Columbia University’s Business School has announced it will adopt a smaller, more flexible core curriculum in the fall of 2008 to allow students to match their studies to their career goals.

M.B.A. students will take 6.5 required classes in such areas as finance, accounting, economics, strategy, and leadership during their first two semesters. Many of the courses are already part of the school’s core, but they have been condensed to make room for more electives.

During their second semester, students will take classes from the “flexible component” of the core and will be able to meet core requirements by choosing one course from each of three broad areas: organizations, performance, and markets.

“The new core will enable our students to tailor their education to their particular interests, while still ensuring they come away from Columbia with a strong grasp of the fundamentals of business,” said the school’s vice dean, Amir Ziv, in a written statement. —Paula Wasley