Business Administration

BA 101 Business in the Modern World (4-0) 4
This course introduces students to the world of business and how this world of business is influenced by the dynamically changing world. It will show how individuals operating within the business environment are impacted by society, politics and the economy. It will also show how business has and is likely to impact society, politics, and the economy. FRESHMEN AND SOPHOMORES ONLY! Fall and winter terms.

BA 205 New Business Venturing (3-0) 3
This course introduces students to starting and operating a business. At the macro level, students are exposed to how business interacts with government, financial institutions and society. At the micro level, students are exposed to customer psychology, basic economics, data analysis and interpretation. Individual research and writing a business plan are required. Other topics covered include franchising, home-based business and e-commerce. On demand.

BA 220 Speaking in the Business World (1-2) 2
This course introduces students to the principles of speech communications with an emphasis on application to organizational contexts. Selectively addressed are the literatures of team communication, interpersonal communication, and public speaking. On demand.
Prerequisite: Comp 150, LIB 150.

BA 221 Writing in the Business World (3-0) 3
This course orients students to the writing practices of business professionals. Students will examine the different kinds of writing required in the decision-making process, and how that writing relates to the intellectual practices, values, and social relationships of business professionals. Although the course addresses issues of conceptualization, inquiry, and reasoning in decision-making, the emphasis of the course is on learning the language conventions for administrative writing analyses and persuasive communications. Fall, winter and summer terms.
Prerequisite: Comp 150, LIB 150, Acc 225 or concurrent enrollment.

BA 240 Business Creativity and Innovation (2-0) 2
The business person’s secret for creating value in the market place is applying creativity and innovation to solve problems and to make use of opportunities that people face every day. Course objectives are to (1) develop skills in generating new and original ideas, (2) increase ability to move ideas into action and success, and (3) increase knowledge and skill in creative problem solving as applied to business settings. The course is a “hands-on” experiential format where students learn through “doing” the concepts. On demand.

BA 253 Business Statistics (4-0) 4
An introductory course covering the collection and analysis of numerical data for decision-making purposes. Topics to be covered include descriptive statistics, measures of central tendency and dispersion, probability, sampling distributions, estimation, hypothesis testing, and regression and correlation. Credit toward graduation will be given for only one of the following courses: BA 253, Psych 241 and Math 201. Fall, winter and summer terms.
Prerequisite: Math 110 or Math 121 or FLC math placement score in Math 210 or Math 221 and Comp 150 and Lib 150.

BA 255 Statistical Inference and
Computer Applications (1-0) 1
This course is designed as a follow up to a three-hour basic statistics course from another school. The course, coupled with a three-hour basic statistics course, will meet the requirements of BA 253 - Business Statistics. Course content includes topics in hypothesis testing and regression, as well as application of computer programs to statistical inference. This course may not be taken for credit by students who have received credit for BA 253. Offered on demand.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.

BA 260S Legal Environment of Business (3-0) 3
An examination of the primary lawmaking and adjudicatory processes, with a substantial emphasis upon the role that economic, social, political and ethical forces play upon the shaping of domestic and international legal rules. Fall, winter and summer terms.
Prerequisites: Comp 150, LIB 150, or consent of instructor.

BA 271 Principles of International Business (2-0) 2
An introductory course addressing the fundamental aspects of conducting business outside the U.S. Topics covered include the nature of international business, theories of trade, trade patterns and agreements, the basics of the international monetary system and the foreign exchange markets, and basic cultural issues. Enrollment of non-SOBA majors is encouraged. Fall and winter terms.
Prerequisites: Econ 266S, concurrent enrollment or instructor consent.

BA 301 Management and Organizational Behavior (4-0) 4
A study of the principles, practices and processes of administration: the organization of a system, the behavior of people in the organization, and the development of organizational effectiveness. Both domestic and international aspects of management theory and practice will be considered. Fall, winter and summer terms.
Prerequisites: Junior standing.

BA 302W Human Resource Management (4-0) 4
Human resource system makeup within an organization. Topics include but are not limited to, recruitment and selection, training and development, performance appraisal, wage and salary administration, discipline, labor relations, union-management relations, and the role of government in human resource administration. Winter term.
Prerequisite: BA 301 and BA 221.

BA 308 Office Management (3-0) 3
The principles of office management and office management technology. The responsibilities of managing office services, layout and space utilization, office furniture and equipment, machines and appliances, personnel issues, controlling costs, and office methods and procedures are included. Individual research required. Offered summers and on demand.
Prerequisites: Junior standing and BA 221.

BA 309W International Management 3-0) 3
An introduction to the unique issues, challenges and opportunities confronting managers in an international environment. The relationship of socio-cultural forces to performance of management functions is emphasized. Topics will include issues such as international competitiveness, comparative management styles, corporate/government relations, entry strategies, transfer of technology, logistics and international human resource management. Winter term.
Prerequisites: BA 301 and BA 271.

BA 311 Business Law I 3-0) 3
Basic principles of law as applied to business transactions. Study of the law of contracts, sale of goods, warranties and negotiable instruments, and secured transactions. These topics are tested on the Business Law portion of the C.P.A. exam. The interactions between social, political and economic factors with law are considered. Fall term.
Prerequisites: BA 260S junior standing and BA 221.

BA 312 Business Law II (3-0) 3
Study of the law of agencies, business associations, bankruptcy, property, employment law, and environmental regulatory law are examined. These topics are tested on the Business Law portion of the C.P.A. exam. Winter term.
Prerequisites: BA 260S,junior standing and BA 221.

BA 313 Ethical Issues in Business (3-0) 3
This course will examine ethical issues which arise and are unique to managerial decision-making in business settings. The course will proceed developmentally with ethical systems commonly used in business, personal ethics, and, finally, ethics in business through case studies. Fall and winter terms.
Prerequisites: Junior standing.

BA 315 International Business Law (3-0) 3
An introduction to public international law with emphasis on international commerce and an examination of national laws and practices that states apply to international commercial transactions. Offered on demand.
Prerequisites: BA 260S, junior standing and BA 221.

BA 325 Competitive Intelligence (4-0)4
This course teaches the practical application and theoretical principles of competitive intelligence techniques. Topics include the importance of intelligence in business, legal and ethical issues, the intelligence cycle (planning, collection, analysis, and dissemination), managerial and marketing intelligence, analysis of scientific and technical information, foreign intelligence collection, and business security/counterintelligence. Discussion and practice cover analytical models and tools, use of information sources, and primary research methods.
Note: This course does not count for credit toward the CSIS major. Same course as CSIS 325. Winter term.
Prerequisite: CSIS 322.

BA 330 Tourism and Resort Management (4-0) 4
An introductory course covering the scope, organization and environment of the domestic and international tourism and resort industry. Topics to be covered include industry components, supply and demand, motivation and sociology, economics, public policy and environmental issues, and current leadership and management challenges facing the industry. Fall term.
Prerequisite: Junior standing.

BA 339 Selling (3-0) 3
This course focuses on the relationship between buyer and seller, the selling process, buyer behavior, negotiations, and the communication process. Winter term.
Prerequisite: BA 340.

BA 340 Marketing (4-0) 4
The course stresses marketing activities from a managerial perspective. It includes the marketing of goods and services and ideas in both business and non-business organizations. There is an emphasis on concepts of marketing and application of these concepts in decision-making and managing marketing variables in a dynamic domestic and international environment. Marketing principles are applied in a computerized industry game and/or cases. Fall, winter and summer terms.
Prerequisites: Junior standing.

BA 342 Retailing (3-0) 3
An introduction to retailing from the management point of view: study of retail policies and organization, the operation of the buying and selling functions, merchandise control, store systems, personnel management, retail accounting and expense control. Fall term.
Prerequisite: BA 340.

BA 346 Managing Customer Value (4-0) 4
This course establishes the strategic marketing structure for a firm’s ability to combine and manage the dimensions of product/service quality, customer service, and price in a way to create an enduring competitive advantage. The course uses lectures, discussions, cases, and spreadsheet analyses to achieve its objective. Fall term.
Prerequisites: BA 340.

BA 347 Consumer Behavior (3-0) 3
This course explores behavioral theory as it relates to consumer and industrial decision processes. Relevant concepts and recent research findings are drawn from the fields of marketing, psychology, sociology, and communications. Applications of these ideas is directed toward improving marketing management and decision-making. Winter term.
Prerequisites: BA 340.

BA 348 Public Relations (3-0) 3
This course will introduce students to the marketing and managerial functions of public relations, the public relations process, and techniques of message preparation for a variety of media. Winter term.
Prerequisites: BA 340.

BA 349W Global Marketing (4-0) 4
This course encompasses the study of marketing activities in the global marketplace by examining strategies that work and that don’t work. A special emphasis is placed on the need to consider cultural markets, as opposed to focusing on political boundaries by examining the impact of cultural similarities, as well as differences. Fall term.
Prerequisites: BA 340 and BA 271.

BA 353 Operations Management (3-2) 4
Concepts and methods for economical planning and control of activities required for transforming a set of inputs into specified goods or services. Emphasis is given to forecasting, decision analysis, cost analysis, design of production systems, production/marketing relationships, operations planning and control, and the importance of global competitiveness. Fall, winter and summer terms.
Prerequisites: Either BA 253, Psych 241 or Math 201 and BA 221 and BA 301, or CSIS 110.

BA 357 Studies in Operation Management (3-2) 4
A study of selected topics in operations management. This course’s content will vary. Students may take this course more than once, provided the subject is different on each occasion. Some examples of different subjects are: Computer Applications in Decision-making; Quality and Productivity; Transportation and Logistics; Purchasing; Project Management; Forecasting. Offered on demand.
Prerequisite: BA 301.

BA 360 Introduction to Operations Research (4-0) 4
Overview of optimization techniques used in operations research. Topics include linear programming, network flow, transportation problems, queuing theory, inventory models, PERT and CPM, dynamic programming, use of statistical computer packages. Winter term of odd-numbered years. (This course is the same as Math 360.)
Prerequisite: Math 210 or Math 221.

BA 370 Topics in International Business 1-6
An examination of selected topics and issues pertaining to the international marketplace. Students may take this course one or more times for credit, provided the subject is different on each occasion. Offered on demand.
Prerequisites: Junior standing or consent of instructor.

BA 375 Studies in European Business 3-18
This course provides appropriate credit for studies completed in one of SOBA’s Trimester Abroad programs with European partner schools. It may be repeated once for credit. The exact number of credit hours awarded will be determined by the Dean after review of the study program completed.
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

BA 380 Financial Management (4-0) 4
An introductory course focusing on financial analysis and decision-making, including time value of money, valuation of stocks, bonds, and other securities, investment risk management, capital budgeting, cost of capital, and long and short-term financing for firms competing in a global business environment. Fall, winter and summer terms.
Prerequisites: Junior standing, Acc 226, BA 221, and Econ 266S.

BA 382 Financial Institutions (4-0) 4
Provides a descriptive and analytical understanding of the structure and operation of financial institutions and markets using both historical and international perspectives. Topics examined include the major categories, the role of the central bank, and interest and exchange rate theories. This course is the same as Econ 382. Credit will not be awarded for both BA 382 and Econ 382. Winter term.
Prerequisite: BA 380.

BA 386 Insurance (4-0) 4
A study of the types of coverage, buying strategies, and various types of insurance companies. Emphasis is placed on insurance contracts, risk management programs, fire, marine, casualty, business property and liability, life, and other type of insurance. Offered on demand.
Prerequisite: BA 380.

BA 387 Real Estate (4-0) 4
An introductory course providing a foundation for those interested in real estate as a professional career, an investment mechanism, or simply as home ownership. Topics covered include legal considerations for listing, sale and transfer of real property rights, the regulation, practices and legal ethics of real estate agents, and the appraisal, investment analysis and financing techniques of real property. Offered on demand.

BA 389 International Finance (4-0) 4
This course is concerned with the financial management of a multinational corporation. Special consideration is given to foreign exchange risk management, investment analysis, capital budgeting, capital structure and working capital management. Fall term.
Prerequisites: BA 380 and BA 271.

BA 401W Entrepreneuship and
Small Business Management (3-0) 3
How to conceive, initiate, organize, manage and operate a small business. Winter term.
Prerequisites: BA 221, BA 340, BA 353 and BA 380, senior standing or consent of instructor.

BA 402 Electronic Commerce (4-0) 4
This course introduces the student to the technical and business considerations for creating a business web site. Technical considerations include web site design and structure strategies, web security, EDI and payment system implementation and development of business strategy and digital nervous systems within the business environment. This course is best suited to upper level business or computer science majors. On demand.
Prerequisite: CSIS 322.

BA 407W Management Consulting (2-4) 4
The study of the concepts and models of management consulting and their application in business organizations. Emphasis is on practical application and the use of relevant tools and techniques. Students are required to engage in consulting services. Fall and winter terms.
Prerequisites: BA 221, BA 340, BA 353 and BA 380, senior standing and consent of instructor.

BA 415 Management in Action 3-6
The study of management principles and their application through research, plant visits and on-site interviews with top management personnel. Offered on demand during summer term.
Prerequisites: BA 301 and consent of instructor.

BA 437 Internship in Business 3
Directed experience working in a business organization performing professional duties and responsibilities. Specific requirements will depend on the supervising college faculty member but include, as a minimum, the keeping of a detailed journal and the completion of a term paper. A minimum of 150 hours of directed experience will be required, however, normally students complete 200-300 hours. The student’s performance will be evaluated by his/her supervisor in the business organization as well as the assigned college faculty member. Fall, winter and summer terms.
Prerequisites: Business majors having completed 80 semester hours and consent of instructor.

BA 439 Marketing and Management of Services (4-0) 4
The integration and application of relevant business theories, techniques, and skills to industry issues and problems through lectures, cases and a major project. Areas of emphasis will include the strategic service vision, operational strategies and operations management, law, service delivery systems, marketing, people and the service culture, quality control, management accounting, financial management, as well as the global implications of services management. Fall and winter terms.
Prerequisites: Senior standing, BA 340 and BA 353.

BA 445W Marketing Strategy and Policy (4-0) 4
An integrated course in marketing strategy and policy, employing comprehensive case problems in the formulation of marketing action programs and business policy. Heavy emphasis is placed on the writing and presentation of marketing plans. Fall term.
Prerequisites: BA 340, BA 380 and senior standing.

BA 446 Marketing Research (3-2) 4
This course provides students with a knowledge base and skills for planning and conducting a research project as the basis of making efficient, effective and ethical marketing decisions. A special emphasis is placed on the marketing research process to study behavior in the marketplace via exploratory approaches such as focus groups and more systematic approaches such as surveys. Fall and winter terms.
Prerequisites: BA 253 and BA 340.

BA 481W Cases in Financial Management (4-0) 4
This course will apply the tools learned in BA 380 to a variety of business problems and cases. Areas of analysis will not be confined to finance but will include decision making in marketing, management, etc., realizing the interdisciplinary reality of business. Fall term.
Prerequisites: BA 221 and BA 380.

BA 485 INVESTMENTS AND PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT (4-0) 4
Analysis of various investment theories is accompanied by a study of the securities markets. Areas of emphasis would include analysis and valuation of stocks, and derivative securities, implications of diversification for return and risk of a portfolio, and strategies for the management of portfolio risk. Winter term.
Prerequisites: BA 380.

BA 496 SENIOR SEMINAR IN STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT (4-0) 4
The integration of managerial theories, techniques and skills, provides vicarious experiences and research in administrative decision making, policy, strategy and tactics. Emphasis is on the total organization and its internal and external relationships and responsibilities. Cases analyzing firms ranging from small to large, local to international and profit to not-for-profit are covered. An appropriate term paper is required. Fall, winter and summer terms.
Prerequisites: Senior standing and completion of Acc 225, Acc 226, Econ 266S, BA 221, BA 253, BA 260S, BA301, BA 340, BA 353, BA 380, and BA 446W or Econ 361 or Math 210 or Math 221 or Math 350 or Math 360.

BA 499 INDEPENDENT STUDY 1-3
Individual research is conducted under the supervision of a faculty member. Offered on demand.
Prerequisite: Approval of the Dean of the School of Business Administration.

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