MBA in Retail Management Syllabus: Subjects, Semester, Colleges

• Updated on 3 Aug, 2025 by Anusmita Bhatta

MBA in Retail Management is a two-year program that combines business administration knowledge with retail-specific knowledge, educating students to become leaders in the fast-paced retail industry. The syllabus consists of basic managerial courses such as Principles of Management, Organizational Behavior, Financial and Cost Accounting, Marketing Management, and Business Communication, as well as a retail-centric curriculum, such as Retail Shopper Behavior, Retail Brand Management, and Legal Issues in Retail.

During the end semesters, more specific subjects are included, such as Retail Store Operations, Supply Chain Management, Merchandise Management, Visual Merchandising, E-Retailing, and Customer Relationship Management (CRM). The aim of the curriculum is to provide a deep knowledge of retail strategy, store design and layout, retail analytics, logistics, international retailing, and consumer behavior to the students. Regulatory concerns and business ethics in retail, retail formats, and innovation and online retail operations also constitute important sections of the syllabi.

Table of Contents

MBA in Retail Management Semester-Wise Syllabus 2025
MBA in Retail Management Elective Subjects
MBA in Retail Management Syllabus At Private Institute
MBA in Retail Management Exam Pattern
FAQs

MBA in Retail Management Semester-Wise Syllabus 2025

The syllabus of MBA Retail Management includes Principles of Retailing, Retail Supply Chain Management, Visual Merchandising, and E-commerce, blending theoretical knowledge with practical skills to prepare students for careers in retail leadership and management at Periyar University, Salem.

Semester I	Semester II
Communication & Information Technology	Accounting for Managers
Food Production Management	Marketing Management
Front Office Management	Event Management
Accommodation Management	Food and Beverage Service
Accommodation Management	Food and Beverage Service
Hygiene and Food Science	Food Production
Principles of Management	Entrepreneurship Development

Semester III	Semester IV
Industrial Training Report	Project Work & Viva Voce
Basics of Hotel Operations	Food and Beverage Management & Control
Hotel Law	Financial Management
Elective 1	Elective 2
Elective 2	Elective 3

MBA in Retail Management Elective Subjects

Semester III	Semester IV
Human Resource Management	Event Management
Hospitality Marketing	Research Methodology
Hospitality Security and Systems	Eco Tourism and Sustainable Tourism
Hospitality Consultancy	Economics of Tourism
Hospitality Innovations	Organizational Behaviour
—	International Tourism and Hospitality Laws
—	Facility Planning and Design

MBA in Retail Management Syllabus At Private Institute

The MBA in Retail Management syllabus includes core subjects such as Retail Operations, Supply Chain Management, Vendor Relations, Financial Management in retail, and Human Resource Management specific to the retail sector at Maharaja Agrasen Himalayan Garhwal University, Uttarakhand. (MAHGU)

Semester I	Semester II
Principles of Management	Human Resource Management
Organizational Behavior	Marketing Management
Accommodation Management – I	Accommodation Management II
Food and Beverages Management – I	Food and Beverage Management II
Food Science, Nutrition and Dietetics Management	French
Communications and Soft Skills	Workshop on Executive Communication

Semester III	Semester IV
Applied Operations Research	Strategic Management
Financial Management	Management Information System (MIS)
Facilities Design and Management	Practical in Management Information System (MIS)
Hospitality Law	Final Research Project and Viva-Voce
Hospitality Marketing and Sales	Industrial Exposure Training
Fundamentals of Tourism and Tourism Products	—

MBA in Retail Management Exam Pattern

The exam pattern for MBA Retail Management is tabulated below for reference. The given exam pattern is followed by most of the public and private universities in India.

Components	Details
Core Theory Exams	Written exams for each major subject (such as Retail Operations, Merchandising, Supply Chain, Consumer Behaviour); typically 70–80 marks per paper; 3 hours duration. Exam questions can include essays, case analyses, short notes, and MCQs.
Internal Assessment	Ongoing assignments, presentations, seminars, class tests, quizzes, and attendance contribute 20–30% of total marks for each paper. May include industry immersion tasks, viva, and project submissions.
Practical/Skill-Based Papers	Practical modules (e.g., visual merchandising, store simulations, ERP usage) assessed through labs, workshops, simulations, or presentations; evaluations may include industry case-studies or real-world problem-solving.
Electives & Advanced Courses	Specialization electives (such as E-commerce, Luxury Retail, Category Management) in later semesters, evaluated with theory papers and internal components.
Project Work/Internship	Major field project, internship, or dissertation compulsory in the final year; evaluated by a written report and viva-voce or presentation before a panel (20–25% of total marks in the last semester).
Question Paper Structure	Exams usually combine analytical essays, business scenario/case-based questions, short notes, and some objective-type questions to cover all syllabus units.
Exam Duration	Written and skill/practical exams usually last 3 hours each.

The common internal assessments are 2 written tests (aggregated and converted to internal marks), industry project reports or seminars, quizzes and student presentations.
Practical skills are measured by labs (visual merchandising, digital retail tech), simulations in a store, training on the software of the store management, or ERP system.
Specialization in electives may be chosen in such areas as E-tailing, Mall Management, Visual Merchandising or International Retailing and are evaluated distinctly.
The last semester of a project or internship (which is usually associated with an actual retail business) is a requirement. Selection is done through examining the quality of the reports, presentation practices, and oral viva, which tests their practical and analytical skills.

FAQs

What are the core business management subjects in the MBA in Retail Management syllabus?

Principles of Management, Organizational Behaviour, Finance Management/Managerial Economics, Marketing Management, Human Resource Management, Accounting, and Business Communication are covered as the core subjects in the first year.

What are the introductory topics of retail management included in the MBA Retail Management syllabus?

Students learn Introduction to retail management, retail concepts, retail supply chain management, stores operations, visual merchandise, retail business environment and retail shopper behaviour.

How is merchandising covered in the MBA in Retail Management curriculum?

The modules in merchandising include buying and merchandising, category management, retail brand management, and private label management, which teach students about product selection, inventory planning, sales strategies.

How does the curriculum of MBA in Retail Management address financial aspects of retail?

Modules related to retail are Principles of Accounting, Finance in Retail Operations, Managerial Accounting, Cost and Management Accounting and Retail Financial Analysis.

Is there a subject of supply chain and logistics in the MBA in Retail Management curriculum?

Absolutely yes, students complete Retail Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Logistics, and Inventory Management as a way of learning how to deal with backend and distribution problems.