The Core Requirements are offered
through the Weekend Business Degree Program. For more information, see the Sample Course Sequence.
Requirements for the 2004-2005
Bulletin Year
All business majors are required to take all of the
following core courses with a grade of “C-” or better:
BA 301 -- Research and Analysis of Business Problems (4) (effective
2002-2003 bulletin year)
BA 302 – Organizational Behavior
BA 303 – Business Finance
BA 311 – Marketing Management
BA 325 – Competing with Information Technology
BA 339 – Operations and Quality Management
BA 385 – Business Environment
BA 495 - Business Strategy
Course Descriptions
BA 301 Research
and Analysis of Business Problems (4cr)
Development and use of business
tools and techniques as applied to business problems. Students will identify
business problems, articulate the issues, research, develop, and evaluate
solution alternatives relevant to the problem, and present the results orally
and in writing. Students will integrate and reinforce their skills in logical
and analytical processing, critical thinking, and communication. Prerequisites:
BA 205, junior standing.
BA 302
Organizational Behavior (4cr)
Focuses on issues that are relevant to
the three levels of organizational behavior (i.e., individual, group, and
organizational). Key topics include: the nature and dynamics of teams, personal
values and employee job attitudes, communication, conflict resolution,
motivation, leadership, decision making, employee effectiveness, and the impact
of organizational level issues such as policies, structure, design, and culture.
Techniques used to facilitate learning may include role-plays, cases,
presentations, organizational simulations, teamwork, and/or term research
papers. Prerequisites: BA 205, junior standing.
BA 303 Business
Finance (4cr)
Development and study of a decision framework for financial
management with special emphasis on small- and medium-sized businesses. Topics
include analysis of financial health, planning for future financial performance,
evaluation of investment opportunities and analyses of risk. Financing of firm
growth and valuation will be introduced. An integration of the concepts of
financial management into a total system approach to business decision making
will be facilitated with the use of cases, as appropriate. Prerequisites: BA
205, BA 211, junior standing.
BA 311 Marketing
Management (4cr)
Basic marketing concepts from the perspective of the
marketing manager. Key focus is to examine the marketing planning and analysis
necessary to develop sound marketing plans and strategies. Specific topics
include the role of marketing within the firm, analysis of marketing
opportunities, selection of target markets and market segmentation, marketing
strategies in a global marketplace, use of technology in market, and marketing
mix decisions. Experimental learning approaches for class participation will be
used. Prerequisites: BA 205, junior standing.
BA 325 Competing
with Information Technology (4cr)
Presents the key steps required to gain a
competitive advantage in the marketplace through the use of information
technologies. Primary focus is to help students understand the information
systems development lifecycle and the ways that systems can support functional
areas of a business. Other topics include communication technologies to support
groups, productivity software and applications, designing system for competitive
advantage, and systems reengineering. Prerequisites: BA 205, junior standing.
BA 339
Operations and Quality Management (4cr)
Develops an understanding
of the various issues and strategies involved in the operation of a service or
manufacturing organization. These considerations include the support by the
operations organization of corporate strategy through design and Operating
decisions. Issues such as global supply sources, worldwide business system
influences, continuous improvement and total quality management will be
discussed. Prerequisite: BA 205, junior standing.
BA 385 Business
Environment (4cr)
Study and critical analysis of the role of business in its
environment with special references to the interrelationships of legal,
technological, economic, political, and social forces with the business
enterprise and to the legal and ethical obligations of the business enterprise
with its owners, employees, consumers, and society. Prerequisites: BA 205,
junior standing.
BA 495 Business Strategy (4cr)
Concerned with developing and implementing strategy for the total
organization. Designed as an interdisciplinary capstone course that teaches
students how to analyze the internal and external environment of the firm and
develop a business strategy and business plan. Strategy formulation and
implementation are demonstrated in light of the interdependence of the
organization's internal dynamics and in relation to the global markets in which
contemporary firms must compete. Prerequisites: Admission to the School of
Business Administration, BA 302, BA 303, BA 311, BA 325, BA 339 and BA 385.
Graduating seniors will be given priority admittance.
