BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (BUS)

Associate Professors: Sterngold (Chairperson), Kolb

Assistant Professors: Boyd, Grassmueck

This major is designed to educate students about business and management functions in for-profit, non-profit, and public organizations. The program provides a well balanced preparation for a wide variety of professions and careers, including banking, financial services, small business management, marketing, sales, advertising, retailing, management, supervision, investments, human resources management, organization development, entrepreneurship, and management information systems. The major is also appropriate for students who plan to attend graduate school in business or related fields, such as law or public administration.

The Department of Business Administration is a member of the Institute for Management Studies. For more information, see the Institute for Management Studies listing.

 

All students majoring in Business Administration must complete the core courses and at least one of the four tracks listed below:

Core courses required of all majors:
ACCT 110, and either ACCT 130 or 223; BUS 112, 128, 238, 244, and 441; ECON 110 and 111. A course in statistics. It is recommended that students complete most of the core business courses before their senior years, and before taking courses to satisfy track requirements, except for BUS 441, which students must take as seniors after completing the other core business courses.

Track requirements:

Management: BUS 310, 420, and one course from BUS 225, 333 and 348

Finance: BUS 339, 410, and one course from BUS 333, 349 and ECON 220

Marketing: BUS 242, 429, and one from BUS 319, 332 and 347

International Business: BUS 319, 333 and two higher numbered language courses beyond those used to meet the distribution requirement. Majors in the International Business track are encouraged to minor in a foreign language.

Assessment Exam:

To earn a degree in business administration, students must pass an outcomes assessment exam during their senior year as determined by the Department.  Students who fail must re-take and pass the assessment. 

Minor

 

A minor in Business Administration consists of ACCT 110; BUS 128, 238, 244; and one business course numbered above 200 excluding the core business courses.


Internships

 

Through BUS 439, Business Practicum, the department facilitates a wide variety of internships with businesses, government agencies and nonprofit organizations. In addition, the department is a member of the Institute for Management Studies, which also facilitates internships, including full-time internships during the summer.

Diversity and Writing Intensive Courses

The following courses satisfy the cultural diversity requirement: BUS 244, and 319. The following courses, when scheduled as W courses, count toward the writing intensive requirement: BUS 242, 244, 410, 420 and 441.


112

BUSINESS AND SOCIETY

This course examines the role of business in modern society, focusing on three central topics: the legal, regulatory and social environment of business, the uses of business technologies and information systems, and the forms and functions of business organizations.  Students study the properties of for-profit, nonprofit and government enterprises, the differences between corporations and other forms of business, and the relationships among accounting, marketing, management, finance, international business and other business professions. Not open to juniors and seniors except with consent of instructor.

128

MARKETING PRINCIPLES

A study of the methods used by business and nonprofit organizations to design, price, promote and distribute their products and services. Topics include new product development, advertising, retailing, consumer behavior, marketing strategy, ethical issues in marketing and others.

222       

HEALTH CARE ADMINISTRATION

This class presents key issues impacting the administration of today’s healthcare organizations and explores how those issues impact the delivery of care.  Issues of accounting, finance, marketing, human resource management, and management information systems are explored. The goals of the course are to provide a solid foundation of applying managerial knowledge within the healthcare industry.  This course introduces students to the practices and theories of health care policy and current issues facing the healthcare industry. 

225

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

An introduction to the conception and practice of sustainable business methods in organizations around the world.  It also introduces the concepts of “Sustainable Business Management” and “Triple Bottom Line Management” which assume that management should focus on three critical goals simultaneously:  financial, environmental, and social.  This course is designed to lead to an understanding of the process of sustainable business management.

238

FUNDAMENTALS OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

A study of the fundamental theory, tools, and methods of financial management. Topics include the mathematics of finance, working capital management, capital budgeting, and analysis of financial statements. Prerequisites: ACCT 110 and statistics, or consent of instructor.

 

242

MARKETING RESEARCH

This is a study of the principles and practices of marketing research. The focus is on the

development and application of marketing research methods. Topics covered include selection of a research design, data collection, analysis and report writing. Both quantitative and qualitative methods will be covered. The class will focus on an applied project. Prerequisites: BUS 128 or consent of instructor.

244

MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR

A study of the complex character of organizational life and the discipline and process of management. Topics include the evolution and scope of organizations and management, planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. Emphasis is placed on the importance of managing in a global environment, understanding the ethical implications of managerial decisions, and appreciating work place diversity.

310
HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

A study of the human resources function in organizations. The course introduces the roles and functions of the human resources department and how managers engage in human resource activities at work.  The functions of selection, training and development, compensation, retention, performance appraisal, promotion, employment law, and the modern-day importance of strategic human resource management are explored. Pre-requisite: BUS 244 or consent of instructor.

319

INTERNATIONAL MARKETING

An investigation of the challenges of marketing products in an increasingly global environment. Special emphasis is placed on the cultural and social diversity of international markets. Examines the marketing strategies of global firms, and the challenges of international pricing, distribution, promotion and product development. Prerequisite: BUS 128 or consent of instructor.

332

INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS

Integrated marketing communications combines the promotional tools of advertising, direct marketing, sales incentives, public relations and personal selling. This class will focus on how to plan, develop and execute integrated marketing communications programs for a coordinated strategic program of total communications for an organization. IMC is a concept in use in business, government and social service sectors. Prerequisite: BUS 128 or consent of instructor.

 

333

GLOBAL BUSINESS STRATEGIES

Students study the basic concepts and theories pertaining to today’s global economy, business environment, and markets.  Topics include international business environment, foreign political systems, world cultures, global economic integration, operation of the international monetary system, and ethical issues involving global business. In addition multinational corporations, national trade policies, foreign direct investment, and regional trading areas will be covered. Prerequisite: Open to junior or seniors only or with consent of instructor.

 

339

FINANCIAL STRATEGY

An intensive study of issues and applications of financial management. Topics covered includeinternational finance, ethics, capital structures, cost of capital, financial analysis and forecasting. Extensive use of directed and non-directed cases. Prerequisite: BUS 238 or consent of instructor.

347

CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN MARKETING

Students examine social controversies involving marketing as portrayed in books, popular writings, political debates and films (e.g., marketing of junk-foods, prescription drugs or violent video games), or the students study specialized marketing practices, such as financial services marketing, nonprofit marketing, Internet marketing or sports and recreational marketing.  Prerequisite:  BUS 128 or consent of instructor.

 

348

CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN MANAGEMENT

Students examine social controversies involving management as portrayed in books, popular writings, political writings and films (e.g., the effects of plant closings and global competition on local communities), or the students study specialized management practices, such as social entrepreneurship, environmentally sustainable business practices or public administration.  Prerequisite: BUS 244 or consent of instructor. 

349

CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN FINANCE

Students examine social controversies involving finance as portrayed in books, popular writings, political debates and films (e.g., Enron and other corporate financial scandals, the destabilizing effects of hedge funds and programmed trading), or the students study specialized financial practices, such as public finance or investment banking.  Prerequisite: BUS 238 or consent of instructor.

 

410

INVESTMENTS

An introduction to the financial sector of the economy and the structure and functions of financial markets and the agencies involved; brokerage houses and stock exchanges; the various types of investments available. Techniques used to evaluate financial securities. Also covered are recent developments in investment theory. Prerequisite: BUS 238 or consent of instructor.

420

ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT

An overview of the concepts, models, and theories in the field of organization development. Students will learn how to design and manage organizational change through diagnosis, intervention, and institutionalization of change events. Students will be given the opportunity to apply what they have learned by acting as change agents with a local organization. Prerequisite: BUS 244 or consent of instructor.

429

MARKETING STRATEGY

A study of the methods used by business and nonprofit organizations to analyze and select target markets, and then to develop strategies for gaining and maintaining these customers. Topics include competitive strategy, market segmentation, product positioning, promotional design and marketing-related financial analysis. Case studies, and the development of a detailed marketing plan are covered. Prerequisite: BUS 128 or consent of instructor.

 

439

BUSINESS PRACTICUM

This course provides students with practical work experience with local companies and organizations. Students work 10-12 hours per week for their sponsor organizations, in addition to attending a weekly seminar on management topics relevant to their work assignments. Since enrollment is limited by the available number of positions, students must apply directly to the business department before preregistration to be eligible for the course. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

 

441
BUSINESS STRATEGY AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
An intensive study of the entrepreneurial function of business enterprises designed to build students’ skills in conducting strategic analysis and strategic development in a variety of industries and competitive situations. Students examine industry structure, functional strategies, competitive challenges of a global marketplace, and sources of sustainable competitive advantage. This course is designed to integrate the knowledge and skills gained from previous coursework in business and related fields. Prerequisites: All core courses or consent of instructor. Seniors only.

470-479

INTERNSHIP (See index)

N80-N89

INDEPENDENT STUDY (See index)

490-491

INDEPENDENT STUDY FOR DEPARTMENTAL HONORS (See index)