Business Administration (BA)

BA S116 Business Mathematics

3 credits (3+0)
Helps students improve proficiency with basic math skills and apply mathematical concepts (fractions, decimals, and percentages) to business situations. Covers payroll, taxes, insurance, simple interest, compound interest, installment purchasing, annuities, depreciation, financial statements and ratio analysis, stocks, bonds and profit distribution and, business statistics.

BA S151 Introduction to Business

3 credits (3+0)
Business organization, nature of major business functions such as management, finance, accounting, marketing and personnel administration. Opportunities and requirements for professional business careers.

BA S160 Principles of Banking

3 credits (3+0)
Introduction to fundamental banking concepts and principles, the basics of how banks/credit unions operate as a business, and the responsibilities of bank employees in a customer-focused financial services environment.

BA S163 Business English

3 credits (3+0)
Applies the principles of English grammar, style, and usage to business correspondence. Topics include capitalization, numbers, abbreviations, word division, forms of address, and techniques for editing and proofreading particularly as applied to electronic documents.

BA S166 Small Business Management

3 credits (3+0)
Survey of core areas of business administration with particular emphasis on organization and operation of small and middle-scale businesses. Business law, personal finance, manufacturing, marketing and finance included at the introductory level.

BA S251 Management Skills

3 credits (3+0)
Allows students to explore various techniques for developing effective management skills. Personal skills, interpersonal skills, group skills, and communication skills will be explored. Diagnostic tools, discussion, reflection, self-analysis, and skill practice will be the primary learning methods used. The main objective is for students to develop a personalized plan for professional improvement.
Prerequisite: WRTG S090 (C 2.00 or better) or higher, or placement into WRTG S110 or higher.

BA S254 Personal Finance

3 credits (3+0)
Explores the management of personal and family finances, including financial planning, budgeting, time value of money, consumer buying, personal credit, savings and investment, home ownership and mortgages, insurance, estate planning, retirement, consumer fraud, and laws.

BA S263 Business Communications

3 credits (3+0)
Application of business communication principles through creation of effective business documents and oral presentations. Includes study and application of team communication, current communications technologies, and use of technology to facilitate the communication process.
Prerequisite: BA S163 or WRTG S111 (C- 1.70 or better).

BA S301 Principles of Management

3 credits (3+0)
This course is a survey of the basics of management focused on the managerial functions of assessing, planning, organizing, and controlling. Emphasis throughout the course is paid to ethical implications of managerial action and inaction. Traditional and contemporary approaches to the subject of management are covered.

BA S310 Management Information Systems

3 credits (3+0)
Cross-listed as CIS S310. Explores the role of information systems in various business contexts from a managerial perspective. Examines ways to improve business processes and decision-making through the use of information systems. Practical application of fundamental principles is emphasized.

BA S325 Financial Management

3 credits (3+0)
Intensive analysis of the methods of financial planning and control, asset management, and other functions performed by the financial executive.
Prerequisite: ACCT S202 (C- 1.70 or better).

BA S330 Legal Environment of Business

3 credits (3+0)
Cross-listed as LAWS S330. This course examines business in its relation to the legal and judicial systems and to government regulation. It explores legal concepts and issues pertaining to competition, sales, employees, liabilities and forms of doing business.

BA S332 Contracts

3 credits (3+0)
Cross-listed as LAWS S332. Law related to the formation of a contract including the offer, acceptance and consideration; defenses to the formation and enforcement of contracts, performance of contracts, excuse, discharge and damages.
Prerequisite: LAWS S101 or BA S330/LAWS S330.

BA S343 Principles of Marketing

3 credits (3+0)
Role of marketing in society and economy; the business firm as a marketing system; management of the firm's marketing effort.

BA S351 Organizational Effectiveness

3 credits (3+0)
Concepts of organizational behavior including job satisfaction, stress, motivation, trust, decision making, problem solving, conflict resolution, leadership, power, teams, individual characteristics, and organizational structure and culture. Research-based evidence links these concepts with job performance and organizational commitment.

BA S360 Business Organizations

3 credits (3+0)
Cross-listed as LAWS S360. This course will cover the theoretical and substantive aspects of the formation, operation, and dissolution of various types of business organizations. The subjects will include the law of sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited liability companies, and corporations. Aspects of agency and employment law will also be examined.

BA S361 Human Resource Management

3 credits (3+0)
Survey course in basic principles of human resource management and administration. Examines HR practices related to recruitment, selection, training, development, compensation, and employee relations.

BA S363 Marketing Communications

3 credits (3+0)
The importance and use of an integrated marketing communications approach to the planning and execution of the marketing mix variable of promotion is explored. Practical application of the fundamental principles is emphasized. Recommended prerequisite: BA S343.

BA S374 Introduction to Quantitative Methods

3 credits (3+0)
Introduces basic statistical methods used in business decision making. Probability functions common in business applications, descriptive statistics, confidence intervals and hypothesis testing, sampling methods and sampling error, regression and analysis of variance. Focus is on application, including Excel and SPSS, and on using results for decisions.
Prerequisite: MATH S151.

BA S412 Operations Management and Production

3 credits (3+0)
Management of operations, production, service system with emphasis on quantitative analysis. Characteristics of systems, types of production and service, forecasting, scheduling, facility design, and other topics in operations management will be covered. Quantitative techniques include linear, integer and goal programming as forecasting and queuing models.
Prerequisite: MATH S151 (C- 1.70 or better); and BA S374 or STAT S200.

BA S451 Employee Engagement and Total Rewards

3 credits (3+0)
This course explores how monetary, beneficial, and developmental rewards can be strategically designed to motivate employees and achieve business goals. In addition to employee engagement, topics studied include compensation, benefits, work/life balance, recognition, performance management, and professional development. Additionally, current related trends in the field will be examined.
Prerequisite: BA S361.

BA S454 Fraud and Forensic Examination

3 credits (3+0)
Cross-listed as ACCT S454. Provides a broad detailed overview of the practical issues and techniques that encompass fraud investigation and examination, forensic accounting, legal and liability issues, related criminology, and ethical considerations.
Prerequisite: ACCT S201 or BA S325 (C- 1.70 or better).

BA S461 Labor-Management Relations

3 credits (3+0)
Assists executives, administrators and union business agents in the private and public sectors or students who aspire to such careers in dealing with collective benefit efforts of employees as developed and controlled by tradition, regulatory agencies and the courts. Coursework focuses on organizing, negotiating, arbitrating and the duty of a union to its members.
Prerequisite: BA S361 (C 2.00 or better).

BA S462 Capstone: Strategic Management

3 credits (3+0)
In-depth examination of business policy and strategy. This course integrates the competencies and knowledge from the business disciplines and functional viewpoints into a comprehensive strategic planning and implementation process using current literature to review business strategy and policy, along with completing a business simulation. Designed as the capstone course for senior B.B.A. students, intended to be taken during the final semester.
Prerequisite: BA S301, BA S325, BA S343, and either STAT S200 or BA S374 (all C- 1.70 or better).

BA S465 Strategic Marketing and Management for Non-Profits

3 credits (3+0)
Explores the practical application of marketing concepts and strategic business principles to the private and public non-profit sector. Emphasizes business management practices including planning, analysis of environment, development of strategy, execution, and control. Focus is on the similarities and differences between for-profit business and the non-profit sector.
Prerequisite: BA S343 (C- 1.70 or better).

BA S466 Strategic Human Resource Management

3 credits (3+0)
Explores research-based competencies recommended for success as an HR professional. Examines various HR functions in the context of strategic planning, talent management, total rewards, and business trends. Reviews the evolution of HR, and allows for personal reflection and application. Designed as the culminating course for senior B.B.A. students in the Human Resource Management emphasis, intended to be taken during the final semester.
Prerequisite: BA S361 (C 2.0 or better).

BA S476 Project Management

3 credits (3+0)
A holistic approach to project management: planning, scheduling, organizing, and controlling projects. Primary class emphasis is on project management process and tools.
Prerequisite: MATH S151 or higher (C- 1.70 or better).

BA S481 Organizational Change

3 credits (3+0)
Provides a comprehensive look at managing change within organizations using one basic change model. Examines practical techniques and tactics to facilitate the implementation of any strategy and/or program requiring change. Prepares participants to be effective change agents in personal and professional settings. Corequisite: BA S351. Recommended: BA S476.
Prerequisite: BA S301.

BA S485 New Business Ventures

3 credits (3+0)
Readings and case studies focusing on independent businesses and new business ventures. Sources of information, common problems of startups and methods for analyzing situations for profitable entry are covered.
Prerequisite: ACCT S202, BA S325 and BA S343.

BA S487 International Business

3 credits (3+0)
This course explores international business environments and practices. Attention is given to how differences in culture, political and legal systems, and economic systems influence business practices and trade patterns. Special attention is given to how globalization influences business practices and how those in management positions can better understand how international management issues impact both domestic and international organizations.
Prerequisite: ECON S201 or ECON S202 (C- 1.7 or better).

BA S490 The Political and Social Environment of Business

3 credits (3+0)
Examines many aspects affecting business today including social, political, legal, and regulatory environments. Surveys various corporate social responsibility theoretical models. Includes study of governance and operating policies, stakeholder perspectives, and crisis management that encourage ethical conduct and support long-term corporate sustainability. Investigates the complex interplay of business, society, and governments. Considers the challenges of meeting the needs and interests of all stakeholders to achieve a balance between social, environmental, economic, and organizational resources.

BA S494 Practicum

1-3 credits (0+0+ 4-12)
A practicum designed by the student and instructor to provide practical experience conducted under the supervision of a qualified professional in cooperation with the instructor.
Prerequisite: Signed approval form.

BA S498 Applied Business Research

3 credits (0+0+12)
Investigate the essential techniques of the research process in the context of business issues to include defining a research problem, designing a business research project, referencing research literature, and evaluating research papers. Designed for senior B.B.A. students and intended to be taken during the final year of the B.B.A. program.