BU-100 Introduction to Business (3 credits)
In this foundation course, the student develops analytic, problem-solving, valuing, effective citizenship, and self-assessment abilities as the basis for individual and team contributions to organizational goals. Students study successful local, national, and global organizations to develop an understanding of how businesses function and to identify contemporary management practices that lead to successful organizational performance. Students learn to apply management frameworks to analyze and make improvements in organizations, and participate in a team project for a global organization.
BU-101 Career Seminar 1 (1 credit)
This course focuses on developing an awareness of the factors that impact effective career and internship planning in college, as well as post-collegiate employment. Course activities will include: reflective activities including the Clifton Strengths assessment, occupational research, development of a beginning resume and LinkedIn profile, and experiential career activities, including an informational interview or career conversation with business professionals and leaders from the business community. Students will also meet with their career community coach to discuss their developing resume.
Prerequisite(s): BU-100
BU-102 Career Seminar 2 (1 credit)
This course focuses on deepening a student's awareness of different career opportunities and honing their areas of interest through more sophisticated occupational research. Students will learn how to continually assess and strengthen their own skills and experience in preparation to pursue professional opportunities in different career domains. Students will begin to learn how to navigate the job search process, develop a personal brand, and articulate their learning and achievements to a professional audience. Course activities will include more in-depth occupational research, continuing the Clifton Strengths journey, developing a professional digital portfolio, and experiential career activities, including more informational interviews or career conversations with business professionals and leaders from the business community.
Prerequisite(s): BU-101 or MGT 101
BU-103 Career Sem 3: Brand What? Brand Me (1 credit)
In this course, students learn the art of marketing themselves as a professional. Students will be introduced to personal brand statements. Drawing upon their top five strengths from the Clifton Strengths Inventory, students will reflect on the value of their strengths both personally and professionally. Students will learn how to tell their story by articulating who they are and the value they offer. Students will create a personal brand statement and incorporate it into different professional media platforms to further build their professional presence. Working with their professional coaches, students will practice marketing themselves as professionals to develop mentorship connections in their career fields of interest.
BU-104 Career Seminar 4 Activating Your Network Network (1 credit)
This course is designed to help students understand the importance and value of networking in their professional journey. Students will explore different networking styles and learn how to keep their approach fresh and effective using personal strengths and occupational research. The course will include advanced LinkedIn strategies, with a focus on requesting recommendations to enhance their profile. A panel of industry professionals will share their experiences, offering insights into networking successes, challenges, and mistakes, along with practical tips. Students will also refine their ability to craft and communicate their personal story, building a strong, ongoing network for career development.
Prerequisite(s): BU-101
BU-105 Career Seminar - V Know your (net) Worth (1 credit)
Students will learn to assess and negotiate opportunities by leveraging their unique Clifton Strengths. Students will develop essential professional skills through theory and practice, including self-marketing, negotiation, and creating a personal brand statement. The course features a "Speed-Dating" simulation with industry professionals, offering real-time feedback and networking experience. Students will build a digital professional portfolio highlighting their exemplary work and accomplishments, preparing them to excel in today's competitive job market.
Prerequisite(s): BU-101
BU-106 Career Seminar 6 Own Your Career (1 credit)
In this course, students will learn how to create, build, and execute a personalized career action plan that leverages their unique skills, manages expectations, and promotes professional growth. Topics include strategies for building strong endorsements and references, updating resumes, LinkedIn profiles, and digital portfolios, and crafting an impactful brand statement. Through practical exercises, students will refine their professional presence and position themselves for success in a competitive job market. By the end of the course, students will have a comprehensive and actionable career toolkit to support their professional journey.
Prerequisite(s): BU-101
BU-151 Personal Finance (3 credits)
Finances impact every aspect of an individual's life. Learning financial management skills empowers individuals to make effective decisions on how to successfully save, spend and invest. In this course, students will understand both the broader economic and personal factors that influence financial planning. Students will learn how to develop a personal budget to effectively manage income and expenses. The cost-benefit of loans and credit cards, how interest works, along with credit scoring and reporting will be explored. Students will understand key aspects of their financial health such as maintaining an emergency fund, measuring personal cash flow and managing debt in relation to income. Students will learn the basics of investing, how to build retirement savings and develop financial behaviors to reach their savings, financing and investing goals.
BU-201 Financial Accounting (3 credits)
This course introduces anyone who works, or will work, in an organizational setting - a business, a not-for-profit organization, a healthcare facility, or a government agency - to the role financial information plays in planning, decision-making, and the evaluation of organizational performance. We will begin with an introduction to business and accounting. Even if you do not plan to pursue a career in business or accounting, it's important to understand them because they represent important aspects of our society. Having set this context for our work over the semester, we will then examine how day-to-day transactions affect an organization's financial position, profitability (or, in the case of not-for-profit organizations, its revenues and expenditures), and cash flows. We will examine how organizations report financial transactions in financial statements, the conceptual framework that guides financial reporting, and analysis techniques used to tell the "story" of the numbers.
BU-202 Managerial Accounting (3 credits)
In this course, you will take on the viewpoint of a manager within an organization. Using managerial accounting, also known as management accounting, you will learn various financial models to plan and control many activities throughout an organization and to support the management decision-making process. With operational efficiency as one of the main ways an organization can achieve sustainable growth, you will understand that there are different costs for different purposes in an organization. Using such financial models as contribution margin, activity-based costing and variance analysis, you will learn how costs behave and thereby how to effectively manage them to achieve superior organizational performance.
Prerequisite(s): BU-201
BU-210 Macroeconomics (3 credits)
In this study of economics the student learns the basic vocabulary for describing the elements of the economic environment. Students develop a basic understanding of the components and functions of a market economy. Further, students learn to relate production and consumption decisions to a more comprehensive view of national economics; to relate economic frameworks to the financial management of an organization; and to analyze the interaction of contemporary social, political, environmental, and economic policies and their impact on the economy as a whole.
BU-211 Microeconomics (3 credits)
The student develops analytic and problem-solving abilities by learning and applying the basic theories and concepts of microeconomics to economic and social problems. Students learn to analyze the economic behavior and decisions of individual markets, including consumers, firms, and resource owners. Students research and develop potential solutions to economic problems and, as part of a team, make presentations to gain support for implementation of a solution.
BU-214 Operations Management (3 credits)
A comprehensive introduction to business operations and process management, focusing on the end-to-end production of goods and services. Students gain an understanding of business modeling concepts and apply them to managing, measuring, planning, coordinating, and integrating various business functions. Students explore operations management roles, responsibilities and key principles of supply chain management from different industries. Through real-world examples and case studies, students gain insight into how organizations optimize processes to drive efficiency and value.
Prerequisite(s): BU-100
BU-215 Accounting Information Systems (3 credits)
: Accounting information systems are an integral part of a businesses' daily operations and impact companies on numerous levels. Accountants must comprehend the different components of these systems, including the software, IT infrastructure, and procedures, in addition to being able to develop, implement, and evaluate internal controls. The course provides students with the knowledge and skills to function within an entity's accounting information system that integrates information technology and software in the transaction control procedures and financial reporting cycles. Throughout this course, students learn to improve the analysis and design of Accounting Information Systems (AIS) to add real value to business organizations, safeguard business information, and advise businesses about security risks that affect the business's internal control systems over financial documentation, record keeping, and reporting. In addition, students use accounting software to design and evaluate an accounting information system for a small- to medium-sized business.
Prerequisite(s): BU-201
BU-216 Introduction to Information Technology (3 credits)
This course provides the technical framework needed to understand the structure and operation of computer hardware and software. The student studies computer hardware and systems architecture from an advanced-user standpoint. Students work in teams to disassemble and assemble a component computer, to install an operating system, and to troubleshoot both hardware and software problems. Students also explore and learn the components of a home network, how they interact, and how to troubleshoot. Reflecting on academic and professional interests and strengths, students plan a course of study, and begin to develop an informational network among professionals in related fields.
BU-217 Digital Marketing & Media Buying Platforms (3 credits)
This course is designed to immerse students in the core principles and practical applications of digital marketing and media buying. Students will develop a comprehensive understanding of strategic planning, content creation, and social media management. Students will learn the latest knowledge related to digital marketing and best practices, enabling them to develop the necessary skills to effectively execute digital marketing and media buying techniques/campaigns in today's marketplace.
Prerequisite(s): BU-100
BU-219 HR Talent Acquisition (3 credits)
This course explores the strategies and best practices used to acquire, assimilate, and retain employees in an organization. Students examine various talent acquisition methods, assess effective onboarding techniques, and evaluate retention programs. Emphasizing traditional and contemporary recruitment methodologies, the course covers employer branding, workforce planning, sourcing strategies, interviewing techniques, and technology and data analytics in talent acquisition.
Prerequisite(s): BU-100
BU-221 Organizational Behavior (3 credits)
As an employee engaged in some aspect of providing products or services to others, an individual acts in an organizational context, as one of many stakeholders. Through this course, the student better understands how organizations work and learns how to apply this knowledge to creating a high-performance workplace. Students explore human behavior factors that can influence an organization's overall productivity and that contribute to employees' effectiveness, job satisfaction, and organizational citizenship. Course content and ability development are focused on the workplace knowledge and skill development needed to deepen the student's understanding and appreciation of the complexity of human behavior in organizational settings. This enables a student to diagnose issues in organizations and to develop practical, effective recommendations to resolve those issues. In addition, students develop an ability to collaborate effectively with others in the pursuit of individual and shared goals.
Prerequisite(s): BU-100 or MGT 100
BU-225 Entrepreneurship (3 credits)
In this upper-level course, the student develops an ability to identify new business opportunities, as well as an understanding of the small-business environment and entrepreneurship. Over the semester, students create a business plan for a new venture as a way to integrate and apply the abilities and knowledge learned in previous courses. Students have the opportunity to present a business plan to a professional banker for feedback. The enterprising ability that the student develops in this course is a skill which can be used throughout the student's personal and professional life.
BU-250 Business Models & Quantitative Methods (3 credits)
The student develops an ability to use a variety of quantitative and statistical techniques to make and support sound business decisions in areas as diverse as marketing, human resources, and financial management. Students use descriptive and inferential statistics, correlation and regression analysis, and other quantitative methods to develop the analytic and problem-solving abilities needed in today's business world. Students also uses contemporary business software applications to analyze and communicate statistical and quantitative information.
BU-270 Business Ethics (3 credits)
Ethics is a slippery slope. Every day we must engage with the world and make moral choices. Businesspeople in particular are faced with frequent ethical dilemmas because of the scope and breadth of doing business on a daily basis, from efficient sourcing and cost-effective supply chain decisions, humane labor/workforce management, servant leadership practices, and effective resource oversight, to sustainability and responsible stakeholder engagement (customers, employees, suppliers, competitors, and partners). Ethical management principles prioritize people, planet, and profit over simply focusing on profit maximization at any expense or cost. The need for good stewardship of limited, nonrenewable resources has never been so urgent as it has become in recent years. Students will learn how to develop their management skills through an ethical lens and with this framework in mind.
BU-275 Tax Strategy and Planning (3 credits)
Students use accounting information for strategic planning, decision making, and performance measurement, and to understand the environment in which the company operates. Students develop confidence in providing recommendations on a variety of topics, including business taxation principles and their impact on the choice of business entity; cost-volume-profit analysis and its impact on production and pricing decisions; cost behavior analysis and its impact on make-or-buy and sell-or-process decisions; and operations budgeting.
Prerequisite(s): BU-201
BU-276 Digital Marketing Research & Analytics (3 credits)
This course provides students with foundational marketing knowledge as well as digital and informational literacy. It will give them applicable and relevant skills for the 21st century business landscape, which can be applied to various industries and settings, from small businesses to large corporations. Students benefit from hands-on learning that leads to marketing collateral that is portable and digitally accessible, making it easier for students to showcase their work to prospective employers, funders, and supervisors.
Prerequisite(s): BU-100
BU-278 HR Employee Engagement & Retention (3 credits)
This course offers a focused exploration of the strategies, tools, and best practices required to foster a highly engaged workforce and reduce employee turnover. Students learn how to design, implement, and assess engagement initiatives that align with organizational goals. Emphasis is placed on real-world application, with case studies and hands-on projects that develop the skills needed to support a positive, thriving workplace culture. The course is aligned with the Society of HR Management (SHRM) Body of Competency & Knowledge (BoCK), ensuring students gain competencies vital for SHRM-CP or SHRM SCP certification readiness.
Prerequisite(s): BU-100
BU-279 Business Communication (3 credits)
This course is designed to help business students improve their writing and oral presentation and listening skills for effective communication in a variety of professional settings. Students learn "best practices" to create effective business writing using different professional modes (i.e. emails, memos, reports, proposals). They learn to identify the appropriate mode of written communication given the business situation. Students then apply their business writing skills to communicate information such as business concepts and frameworks, data, evaluations and recommendations in a direct yet meaningful manner targeted to their specific audience. They practice refining their speaking and listening in a variety of simulated business settings (i.e. business meetings, informal negotiations and formal presentations). The course culminates in a capstone experience where students apply business frameworks and integrated communication including information, media and technology in a professional setting. Details on face-to-face course meetings will be provided by course instructor at the beginning of the semester.
BU-300 Marketing Management (3 credits)
This course introduces a student to a basic framework for "thinking through key decisions in the marketing process" in the context of the Framework for Marketing Strategy Formation (? Harvard Business Publishing). Through this framework and key activities such as case analyses and immersive learning projects, students will come to a deep understanding and demonstrate an ability to understand, identify, and manage key elements of the Framework particularly marketing planning; analysis and research; segmentation, programming, allocating, and budgeting; monitoring and auditing; and implementation. Students are also introduced to how to structure and deliver those strategies to also provide consumer value while creating a competitive advantage for an organization. Key learning assessments include case analyses of both national and multi-national corporations to develop high-level understanding of consumer mindset related to purchase decisions and overall development of marketing strategy and which research methodologies are best employed to support sound and sustainable strategy formation. Comprehensive course learning assessment takes place in the form of a co-operative education project/immersion experience with the Wisconsin Women's Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC). Students will work on a marketing strategy development team with an actual local company. Teams perform in-depth research and analysis to support formulation of a comprehensive marketing plan via a written report and oral presentation to the organization's owner(s) at the end of the semester. The team identifies and addresses problems ranging from production design to pricing to distribution to marketing communications and considers the product's/service's impact in relevant markets in alignment with the organization's overall mission and objectives.
BU-310 Managerial Finance (3 credits)
The student is introduced to the basic concepts and skills required to manage an organization's assets for growth and survival. Students learn problem-solving techniques used in the acquisition, control, and use of funds to finance current and future operations. Students also learn to analyze a firm's financial strengths and weaknesses in order to more effectively manage the firm's operations.
Prerequisite(s): MGT 201 MGT 210, 1-3 ICM
BU-370 Human Resource Management (3 credits)
The student studies and practices how to make decisions involving selection, placement, training, compensation, and evaluation of human performance. This course provides learning experiences designed to develop an understanding of the typical functions associated with human resource management in organizations; to build skills needed to analyze human behavior in organizational settings in order to make human resource decisions; and to further develop interactive skills.
Prerequisite(s): BU-100
BU-375 Intermediate Financial Accounting (3 credits)
Designed to provide students with a deeper understanding of accounting principles and practices used in preparing financial statements. The course builds on foundational accounting concepts and focuses on more complex topics such as revenue recognition, long-term assets, liabilities, and the preparation of comprehensive financial reports. Students will learn how to analyze and interpret financial data to make informed business decisions. Students will strengthen their skills in financial accounting and improve their ability to understand and apply accounting standards. This course is ideal for students pursuing careers in business, finance or accounting who want to deepen their knowledge of financial reporting and accounting processes.
Prerequisite(s): BU-201
BU-376 Digital Marketing, Content Planning, Strategy & Creation (3 credits)
Students are guided through the foundational elements of digital marketing research and analytics. Students develop a basic knowledge and hands-on experience in data collection, analysis, and application for enhancement of digital marketing efforts. Students gain competencies in using analytics tools, conducting market research, and developing data-driven digital marketing strategies used in today's marketplace.
Prerequisite(s): BU-100
BU-380 The Legal Environment of Business (3 credits)
The student gains an overview of the legal environment of business by examining the impact of a variety of legal principles on managerial decision making. Students further develop their analytic and problem-solving abilities by applying legal frameworks to business problems. Elective course offered on a rotating basis.
BU-410 Business Strategy & Planning (3 credits)
The student learns the principles and frameworks of business policy and strategy formulation and applies these to selected business problems. The student is asked to analyze problems from the perspective of top management and trace the impact of decisions made on the total organization.
BU-425 Advanced Managerial Accounting (3 credits)
Cost is a complex function within organizations that must be managed effectively to achieve superior organizational performance. Through such accounting methods as process costing and activity based management, students will learn how to streamline costs to achieve operational efficiency. Using various case studies, students will learn how different costs such as fixed, variable, and semi-variable costs behave and impact an organzation's bottom line within a cost-volume-profit relationship. Through preparing and analyzing operating and financial budgets, students will learn about the budgeting and forecasting process and how these statements can be used to provide valuable guidance to management. With the understanding and ability to measure the true value of cost, students will learn strategies to gather, evaluate, and communicate such quantitative and non-quantitative information to assist management in making effective planning and cost control decisions.
Prerequisite(s): BU-201
BU-490A Business Capstone I (3 credits)
The student integrates learning and refines the ability to function effectively in new organizational settings as a project manager. As part of a team, the student serves as an external student business consultant for a community organization, providing deliverables that can include business plans, marketing research, and event design and management. The student applies business project management methods and processes to meet the expectations of multiple stakeholders. Drawing on the project experience, the student produces a comprehensive self- and team assessment that describes the progress and unique characteristics as a learner, team member, and project manager.
BU-490B Business Capstone II (3 credits)
The studentintegrates learning and refines the ability to function effectively in new organizational settings as a project manager. As part of a team, the student serves as an external student business consultant for a community organization, providing deliverables that can include business plans, marketing research, and event design and management. The student applies business project management methods and processes to meet the expectations of multiple stakeholders. Drawing on the project experience, the student produces a comprehensive self- and team assessment that describes the progress and unique characteristics as a learner, team member, and project manager.