Course Descriptions
Foundation Courses
BUSE-F501 Foundations in Accounting (3cr)
Financial and managerial accounting concepts from the business manager's perspective. Includes analysis and recording of economic transactions, and cost determination and analysis. Undergraduate course equivalents are Principles of Accounting I and II.
BUSE-F502 Foundations in Finance (2cr)
Introduction of basic financial concepts from the business manager's perspective. Includes use of financial statements,
tools and concepts for planning and measuring profitability and liquidity, capital budgeting, discounted cash flow analysis, and valuation. Undergraduate course equivalent is Financial Management.
BUSE-F503 Foundations in Economics (3cr)
Provision of fundamental knowledge in the area of micro and macroeconomics theory. Includes concepts and theories relevant to the broad spectrum of economic trends needed in a graduate curriculum. Undergraduate course equivalents are introductory micro and macroeconomics.
BUSE-F504 Foundations in Marketing (2cr)
Emphasis will be placed upon the understanding and application of market concepts and practices, including market planning and strategy principles using pricing, product management, promotion, and distribution. Other topics include buyer behavior, market research, international marketing, ethics, and environmental influences. Undergraduate course equivalent is Marketing Management.
BUSE-F505 Foundations in Statistics (2cr)
This course covers basic applied statistics from a business perspective. Topics covered include summary measures
of central tendency probability and probability distributions, continuous distributions including the normal distribution, sampling distributions, confidence interval estimation, and hypothesis testing. Undergraduate course equivalent is Applied Statistics for Business.
BUSE-F506 Foundations in Operations Management (2cr)
This course discusses production as it relates to the other functions of a business. Techniques and topics such as forecasting, aggregate planning, master scheduling, capacity and material planning, performance measurement, productivity improvement, quality, JIT, TOC, and project management are covered. Undergraduate course equivalent is Operations Management.
BUS-K321 Management Information Systems (3cr)
Introduction to Management Information Systems (MIS), including the key building blocks of information systems, namely, hardware, software, telecommunications including the Internet/intranet/extranet, and databases and DBMS. The focus of this course is on using and managing information technologies to derive business value.
MATH-M118 Finite Mathematics (3cr)
Set theory, linear systems, matrices, probability, statistics and finance. Applications to problems from the social sciences.
MATH-M119 Brief Survey of Calculus I (3cr)
Introduction to calculus. Primarily for students in business and the social sciences.
MBA Program Courses (BUSE )
A505 Strategic Cost Management (3cr)
Discussion of the development and use of accounting information for managerial control and decision making. Accounting methods for cost accumulation and allocation, standard costing, budgeting, inventory valuations, performance measurement, cost-volume-profit relationships, special decisions, current developments in managerial accounting, and other topics will be discussed.
A506 Managerial Economics (3cr)
The understanding and application of economic theory to the problems of the business enterprise. The use of economic concepts for managerial decision making. Demand theory, risk and uncertainty, cost, profit, pricing, and capital budgeting are among the topics covered.
A507 Modeling & Simulation (3cr)
To increase decision-making effectiveness by learning more about quantitative methodology and by better understanding its contribution to the decision making process. Includes analysis and solution of realistic problems using microcomputer software.
A508 Organizational Behavior & Leadership (3cr)
A theory-based study of leadership phenomena and organizational behavior. Emphasis on the practical application of these concepts to organizational settings.
B511 Business Communications (1.5cr)
Designed to improve effective communication as a manager. Analysis and application of communication strategy, oral presentation skills, listening skills, writing skills, corporation communication strategy, and communication with the media.
B513 Intl. Environmental Analysis (1.5cr)
A survey of the external environmental variables that affect business operations domestically and internationally. Provides a framework for analyzing and anticipating changes in the environment; considers the impact of competition, economics and financial systems, cultures and technology on business operations.
B516 Legal & Ethical Environment of Business (3cr)
This course examines legal and ethical issues a manager must consider when making business decisions. Provides an overview of law pertaining to business, international and regulatory topics, and models for review and resolution of ethical issues in business. Critical thinking and legal research skill are introduced and developed.
C521 Marketing Management (3cr)
Marketing decision making in a problem solving environment. Emphasizes the firm's decision-making procedures in planning, product development, pricing, promotion, and distribution. Topics include competitive analysis, opportunity analysis, profitability and productivity analysis, market measurement, strategy, and the role of marketing research and information systems. Extensive use of readings and cases.
C522 Financial Management (3cr)
A study of the theory and practice of corporate finance. Areas studied include organizing capital expenditure, planning dividend policy and capital structure strategies, making short-term financial decisions, mergers, pension plans, and the international aspect of corporate finance.
C523 Systems Decision Theory & Applications (3cr)
An integrative or holistic approach to identifying organizational problems and the development and implementation of possible solutions. Because most courses are primarily concerned with analytical approaches to business decision making, this course focuses on the processes that link the parts together.
D530 Business Policy & Strategy (3cr)
Administration of the business firm from the perspective of top management. Involves the formulation and administration of policy, the integration of internal operations with each other and with the environment, the evaluation of business risk and strategy alternatives, and the development of long range plans and programs.
E580 Community Service in Business (0cr)
All MBA and MSSF students must complete a community service project to graduate. This involves donating a minimum of 20 hours to an approved community project (e.g. volunteering for Big Brothers/Big Sisters; providing tax assistance for the elderly; participating in a United Way agency) and a written report to the Graduate Business office.
Elective Courses (BUSE )
E553 Consumer Behavior (3cr)
To provide an interdisciplinary approach to understanding consumer buying behavior. Emphasis is on the individual and social processes that influence the consumer in the marketplace.
E554 Human Resource Management (3cr)
This course deals with major topic areas within the field of human resource management. It is a survey of principal theoretical, legal, and applied concerns that influence both public and private sector employers. Special attention is given to applications of timely interest to private employers.
E556 Labor Economics (3cr)
Study of the economic problems of the wage earner in modern society; structure, policies, and problems of labor organizations; employer and governmental policies affecting labor relations.
E557 Investment Management (3cr)
Emphasizing the formulation of policies and portfolio strategies in the management of investment funds for individuals and institutions. Topics also include methods of investment analysis and selection, investment timing, and evaluation of portfolio performance.
E560 Venture Growth Management (3cr)
This course explores what it takes to start and successfully work in a small business from startup to ongoing concern. Topics include leadership, prioritization and balancing control and agility in a dynamic environment. Also discussed are the basics of business planning including the business model, the customer value proposition, and the elevator pitch. If you plan to start or work with a small business, this course will help you chart the course ahead in exploring the new business environment.
E562 Special Topics in Business (3cr)
Course topics vary. For each semester this course is offered, the specific topic will be indicated.
E565 Taxes & Business Decisions (3cr)
Focuses on expanding the student's knowledge of taxation for purposes of making more informed managerial decisions. Provides an understanding of basic business taxation and taxation aspects of compensation planning, fixed assets, mergers, liquidations, international and interstate issues.
E568 International Financial Management (3cr)
Financial management of foreign operations of the firm. Financial constraints of the international environment and their
effect on standard concepts of financial management. Study of international currency flow, forward cover, and international banking practices.
E581 Special Topics: Information Technology Management Issues (3cr)
The course will focus on the key information systems issues that exist in the business world that must be managed, dealt with, and resolved. Such issues include data center consolidations, outsourcing, IS resources/staffing, client server systems management, telecommunications, and the infrastructure to support business initiatives.
E588 Project Management (3cr)
This course introduces students to the full range of project management problems, solution methods, and decision processes. Topics include: project selection, project organizational structures, project planning, scheduling, and budgeting, negotiations, project monitoring and control, project auditing and determination, and resource constrained project scheduling.
E590 Independent Study (3cr)
Research, analysis, and discussion of current business related issues for academic credit. Approval must be granted by the Graduate Business office and supervised by a Graduate Business faculty member. Can be repeated for a total of 6 credit hours.
E594 Business Analysis & Valuation (3cr)
Use of financial statement data to: analyze business strategy, assess accounting policies and estimates for analysis and valuation purposes, evaluate financial performance utilizing financial ratio and cash flow measures, and forecast a firm's future to estimate its value. Resulting information is used in a variety of decision-making contexts.
E595 Advanced Corporate Finance (3cr)
Practical analysis of financial problems in case-oriented format. Financial models will be used to place data in analytical form to aid the analysis. Areas covered include allocating capital for real investment, financing a firm, knowing whether and how to hedge various risks, and allocating funds for financial investments.
E596 Intermediate Accounting II (3cr)
This course provides a more detailed examination of U.S. financial reporting topics, with an introduction to International Financial Reporting Standards. Topics include reporting for liabilities, stock holders' equity, financial reporting of taxes and leases, error reporting, and full disclosure in financial reporting.
E597 Fraud Issues in Business (3cr)
This course provides a framework for managers to understand, prevent, and detect fraud. Topics include fraud law;
who commits fraud and why; fraud symptoms, prevention, and detection; common fraud schemes; fraudster profiles; auditor responsibilities and study of current and historical cases of real-life frauds.
G533 Auditing (3cr)
In-depth study of the process of auditing, attestation, and assurance services in an advanced technological environment. Includes coverage of auditing and attestation standards, the code of professional conduct, auditor's legal responsibilities, fraud auditing, and the emerging issues of global auditing.
H541 Not-For-Profit Accounting (3cr)
Accounting for non-profit-seeking entities: state and municipal governments, schools, hospitals, and philanthropic entities. Includes study of GAAP for these entities as promulgated by FASB and GASB.
H542 Advanced Financial Accounting (3cr)
Generally accepted accounting principles as applied to business combinations, segments, estates, and trusts.
H546 Advanced Corporate Taxation (3cr)
This course will address advanced corporate formation, merger and acquisitions, and liquidations. The course material also covers tax topics specific to corporations such as when to make the Corporate Selection and the accumulated earnings tax.
