Business (BUS)
BUS 1000 - Introduction to Business - 3 credits
Fall and Spring Semesters
The course presents a broad introduction to the functioning of businesses. It is designed to give students an understanding of what the business arena is all about, how a business operates and which business functions are needed in any enterprise. Topics covered include accounting, finance, marketing, information and legal systems, operations, business ethics and social responsibility, leadership and decision-making, and human resources.
BUS 1010 - Excel for Business - 1 credit
Fall and Spring Semesters
This course is an introduction to Microsoft Excel for business students. Students will learn the essentials of creating and professionally formatting multiple worksheets, performing basic business calculations with formulas, and using data to create visualizations through charts and graphs. Throughout the course, students will apply the concepts learned in Financial Accounting using Excel.
Corequisite: ACNT 1010.
BUS 1020 - Business & Professional Communication - 3 credits
Fall and Spring Semesters
This course will introduce the many forms of communication used in the business world and present strategies and techniques to improve on one’s own professional communication skills. The course focuses on approaches for planning, creating, and transmitting business information within a variety of business situations found in the global marketplace. Both written and oral communication will be studied using a variety of business documents, projects, and presentations.
BUS 1610 - Economics: Macro - 3 credits
Fall and Spring Semesters
The study of economic analysis in theory and practice. The structure and determinants of a nation’s income, employment, investment, and balanced growth.
This course meets the General Education Social Science Breadth and Quantitative Literacy Enhancement requirements.
BUS 1611 - Economics: Micro - 3 credits
Fall and Spring Semesters
Includes economic issues and decision-making processes. The operation of the price system based on the various market forms of the firm; monopoly power, controls and essentials of workable competition; resource pricing and income distribution going to labor and capital.
This course meets the General Education Social Science Breadth requirement.
BUS 2000 - Management Theory and Practice - 3 credits
Fall and Spring Semesters
This course will explore the theories and practices of management that are used in the organization and management of profit and non-profit businesses and institutions. The course will focus on the four primary management ‘functions’ of planning, leading, organizing and controlling the resources and operations of the organization. The role of the manager and skills that are needed to succeed at different levels of the organization will be addressed. Emphasis will be placed on oral and written communication and effective group interaction.
Prerequisite: BUS 1000.
BUS 2100 - Small Business Concepts - 3 credits
Fall Semester
Examines various forms for business ownership, long and short-term financing, risk management, human resource management, marketing and information systems required to establish successful small businesses. Includes a review of accounting principles, budgeting and economic trends that affect small businesses.
Prerequisite: ACNT 1010.
BUS 2150 - Quantitative Methods and Analytics for Business - 3 credits
Fall and Spring Semesters
This course covers a number of quantitative techniques used to solve business problems. The main objective is to provide students with an understanding of basic statistical concepts and tools, and their use in making business decisions. It focuses on application of statistical analysis to real-world problems. Key concepts covered include extracting the vital information from descriptive statistics, probability concepts, sampling and estimation theory, and regression analysis to construct predictive models based on data. Students are expected to learn how to apply the techniques discussed and to improve their general problem-solving abilities, especially in the business context.
Prerequisite: MATH 1150.
BUS 2170 - Environmental Economics - 3 credits
Fall Semester
In this course, students will study the application of economic concepts and tools to environmental issues. Basic economic principles will be used to analyze how natural resources are (or should be) evaluated and managed. Contemporary environmental problems, such as climate change, sustainable development and transboundary pollution are discussed in the context of the economics concepts introduced in the course. Students will also gain a deeper understanding of how human actions affect the environment, and how individual incentives can be used to improve environmental quality.
Prerequisite: BUS 1611.
BUS 2250 - Business Law - 3 credits
Fall and Spring Semesters
Begins with a study of the historical background and sources of law, and examines the civil and criminal justice systems. Torts, contracts, government regulation of the competitive process, and consumerism are the main topics covered.
BUS 2262 - Employment and Labor Law - 3 credits
Alternate Fall Semesters
An examination of the legal and economic relationships between employers and employees. Labor unions and collective bargaining are addressed in depth as are the areas of at-will employment, wrongful termination, downsizing/restructuring and employee benefits. The balance between an employee’s rights to privacy and employer’s right to effectively manage the business enterprise are discussed, as are discrimination laws and affirmative action.
Prerequisite: BUS 1000.
BUS 2263 - Health Care Law - 3 credits
Summer Semester
Examines legal and regulatory issues confronted by the health care professional in today’s changing environment. Specific issues addressed include health care facility liability, staff and nursing liability, patient consent, law and the mental health patient, reporting obligations, patient rights, medical records, labor relations and hospital reorganization.
Prerequisite: BUS 2250.
BUS 2265 - Collective Bargaining and Labor Relations - 3 credits
Spring Semester
Explores the relationships between organized labor, the employees it represents, and management. Focuses on how the objectives of management and labor are influenced and determined by the existing structures and processes of collective bargaining. Using case studies and classroom exercises, students consider methods of responding to industrial disputes and controversies that challenge the management of the enterprise, and union-management perspectives on preparing, negotiating and administering the collective bargaining agreement. A main objective is to understand how various labor-management relationships affect company policy, economic status and organizational behavior.
Prerequisite: BUS 1000.
BUS 2310 - Residential Property Management I - 3 credits
Fall Semester
This course is an introduction to basic residential property management. It provides information on the impact of the legal system, maintenance, operation, and marketing responsibilities of the resident manager, maintaining satisfactory tenant relations and other managerial techniques for the real estate professional. The role and process of property management rights, responsibilities of managers and residents, competencies necessary for managing residential properties and social services are examined.
BUS 2320 - Residential Property Management II - 3 credits
Spring Semester
This course is the second part of an introduction to basic residential property management. Examination of operational and financial aspects of residential property management including budgeting and purchasing decisions, maintenance management, optimizing rents and apartment evaluation are included.
Prerequisite: BUS 2310.
BUS 2500 - Human Resource Management - 3 credits
Spring Semester
A survey of the human resources management and development function. Examines how organizations plan, staff, motivate, evaluate, and develop employees to enhance productivity, advance the quality of work life, and guarantee that organizations are in legal compliance with the management of employee relations. Class topics include human resource planning, job analysis and design, recruitment and selection of personnel, administration of wages and fringe benefits, collective bargaining, and labor relations. Required for returning, transfer, and Continuing Education Business Administration majors.
Prerequisite: BUS 1000.
BUS 2510 - Organizational Systems and Processes - 3 credits
Fall and Spring Semesters
Analyzes the management of organizational systems, and processes. An original, field-based, team research project and presentation focused on how a “live” organization integrates systems, processes, and best practices is required. Organizational design and development concepts to facilitate effective team work, cross-functional team decision-making, and conflict resolution are examined.
Prerequisite: BUS 1000.
BUS 2540 - Employee Recruitment, Selection and Retention - 3 credits
The curriculum focuses on examining various situations, contingencies, practical tactics and techniques as they relate to your roles within a business. Students will gain an understanding of the strength and weaknesses of strategies used by business leaders and learn to assess a variety of situations regarding the most appropriate approaches in maximizing employees’ performance and methods to set organizational models and strategies, thus leading to great performance. This is a practice- oriented, team based learning course.
Prerequisite: BUS 2500.
BUS 2550 - Operations Management - 3 credits
Fall and Spring Semesters
Operations management (OM) plans, organizes, coordinates, and controls the resources needed to produce goods and services. This course provides a management perspective of operations using a mathematical component. Concepts are arranged in progressive order from strategic to tactical, applying quantitative and qualitative analysis to OM concepts. Students explore the role of operations in building the firm's competitive strength and fulfilling the firm's goal of creating value and delivering customer satisfaction. The course utilizes Excel-based decision-making tools and business analytics models to develop quantitative OM analyses. Finally, concepts are reinforced using marketplace OM simulations and mastered through an inquiry-based project.
Topics include productivity, operations strategy, project management, forecasting, design of goods and services, managing quality, process strategies, capacity and constraint planning, location and layout strategies, managing human resources, supply chain management, inventory management, aggregate planning and S&OP, materials requirement planning, short-term scheduling, lean operations, and maintenance and reliability.
This course meets all majors' General Education Reading and Writing Enhancement requirement.
Prerequisites: BUS 1000, ACNT 1011, and MATH 1150.
BUS 2610 - Crisis Management - 3 credits
Offered periodically within a three-year academic cycle
Course will examine the challenge posed by rapid and uncertain change, particularly as a response to threats posed by domestic and international terrorism and internal crises in the workplace. Through analyzing risk, decision-making, and planning, students will use structured exercises to strategically react and plan solutions in rapid change situations. Skills needed for situational analysis, forecasting, and managing organizational responses to dramatic change will be identified.
BUS 2900 - Peer Tutor/Group Facilitator - 3 credits
Fall and Spring Semesters
Peer Tutors/Group Facilitators participate in a variety of first year Business courses and work with assigned groups on teambuilding; problem analysis; written reports and papers; exercise and case preparation; class presentations; and World Wide Web research during required weekly out-of-class meetings. May be repeated.
Prerequisite: Permission of A. Fabrizio.
BUS 3310 - Advanced Property Management - 3 credits
Offered periodically within a three-year academic cycle
This course examines property management considerations for condominiums, community associations, office, industrial and retail (commercial) space. It also covers lease management and negotiations, maintenance and marketing practices, and legal and fiduciary responsibilities of the commercial property manager.
Prerequisite: BUS 2320.
BUS 3320 - Contemporary Issues in Property Management - 3 credits
Offered periodically within a three-year academic cycle
This is the capstone course in residential property management. It will examine current issues affecting the property manager, marketing trends, demographics, legal issues and economic factors. The course culminates in the analysis of an apartment community and development of a comprehensive operational, marketing and cash flow plan.
Prerequisite: BUS 3310.
BUS 3450 - Business Administration Internship Field Experience - 1-9 credits
Fall and Spring Semesters
Provides students with “hands-on” experience working in a field placement. A learning contract and a reflection paper are required, as well as weekly meetings with on-campus supervisors, and participation in a weekly seminar. (Prior to registration for BUS 3450 an Internship application must be submitted.)
This course meets the General Education Active Learning requirement.
Prerequisites: Permission of A. Fabrizio/M. Perrault.
Corequisite: BUS 3450 SM.
BUS 3450SM - Business Administration Internship Seminar - 0 credit
Fall and Spring Semesters
In weekly seminars, Interns examine job requirements, skills and abilities, create individual performance plans, and share experiences. The systems, processes, policies, and structures needed to maintain a firm’s competitive advantages are also examined. Required for Business Administration interns.
Prerequisite: permission of A. Fabrizio/M. Perrault.
Corequisite: BUS 3450.
BUS 3500 - Employee Training and Development - 3 credits
Offered periodically within a three-year academic cycle
Examines the broadening role of employee training and development in organizations. Discusses how training practices and the organization of the training function can support business goals, create value, and help companies deal successfully with competitive challenges. Covers traditional training methodology: presentation methods, hands-on methods, and group methods. Introduces new methodology: web-based instruction, multimedia, and distance learning. The changing nature of careers and the career management process are examined.
Prerequisite: BUS 2500 or BUS 2510.
BUS 3510 - Leadership - 3 credits
Offered periodically within a three-year academic cycle
Focuses on the nature and impact of leadership within organizations. Contemporary and historical theories of leadership are presented. Students develop their own personal philosophy of leadership. Examines how leadership can be initiated within organizations, the policy-making process, and the relationship between leaders and followers. The course is interactive; students undertake exercises and personal examination to gauge their inclinations toward various behaviors within leadership relationships; examines case studies in light of various theories and research.
Prerequisite: BUS 2500 or BUS 2510.
BUS 3530 - Total Compensation - 3 credits
Offered periodically within a three-year academic cycle
This course focuses on examining various situations, contingencies, practical tactics and techniques as they relate to the roles within a business. Thinking like a compensation manager, the student will gain an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of strategies used by business leaders and learn to assess a variety of situations regarding the most appropriate approaches in maximizing employees’ performance and methods to train them to great performance.
Prerequisite: BUS 2500.
BUS 3820 - Investments - 3 credits
Spring Semester
Examines the principles behind investing in securities such as stocks, bonds, options, and future contracts. Provides an understanding of how to analyze securities, how to determine whether they are appropriate for inclusion in an investment portfolio, and how to buy and sell them. Designed to impart practical knowledge to Business Administration students interested in becoming investment professionals or sophisticated private investors.
Prerequisite: FIN 2000.
BUS 3830 - International Finance - 3 credits
Offered periodically within a three-year academic cycle
The course introduces students to the conceptual framework in which financial decision making of international firms take place. Students will learn to assess the riskiness of a currency from a firm’s perspective and how to manage this exposure. In addition to the theoretical underpinnings of international finance we will cover the practical side of international financial decision making – the investment and funding problem. Thus, typical problems of global funding and international investment strategies as well as capital budgeting and capital structure. Issues will be analyzed from an international financial markets and institutions and aims particularly on international risk assessment (currency risk, political risk) and management.
Prerequisite: FIN 2000.
BUS 3900 - Special Project in Business Administration - 3 credits
Fall and Spring Semesters
Designed to provide individuals or teams the opportunity for in-depth investigation of a special topic or final project within the context of a Business Administration concentration. May be linked to a Business Administration internship. A major paper is required. (Prior to registration for BUS 3900 a 1-2 page proposal outlining the intended project must be submitted.)
Prerequisite: An approved proposal and permission of A. Fabrizio.
BUS 3901 - Capstone Fieldwork/ Project in RPM - 3 credits
Offered periodically within a three-year academic cycle
This capstone course is the final required course in the RPM program. It will be scheduled during either the 15-week traditional fall semester or the 14-week summer semester. Students must file an application for the course in advance so that arrangements for the fieldwork/project can be made. The application will outline the student’s learning goals, which may take the form of a special project for the company, a structured overview of company functions and departments, or a work experience within a specific department or functional area. The instructor and Program Director will match student applications with companies that have indicated a willingness to sponsor a fieldwork/project experience. The course requires students to complete a Community Assessment project, which serves as a main component of the course grade and also meets a portion of the requirements for the National Apartment Association’s Certified Apartment Manager examination. Students will meet together with the instructor every other week, and will in addition spend time at their company placements working on their projects.
Prerequisites: BUS 2310, 2320, 3310, and 3320.
Note: Students who have no prior work experience may petition to substitute a traditional 120 hour internship for this fieldwork/project course. This option makes sense for students who have no prior work experience. These individuals would follow the established Curry College procedures for experiential education including taking the required prerequisite course – Introduction to Experiential Learning (3 credits) and the Business Internship and Seminar (3 credits).
BUS 3930 - Management of International Business - 3 credits
Fall and Spring Semesters
Focuses on the principles of international business and the characteristics, which distinguish it from domestic business. Presents a broad overview of the organizations and institutions that comprise the global economy. Topics include international trade theory and practice; international law and multilateral institutions; foreign direct investment; regional integration and trade blocks; the global monetary system and its institutions; culture and politics. Required for Business Administration majors.
This course meets the General Education International/ Global Interdependence requirement.
Prerequisites: BUS 1000 and BUS 1610.
BUS 3950 - Business Ethics - 3 credits
Fall and Spring Semesters
Explores ethical concepts and issues related to management. Case analysis and problem-solving skills are further developed in order to comprehend the ethical and legal dimensions of business relationships: employer to employee, manager to stockholder, producer to consumer, corporation to the environment. Be forewarned: this is a journey that will cross into the dark side of business and management practices. Individual goals within the context of BUS 3950 include:
To gain insight into the impact of your values/ethics on peers;
To learn to explain and defend positions taken by means of solid case analysis, synthesis of facts, logical thinking and persuasion;
To develop a tolerance for diverse values or ethics.
Required for Business Administration majors.
Prerequisites: Most 2000-level prerequisite and major core requirements.
BUS 3980 - Senior Capstone Seminar: Business Management Policy - 3 credits
Fall and Spring Semesters
Uses cases and field-based projects that require integration of the skills and knowledge acquired in the various management disciplines to develop solutions to complex, organizational problems. Involves financial analysis, forecasting, strategic planning, and knowledge of the organizational dynamics that exist between and among functional departments. Strategy development and implementation viewed as central to effective decision-making and the development of a “general manager’s” perspective are emphasized. Required for Business Administration seniors.
Prerequisites: 2000-level prerequisite and major core requirements. Department approval required.