investigation and application of advanced database concepts include database administration, database technology, and selection and acquisition of database management systems. Data modeling and system development in a database environment.
ISYS 58403: Seminar in Business Intelligence and Knowledge Management - Business intelligence focuses on assessing and creating information and knowledge from internal and external sources to support business decision making process. In this seminar, data mining and information retrieval techniques will be used to extract useful knowledge from data, which could be used for business intelligence, and knowledge management.
Students may choose 6 hours of elective coursework from the list of track classes above. Two additional elective classes are available in the custom track: 1) Negotiations and 2) Digital Innovations.
What electives can you choose?
Customize your Executive MBA experience through elective focus areas and select graduate certificate opportunities.
How AI is integrated into courses
Student Experience
Career support is an integral component to the Walton student experience.

One-on-one coaching from advisors who know the Northwest Arkansas business landscape.

Direct access to Fortune 500 leaders.

Leverage the power of the Walton alumni network.

Structured opportunities to build leadership from day one.
Program Fit
The Walton Executive MBA is designed for working professionals who are ready to expand their business expertise, strengthen their leadership capabilities and take the next step in their careers.
Are you ready to grow as a leader?
The Walton Executive MBA helps you strengthen the leadership and strategic skills needed to take on greater responsibility, lead teams and navigate increasingly complex business challenges.
Are you ready to broaden your business perspective?
The program helps you look beyond your functional expertise to understand how different areas of business connect, preparing you to make stronger decisions and contribute at a more strategic level.
Student Voice & Proof
Stories and perspectives from students, alumni, and faculty — straight from the program.
Oommen Thomas, Walmart's Senior Vice President of Global Supply Chain and Commerce Acceleration, shared his thoughts on a role that requires him to keep learning.
10/14/2026 | By Matt Waller
Week 8 of our Walton MBA leadership course focused on ethical leadership, exploring how a variety of pressures can influence decisions when leaders are confronted with an ethical dilemma.
10/11/2026 | By Adam Stoverink
Walmart's SVP of Merchandising Enablement, Leslie Leonard, shared lessons about the leaders who shaped her and how she leads today.
10/08/2026 | By Matt Waller
FAQ
Everything you need to know before you apply. Don't see your question? Reach out to the graduate programs office.
The format also gives you the opportunity to apply what you learn in the classroom directly to challenges and opportunities within your organization.
The two-year format provides a predictable path through the program while allowing students to continue meeting their professional responsibilities.
Throughout the program, students build expertise across core business disciplines while strengthening their ability to connect those functions, make strategic decisions and lead within their organizations.
The program requires a meaningful commitment outside of work. The specific number of hours varies by the person, but students can anticipate spending significant time studying during evenings and weekends. The program's predictable schedule allows professionals to plan coursework around their careers and personal responsibilities.
The total includes all books, materials, and food on in-person Saturdays. Students should budget separately for expenses such as a laptop, travel, and the India Global Immersion experience.
Tuition and fees are subject to change.
Some students receive tuition assistance or educational benefits from their employers, while others finance their degree independently or use available financial aid. If your organization offers tuition assistance, consider discussing its requirements and benefits with your employer before beginning the program.
You'll expand your knowledge beyond your existing area of expertise and develop a broader understanding of how areas such as finance, marketing, analytics, supply chain, strategy and leadership connect across an organization.
Because you'll continue working while earning your MBA, you can apply new ideas and perspectives to your organization throughout the program.
Recent cohorts include professionals from major employers such as Walmart, Tyson Foods, the University of Arkansas, ArcBest, J.B. Hunt, Sam's Club, Amazon and PepsiCo.
The cohort model allows you to learn not only from faculty, but also from the experiences and perspectives of other working professionals throughout the program.
The program recognizes the value of the professional experience Executive MBA applicants bring to the classroom and does not require an entrance exam.
If you want to continue building your career while developing your leadership abilities and broader business expertise, the Executive MBA is designed to provide that flexibility. If you're looking for a full-time, immersive experience, the Full-Time MBA may be the better fit.