Business Curriculum
| Business M.S. Core Requirement | Course No. |
|
|
BUS5060 |
|
|
BUS5050 |
|
|
BUS5040 |
|
|
BUS5030 |
|
|
BUS5020 |
|
|
BUS5010 |
| Business PhD Core Requirement | Course No. |
|
|
BUS7060 |
|
|
BUS7050 |
|
|
BUS7040 |
|
|
BUS7030 |
|
|
BUS7020 |
|
|
BUS7100 |
|
|
BUS7070 |
|
|
BUS7090 |
|
|
BUS7110 |
|
|
BUS7010 |
| Business/Financial Planning PhD | Course No. |
|
|
FIN7010 |
|
|
FIN7020 |
|
|
FIN7030 |
|
|
FIN7050 |
|
|
FIN7040 |
Business
M.S. Core Requirement
Management Theories
Competency Description
- Overview of the classic and contemporary theories
of management and leadership styles that have
been acquired previously and application to general
management cases in which the student must identify
multiple challenges involved and devise feasible,
cross-functional solutions. The emphasis is on
learning to balance differing viewpoints and demands
from a holistic perspective that supercedes the
interests of any single subgroup.
Learning Objectives
- Upon completion, students
will develop several competencies that include
critical thinking, creative problem solving, and
persuasive communication. Each objective relates
to a key strategic leadership role identified
by Brown and Eisenstadt in their 1998 book, Competing
on the Edge.
Topics
- Corporate Leadership
- Corporate Vision Statements
- Corporate Financial Analysis
- Corporate Governance
- The External Environment
- The Internal Environment
- Generic Business Strategies
- Model of Inter-firm Rivalries and Time Pacing
- Price, Cost, and Quality Issues
- Technology and Size Issues
- Corporate Diversification Strategies
- Portfolio Matrix Approaches
- Acquisition Strategies
- Restructuring Strategies
- International Environment, Entry Strategies, and Stronghold Arena
- International Strategies and Structure
- Structure and Control Systems
Required Texts
- Bennis, W.G. & Nanus, B. Leadership.
- Bradford, D. & Cohen, A.R. Managing for Excellence.
Business
M.S. Core Requirement
Marketing Management
Competency Description
- Focuses on the interrelated elements of the
marketing mix, its relationship with the other
functions of management, and marketing responses
to the external environment; marketing research
methods.
Learning Objectives
- The student will develop skills in preparing
a written, detailed marketing plan, including:
strategies based upon analysis of the business
environment, consumer and business markets, competitors,
and industry characteristics; implementation of
tactical decisions for the marketing mix (i.e.,
prices, distribution, promotion, and customer
service); financial implications of marketing
recommendation; analytic skills for both situational
analyses and tactical implementations in diverse
business situations; and abilities to interact
critically with others' analyses in a constructive
manner.
Topics
- Case Analysis, Data Sources, and Big Sky Case
- Consumer Buying Behavior
- Organizational Buying Behavior and Market Segmentation
- Market Segmentation and Market Analysis
- Competitor Analysis and Positioning
- Environmental Analysis
- Market Measurement and Potential
- Value Propositions, PLC Strategies, and International Marketing
- International Marketing Strategies
- Product Development and Product Decisions
- Pricing Decisions and Financial Analysis
- Distribution Decisions
- Promotional Mix Decisions
- Advertising and Promotions Decisions
- Sales Force Decisions
Texts
- J. Peter Paul & James H. Donnelly (1997), A Preface to Marketing Management.
- Marketing Management Casebook (1999), McGraw-Hill
Readings
- Martin, J. (1995). Ignore your customers. Fortune, May 1, 121 ff.
- Peppers, D. & Rogers, M. (1995). A new marketing paradigm: Share of customers, not market share. Planning Review, March-April, 14 ff.
- Moore, J. (1996). The death of competition. Fortune, April 15, 142 ff.
- Slywotzky,A., Mundt, K. & Quella, J. (1999). Pattern thinking. Management Review, June, 32 ff.
- Hamel, G. & Lieber, R. (1997). Killer strategies: That make shareholders rich. Fortune, June 23, 70ff.
Business
M.S. Core Requirement
Finance
Competency Description
- The development of an understanding of financial
terminology, instruments, and foundations for
analyzing and solving financial management problems
of business enterprises.
Learning Objectives
- Students will learn the nature and workings
of financial markets and their use by businesses,
investors, and others. They will also acquire
an understanding of modern valuation techniques,
principles of finance, including arbitrage, market
efficiency, and portfolio theory. In the context
of the business environment they will be introduced
to key principles of selecting real investments,
financing them, and minimizing risk. Students
will understand how banks and other financial
institutions operate.
Topics
- Financial markets, interest rates, and the economy
- Time value of money; measuring comparative yields
- Money and bond markets
- Risk and return
- Valuation and capital asset pricing
- Arbitrage, forecasting, and market efficiency
- International financial markets
- Equity markets and instruments
- Equity valuation
- Cash, futures, FRAs, and swaps
- Options
- Portfolio strategies
Texts
- Bodie, Kane & Marcus (1998) Essentials of Investments. 3rd Edition, Irwin.
- Ross, Westerfield & Jordan (1998) Fundamentals of Corporate Finance. Irwin.
- Dufey & Giddy (1994) The International Money Market. Prentice-Hall.
Top of page
Business
M.S. Core Requirement
Accounting/Taxation
Competency Description
- Managerial decision making using financial data;
theory and practice of management control; taxation
and its effects upon taxpayer decisions; cost
accounting; audit procedures.
Learning Objectives - This competency is designed to develop a conceptual understanding of cost and managerial accounting and its usefulness in meeting organizational goals. The student will learn information needs throughout various levels of the firm including cost allocation, cost reporting, and managerial performance evaluation and control. By completion, the student should be able to do the following:
- Discuss internal and external environment of managerial accounting
- Integrate the firm's strategic goals with cost measures
- Determine the cost of providing a product or service.
- Prepare budgets, evaluate performance, measure variances, and allocate costs
- Effectively communicate how to use financial data to solve a relevant management problem while considering the tax consequences.
Topics
- Conceptual Framework for Managerial Accounting
- Developing Strategic Performance Measures
- Cost Terms and Purposes
- Cost-Volume-Profit Relationships
- Strategic Costing Methods
- Activity Based Costing
- Master Budget and Responsibility Accounting
- Concepts of Taxation
- Cost Allocation
- Income Effects of Alternative Inventory-Costing Methods
- Joint Products and Byproducts
- Process Costing Systems
Texts
- Fisher, A. (1997). Cost Accounting: A Managerial Emphasis. Prentice Hall
- Horngren, C. & Foster, G. (1997). Cost Accounting: Student Guide and Review. Prentice Hall
Business
M.S. Core Requirement
Quantitative Methods
Competency Description
- Introduction to descriptive and inferential
statistics and their use in decision making; emphasis
on achieving an application-oriented understanding
of hypothesis testing and regression analysis.
Learning Objectives
- Student will demonstrate understanding of statistical
reasoning in solving field-related problems. Student
will be able to frame a significant research question
and design a research study involving comparison
of two groups on at least three variables and
explain the rationale for the design.
Topics
- Introduction: Lies, damn lies, and statistics
- Statistical decision-making
- Computer support for statistics
- Descriptive statistics
- Probability concepts
- Discrete probability distributions
- Continuous probability distributions
- Sampling and sampling distributions
- Statistical estimation
- General linear model: Regression and correlation
- Statistical hypothesis testing
- Orthodox statistical inference
- Bayesian statistical inference
- Non-parametric statistics
- Statistical reporting
Text
- Levine, et al Business Statistics for Managers: Using Microsoft Excel (2nd Ed)
- Dummies Guide to Excel 97. IDG
Business
M.S. Core Requirement
Management Information
Systems/Technology
Competency Description
- Covers technical foundations
in programming interactive business information
systems; review of software and other applications;
concepts and tools used in analysis and design
of management information systems.
Learning Objectives
- Students will be exposed
to a variety of topics in information systems
so they get an overview of the specialization
based on the assumption that the student will
not be taking additional courses in IS. Students
will demonstrate knowledge of at least three software
systems and their application to word processing,
communication, and data organization.
Topics
- How technology works
- Technical terminology
- Emerging technologies
- Societal and firm-level consequences of information technology
- Management of technology issues
- Organizational analysis of technology in the firm
- Strategic implications of new technologies
- Reengineering problems and strategies
- Software review considerations
Text
- Applegate, McFarlan & McKenney (1999) Corporate Information Systems Management.
Business
PhD Core Requirement
Management Theories
Competency Description - Overview of the classic and contemporary theories of management and leadership styles that have been acquired previously and application to general management cases in which the student must identify multiple challenges involved and devise feasible, cross-functional solutions. The emphasis is on learning to balance differing viewpoints and demands from a holistic perspective that supercede the interests of any single subgroup.
Learning Objectives - Upon completion, students will develop several competencies, that include critical thinking, creative problem solving, and persuasive communication. Each objective relates to a key strategic leadership role identified by Brown and Eisenstadt in their 1998 book, Competing on the Edge.
Topics
- Corporate Leadership
- Corporate Vision Statements
- Corporate Financial Analysis
- Corporate Governance
- The External Environment
- The Internal Environment
- Generic Business Strategies
- Model of Inter-firm Rivalries and Time Pacing
- Price, Cost, and Quality Issues
- Technology and Size Issues
- Corporate Diversification Strategies
- Portfolio Matrix Approaches
- Acquisition Strategies
- Restructuring Strategies
- International Environment, Entry Strategies, and Stronghold Arena
- International Strategies and Structure
- Structure and Control Systems
- Review of Cases
a. Ben and Jerry's Homemade
b. Carnival Corporation
c. Compaq Corporation
d. Anheuser-Busch
e. Dayton Hudson
f. Whirlpool
g. Eastman Kodak
h. Amazon.Com
Required Texts
- Hitt, Ireland, and Hoskisson, (1998) Strategic Management Concepts. West Publishers
- Strategic Management Casebook
Recommended Readings
- Harvard Business Review
- Academy of Management Review
Business
PhD Core Requirement
Marketing Management
Competency Description - This competency focuses on the development of advanced marketing strategy development and implementation to ensure that organizations remain competitive in changing marketplaces. It assumes an understanding of basic marketing principles.
Learning Objectives - Completion will enable students to focus on business level marketing strategy; develop the necessary skills to evaluate a firm's marketing strategies and plans; utilize skills in the development of marketing plans; remain current with marketing strategies in various industries; be able to communicate marketing strategy effectively to others.
Topics
- Industry analysis
- Market trends, demand trends, product life cycle, key success factors
- Customer and competitor analyses
- Market segmentation & Targeting
- Developing goals & objectives
- Strategies for new entries
- Marketing strategies & programs
- Implementation & management
- Performance measures and evaluation procedures
- Final projection: costs, revenue estimates, profit and ROI
Texts
- Aaker, D.A. (1998). Strategic Marketing Management. (5th Ed.)
- Dolan, R. & Silk, A. (1984). Marketing Planning and Organization.
- Quelch, J.A. (1984). Marketing Implementation
Top of page
Business
PhD Core Requirement
Finance
Competency Description - The development of an understanding of financial terminology, instruments, and foundations for analyzing and solving financial management problems of business enterprises.
Learning Objectives - Students will learn the nature and workings of financial markets and their use by businesses, investors, and others. They will also acquire an understanding of modern valuation techniques, principles of finance, including arbitrage, market efficiency, and portfolio theory. In the context of the business environment they will be introduced to key principles of selecting real investments, financing them, and minimizing risk. Students will understand how banks and other financial institutions operate and how they related to financial management considerations.
Topics
- Optimizing value of the firm
- Financial markets, interest rates, and the economy
- Time value of money; measuring comparative yields
- Money and bond markets
- Risk and return
- Valuation and capital asset pricing
- Arbitrage, forecasting, and market efficiency
- International financial markets
- Equity markets and instruments
- Equity valuation
- Cash, futures, FRAs, and swaps
- Options
- Portfolio strategies
Texts
- Bodie, Kane & Marcus (1998) Essentials of Investments. 3rd Edition, Irwin.
- Ross, Westerfield & Jordan (1998) Fundamentals of Corporate Finance. Irwin.
- Dufey & Giddy (1994) The International Money Market. Prentice-Hall.
Business
PhD Core Requirement
Accounting/Taxation
Competency Description - Managerial decision making using financial data; theory and practice of management control; taxation and its effects upon taxpayer decisions; cost accounting; audit procedures
Learning Objectives - This competency is designed to develop a cognitive understanding of cost and managerial accounting and its usefulness in meeting organizational goals. The student will learn information needs throughout various levels of the firm including cost allocation, cost reporting, and managerial performance evaluation and control. By completion the student should be able to do the following:
- Discuss internal and external environment of managerial accounting
- Integrate the firm's strategic goals with cost measures
- Determine the cost of providing a product or service.
- Prepare budgets, evaluate performance, measure variances, and allocate costs
- Effectively communicate how to use financial data to solve a relevant management problem while considering the tax consequences.
Topics
- Conceptual Framework for Managerial Accounting
- Developing Strategic Performance Measures
- Cost Terms and Purposes
- Cost-Volume-Profit Relationships
- Strategic Costing Methods
- Activity Based Costing
- Master Budget and Responsibility Accounting
- Concepts of Taxation
- Cost Allocation
- Income Effects of Alternative Inventory-Costing Methods
- Joint Products and Byproducts
- Process Costing Systems
Texts
- Fisher, A. (1997). Cost Accounting: A Managerial Emphasis. Prentice Hall
- Horngren, C. & Foster, G. (1997). Cost Accounting: Student Guide and Review. Prentice Hall
Business
PhD Core Requirement
Quantitative Methods
Competency Description - Introduction to descriptive and inferential statistics and their use in decision making; emphasis on achieving an application-oriented understanding of hypothesis testing and regression analysis.
Learning Objectives - Student will demonstrate understanding of statistical reasoning in solving field-related problems. Student will be able to frame a significant research question and design a research study involving comparison of two groups on at least three variables and explain the rationale for the design.
Topics
- Introduction: Lies, damn lies, and statistics
- Statistical decision-making
- Computer support for statistics
- Descriptive statistics
- Probability concepts
- Discrete probability distributions
- Continuous probability distributions
- Sampling and sampling distributions
- Statistical estimation
- General linear model: Regression and correlation
- Statistical hypothesis testing
- Orthodox statistical inference
- Bayesian statistical inference
- Non-parametric statistics
- Statistical reporting
Text
- Levine, et al Business Statistics for Managers: Using Microsoft Excel (2nd Ed)
- Dummies Guide to Excel 97. IDG
Top of page
Business
PhD Core Requirement
Legal Environment of Business
Competency Description - Focuses on the application of law to managerial decisions; provides appreciation and understanding of the relationship between legal and business strategy.
Learning Objectives - As a result of completion, the student will be able to demonstrate knowledge of relevant laws and statutes affecting their area of study and discuss how these influence management decisions and strategies, as well as delimit the scope of management functions.
Topics
- Sources of law, courts, procedures, torts
- Criminal law related to business enterprise
- Contracts, offers, acceptance, consideration, capacity, legality, written requirements
- Reality of consent
- Performance & performance remedies
- Commercial paper
- Secured transactions
- Creditor remedies
- Real estate: Landlord/tenant agreements
- Contemporary issues in e-commerce
- International business law
Texts
- Clarkson, K.W. (1998) West's Business Law
- Clarkson, Miller, Jentz & Cross. Introduction to Business Law
Business
PhD Core Requirement
Strategic Planning &
Management
Competency Description - Examination of the nature of corporate strategy; development of a conceptual framework for understanding competition in industries and factors that shape success or failure; strategic significance of social, political, and governmental forces, as well as the role of financial control systems in implementing and evaluating strategies.
Learning Objectives - At completion, the student should be able to formulate at least three strategies to accomplish major business goals; demonstrate ability to establish goals and formulate policies and procedures to accomplish them.
Topics
- Business plans
- Corporate vision statements
- Venture capital & financing new businesses/expansion
- Defining strategy & strategy levels
- Evaluating firm's strengths and weaknesses
- Discovering market opportunities & consideration of threats
- Portfolio planning
- Market position
- Strategy development and implementation
- Social, political and economic forces shaping decision making
- Financial constraints
- Administrative considerations and operations management
- Corporate governance
Texts
- Andrews, K. The Concept of Corporate Strategy. Irwin
- Porter, M. Competitive Strategy. Free Press.
- Timmons, J.A. (1989). Planning and Financing a New Business. Brick House Publishing.
Top of page
Business
PhD Core Requirement
Managerial Economics
Competency Description - Considers microeconomic theories of supply and demand, including cost and production functions; applications for management decision making and government relations.
Learning Objectives - The student will be able to explain two economic theories and their application to current business problems with an emphasis on risk and uncertainty, consumer choice and forecasting, production analysis, cost analysis, and market structure and regulations.
Topics
- Understanding & building economic models
- Understanding demand
- Forecasting for better business decisions
- Production & technology
- Cost analysis for management decisions
- Market structure & price determination
- Economics of investment & finance
- Economic regulation
- Macroeconomics
- Understanding inflationary forces
- Role of unemployment
- Understanding business cycles
Texts
- Keating, B. & Wilson, J.H. Managerial Economics: An Economic Foundation for Business Decisions.
- Hirschleifer, J. Price Theory and Applications.
- Hall, R. & Taylor, J. Macroeconomics: Theory, Performance, and Policy. Norton
Business
PhD Core Requirement
Organizational Behavior
Competency Description - Overview of major theories, methods and practices of organizational psychology, including motivation, job attitudes, leadership, groups, organizational design, conflict resolution, developing human resources, and planning for change.
Learning Objectives - The student will develop a knowledge base of the main topics in organizational behavior and the ability to apply concepts to practical solutions of managerial problems.
Topics
- Organizational behavior defined
- Individual behavior
- Perceptions, decisions, values
- Motivation
- Group behavior and teams
- Communication
- Leadership
- Power & politics in the firm
- Conflict resolution & negotiation
- Organizational structure & work design
- Human resources policies
- Organizational culture
- Organizational change
- Structure & control mechanisms
Text
- Robbins, S.P. (1998). Organizational Behavior: Concepts, Controversies, Applications. (8th Ed.). Prentice-Hall.
Top of page
Business
PhD Core Requirement
Management Information
Systems/Technology
Competency Description - Covers technical foundations in programming interactive business information systems; review of software and other applications; concepts and tools used in analysis and design of management information systems.
Learning Objectives - Students will be exposed to a variety of topics in information systems so they get an overview of the specialization based on the assumption that the student will not be taking additional courses in IS. Students will demonstrate knowledge of at least three software systems and their application to word processing, communication, and data organization.
Topics
- How technology works
- Technical terminology
- Emerging technologies
- Societal and firm-level consequences of information technology
- Management of technology issues
- Organizational analysis of technology in the firm
- Strategic implications of new technologies
- Reengineering problems and strategies
- Software review considerations
Text
- Applegate, McFarlan & McKenney (1999) Corporate Information Systems Management.
- Wiseman, C. Strategy and Computers: Information Systems as Competitive Weapons. Irwin.
Suggested Reading
- Management Information Systems Quarterly
Business/Financial
Planning PhD
Three Financial Planning
competencies may be substituted for business core
courses, for those students who are majoring in
Financial Planning. All five of the following
competencies are required by the Certified Financial
Planners Board of Standards, Inc., in addition
to other experience requirements, to be admitted
to sit for the Certification Examination. Students
wanting to pursue the CFP credential should contact
the CFP Board of Standards.
Financial
Planning and Insurance
Competency Description
- Covers the financial planning process, legal,
ethical, and regulatory issues; risk management
and insurance; time value of money concept.
Topics
- Introduction to the financial planning process
- Regulatory & ethical considerations for financial planners
- Introduction to the insurance industry
- Risk management & related legal issues
- Life insurance & annuities
- Time value of money and the life insurance selection process
- Health care plans
- Disability income & long-term care insurance
- Property & liability insurance
Text
- Vaughn, Fundamentals of Risk and Insurance. Wiley
Top of page
Business/Financial
Planning PhD
Investment
Planning
Competency Description
- Addresses client assessment, risk tolerance,
tax-advantaged investing, asset allocation, securities
valuation, mutual funds, annuities, modern portfolio
theory.
Topics
- Security Markets
- The economic environment
- Investment risk & return
- Common stock valuation & performance measurement
- Security analysis
- Features of fixed-income securities
- Valuation & analysis of fixed-income investments
- Derivatives
- Real assets
- Mutual funds & foreign investments
Text
- Mayo, Investments: An Introduction (5th Ed.). Dryden
Business/Financial Planning PhD
Income Tax Planning
Competency Description - Overview of tax laws, individual taxation, business taxation, employee compensation, AMT, and tax planning.
Topics
- Income tax concepts, basic terminology & tax calculations
- Tax accounting & forms of business
- Income tax aspects of property acquisitions & property dispositions
- Income tax aspects of the disposition of property
- Passive activity losses and related topics
- Income tax aspects of securities
- Tax planning for families
- Tax law research & special income tax considerations
Texts
- Jones, Principles of Taxation for Business and Investment Planning. Irwin/McGraw-Hill
- RIA's Federal Tax Handbook. The Research Institute of America, NY
Business/Financial Planning PhD
Retirement Planning
Competency Description - Major retirement-related issues including need determination, qualified plans, Social Security, IRAs, Roth plans; benefit plans including group life, group health, non-qualified plans, deferred compensation, and disability insurance.
Topics
- Planning for retirement
- Introduction to retirement plans
- Defined contribution plans for the private sector
- Defined benefit plans for the private sector
- Retirement plans for non-profit & government entities
- Plan design, installation & administration issues
- Retirement plan distributions
- Other employee group benefits
- Non-qualified executive benefit plans
Texts
- Leimberg & McFadden (Eds.), The Tools and Techniques of Employee Benefits and Retirement Planning. National Underwriter Company
- Annual Tax Facts, Student Edition, National Underwriter Company.
Business/Financial Planning PhD
Estate Planning
Competency Description - Developing an estate plan including estate and gift taxation, techniques to reduce taxable estates, probate, wills, and trusts.
Topics
- Estate planning process & goals
- Methods of estate transfer at death
- Federal estate tax
- Federal gift tax
- Planning issues related to generation-skipping transfer tax and income tax
- Methods of estate transfer during life
- Estate liquidity & post-mortem actions
- Planning for incapacity, family arrangements & selecting fiduciaries
Text
- Prestopino, Estate Planning and Taxation. Kendall/Hunt