Bruce Branson

Courses Taught

MBA 518 Enterprise Risk Management
MBA 519 Enterprise Risk Management Practicum

Areas of Expertise

• Determinants of financial analyst interest
• Time-series properties of accounting variables
• Enterprise risk management adoption decisions

Education

PhD, Accounting, Florida State University, 1992
Bachelor of Science, Accounting, Florida State University, 1988

Research Interests

My teaching and research are focused on factors that affect enterprise risk management maturity and its integration with strategy. In addition, I conduct research on financial reporting, the use of derivative securities and other hedging strategies for risk reduction/risk sharing.

Experience With Industry

In my role as Associate Director of the ERM Initiative, I have the opportunity to meet with leaders of enterprise risk management functions in a variety of different organizations and industries. Every interaction is a learning opportunity that enriches my knowledge of how ERM works in a “real world” setting and allows me to convey these realities to our students. In addition, we work closely with senior management of organizations to assist them in starting and refining their approaches to enterprise risk management, and our students participate in some of these experiences through practicums and research assistance.

Why Students May Want to Study Risk and Analytics

All students need exposure to these important topics and a specialized Master’s degree that focuses on these topics. It positions our students for immediate success in their current and future roles in their organizations. 

Highlights of Teaching for the Program

Our students are driven to succeed and bring a wealth of experience to the classroom. My interactions with them are always enriching and helpful to me. As I work with our students to gain insight on this critically important business paradigm, it is a delight to see them gain a deeper understanding of the importance of integrating risk management efforts with an organization’s strategic priorities.

Advice for Prospective Students

Come prepared to work hard and seek opportunities for engagement with our faculty. We are excited to work with you!

Why Choose the Master of Management, Risk and Analytics (MRA)? 

Our program is unique in that it combines two critically important emerging business paradigms–analytics and enterprise risk management. Our faculty has deep knowledge and significant “real world” experience in these areas and are recognized experts in these fields of study. Upon completion of the program you will be well-positioned to add significant value to your current organizations or to explore opportunities with new entities seeking expertise in these disciplines.