REQUIRED COURSES FOR Business MINOR (10 COURSES)

General Education Requirements:

In today’s world there is a need for strategic thinking and business vision based on a different paradigm. Competition is not only between products and services, but also between business models. Students will learn about innovation-driven business strategies and methodologies to develop business designs to successfully compete in the new economy.

This course teaches the principles of project management that are commonly used to plan and measure projects in industry. It presents the project management mind-set, tools, and skills for successfully defining, planning, executing, monitoring, controlling, and reporting a project. Topics covered include: the project life cycle; fundamental PM processes; development of the project plan; interpersonal management skills; and managing changes during project execution. Case studies are from technology and media applications.

This course focuses on introducing the idea of “entrepreneurial marketing” and is aimed at students who plan to start a new venture or take a job as a marketing professional pursuing an innovative marketing approach. Students will study a full spectrum of marketing strategy and tactics that are especially suitable for entrepreneurial firms aiming for high growth and innovation yet faced by limited resources and uncertain industry dynamics. Students will work in teams on marketing plans for their own venture or for other high-profile entrepreneurs or executives. The focus of this course is on handson experiences and practical relevance of innovative marketing concepts.

In this class students get a “big picture” look at the ingredients of a start-up firm and the process of creating one. The class details those ingredients, discusses the stories (good & bad) of people who have done it, and learn the process by going through it with a self-select team. Students learn: the business planning process, which maps how to move from an idea to an actual enterprise offering an actual product/service/apostolate; How to craft a compelling and clear business story that captures the true essence of your business; and finally acquire inquisitiveness as to how the world of business really works. The class deliverable is a complete Business Plan created by student teams along with a presentation of the plan.

This course teaches students to meet and resolve objections and conflicts that result from written and oral proposals and pitches. Emphasis is on resolving customer obstacles before addressing your own. Topics covered include: Wants vs. Needs, Win-Win Strategies, Best Alternatives to Agreement, Schedule vs. Quality vs. Cost, Progress vs. Perfection. The class progresses through carefully structured, progressively more complex negotiation exercises. Students learn how external and internal negotiation has become a way of life for effective managers in a constantly changing business environment.

This course is an introductory-level course for students. Its intent is to give an in-depth understanding of the differences between—and similarities of—leadership and management. The course focuses on the major traits of leaders and managers, and augments these with examples of great historic leaders, including George Custer and Jesus Christ. The course also studies the many leadership traits of Abraham Lincoln and looks at how these can be applied in modern business to improve management techniques. As part of the learning process, students give summaries of Lincoln’s leadership lessons, using short, Power Point presentations.

This course will teach students how to write and speak effectively in business and other communication.

Required Electives:

This course provides the student with the fundamental understandings of how the accounting process is used to measure and report economic events to outside stakeholders. The course focuses on fundamental concepts, required financial statements, and key relationships. The course emphasizes the role of accounting in decision making by investors, creditors, and regulators. The primary objective of this class is that students will be able to demonstrate, at a basic level, an understanding of the knowledge and practice of the core business discipline of accounting.

This course provides the student with the fundamental understandings of how financial issues impact the decision-making process in companies. Students learn the significance of costs, profitability, and the general financial consequences that result from day-to-day business decisions. They will learn strategies to make better investment and financing decisions in entrepreneurial settings. The course covers the stages of the company growth process, from startup to exit. The case studies cover technology-based businesses, with the emphasis on gaining financial insights. The course will introduce the student briefly to structuring multi-staged start-up financings, understanding business models, and valuing entrepreneurial ventures. The primary objective of this class is that students will be able to demonstrate, at a basic level, a global understanding of the knowledge and practice of the core business discipline of finance.

Introduction of managerial accounting information for planning, controlling, and making decisions within a firm. Focuses on cost terms and concepts, cost behavior, cost structure and cost-volume-profit analysis.


About Minors

A minor gives a student the ability to pursue a competency outside of their degree program without having to fulfill all of the degree requirements of a double-major. Students are also able to use their electives to pursue areas like this one, even if they are not formally pursuing all of the requirements for a minor.For more information on the difference between minors, double majors, and double emphases, please click below.

Please note that course descriptions and minor requirements are subject to change. Please see the Registrar’s office for the most up to date information.

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