Program Requirements
Students completing the requirements for a bachelor of science (BS) degree in business with a concentration in management will be prepared to enter the business and nonprofit world as ethical leaders and competent managers, able to work well with diverse groups of people and communicate effectively in professional settings.
Major Requirements
58 hours of major coursework
120 total credits for graduation
Students are required to complete an internship (BSE 4970) or to provide documentation of other work experience.
ACADEMIC CATALOG CORE CURRICULUM
Course Descriptions
The following descriptions are a sample of courses you may take as a business major. For a complete list of required courses, please review the academic catalog.
An introduction to the theory and practice of public speaking. Topics include types of speeches, types and uses of source material, organization, performance, and speech criticism.
An introduction to the important problems and topics in the area of business and professional ethics, e.g., job discrimination, corporate responsibility, environmental obligations, professional codes of ethics, power, and accountability.
Introduction to applied statistical analysis. Descriptive, correlational, and inferential statistics; concepts of population, sample, sampling distribution; elements of probability; parameters of discrete distributions; hypothesis testing: analysis of proportions, means, and variance; linear regression. Computer applications required. Cross-listed with MATH 1490.
Problems, fields, and methods of sociology. Emphasis on a theoretical frame of reference to explain basic social processes, the role of culture in social behavior, the nature of social organization, and social and cultural change. Intensive reading in descriptive studies from a wide range of societies.
Exploration of male and female gender roles in culture and society. Importance of gender in workplace, family, education, and belief systems. Analysis of power. Assessment of the contribution of feminist theories to study of gender. Cross-listed with WGS 2150.
Critical examination of the theoretical foundations of the study of society and culture. Historical evolution of social and anthropological thought as well as contemporary analysis. Required of all students majoring in sociology.
Examination of class, status, and power; their origin, change, and interrelationship with other aspects of society; societal distribution of resources and rewards. Analysis of forces influencing individual and group mobility.
An introduction to the methodology and the major content areas of psychology.
Examines some of the basic processes of behavior and mental life: classical and operant conditioning, memory, and thinking. Combines experimental data, everyday experience, and psychological theory.
Focuses on the scientific investigation of individuals' characteristic patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving from a psychological perspective. Includes historical and contemporary approaches, current research, personality assessment, and the application of personality concepts in everyday life.
Introduces the study of human behavior in groups, including social cognition, social influence, attribution, social comparison, attraction and friendship, stereotypes, and the self. The course incorporates theory, research, and application.
A 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. It includes an introduction to analysis and interpretation of financial data for decision-making purposes.
A study of managerial accounting concepts relevant to decision-making. Topics include cost accounting systems, the nature of costs, standard costs, and budgeting.
An introduction to basic economic concepts and models. An aggregate and analytical view of economic analysis focusing on national income, employment, the price level, and economic growth. The theory of income determination, fiscal policy, monetary policy, and the international economy. Current issues and policies in macroeconomics including studies on labor force and job structure. Historical review and development of economic doctrines.
Development of the fundamental analytical tools of microeconomics analysis. Presentation of the concepts of the market, consumer behavior, and the behavior of the firm. The theory of production and cost, market structures, and distribution theory. Current issues and policies related to exchange and resource allocation, decisions on choice, and income distribution in markets. Historical perspectives on income distribution and industry structure.
An introduction to finance. The study includes a discussion of basic concepts, including accounting statements, security markets, interest rates, taxes, risk analysis, time value of money, and the basics of security valuation. It includes how financial managers can help maximize their firm's values by improving decisions in such areas as capital budgeting, choice of capital structure, and working capital management.
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software such as SAP and Oracle will be introduced through the study of Operations Management. Operations Management today relies on ERP systems for all planning and customer service in most large organizations. The topics of forecasting, materials management, production planning and execution, logistics scheduling and execution, and order management and fulfillment will be studied in the context of ERP systems. Other topics will include make-buy decision making as well as introductions to quality management and linear programming.
This course uses the scientific method to find and solve problems in the operations of a for-profit or nonprofit organization. Mathematical models are used to measure and analyze problems dealing with efficiency. Topics include: statistics, forecasting, linear programming, project management, and quality. This quantitative course helps the student to become an agent for change within our society's global or local organizations.
The legal process surrounding civil dispute resolution, including intentional torts, negligence, and ethical standards. Introduction to contracts, mutual assent, contractual capacity, and Uniform Commercial Code. Will also focus on the relationship of principal and agent; duties, rights, and liabilities of partnerships; the nature, formation, and powers of corporations.
This course emphasizes the importance of communicating effectively and ethically in the workplace. Emphasis will be placed on multiple modes of communication; written, oral, and, non-verbal. Students will provide resumes developed through the Career Development and Internship Office programming to assess readiness for personal interviewing. Strategies for professional presentation methods such as Prezi or PowerPoint will be explored. Business writing will also include an executive summary of a persuasive speech, sales pitch, or fundraising request using qualitative and quantitative data.
An introduction to the marketing function in private and public organizations, designed to provide students with an overview of marketing concepts, tools, and methods of analysis. The course takes a practical, managerial approach to managing the marketing process. Steps in the marketing process, including market research, segmentation, targeting, positioning, and the four P's (product, place, price, promotion) are explored, along with concepts of customer value and satisfaction, competitive analysis, brand strategy, consumer behavior, advertising, and the impact of the internet on marketing strategy and implementation.
This course covers public relations and corporate communications strategies. Topics include agency management, crisis strategies, personnel strategies, branding, and ethics. Analysis and writing of print, electronic, and oral messages to achieve organizational objectives i.e., writing backgrounders, boiler plates, fact sheets, press releases, speeches, newsletters, brochures, feature stories, annual reports, and intro bytes.
This course addresses the principles of management and leadership along with their historical underpinnings. The scope of the course includes managerial (i.e. planning, organizing, leading, and controlling) and leader (i.e. process, influence, context, attainment, shared experience) function and responsibility; effective and ethical manager and leader characteristics. Particular attention is paid to issues of gender and cultural diversity. Application of the above theory is practiced throughout the course in the form of project based teams, self-management activities, assessments, authentic leadership development, presentations, and introductory level scholarly research using APA (American Psychological Association) style for research writing.
Application of management concepts and techniques to the small firm. Special attention will be given to the particular nature, opportunities, needs, and problems of small manufacturing, wholesale, retail, and service firms. Topics include comparison of similarities, differences, and relations between small and large firms; the role/skills of the entrepreneur, the impact of small firms on the economy; intrapreneurship in larger firms, evaluation of business ideas and target markets; issues and methods of starting a small firm; risk and venture management for small firms, and venture financing. The course culminates with the oral and written presentation of a business plan for a new or existing small business.
This is the capstone course of the undergraduate business curriculum. As such it will synthesize the various disciplines of management and address the overall determination of strategic direction for the business organization. The student will begin by investigating the basics of human behavior in organizations and apply this theory to the organizational decision making process. Emphasis will be on the five steps of strategic management: mission determination, environmental analysis, organizational analysis, strategy selection, and organizational implementation. Students will have an opportunity to participate in a computer simulation of a business organization, which requires them to synthesize the various disciplines they have studied throughout their undergraduate curriculum.
The Internship Program provides an opportunity for students to gain hands-on experience and to explore career options in their chosen field. The student earns a minimum of 1 semester hour for their internship. A maximum of 8 semester hours may apply toward graduation. The internship program is open to any North Park student who has completed at least one full year of study at North Park, has third- or fourth-year status and has a minimum GPA of 2.5 in their major. In addition, the student must apply and be accepted by a faculty sponsor and the Internship Committee. The faculty sponsor will monitor the student's progress throughout the internship, including meeting periodically with the student and maintaining contact with the site supervisor. During the course of the internship, interns must fulfill certain requirements. Interns will keep a daily journal of their activities throughout the internship. The faculty sponsor and the site supervisor may, at their discretion, assign certain reading materials to the intern. In addition, the faculty sponsor may assign a final paper. Finally, the intern must work for a minimum of 15 hours per week for one semester. Tuition is charged at the same rate as for other courses, based on the number of semester hours the student is requesting. Grading for all internships is Pass/Fail.
The introductory course will give students an overview of America's nonprofit sector as it relates to both the for-profit business and government sectors. Emphasis will be on the history, purpose, and theories of the sector; the legal and regulatory environment; efforts to improve ethics and accountability; the sector's economics and funding environment; trends in evaluation and outcome measurement; and general management problems and principles. The course will also discuss opportunities for personal growth and career advancement available in the sector and highlight skills and training needed to succeed.
This course develops an understanding of human behavior in changing organizations and the managerial awareness, tools and methods that increase effectiveness. The course explores principles and theories about individuals and groups at work, motivation and interactive drives and processes for satisfying needs, organization strategies for effectively utilizing people and creating the environment to achieve goals of people and companies. The course also examines ethical issues and the rational integration of ethical thinking and decision-making in competitive organizations. New models of teams, organization structure and organizational development practices are studied as the product of today's transforming organizations.
This course examines current theory and practice as it applies to the management of human resources within organizations. Specific focus is given on the effects of organizational mission and culture on human resource management. The processes of recruitment and selection, training and development, performance evaluation, compensation and motivation, and legal influences are examined. The course takes the viewpoint of human resource management as a key responsibility of every manager within the organization.
This course provides a conceptual framework in which to explore competitive and cooperative aspects of business situations and emphasizes the crucial role played by negotiations in accomplishing organizational objectives while enhancing relationships with key stakeholders. The development and use of power to influence others is covered as well as specific negotiating tactics. Students are afforded opportunities for actual negotiating experiences that will help them become better negotiators, attain improved resolutions for disputes, and reach more mutually beneficial agreements.