The International Business (Virtual Experience) course is designed to offer students opportunities for analyzing information and strategies for conducting business in the international marketplace. The course will allow students to examine international business practice and their impact on the global market via business process analysis such as PESTLE, SOAR, and SWOT. In addition, the course will expand on students’ knowledge of international business strategies and procedures, global corporate social responsibility and current international norms. The course will also demonstrate the impact of financial risks and currency fluctuation on foreign investment. Lastly, this course will give students the opportunity to examine various cultures through interactive activities. Prerequisite: As this course is an elective option for the student, elective courses must be completed after all other major courses and prior to the capstone course.

The Entrepreneur/Intrapreneur course examines key aspects of the roles of entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs within organizations. Both roles are important to the continued success and competitiveness of an organization. This course explores new and innovative ways for organizations to overcome challenges in their internal and external operating environments. Additionally, this course examines financial elements that are associated with new venture start-ups in addition to studying the ethical implication with global growth strategy. Students will focus on the internal activities of intrapreneurs and the external activities of entrepreneurs that can positively impact organizations as a whole and individual careers. Prerequisite: As this course is an elective option for the student in the MBA program, elective courses must be completed after all other major courses and prior to the capstone course.

The Project and Operations Management course includes critical project planning basics as well as methods to achieve efficiency in manufacturing and service industries in today’s marketplace. Students will explore the connections between various business activities and processes which impact production. Some of these areas include the organization’s ability to utilize project management methods, meet product specifications, adhere to contractual requirements, schedule deliverables, and effectively utilize available resources to attain profitability. Students will study the influences on operations outcomes, capacity management, process analysis, quantitative work measurement, and production control. Additionally, this course will enhance students’ understanding of project and operations management by investigating business tools for effective global operations management.

The Financial Statement Analysis course provides a detailed and comprehensive evaluation of the financial statements to aid in short-term and strategic long-term decision making. Accounting concepts will be studied from a manager’s perspective rather than a detailed accountant’s perspective to allow students to analyze and interpret financial results. Students will study both Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) to gain an understanding of the basic accounting concepts and language. Financial ratios, horizontal, and vertical analysis will be calculated to interpret and understand financial statements. Students will have the opportunity to explore accounting concepts at the corporate level and apply several concepts at the personal finance level as well. Prerequisite: BUS 592.

The Global Economics and Political Influence (featuring Steve Forbes) course introduces skills and perspective necessary to understand domestic and international macroeconomic events.  The course will provide an overview of macroeconomic topics including, unemployment, inflation, money supply, and the tools employed by the Federal Reserve System and the federal government to create and implement monetary and fiscal policies.  This course will also include international trade and the foreign exchange markets.  Finally, real life important policy debates such as government spending and taxes, social security, the role of government with contrasting views from Keynes and Hayek, and the importance of a sound money system will be critically explored. Prerequisite: BUS 592.

The Data and Decision Analytics course will provide students with the knowledge of how data influences decision making in modern organizations. Students will become familiar with a variety of business intelligence skills including data collection, data organization, analytical methods that lead to practical application. Students will explore data sets and how to use that data to make operational and strategic decisions. Prerequisite: BUS 592.

The Law and Ethics in the Business Environment course covers major areas of legal regulation, including anti-trust, consumer protection, employment and labor law, intellectual property law, environmental regulations, securities and contract laws. While studying the laws, students will be acquainted with ethical decision-making tools to enhance ethical thinking and problem solving in both domestic and international contemporary business settings. Emphasis is placed on active, experiential application of legal and ethical reasoning and analysis as applied in diverse cultural environments.

The Global Marketing course develops a comprehensive understanding of global competition. It focuses on the managerial application of marketing tools and methodology utilized in gaining global competitive advantage and creating socially responsible marketing strategies. It covers the analysis of various environmental forces in the global arena such as economic environment, political, legal, and regulatory climates, as well as trade, cultural and social environments. Emphasis is placed on tools and tactics used in the development of a successful global marketing plan including information systems, market research, segmentation, targeting and positioning, various global marketing strategies, and the four major components of a marketing plan: products and brand, price, channels of distribution, and promotion.