BS: Course Catalogue

The acquisition of accounting skills provides managers with the knowledge, processes and basic understanding of financial information needed to make business decisions. Understanding the financial aspects of a company is a prerequisite of good managers who wish to make informed decisions regarding their company’s financial standing.

The purpose of this course is to provide students with an understanding of fundamental accounting concepts and prepare financial statements for business decision making. Topics include: GAAP and the Role of Accounting in Business; Financial Statements; Analyzing and Summarizing Transactions in Accounts; The Accounting Cycle; Accounting for Merchandising Businesses and Accounting Systems; Internal Controls and Cash; Receivables and Inventories; Fixed Assets and Current Liabilities.

Managers are often judged by how they make decisions. Learning basic managerial accounting and cost accounting concepts allow managers to make appropriate decisions regarding projects: how much inventory will be purchased and when and how well budgets are being followed.

The purpose of this course is to help students acquire functional managerial accounting skills to make proper business decisions. Topics include: Statement of Cash Flows; Financial Statement Analysis; Job Order Cost System; Process Cost System; Cost Behavior and Cost-Volume-Profit Analysis; Profit Reporting for Management Analysis; Budgeting; Cost Allocating and Activity-Based Costing; Differential Analysis and Product Pricing and Cost Management for Just-in-Time.

Adult roles today grow evermore challenging as the world accelerates the rate and breadth of change. Adults’ commitments and contributions are tied to perceptions and understandings which must keep up with the rippling tides of change. This course explores human contribution through the perspective of the changing world.

The purpose of this course is to help adult students understand adult development theories and develop lifelong learning skills. Topics include: The Aging Process and Effects on Health and Cognitive Abilities; Social Roles of Adulthood; The Quest for Meaning; Stress, Coping and Resilience; Work and Retirement; Death and Bereavement.

At the heart of mathematics is deductive thought and proof. Students who study mathematics develop skills of active inquiry and independent thought. Emphasis is placed on skills development, thinking logically and critically, gaining confidence and applying basic mathematical knowledge to solve problems.

The purpose of this course is to provide students with an understanding and application of algebraic concepts and trigonometric functions as a background for future math, science and formula based courses. Topics include: Algebraic Expressions; Equations and Inequalities; Relations and Functions; Polynomial and Rational Functions; Exponential and Logarithmic Functions; Trigonometric Functions; and Uses of Trigonometry.

The communication process is critically important at all career levels. Effective communication means success for employees and their companies. In this course students learn methods and techniques to improve their group discussion, public speaking and persuasive communication skills.

The purpose of this course is to help students enhance management skills through effective communication. Students strengthen their skills in listening, speaking, accepting others’ views and sharing their own. Other topics covered include: Applied Study of Communication Systems; Interviewing and Evaluating; Conducting Effective Meetings; and Presenting Effective Committee Reports and Business Presentations.

Many economic, legal, ethical and social issues concerning business and society are under debate. This period is turbulent in the sense that it has been characterized by significant changes in the economy, in society, in technology and in global relationships.

The purpose of this course is to help students understand the economic, legal, ethical, political and social questions and issues in today’s business and society. Topics include: Business/Society Relationship; Corporate Social Responsibility, Responsiveness, Performance; Business Ethics Fundamentals; Business, Government and Regulations; Business’s Influence on Government and Public Policy; Consumer Stakeholders: Information Issues and Responses; Consumer Stakeholders; Product and Service Issues; the Natural Environment of Stakeholder; Business and Addressing Community Stakeholders’ Issues.

Business law affects everyone – it is the one aspect of law that people deal with on a daily basis. This course provides students with a readily understandable explanation of the American legal system including business and general law topics that are practical and useful.

Topics include: Foundations of Law; Competent Parties; The US Court System; Transfer of Contract Rights and Obligations; Public Wrongs; Termination of Contracts; Private Wrongs; Sales Contracts; Litigation; Product Liability; Contract Law; Commercial Paper; Agreements; Negotiable Instruments; Legal Purpose; Agency Employment and Labor Law; Business Organization and Regulations.

The challenges facing today’s corporations – advanced technology, deregulation and global competition – require confidence in computation and a good understanding of what numbers mean.

This course provides students with an understanding and working knowledge of the mathematical computations connected with business activities. It is a prerequisite to algebra and trigonometry. The course begins with a review of basic mathematical concepts which are applied to business operations such as purchasing, pricing and payroll. Broader mathematical operations covered include: Simple and Compound Interest; Annuities; Business and Consumer Loans; Inventory; Depreciation; Taxes, Insurance and Investments; and Financial Statements.

The issue facing managers is not a shortage of information, but a matter of how to process, organize, present and interpret large amounts of information. Much of this information is quantitative in nature, and the skills needed to transpose data into meaningful, functional, problem solving information are those of statistics. What will happen to business – its ability to create and maintain a competitive edge – depends upon statistics. It is from this perspective that this course has been developed.

This course introduces students to the theory of probability and enables them to use statistical measures to draw conclusions about populations based upon sample analysis. Topics include: Presenting Data in Tables and Charts; Summarizing and Describing Numerical Data; Simple Linear Regression and Correlation; Time Series Forecasting; Probability; Normal Distribution and Sampling Distribution; and Estimation.

Managers know that the ability to write well is a highly valued organizational skill. This course provides practical applications for writing effectively in the business environment. The capability of organizing concepts, outlining key ideas and presenting clear, concise messages is a skill and an art.

This course covers Fundamentals of Effective Business Memos; Letters; Proposals; and Researching and Writing Business Reports, including the Mechanics of Grammar, Content and Structure.

We live in a world that has been turned upside down. Fortune 500 companies are pouring money, technology and management expertise into regions that were once off limits, acquiring new enterprises, forming joint ventures, creating new global businesses from the ground up. Many major companies are going through significant changes including outsourcing, downsizing, reengineering, self-managed work teams, flattening organizations and doing routine jobs with automation and computers. Some experts contend that if you can describe a job precisely or write rules for doing it, the job will probably not survive. The added stress on people makes it increasingly a challenge to create and maintain a culture that motivates and satisfies human potential.

This course is organized to study change management from the perspective of understanding sound organizational design and theory, as well as learning to facilitate constructive change within a framework of value and ethics.

No matter the career you choose, information technology will play a role in the way you accomplish your goals.  The objective for this course is to give adult students an introduction to computer hardware and software concepts, the Windows operating system and standard business applications, and to help students build the basic computing knowledge and skills that are essential in today’s business environment.  To that end, the course will provide a solid foundation in the terminology, functions, and uses of computer systems, along with word processing, spreadsheet, database, and graphics presentation programs that make up the basic business tools available to those with access to a computer

This course investigates why and how humans create. Creativity will explore a world of potential, and the limitless possibilities for making and doing the new and useful in a wide variety of settings. Students will experience different approaches to being creative, bringing into the effort viewpoints from the sciences, the arts, and all forms of human endeavor.

A frequent observation in both the academic and business worlds is that writing has become a lost art. People write fewer and fewer letters, favoring “instant messaging” and its shorthand version of communication. Students write less because schools require less writing. By the time students get to college, or a job, they lack a basic skill for success in the workplace.

The purpose of this course is to demonstrate the connection between sound thinking and sound writing, to demonstrate that writing is a skill that can be learned, and show that good writing takes discipline and practice. Topics covered in this course include: Expository Writing; the Writing Process; Components of Rhetoric; and Critiquing Student and Published Papers.

To participate actively in life is to engage in the debate as a critical listener, thinker and writer. English Composition II will help students prepare for that debate by challenging them to examine issues, the arguments others offer in support of various positions, the reasoning on which those arguments rest and the objectivity of the evidence offered.

The purpose of this course is to expose students to research tools, secondary sources and methods for using and evaluating both. Topics include: Doing Research; Writing in all Disciplines; Developing an Individual Style of Writing; Reading, Interpreting and Writing about Literature.

Managers and investors use financial statements to assess how well firms meet their objectives. A firm grasp of finance is a vital tool for making these business decisions.

The purpose of this course is to provide students with a set of tools for sound financial decision making. The course provides an overview of topics and situations that managers and investors examine before making decisions, including: the Trade-off between Risk and Return; the Time Value of Money; Capital Budgeting; Capital Structure; and Working Capital Management. The course also addresses stock and bond valuation and rates of return.

The competitive forces that managers face today and will continue to confront in the future demand organizational knowledge and skills. The efforts to achieve excellence – through a focus on learning, quality, teamwork and reengineering – are driven by the way organizations get things done and how they treat their people. Those are fundamental HR issues.

The purpose of this course is to enable students to understand and achieve organizational objectives and to explore contemporary issues in the field. Topics include: EEO; Affirmative Action; Job Analysis; Strategic Management; Recruitment/selection/training; Performance Appraisal; Compensation/benefits; Safety and Health; Labor Unions and Labor Management; and Global HRM.

The progression of trade from localized communities, regional enclaves and international markets has been increasing in frequency and complexity.  Driving this behavior is the demand for goods and services and the increased ability to manage and communicate (i.e. the Internet).  The international management of processes, people and assets is required for all managers in order to be more successful as globalization continues to evolve and residually impact even the smallest of companies.

The course will provide current business managers theories and practices about the international business environment and context in order to drive competent application through globally relevant decision-making skills.

The study of the labor relations processes provides students with an understanding and appreciation for union-management relationships. The labor movement has evolved from a hostile, aggressive approach to one of union-management cooperation to save jobs and protect workers.

The purpose of this course is to provide learners with an understanding and appreciation for employee-management relationships. Topics include: Union-Management Relations; Evolution of Employee-Management Relationships; The Influence of the Legal System on Employment Relationship; Union and Management: Why and How Unions are Organized, and Negotiating Labor Costs; Resolving Negotiation Impasses and Developing Cooperation, Contract Administration, and Labor Relations in the Public Sector; Collective Bargaining Negotiation Exercises; Labor Arbitration and Employee Discipline; Institutional, Administrative and Economic Issues.

Provides an in-depth examination of theories pertaining to the study of leadership.  It also analyzes the application of leadership skills needed for managerial success and organizational effectiveness in all cultural environments to achieve global competitiveness placing emphasis on high-quality operations.  Students will be guided to develop an integrated perspective of leadership to improve organizational effectiveness and learn to identify and apply appropriate leadership styles, behaviors, and characteristics.

Economics, the study of how people allocate resources among tremendous desires and demands, involves the application of principles – scarcity, choice and rational self-interest among others – to financial situations in a consistent manner using the scientific method. Macroeconomics is the study of an economy as a whole while microeconomics analyzes the behavior of an individual consumer.

The purpose of this course is to provide students with the necessary tools and skills to analyze economic situations and their relationships to the world in which they live. Topics include: The Market System and Private Sector; Macroeconomic Basics; Macroeconomic Equilibrium; Aggregate Supply and Demand; Macroeconomic Policy; Tradeoffs, Expectations, Credibility and Business Cycles; Economic Growth and Development; International Trade and Finance.

Businesses must react quickly to shifts in consumer tastes and other market dynamics. Tomorrow’s market leaders will be companies who can effectively harness the vast amount of customer feedback and respond with solutions to consumer needs.

The purpose of this course is to provide adult students with the marketing knowledge and skills to sell information, goods and services, and to solve consumer needs. Topics include: Developing Relationships through Customer Focus and Quality; Technology and Ethical Behavior; Creating Value through Customer Satisfaction and Quality; Global Dimensions of Marketing; Developing a Marketing Plan; Marketing Research and Decision Support Systems; Market Segmentation; Targeting and Positioning; Consumer Behavior; Product Strategy and Relationship Marketing; Distribution Channels; Marketing of Services; Advertising; Sales Promotion; Public Relations; and Pricing.

Microeconomics provides a relevant and interesting approach to how the world conducts business. A firm grasp of microeconomics is a vital tool for managerial decision-making, understanding public policy and analyzing how various markets work. Microeconomics deals with the behavior and significance of the individual in the market, and explains how and why individuals make economic decisions.

The purpose of this course is to provide students with the tools necessary to understand the relationships between economic principles and the international marketplace in which we live. Topics include: The Price System; Product Market Basics; Profit Maximization; Different Markets; Resource Markets; Natural Resources and Environmental Policy; Current Issues in the Market Economy and International Trade; and Finance.

The world is rapidly transforming into a global economy. Markets once local or national in nature are becoming international and global. As many manufacturing jobs move overseas, there is a surge in service industries. The growth of service industries has transformed the reach of production management to operations management.

This course helps students understand how goods and services are produced, delivered and serviced in both factory and non-factory systems. Topics include: Primary Functions of Operations Management; Process Selection and Measurement; Quality Management and Improvement; Facility Planning; Project Management; Forecasting; Scheduling; Inventory Management; Supply Chain Management; Relationships to other Functional Areas of the Firm such as Accounting, Engineering, Finance, HR, IT and Marketing.

Organization theory and design is one of the more interesting and relevant areas in management study. As competition intensifies in both domestic and global markets, managers in all industries need to know how to design effective and efficient organizations that utilize resources better. Managers need to develop skills to design work environments that enable co-workers to produce greater results, and proactively “read” the system to act on weaknesses or problem situations.

The purpose of this course is to provide students with a framework with which to diagnose organizations, design organizational structures and to manage organizational change. Topics include: Strategic Management; Organizational Effectiveness; Organizational Environments; Structures of Change and Innovation; Decision-making; Technological Aspects Contributing to Change; Relationships within the Organization; and Learning Organizations.

People are the common denominator of organized enterprise, regardless of an organization’s size, location or purpose. In today’s competitive global economy, managing people effectively and ethically is more important than ever. No matter how sophisticated an organization’s strategy or technology, the human factor is inevitably its key to success.

This course helps learners understand how to affect organizational culture change through building better learning environments in the workplace. Topics include: Behavioral Science Theories; Team and Individual Behaviors; Motivation; Leadership; Group Dynamics; Performance Management; Change Management; and Organizational Transformation.

Our present management thought and practice reflects historical times and societal conditions – from the building of Egyptian pyramids to the management practices in Venice during the Renaissance; from Adam Smith’s writings on the division of labor and the application of management techniques to production processes in the Industrial Revolution. Today’s managers can benefit from understanding management as a methodology for organizing work. Certain management concepts and practices support the workings of any kind of organization – regardless of size, type or location.

The purpose of this course is to assist students in understanding how management theory contributes to current management processes and practices. Topics include: the Historical Foundations of Management and Critical Aspects of the Management Process; Organizational Culture; Decision Making; Strategic Planning; Structure; Managing Human Resources; Operations Management; Change; Social Responsibility; and Global Concerns.

Project management is much more than merely parceling out work assignments to individuals and hoping they accomplish desired results; projects that could have been successful often fail because of such take-it-for-granted approaches.    In fact, businesses need for project management skills has spawned a new job function particularly in the IT (Information Technology) area.

Managers need hard knowledge and real skills to work successfully in a project environment and to accomplish project objectives.   This course addresses the critical path of project management and equips students with the necessary skills to contribute effectively to the successful completion of projects in which they are involved.

Students are obligated to download project management software as part of course requirements.     Students are also strongly advised to bring a laptop to class to assist in learning project management tools.

The ability to speak confidently and communicate effectively is crucial to professional and personal success. Communication is the vehicle by which we manage relationships with others ranging from “one-to-one” to “one-to-many” using personal and public speaking skills. When we can speak with integrity in a style that engages our audience, we can accomplish just about anything.

This course helps students to develop confidence and competence when speaking in public. Topics include: Building Speaker Confidence and Good Listening Skills; Preparing Effective Visual Aids; Delivering the Message; Perfecting Language Style; and Informative and Persuasive Speaking.

Quality Management has become the backbone of global business activity. While there is no universally accepted definition of quality, common elements exist, namely: quality involves meeting or exceeding customer expectations, applies to products, services, people, processes and environments, and is in an ever-changing state.

This course provides a basic understanding and application of quality concepts in the workplace. Topics include: Study of Shifting Paradigms; Business Improvement Process; Human Element; Defining and Measuring Customer Value; Measurement Techniques for Continuous Improvement; and Quality Compliance.

With the rise of technology use and the prolific integration of internet and web technologies in everyday life, social communication has been enabled to instantaneously broadcast messages with global visibility of media (text, pictures, videos, blogs, tweets, etc.).  The practical use and management of social media by individuals, businesses, and organizations is fundamental to their success as well as how well they can craft their online identity.

The purpose of this course is to introduce the fundamental components of social media as a communications channel.  The course provides in depth examples and presents relevant issues from different perspectives including politics, education, strategic communications, legal and ethical.

Upon accepting the title of supervisor, an individual does not automatically start thinking and acting like a manager.  This behavior is developed and takes time, a strong desire to learn new skills, and a new perspective on one’s self and the job responsibilities.

This course helps new, experienced, or potential supervisors to understand the dynamics of supervision and focuses on the role that supervisors provide between workers and management.  Topics include the role of supervision, staffing principles, applying supervisory management and communication skills, and developing an effective work environment.

The purpose of this course is to develop management-mindedness.  This course Introduces management thinking, leadership and decision-making skills, while also providing an understanding of the dynamics of change.  Topics covered include: motivation, delegation, handling complaints and grievances, appraisal review, and coaching.