School of Professional Studies in Chicago

Colleges and Schools

Program Requirements

All School of Professional Studies degrees require a total of 120 semester hours of credit, which can be fulfilled through a combination of North Park classes and transfer credits. Learn more about program requirements for all our majors.

Bachelor of Arts

Students seeking a bachelor of arts (BA) in business administration will have the option to complete courses in several disciplines: business administration (BADM),  and organizational management and leadership (ORG). This program prepares students to lead with particular focus on the values, problems, and priorities of management in business organizations, as well as a broad understanding of the functional activities of production, marketing, finance, and accounting.

BA Requirements

Required major courses:

    •  ORG 3034, Business Communications
    •  ORG 4074, Leadership and Management
    •  ORG 4094, Principles of Marketing
    •  ORG 4120, Business Ethics
    •  BADM 3100, Principles of Macro and Micro Economics
    •  BADM 3300, Principles of Financial Accounting
    •  BADM 3500, Principles of Managerial Accounting, or BADM 3700, International Business
    •  BADM 3900, Business Law
    •  BADM 4100, Foundations of Finance
    •  BADM 4200, Production Management, or BADM 3030, Introduction to Digital Business Systems & Technology in Organizations
    •  BADM 4400, Strategic Management

Business Administration Minor

This 22-semester hour minor will provide a foundational knowledge of the business administration area and serves as a great compliment to any other SPS major.

Courses

Click on the links below for course descriptions of all business administration courses. For a complete list of all North Park’s programs and course offerings, review the academic catalog.

Communicating in the workplace with emphasis on written, verbal, non-verbal, and other visual modes of communication. The processes of imparting and receiving information are emphasized. Business writing, the use of visual aids, and professional presentation methods are put into practice. Ethical behavior in communications is examined.


The roles of leadership, managing people and change, and total quality management (TQM) are examined. The firm's mission and its relation to the individual is presented: performance appraisals, issues of gender and cultural diversity, negotiation techniques, hiring, and termination analysis are included. The characteristics of the ethical organization are examined.


The environment of marketing, including market identification and selection, the concepts of marketing mix, target markets, and the product life cycle as applied to the global economy, are fundamental to the course. Company mission and Maslow's hierarchy are implemented to determine organizational fit. Consumer behavior, organizational markets, product planning and development, and the essentials of marketing communication are presented and analyzed. Service and non-profit marketing procedures are included. The ethics of marketing and processes are examined.


An introduction to ethics and to ethical decision-making. A basic overview of value systems and ethical paradigms, utilizing a seminar format. Discussion of how values and ethics may be applied to the issues and dilemmas of the business world.


Focus on macro (external) and micro (internal) environments of business, and monetary and fiscal policy as applied to interest rates, growth, income and prices. The expanding role of the international economy is discussed. The ethics of business and governmental policymaking are examined.


This course introduces the study of generally accepted accounting principles and techniques for measurement and reporting of financial information in a balance sheet, income statement and statement of cash flows. This will involve developing an understanding of the accounting cycle, transaction analysis, debits and credits, financial reporting concepts and internal control. Ethical implications of accounting decisions will also be considered.


This course introduces managerial accounting concepts that are relevant to decision-making. Topics include theory and practice of job cost and unit cost accounting, including job order, process and standard costing systems, variance analysis, direct and indirect costs, and budgeting.


This is a course designed to introduce students to international business and the role of multinational corporations (MNC) in today's global economy. The course will address international business issues that need to be understood by managers of organizations with worldwide operations and/or plans to commence foreign operations. The course focuses on, international business issues such as; political, cultural, social, legal, economic, financial, trade and investment, regional trading blocks, role of nation state, and multi-national institutions. By the end of the course, students should gain a global perspective and be aware of the potential of international business in today's fast changing competitive business environment.


An introduction to the foundational concepts in business law. Fundamental legal understanding of our system of federalism and state law, government regulation of business, and an overview of the principles underlying the formation of contracts (including general contracts and those for the sale of goods), torts, negligence and strict liability and the various forms of business organization common in the United States.


This course covers the concepts and techniques of financial management with an emphasis on for profit corporate entities. The major focus of this course will be on valuation techniques, project analysis, the effects of markets on rate structure, and corporate financial structure. Specific topics include the time value of money, discounted cash flow techniques, internal rates of return, management of working capital, financial analysis, capital budgeting, capital structure, cost of capital, dividend policy and valuation techniques. The course will also cover acquisition and allocation of short and long-term capital. While highly quantitative in nature, this course stresses problem-solving processes, specifically in a financial context. Included in this, especially in light of North Park's Christian heritage, we will explore how ethical considerations have affected financial decision-making and theory throughout history.


Objective, constraints and processes, associated with the efficient production of goods and services. Analytical models and methods, facilities design and the design of control systems for production operations are presented. Process and systems analysis, capacity, design, inventory planning and control, queuing theory, and network models are all included in the production management science. Student must complete an undergraduate statistics course or pass proficiency testing.


This course addresses functional, strategic, and competitive roles of digital business systems and technology in organizations. Topics include an introduction to hardware and software, types of information systems, the analysis and improvement of information systems, management of databases and information systems, technology evaluation methodologies, and workplace issues related to technology.


Provides a capstone experience for the business administration and organizational and management and leadership major. As such it will summarize and synthesize the various disciplines of management and will assist the student in creating a strategic future for the (business) organization. The course will examine the key dimensions of strategic management: mission determination, environmental scanning, organizational analysis, strategy selection and organizational implementation. Students will complete a summary project requiring individual and team research, quantitative data gathering and qualitative analysis in service of creating a new direction for an existing organization. Throughout, the ethical dimensions of decision-making and implementation will be emphasized. The course will allow students to apply the lessons of strategic thinking to their own career direction.