59 - Business Administration

This course provides the background for accounting information and progresses to a basic level of financial statement analysis, interpretation and decision making. Equivalent: Three semester hours of Principles of Accounting I and three semester hours of Principles of Accounting II.

In this introductory economics course, students will survey the general macro and micro economic environment in which a business operates. Equivalent: Three semester hours of Macroeconomics and three semester hours of Microeconomics.

This course is a survey of quantitative methods as they apply to the problems of business management, marketing, finance and economics. This course involves study and analysis of numerous methods such as linear programming, forecasting, queuing models, inventory analysis and project planning and control methods. Students are also introduced to probability and statistical concepts, measurements of central tendency and regression and correlation analysis. Equivalent: Three semester hours of Business Statistics and three semester hours of Quantitative Methods for Business or Management Decision Science.

This course provides a broad overview of the threats to the security of information systems, the responsibilities and basic tools for information security, and the levels of training and expertise needed in organizations to reach and maintain a state of acceptable security. Topics include an introduction to confidentiality, integrity, and availability; authentication models and protection models; security kernels; secure programming; intrusion detection and response; operational security issues; physical security issues; and personnel security. Additional topics include policy formation and enforcement; access controls and information flow; legal and social issues; identification and authentication in local and distributed systems; classification and trust modeling; and risk assessment.

Current information technology topics are surveyed and analyzed. Hardware, software and communication systems used to process, store and transmit information is studied and analyzed. Students learn how to manage information technology in today’s network enterprises and global networks. Students read current print and electronic media articles in addition to text. Due to the dynamic nature of the computer field, there is no equivalent. Exceptions will be reviewed on a case by case basis.

This course introduces students to basic theories and principles of management. Emphasis is on effective organizational management practices and change strategies. Case problems and individual development tools will be used. Equivalent: Three semester hours of Principles of Management.

This course considers the "Four P’s" of the marketing mix (product, place, promotion, and price) as well as strategies that guide their use. Students are introduced to the case-study method as a means of applying and reinforcing marketing principles. Equivalent: Three semester hours of Principles of Marketing.

This course introduces students to fundamental financial analysis techniques used in security valuation and capital budgeting. It also covers capital structure and issues related to dividend policy. Equivalent: Three semester hours of Business Finance.

Why do companies selling similar products adopt different strategies? Under what kind of conditions and circumstances are some strategies more appropriate than others? When is the same successful strategy in one country likely to be successful in another country? How do we know which management strategies to choose and when? This is an advanced management course that tries to answer these and other questions related to doing business in the global marketplace. It is also an introduction to the field of international management. It highlights some of the challenges international managers typically encounter and encompasses a wide range of international management related topics.

This course gives students a comprehensive analysis of international economic factors that impact trade and labor movements between countries. Topics covered include: the nature of tariffs, quotas, voluntary import relations, the balance of trade, currency speculation and other economic relations.

This course focuses on identifying and utilizing relevant accounting and financial data for decision making in a variety of areas. Activity-based costing, financial statement analysis and cash flows are among the areas explored. The understanding of financial data and financial statements are a major focus of the course. The course utilizes the case-method approach.

This course covers the strategies, procedures and policies to manage and mitigate risk in information systems. It also covers risk analysis techniques that can be used to identify and quantify both accidental and malicious threats to computer systems within an organization. In addition to technical solutions, the course considers strategies and policies that will provide cost effective and highly secure systems.

This course uses case studies to teach students how to implement an IT Governance process in a company using COBiT (Control Objectives for IT & related technology), align IT strategy with the business planning process, and monitor and measure the IT internal controls to meet internal and external compliance legislation like Sarbanes Oxley and FTC (Federal Trade Commission) requirements. The course will also introduce students to the planning and conducting of an IT Audit.

Upon completion of this course, students have a thorough understanding of the market system of resource allocation which forms the basis of the business environment. The course emphasizes the manner in which managers and firms make decisions within the system.

Security enforcement rests upon three principles: policy, mechanism, and assurance. Policy specifies the permitted use of an information system. The security policy defines the rules by which the trusted system governs access to its resources, and thus all information and services controlled by the trusted system. Mechanisms within the information system enforce the policy. Cryptographic protocols, audit logs, and access controls are examples of security mechanisms. Assurance is the basis for believing that the implementation of an information system enforces the policy as completely as necessary. This course investigates fundamental assurance technologies that can be applied to interface specifications, architectures, and implementations of information security mechanisms. Formal security models are discussed and applied. Formal and semiformal specification techniques are investigated and applied. Principles of testing are discussed and applied to demonstrative and vulnerability testing.

This course is designed to provide a broad knowledge of project management. It introduces students to the various types of project management organization and the detailed business and technical management procedures and human skills necessary to successfully manage any size project in the areas of research, product development, information systems, production, services and construction. The course discusses scope management time, management, cost management, risk management, quality management, change management, team management and integration management.

The goal of this course is to enable students to understand the role of the human resources department. This includes recruiting and selecting, training and development, industrial relations, compensation techniques and strategies.

This is an advanced course in project management that discusses in more detail several aspects of project management. This course considers how to deal with a variety of stakeholders and ways to consider optimizing stakeholder involvement. How, and why, various social roles are needed on projects. The formation and expectations of differing kinds of teams are covered in order to set up management expectations about results. Change to the organization as a result of a technological innovation is reviewed, and a detail analysis of a case study covered. Also considered are surfacing assumptions about the change process and correctly identifying them. Students will use a parametric analysis to construct an overall approach to a project. The results of a project need to be integrated within existing environments. Issues dealing with change management, power, and the social roles of innovations are addressed. Team formation and various kinds of teams are reviewed considering the context within which they must perform.

This course introduces students to one of the most highly evolved quality management methodologies: Six Sigma Process Improvements in bottom-line profitability for companies of different size. (Included as an optional course in the Project management concentration, and the Technology and Operations Management concentration.)

This course provides exposure to strategies that help formulate and execute and effective outsourcing strategy. Current trends in business process outsourcing (BPO) will be analyzed to determine an effective outsourcing model in accordance with the organization’s mission, objectives and capabilities.

This course focuses on competitiveness, with emphasis placed on the close coordination of business unit operational decision making and strategic planning. Topics covered include product process design, inventory management, quality management, forecasting and statistical quality control. Operations management is an interesting mix of managing people and applying sophisticated technology. The goal is to efficiently create wealth by supplying quality goods and services.

This course focuses on operational coordination within a firm and gradually transitions to include inter-function, inter-firm and international coordination. Specific modules focus on retail operations and the role of supply chain intermediaries, for example, distributors and sourcing agents. The impact of incentives and market imperfections, and the changing impact of the Internet and other information technology on supply chain operations are emphasized.

This course has several basic themes that build on the base knowledge of operations management. The focus of this course includes several modules: process efficiency and responsiveness; enabling technologies and improvement strategies; managing operations in the new economy; concepts of an operations strategy and creating and capturing value in operations.

International Human Resources Management focuses on the role of the manager in developing and deploying human capital in international organizations to create or retain value to the organization while maintaining or enhancing the communities involved. Using a research-based approach, the course will create an awareness of the differing societal attitudes and legal environments. National and regional differences will be related to functional areas of human resources administration, including staffing, compensation, performance management, training, labor relations, and strategic planning.

This Marketing course gives students an opportunity to learn more about creating and implementing strategies. Students create and analyze strategic marketing plans with emphasis on several small cases as well as a semester case project.

Students apply corporate finance theory from a management perspective. Analysis of financial statements, mergers and acquisitions and leasing are emphasized.

An overview of risk and return for various financial instruments is presented, consistent with the learning objectives for Level I of the CFA Exam. Topics also covered include the mechanics of security trading, market efficiency and fundamental analysis of equities.

Students explore international strategies, special goals, decision making processes across several countries and the selection of entry strategies for foreign markets.

This course discusses the development of a social media strategy for your company. It defines what social media is and lists the different types of social media tools available there such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Delicious, Digg, myspace, YouTube, Yelp, Google, Flickr, Upcoming, Squidoo, and Podcast. Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook will be presented with respect of how can they be applied and used in business.The course discusses the process of developing a marketing plan using social media and also presents measurement techniques for the effectiveness of social media and their ROI using a number of metrics.

The use of futures, options, and swaps in hedging and speculation is covered. Pricing theory, applications, and operational issues will be introduced.

Case studies are utilized to study the integrative nature of financial decision making. The course emphasizes managerial applications of financial theory relating to working capital policy, capital budgeting and corporate control.

This course investigates many of the issues facing the international business firm. Topics covered include exchange rate determination, risk management and the interaction of foreign exchange and capital markets.

This course emphasizes current employment law. Major focus is on understanding, interpreting and making employment decisions in light of relevant laws. Contemporary employment issues, such as job discrimination, employment contracts and collective bargaining will be included.

This course familiarizes students with the elements of promotion: advertising, publicity, and public relations. It requires an analysis of marketing strategy, promotional strategy, budgeting, goal setting, media costs, and buying problems.

This course is a study of developing and administering current techniques of data collection, statistical and computer analysis of data and the oral and written presentation. Applications of marketing research information are analyzed for relevant business situations.

This course evaluates how firms utilize digital technology to optimize their business through greater efficiency and more effective marketing strategies. The focus of e-business is the continuous optimization of a firm’s business through digital technology, attracting and retaining the right customers and business partners, digital communicators, e-commerce, and online research. Students explore e-marketing as traditional marketing using electronic methods. The use of technology creates greater efficiency in the marketing function and transforms many marketing strategies, resulting in new business models that add customer value and/or increase company profitability.

This course offers an in-depth study of computer-based information systems analysis and design methodology with detailed discussion of analytical tools for information systems and project management, including data flow diagrams, decision tables and systems flow charts. Students are expected to work on related course projects. Issues related to file-design and database management are discussed.

This course is an introduction to database management systems. Fundamentals of database models are discussed. Designs and issues concerning storage, access and management of data and information are explored.

This course provides an introduction to business telecommunications, including a detailed discussion of coding and digitizing, data terminals and modems, communication circuits and networks and telecommunications management.

An in-depth mathematical treatment of the futures and options pricing models introduced in Derivatives I is provided. Exotic options and swaps are discussed with a focus on the types traded, their valuation, and their uses for investment and risk management.

Quantitative and qualitative techniques for evaluating portfolios are presented consistent with the learning objectives for Level I of the CFA Exam. Traditional mean-variance analysis and more recent developments in portfolio theory are introduced. Measures of portfolio performance are covered.

This course examines some important areas of law governing behavior in the business community. Students develop an understanding of how policy considerations and social and ethical values become articulated in specific legal terminology. Topics covered include contract law, regulatory law, sales law, paper law, corporation law, agency and employment, environment and community planning, consumer protection and ethical considerations. Note: Students who have completed undergraduate courses in Business Law I and Business Law II with a grade of B or higher in both may waive this course and substitute another course in the MBA program from Phase III.

Evaluation of fixed income investments and interest rate fundamentals. Topics will replicate those for the CFA® Level I program and typically include evaluating risk, spot and forward interest rate, and bond interest rate sensitivity as measured by duration and convexity.

This course primarily covers the use of financial statements in analyzing a firm and its securities. Topics will replicate those for the CFA® Level I program and typically include cash flow analysis, earnings computations, and liability classifications including off-balance-sheet debt.

Probability and statistical techniques as applies to financial markets. Topics will replicate those for CFA® Level I program and typically include correlation and regression in the prediction and evaluation of investment performance.

This workshop course enables students to integrate communication theory and apply the various forms of written and oral communication skills required in business settings. Extensive practical application of the diverse forms of business communication with the aid of technology include written memos, e-mail messages, meeting management, collaborative reports and the incorporation of graphics. Multicultural aspects of the course include describing the challenges of international and cross-cultural business communication. Enhancing oral presentations with the use of multimedia PowerPoint slides is also covered. This course should be completed as early as possible in the program.

This course explores the increasing economic interdependence among countries, the spread of innovation around the world, and how this affects business operating in the global marketplace. Through case analysis, the political, cultural, economic, legal, technological and other environmental forces that accompany this diffusion are discussed in light of the cross-border flow of goods, services, capital, and knowledge.

This capstone course in the MBA curriculum enables a student to integrate the expertise gained in all other courses in the development of strategy and supportive policies for a business operating under global competitive conditions. This course must be the last course taken in the core course phase.

This course provides students with a study of organizational development applying principles and techniques of behavioral sciences through a program of planned change. Students are expected to master underlying theories of organizations, motivation, group learning and leadership effectiveness.

This required course considers the legal and ethical implications of strategic decisions made by accountants, and the role of the accountant as mediator between organizational and regulatory/societal interests.

This course covers international financial accounting concepts including foreign currency transactions, interpreting foreign financial statements, presentation of domestic/foreign financial statements and the role of the accountant as a financial professional in international monetary transactions.

Introductory course in fraud detection and fraud prevention. Various timely forensic topics and cases will be examined.

Federal estate, trust and gift taxes, tax planning to minimize taxation and selected current tax topics and cases are the focus of this course. Best practices in taxation are also examined.

Designed to give a background of the hospital and healthcare environment, this course discusses the internal operating environment of healthcare organizations, including changes in healthcare regulations. Discussion includes the organizational relationships between patients, medical staff and administration. A significant portion of the course is devoted to the accounting function as it relates to the health- care field.

Designed for an increasingly competitive environment, this course explores how marketing has become a responsibility of all employed in the healthcare field. Students are introduced to unique strategies and techniques as well as proven marketing concepts. Terms and theories are explored using case studies.

This course is designed to give the student an understanding of the economic complexities and financial management in hospitals and healthcare fields. Current economic and financial issues for healthcare providers are also discussed.