13 Student:faculty ratio 92% Seniors who say faculty are available, helpful and sympathetic

Exceptional Teachers, Lifelong Mentors

What our faculty share in common is a passion for ensuring the progress of every single one of their students. They care deeply about opening the doors of your mind as well as about opening professional doors for you that lead to successful careers. They are fearless about thinking outside the box and tireless about finding new, innovative ways to ensure you gain the professional skills to make you a successful, inspiring, and ethical professional and leader.

These courses are designed for you to gain a broad and deep knowledge of your field. Upon graduation you will have acquired the theories that drive our economy and the hands on skills launch your career.


Course Descriptions

  • General 
  • Accounting 
  • Finance 
  • Management 
  • Marketing 
BU 150 Survey of Accounting. One UnitThis course will provide a working knowledge of financial statements, the accounting process and budgeting  for non-business majors seeking to understand how accounting is used in running business operations, as well as to know how accounting and accounting reports are used by investors and other business stakeholders in their decision-making process.  The course is for Non-Business majors.  This course will not meet the Nicolais School of Business requirements for Business majors or minor in Accounting, Finance, Marketing or Management.  BU 201 Business Law I. One unit. An introduction to the history of law and the American legal system is presented along with a discussion of the law of torts, court practice and contracts, agency, partnerships, and corporations. Problem solving is learned through the analysis of case studies. A mock trial will be conducted which will emphasize human behavior and verbal and written communication. Ethical issues will also be addressed. Aesthetically, films will be shown which speak to the respective legal issues. Sophomore standing is required. Offered fall and spring semesters.  BU 202 Business Law II. One unit. The course will deal with commercial law, employment law, and property law. Commercial law topics will be comprised of the UCC, sales contracts, warranties, commercial paper and secured transactions. Employment law topics will speak to selection, termination and discrimination. Property law topics will include real estate transactions, landlord and tenant relations, mortgages, forms of ownership, insurance, bailments, bankruptcy, wills, and trusts. A mock trial will be conducted which will emphasize human behavior and verbal and written communication. Ethical issues will also be addressed. Aesthetically, films will be shown which speak to the respective legal issues. Sophomore standing is required. Offered fall and spring semesters.  BU 211 International Business. (U) (WC) One unit. A survey of various environmental, operational and strategic issues facing managers and their organizations operating across national borders is studied. The course examines how economic, political, and cultural factors affect the management of international businesses. Topics include: trade issues; international monetary system; political risk management; international strategy; international financial, marketing, and human resource management. Prerequisites: EC 101 or EC 102. Offered fall and spring semesters.  BU 286 Follow the Money: The Ethics, Morals, Greed, Fraud and Power of Big Business and Money. One unit.  The ethics, morals, greed, fraud and power of big Business and Money. This course will follow the flow of money, from an insider’s perspective, beginning in 1970 continuing to the present. Investigation of major economic and financial dislocations that occurred both domestically and globally will culminate with the Great Recession of 2007-2008. Topics include the dot.com bubble, Enron, Fannie Mae, Long Term Capital, Mexican bailout, Asian contagion, Sub Prime Mortgage meltdown and the Madoff scandalOffered spring semester.  BU 397 Internship. One unit. A faculty-supervised, part-time, practical work experience in one of the fields of concentration in the Department of Business Administration. Students will submit written reports of accomplishments and performance on job training, and an assessment of the job itself. Prerequisites:  8 units of coursework in the department with a GPA of at least 2.75.  Junior standing and permission of the dean or their delegate is required.  Offered as needed.  BU 400 Senior Thesis and Practicum. (LL) (WW) One unit. This course allows students the opportunity to complete a field-based, real world experience, prompting them to reflect on their practical training within the field of business. Issues pertaining to all aspects of professional development are discussed in the weekly RFT sessions, with particular emphasis on the challenges of the transition from student to civic-minded professional. Spring Junior standing; Fall and Summer Senior standing.  Offered fall, spring and summer semesters (as needed).  BU 401 Strategic Management. One unit. A study of the establishment of organizational objectives and the implementation of strategies and policies to achieve these goals and to meet changing conditions. The course will develop problem analysis and decision making skills in strategy and business.  Students will use relevant methods such as case studies, simulations, real-world projects, consulting projects to better understand how the different areas of business are integrated.  Various decision-making techniques are analyzed.  The functions, skills, and leadership roles at different levels of the organization are examined.  Senior standing is required. Prerequisites:  MG 201; MK 201; FI201. Offered fall and spring semesters.  BU 591 Special Topics in Business Administration. One unit. The course includes a discussion and analysis of problems and topics not covered in regular course work. The specific content of the course is flexible in response to student and departmental interests. Enrollment requires junior or senior status in the major and fulfillment of such prerequisites as are established by the department and the instructor. Offered as required. Students should consult the dean or their delegate.  BU 593 Independent Study. One unit. Supervised independent research projects developed by the student, with faculty advisement. Restricted to advanced majors. Offered fall and spring semesters.  CS 260 Excel for Business Professional. (TT) One unit. Students will learn how to use Microsoft Excel and Access as well as other components of the Office Suite to create worksheets and charts. Various ways of formatting and how to effectively use formulas and functions in a variety of business scenarios will be stressed. Exploration of what-if analysis and work with multiple worksheets and workbooks will enhance their overall business acumen. Financial functions, database tables and amortization schedules will be included in the course work. Other tools which will be incorporated are trend lines, pivot tables, pivot chart reports and slicers. Formula auditing, data validation and complex problem solving will be included in a semester project. Lastly, mastery of macros and visual basic applications (VBA) will round out the Excel immersion.  Co-requisite: AC 101. Offered fall and spring semesters.  Students may substitute a MOS certificate as evidence of satisfactory completion of CS 260.  This must be done before students take AC 101 with the co requisite of CS 260. 
AC 101 Financial Accounting I. One unit. An elementary course in accounting. Development of the fundamentals of accounting, mastering elementary accounting equations, journalizing, posting, taking trial balances, closing entries, work sheets, financial statements, accruals, deferred items, reversals, special journals, columnar books, controlling accounts, and business papers. Concurrent requisite: CS 260. Offered fall and spring semesters.  AC 102 Financial Accounting II. (Q) One unit. Topics to be covered include depreciation methods for plant and equipment, current and long-term liabilities, payroll accounting, partnerships and corporations, installment notes payable, bonds, and the statement of cash flows. Taxes will be discussed to the extent applicable. Prerequisite: AC 101. Offered fall and spring semesters.  AC 201 Managerial Accounting. (Q) (T) One unit. A course dealing with the fundamentals of management accounting. Attention is given to job order, process, and standard cost procedures; cost volume profit analysis, budgeting and standard costs. Ample problem work is assigned to supplement lectures and textbook study in order to aid the manager with respect to pricing and product strategies. Prerequisite: AC 101. Offered fall semester.  AC 211 Intermediate Accounting. (Q) (T) One unit. This course covers financial accounting, basic theory, and the recognition and measurement of current and long-term assets for corporations. It includes a review of the accounting process, analysis of the four basic financial statements, the time value of money, and various valuations (along with depreciation and depletion). Prerequisites: AC 101, AC 102. Offered spring semester.  AC 401 Auditing. (W) One unit. A study of the application of auditing principles and procedures, designed primarily for students who may enter public or private practice. Students are required to complete all phases of an independent audit, including a long-form report. Relationships with clients and associates, ethics of the profession, and related topics are discussed. Prerequisites: AC 101, AC 102, and AC 211. Offered spring semester.  AC 411 Federal Taxes. One unit. This course is designed to provide a basic working knowledge of the Internal Revenue Code with regard to individual, partnership, corporation, and fiduciary income taxes. Prerequisites: AC 101, AC 102 and either AC 201 or AC 211. Offered fall semester. 
FI 201 Principles of Finance (Business Core). (T) (WC) One unit. The basic tools and methods of financial analysis and decision-making are introduced to all business majors. A general study of financial management to include time value of money, measurement of risk and return, analysis of financial statements, and capital structure. Excel and relevant software will be used extensively in the course and students will be introduced to relevant topics such as Present/future value, annuity valuation, stock and bond valuation and financial ratio analysis.  All subsequent courses in finance build upon this base; the course serves as a prerequisite to all additional courses in the finance program.  Prerequisites: EC 101 or EC 102; AC 101. AC 102 recommended. Offered fall and spring semesters.  FI 311 Managerial Finance (Finance Concentration Requirement). (WC) One unit. Financial analysis, techniques and principles are applied to corporate planning and control. Topics include: capital budgeting, valuation, determination of cost and capital, risk/return tradeoff and profitability. Relevant financial software and excel functions utilized in all aspects of corporate planning and control.  Prerequisites: FI 201. AC 102 recommended.  Offered fall semester.  FI 313 Investments.  (L) One unit. A fundamental introduction to the markets for securities and investments of stocks, bonds, mutual funds, derivatives and other marketable securities; an analysis of investment risk and the efficient market hypothesis will also be covered. Topics include investment objectives, determinants of investment value, investment choices, valuation of securities and personal investment administration. The course will utilize Excel for developing investments modeling such as asset pricing and valuation, company analysis, differentiating between a security’s systematic and unsystematic portion of risk and bond valuations. Prerequisites: FI 201 and MA 108. Offered in fall and spring semesters.  FI 411 International Corporate Finance. (U) One unit.  A global approach to financial management. Topics include: financial structure in global markets, managing exchange rate  risks and hedging with cash derivatives; international capital budgeting; and international arbitrage and parity. Financial calculator and Excel functions utilized in all facets of international corporate finance decision-making.  Prerequisites: FI 201; BU 211. Offered spring semester.  FI 412 Portfolio Theory. (Q) (T) One unit. A fundamental approach to the development and techniques of modern portfolio theory. Topics include options, commodities, mutual funds, capital asset pricing model, risk, diversification, and portfolio management. This course will provide students with a strong understanding of the key concepts in portfolio theory, the importance of risk and return, diversification, portfolio performance evaluation and benchmarking strategies, the Capital Asset Pricing Model and Beta Techniques include utilization of Excel in development portfolio measurements such as the Sharpe Ratio, weighted-average returns, Value At Risk, and estimating the Minimum Variance Portfolio, Capital and Security Market Lines Prerequisite: FI 313. Offered in spring semester.  FI 413 Money, Credit and Financial Institutions. One unit. Analyze financial institutions with particular emphasis on commercial and central banking. Examine the role of financial markets and institutions in the economy, and the effects of the Federal Reserve’s monetary and regulatory policies. The course focuses on the workings of various financial markets and how financial institutions and other users interact with financial markets. Topics include interest rates, money and capital markets, innovations in capital markets, credit risk and asset and liability management in the context of financial regulation. Prerequisite: FI 201.  Offered in fall semester of odd-numbered years.  FI 414 Working Capital Management. One unit. Exposure to corporate decisions in restructuring and managing working capital and assessing the risks and returns of corporate decisions. Topics include management of short-term assets and liabilities, financial statement analysis, planning, budgeting, and bankruptcy. Financial calculator and Excel functions utilized in all facets of working capital decision-making. Prerequisite: FI 201. Offered in spring semester of even-numbered years. 
MG 201 Principles of Management. One unit. This course introduces students to various perspectives of management theory and practice. Managerial functions, activities, and behaviors are examined. Specific topics include: leadership, motivation, planning, production management, decision making, organizing, communication, and management ethics. Prerequisites: EC 101 or EC 102; AC 101; MA 108. Offered fall and spring semesters.  MG 301 Organizational Behavior. One unit. A study of organizational behavior as it pertains to interpersonal relations and group dynamics. Topics include: organizational structure and development, communication, motivation, and evaluation. Prerequisite: MG 201. Offered fall semester.  MG 311 Strategic Human Resource Management. (U) One unit. This course examines the new and expanded role of the human resource function in organizations. The impact of workforce diversity will be emphasized throughout the course, as well as how human resources are linked with organizational strategy. Specific topics include: recruitment, selection, training and development, and compensation. Prerequisite: MG 201.  Offered fall semester.  MG 313 Entrepreneurship. (C) (U) (WC) One unit. Course focuses on a variety of issues related to entrepreneurs:  problems and opportunities in getting new business started including sources of capital and how new products and services are developed; how entrepreneurs help the overall economy; personality traits and characteristics associated with entrepreneurs; why entrepreneurs often fail; analysis of great entrepreneurs. Prerequisite: MG 201. Offered spring semester.  MG 322 Supply Chain Management. (Q) (WC) One unit. To provide students with the perspective of management through the channels of distribution, including the manufacturer to the wholesaler and the wholesaler to the retailer. Specific relevant topics will include the internet as a distribution channel, and supplying to industries (including manufacturers), the government and non-profit organizations. Supply chain management of international distribution will also be discussed. This class will also explore the unique challenges of distribution for the retailer. Prerequisites: MG 201; MA 108. Offered spring semester.  MG 333 Managing Diversity in the Workplace. (U) One unit. Course examines various diversity issues facing organizations, including cultural, gender and race, and how management has responded.  The effects of globalization and demographic and legal changes have resulted in a greater awareness of diversity issues facing organizations.  Various management skills, training programs, and global business perspectives in dealing with diversity will be explored.  Offered fall semester.  MG 411 Management Information Systems. (T) One unit. This course is an engaging introduction to how managers use Information Systems (IS) to solve business problems.  Students will learn about IS by channeling through relevant business examples designed to help all business students become better problem-solvers and business professionals.  Via the internet, students will discover how industries use the newest technological innovations to compile, maintain and analyze the most up-to-date data so that every aspect of the organization functions efficiently and effectively.   Prerequisites: MG 201; CS 260. Offered in spring semester of odd-numbered years.  MG 421 Global Management. (U) (WC) One unit. The roles of the organization and the manager are examined in a global context. The impact that culture has on managerial behavior and practices is emphasized throughout the course. Traditional management topics such as strategy, leadership, motivation, and human resources will be studied across different cultures. Prerequisites: MG 201; BU 211. Offered in spring semester of even-numbered years. 
MK 201 Principles of Marketing. (C) One unit. A survey of marketing from both a functional and institutional approach. Topics include consumer and industrial markets, channels of distribution, product life cycle, marketing research, advertising, franchising, market analysis, physical distribution, marketing legislation, pricing policies and practices. Prerequisites: EC 101 or EC 102; AC 101. Offered fall and spring semesters.  MK 301 Consumer Behavior. (O) One unit. Consumer Behavior is at the core of understanding contemporary marketing, for both Business-to-Consumer and Business-to-Business organizations. This course presents a study of theories related to consumer behavior, including understanding consumer desires/needs/attitudes/beliefs, and cultural, family and reference-group influences.  Models are discussed.    Prerequisite: MK 201. Offered fall and spring semesters.  MK 310 Sales Decision Making. One unit. A study of the sales role in our society. The course will examine what sales people do, how to sell, how to deal with customers, and those factors that impact customers. Emphasis will also be on training, hiring, selection, motivation and morale, evaluation and performance measures, and the sales manager’s role. Prerequisite: MK 201. Offered in fall semester of even-numbered years.  MK 311 Integrated Marketing Communications. (C) One unit. A  study of various aspects of advertising which pertain to individual and group behavior in the buying process.  Topics include messages and media as related to promotion, personal selling, publicity and public relations.   Prerequisite: MK 201. Offered in fall semester.  MK 320 Retailing and Wholesaling.  One unit. To provide students with the perspective of marketing through the channels of distribution, including the Manufacturer to the Wholesaler and the Wholesaler to the Retailer.  Specific relevant topics will include the internet as a distribution channel and marketing to industries (including manufacturers), the government and non-profit organizations.  Supply chain management of international distribution will also be discussed.  This course will also explore the unique challenges of marketing for the Retailer.  Prerequisite: MK 201. Offered in fall semester of odd-numbered years.  MK 324 Digital Marketing.  One unit.  This course provides students with the strategic view about the digital world.  Students will learn how to deal with data on customers, products, and interactions.  The content is delivered with the combination of hands-on exercise, case discussions and term projects.  Prerequisite:  MK 201.  Offered in spring semester.  MK 401 Marketing Research. One unit. An introductory course in marketing research procedures. Topics include: sources and methods of collecting data, descriptive statistical analyses, data interpretation, and reporting findings.  Relevant statistical tools and software will be used to analyze data.  Prerequisites: MK 201, MA 108.  Offered in fall and spring semesters.  MK 411 Global Marketing. One unit. An analysis of the marketing function across national borders is stressed with special attention to the impact of economic, political, legal, and cultural factors on marketing activities. Factors that influence standardization and adaptation of marketing are considered. Prerequisites: BU 211; MK 201. Offered in fall semester of even-numbered years.  MK 420 Strategic Marketing.  (R) One unit.  Designed as a seminar style-class students apply knowledge gained throughout the program to contemporary issues in marketing.  The application of theory-based knowledge to practical  issues enable students to more deeply understand the most important topics of the Marketing discipline as well as how the function interacts with others within an organization, both for-profit and non-profit.  Case studies and practical application are both used on a regular basis throughout the course.  Prerequisites: MK 301, MK 311. Senior status recommended.  Offered as needed. 

 

Business major road map

 

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