Business Administration

This foundation course helps students to understand the practicality and relevance of economics and finance with a variety of illustrations and insights. Economics topics include classical vs modern economic thought; supply and demand; elasticity; competition and monopoly; inflation and unemployment. Finance topics include: the federal reserve system; FOMC and the money market; interest rates; financial structure; and investments decisions.

This foundation course teaches fundamental accounting procedures and the uses of accounting information. Topics include developing and understanding of the basic concepts that underpin financial accounting information; understanding the fundamentals of recording accounting information using the accounting equation, and familiarizing students with the four basic statements: balance sheet, income statement, statement of cash flow, and statement of changes in retained earnings.

This foundation course prepares students for working in those courses that require the use of mathematics and /or statistics. The material includes an examination of four functions: a) linear, b) power, c) exponential and d) log. It also includes an introduction to calculus and basic descriptive and experiential statistics.

This course provides fundamental concepts and tools in accounting that business managers need to function managing financial resources of a company effectively and purposefully. Starting from basic concepts, including cash flow analysis, financial statement interpretation and ratio analysis, the course builds the foundation of knowledge and progresses toward more advance topics such as capital budgeting, risk and returns, and various investment decision making techniques. The course concludes with discussion about how a company funds itself in short-term and long-term horizons, and how capital market can help in such financing process utilizing case analysis.

In this course, students will focus on intra and entrepreneurship and how to also apply entrepreneurial skills in the corporate environment. Focus will be on students identifying their own leadership skills and how to shape these to intra and entrepreneurship activities. This course provides students with the knowledge and tools they need to launch a business so that it has the greatest chance for success. Students will learn step by step the process of turning an idea into a profitable finished product, either as an entrepreneur starting a new business venture, or as an intrapreneur taking direct responsibility within a large corporation.

Theoretical, managerial, and hands-on approaches to the study of computers and information technologies for problem solving and decision making. Topics include: business intelligence; Web 2.0, Web 3.0 and beyond; mobile and electronic commerce; search engine and social media analytics; information systems; system components and properties; and types of information useful to end users; strategic uses of computers and computer networks in organizations, to analyze systems, information flows, transaction processing, applications of database management; major trends; concepts, applications and technical alternatives in telecommunications. Students will work with standard applications software packages including Microsoft Office, spreadsheet applications, database management, graphics, as well as software specific to their respective areas of specialization.

Managerial economics is the application of economic theory and methodology to management decisions for the development, operations, and planning of the firm and non-profit organization. As effective managers, it is necessary to understand how economic variables, such as output, interest rates, unemployment, pricing, production efficiencies and exchange rates affect companies and organizations in arriving at optimal solutions for growth and profitability. Specifically, topics to be examined in this course are the evaluation of choices and alternatives, profit measurement, economic optimization, demand and supply estimation, profitability forecasting, production and competitive markets, competition, and long-term investment decisions.

This marketing course focuses on how to apply tools and techniques to delivering goods and services in a global economy as well as in a non-profit environment. Topics include consumer behavior; market research; product planning and development; pricing; advertising strategies; budgeting; personal selling; media cross-marketing; advertising regulation; strategic planning for international markets; special events and sales promotion; public relations and publicity.

Our system of commerce is fundamental to our structure as a nation. Every day we participate or encounter commercial transactions, be they as simple and obvious as the purchase of a cup of coffee, as subtle and passive as observing a television advertisement, or as interactive as ordering on-line a product produced half-a-world away. Intrinsic to this system of commerce are the regulations and laws that moderate how businesses operate. Knowing how the legal system interacts with business is key to a successful business. Just as important for the student/business owner is how to conduct transactions ethically within the legal system. Drawing upon a review of the fundamentals of our legal system, this course will provide the student with an introduction to basic concepts of our system of jurisprudence, legal processes and procedures, the methods for establishing and ending business relationships, and the laws regulating our business transactions. Within each section we will explore ethical and legal considerations as the student learns how to conduct business in order to be successful, not just avoid legal issues.

This course provides fundamental concepts and tools in finance that business managers need to obtain in order to manage financial resources of a company effectively and purposefully. Starting from basic concepts, including cash flow analysis, financial statement interpretation and ratio analysis, the course builds the foundation of knowledge and progresses toward more advance topics such as capital budgeting, risk and returns, and various investment decision-making techniques. Basic financial securities, namely equity and bonds, are discussed during the course along with valuation methods of such instruments. The course concludes with discussion about how a company funds itself in short-term and long-term horizons, and how capital market can help in such financing process utilizing case analysis. This course will require students to apply these tools in the planning and development of their Constructive Action projects.

This course focuses on the study of corporate culture, organizational structure, and human behavior in organizational contexts. Students study techniques for designing and developing a highly productive, effective, and socially responsive workplace. Topics include work motivation; learning theory; conflict resolution; leadership; managerial styles; job design; performance evaluation and feedback; group dynamics; and issues of organizational power and politics. A broad spectrum of actual management case studies will be used to demonstrate effective approaches and strategies for dealing with organizational problems and opportunities.

This is an advanced course in project management and leadership on strategic change. The course emphasizes the use of project management software and sound management principles in cost control, resource and staffing planning, project financial, and schedule management. Topics include organizational strategy; portfolio management; scope management; risk management; cost estimation and budgeting; project scheduling.

This course will provide the student with an ability to develop various negotiation skills that can be used in multiple business contexts. Business owners, executives, officers, managers, supervisors, salespersons, and others that are in control of staff or interact with employees, customers, suppliers, retailers, and wholesalers, or any other third parties will inevitably find themselves in having to manage a workplace situation. The course we will explore negotiation theory and the advantages and disadvantages of different negotiation styles and strategies. The coursework will then explore how the skilled businessperson can utilize dispute prevention techniques, and, if unsuccessful, then weigh the various legal options of alternate dispute resolution options versus following the traditional litigation process. Arbitration, mediation, and additional methods of ADR will be investigated, as well as the benefits and detriments of litigation, and the procedure of trials and appeals process involving individuals, multiple parties, coalitions, or teams. Students will acquire the skills of pre-negotiation preparation and techniques; how to develop a personal negotiation style; how to engage in cross-cultural negotiations; and how to develop trust and build beneficial professional relationships.

This course is designed to give the students a more in-depth knowledge of Project Management and to integrate financial statements, ratios, and data into the management of their projects. In this course students will further develop their working knowledge of the field by using the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK), which will also help to prepare them for the Certified Associate Project Management (CAPM). This course will build on the students' knowledge previously gained knowledge of project management. This course explores the latest theoretical, practical, and strategic developments in the management of modem projects. Among other things, it discusses management styles, management strategies, systems engineering, and various functional areas in project management, usually not covered in a basic course. The idea is to explore the state-of-the-art in project management and develop additional insights. The emphasis in this course is on the latest managerial concepts and on possible research areas for advanced studies.

Consumer tastes and preferences are converging, which requires firms to operate in a global environment by making their goods and services accessible across the globe. This course exposes students to this global environment and highlights the necessity to develop the skills and expertise to operate in this changing global competitive environment. The course has a dual purpose: to familiarize and understand the theories and practices of international business, along with the geographic, demographic, technological, political, economic, and sociocultural forces that impact cross-cultural, and the influence of national/international media related to business management. Students will study the principles and problems that individuals, companies, and institutions encounter in their business practices. The course will illustrate the changing nature of alliances, industries, and government intervention.