SyllabusMGT 6790 International ManagementFall, 2018Tuesdays 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. (ten weeks)SFEBB 3170

Instructor: Dr. Lee BoamE-Mail: lee.boam@eccles.utah.eduPhone: (801) 585-5995Cell Phone (801) 725-8879 (preferred)Office: SFEBB 7238 (by appointment)

Course objectives:

This course is designed to prepare students to be managers in an international setting. It does this by exposing students to a wide variety of issues related to exporting, importing, and foreign investment. The class will be divided into 10 units:

Unit 1: Introduction to International Business and its Cultural FoundationsUnit 2: Managing the Systems Governing International Trade--Trade Policy and RulesUnit 3: The International Manager and Intellectual Property RightsUnit 4: International Managers and Doing “Due Diligence.”Unit 5: Managing Political Risk in an International SettingUnit 6: Managing Business Risk in an International SettingUnit 7: Managing Cultural and Financial Risk in an International SettingUnit 8: Assessing the Strategic Environment in the International ArenaUnit 9: Managing Overseas OperationsUnit 10: Innovative forms of International Business

For each of the ten units, there are learning objectives. These will be listed with the class notes, and all of the notes will show the learning objective to which they are linked. The learning objectives will be used in testing, case studies and all class projects. Each question on the final exam will be from the learning objectives.

The learning objectives for each section are designed to help the student do the following:

Have a clear understanding of the governing principles in each section. This includes knowledge of terms, and concepts, laws, regulations, and institutions.

Understand how to use the concepts in a real-world international environment

Apply the concepts in each section to implement a business strategy in a variety of international settings

Expand management acumen for a business in a global environment.

Understand the concepts in the context of a variety of regions and countries.

Course Requirements

A large part of learning in this class comes from applying the learning objectives through discussion and active participation in the class. Therefore, you will be expected and participate in all class sessions, make presentations and join in the discussion board. Everyone must be willing to take part in the discussions.

There are four major components to the class requirements and grade:

1. Class presentations

2. Case studies and exercises

3. Multinational firm project

4. A comprehensive final exam

1. Class Presentations

You will be required to do a team oral team presentation for this class. This will be assigned on the first day of class. A list of subjects will be provided in a separate document, along with instructions on how to complete the assignment.

The presentations are designed to teach the subject you have chosen. The schedule of when you will make your presentation will be determined by the subject you choose. In Canvas, you will find a complete description of the what the presentation should contain. You should become a subject specialist on your assigned topic, and you will be expected to draw upon this expertise in future class discussions.

In addition to the oral presentation done in class, you will be required to post a one-page summary of your presentation on the Discussions Board in Canvas. In your presentation, please include citations, as appropriate, if you have quoted material. The purpose of these summaries is to be a reference for other students in studying for the final exam, and in future business dealings.

You will receive up to 100 points for your presentation. The presentation scoring will be based on five areas: 1. Quality of the research (25 points). 2. The outline (20 points). 3. Presentation skills (15 points). 4. Preparation—organization of the material (15 points). 5. Analysis (25 points).

Keep in mind that this is a research document. It should be well researched, with the proper documentation. In your presentation, please include citations, as appropriate. As noted, I will grade the presentation based on content, value of the analysis, and effectiveness of your presentation in communicating the subject to the class.

2. In-class exercises

There will be in-class exercises in most classes. Of these, seven will be graded and will require you to post results in Canvas. In the “Assignment Folder” in Canvas, you will find a tab for each of the graded exercises. The write-up is due prior to the next class. It is not necessary for you to prepare anything on these exercises prior to class.

3. Case Studies

There will be a graded case study each week of class. There will be both individual and group cases. ▪ The cases in Weeks 1, 4, 6, 8, and 9 are INDIVIDUAL cases. You will submit your case write-ups to Canvas independently.

▪ The cases in Weeks 2, 3, 5, 7, and 10 are GROUP cases. Only one member of your team will need to submit a case write-up for group cases. The groups for these cases will include members of your presentation team as well as one other randomly assigned team making teams of 4 to 5 students.

Please keep in mind that the case study is designed to further your understanding of the material for the class. Many of these cases could be used in a variety of circumstances. So, in evaluating the case, please look at the subject for the class in which the case is discussed. For example, the Barco case (Unit 7) has many aspects. It could be used in many different classes. But in this class, we will be discussing risk in Unit 7. In looking at this case, look to see how the Barco case relates to the kinds of risk being discussed. The same is true of the other cases. We will discuss each case during our class time. Please note that the write-up of the case is due at the beginning of the week the case is listed, and in which the discussion takes place. Since we discuss the “answers” to the case during class, late write-ups of the case have little value. A case write-up is generally no longer than a page. It identifies the key issues, evaluates them and proposes solutions or explanations, as appropriate. Cases will be graded according to "Hesterly's Rubric" posted in Canvas. Some of the cases must be purchased, and others are posted on Canvas. The purchased cases (listed in the class schedule) are available from Harvard. I have prepared a course pack for you. You can purchase the cases directly from Harvard by going to the following website:

https://hbsp.harvard.edu/import/560033

You will be asked to register as a student. You can buy the electronic version of the cases for about $26.00. For an extra fee, Harvard will provide you with a paper version. The class schedule in Canvas will give you details for each of the cases, and in which Module it is to be used. Please note that there are some cases on Canvas that do not have to be purchased. To prepare for a case, you should read the case and evaluate it. If you have not done case studies before, this link may be helpful: https://awc.ashford.edu/tocw-guidelines-for-writing-a-case-study.html . Keep in mind that in case studies, identifying the cogent questions is often more difficult than finding the right answers. In this way, a case simulates the actual workplace.

4. Multinational Firm Project

The multinational firm project assignment is an individual assignment that will be described more fully at the beginning of class. You may examine any firm, but it would be best to look at a company of similar size to the one for which you currently work, or for which you hope to work in the future. The company may be of any nationality, but you should assure yourself that you have sufficient information available to evaluate the company. You may select a company currently involved in international business, or you may use one not currently active in international markets. In any case, your paper should not simply look at what a company is currently doing. You can’t demonstrate what you have learned in this class by simply telling us what a company has done. You need to look at a unique situation—one in which the company is not currently active.

The purpose of this assignment is to allow an in-depth investigation and evaluation of the issues that confront a particular company, rather than a mere documentation of facts. Fundamentally, the project allows you to use both the art and science of management. You should draw on your learning in previous classes, and apply the tactics you will learn in this class for putting the strategy into operation.

The written analysis will probably need approximately 5-10 pages, double spaced, although length is not as important as organization and content. The paper should describe and evaluate the company's current context (but generally not to exceed one page), and include an analysis of the most important strategic and tactical issues. The paper should be able to apply ideas from class readings, exercises and cases, and draw analogies or point to dissimilarities between current practices and better practices. Finally, the paper should conclude with insights and recommendations for the future of the firm. Please include full bibliographic citations (preferably in APA format) for all works cited. Full content of the paper is described in Canvas. The paper will be due on the last day of class.

4. The final examination. A final examination will be given on the last day of class. It will be a combination of multiple choice and a few short answer questions. The test will be based on the learning objectives given in each unit.

Grading

Grading will be based on the four components of this class as follows:

1. Class Presentation: 100 points or 10% of your grade.

2. In-class exercises: 7 @20 points--140 points or 14%% of your grade.

3. Cases: 10 @ 30 points—300 points or 30% of your grade.

4. Multinational Firm project: 300 points or 30% of your grade.

5. Final exam: 160 points or 16% of your grade

Grade structure:

900-1,000 points A800-899 points B700-799 points CBelow 700 not passing

Note: The instructor reserves the right to modify grades that fall on the margin between grades up or down, depending on factors such as class participation, or unusual outliers, such as an exceptionally high or low score in one of the components.

Course Materials

Text book. There is no text book for this class. The required readings are listed for each class section, and all readings can be downloaded free of charge from the University of Utah library. Because of licensing agreements with our library, where a case is "full text" I have included an electronic copy of the text in Canvas. These are still protected by copyright and are, therefore, for registered students of this class only. For additional copies, permission from the author should be acquired.

Class Schedule:

Date Topic Activity

Unit 1

Aug. 21, 2018

Introduction to International

Business and its Cultural

Foundations

Lecture: Introduction to International Business Import, Export and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). The global enterprise. Trade and investment and its place in the company. Mercantilism and Neo-Mercantilism. The cultural aspects of doing business abroad

Exercise: Maryanne Farmer. (See Unit 1 in Canvas. Graded—20 Points).

Case: Feng Shui: Sarah Kemp's Dilemma. (in Canvas). This Case does not need to be done before class. We will discuss it in the discussion board. (Graded--30 points). This is an INDIVIDUAL case.

Readings: Hofstede, G. (1993). Cultural constraints in management theories. Academy of Management Executive. 7 (1), 81-94.

Banalieva, E.R., & Santoro, M.D. (2009). Local, regional, or global? Geographic orientation and relative financial performance of emerging market multinational enterprises. European Management Journal. 27 (5), 344-355. (For this class, read pages 344-347, and pages 351-355. You may scan the research if you desire.)

U.S. Department of Commerce. (2009). Trade Data Reports. Retrieved Sept. 12, 2009, from https://www.export.gov/Trade-Data-and-Analysis (please scan to understand how to retrieve reports)

Guerrieri, P., & Padoan, P.C. (1986). Neo-mercantilism and international economic stability. International Organizations, 86 (40), 29-42. (For this class, read pages 29-33. You may scan the research if you desire.)

Unit 2

Aug. 28, 2018

Managing the Systems

Governing International Trade—U.S. Trade Policy

Lecture: How the world trading system works.Trade Agreements.The WTO.Barriers to trade and investment and how to deal with them.U.S. and international regulation of trade.

Exercise: Trade Wars (See Unit 2 in Canvas. Graded— 20 Points)

Case: Geographic Indications: I say "Kalamata", the EU Says "Black Olive (Harvard Product # 309114-PDF-ENG. https://hbsp.harvard.edu/import/560033 Graded 30 points. Prepare to discuss in class. See the notes in Canvas. This is a Group case.

Readings:Posner, T. R. (Aug. 2009). A change in the U.S. trade policy. World Trade. 22 (8), 40-41.

Bedell D. (Mar., 2009). Revisiting NAFTA. Global Finance. 23 (3), 22-24.

Nicita, A. (2009). The price effect of tariff liberalization: Measuring the impact on household welfare. Journal of Development Economics. 89, 19-27. (For this class, skip section 3. You may scan the research if you desire.)

Student Presentation A: The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

Student Presentation B: U.S. Export Control Laws

Unit 3

Sept. 4, 2018

Protecting Intellectual

Property Rights

Lecture: Protecting Intellectual Property Rights

Exercise: Gigantic Motion Pictures (See Unit 3 in Canvas. Graded—20 Points)

Case: Changing Levels of Intellectual Property Rights Protection for Global Firms: A Synopsis of Recent U.S. and E.U. Trade Enforcement Strategies. (Harvard Product # BH214-PDF-ENG ). https://hbsp.harvard.edu/import/560033 . Graded 30 points. Prepare to discuss in class. See the notes in Canvas. This is a Group case.

Readings: Falvey, R, Foster N. & Greenaway, D. (2006). Intellectual property rights and economic growth. Review of Development Economics, 10 (4), 700-719. (For this class, skip sections 4 & 5. You may scan the research if you desire.)

World Trade Organization. (2009). Intellectual property rights and TRIPS. Retrieved on Sept. 12, 2009 from http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/trips_e/trips_e.htm.

Student Presentation: The U.S. Trade Representative's Office (USTR) and the TRIPS agreement.

Unit 4

Sept. 11, 2018

International Managers and

Doing “Due Diligence.”

Lecture: Managing relations with international partners (JV, Agents/distributors, technology transfers, WOFE's). International supply chain management. Getting paid and keeping the money you earn. Managing under varying legal systems.

Exercise: Market Selection Criteria. (See Unit 4 in Canvas. Graded—20

Points)

Case: Walmart: Which way Should they Go? (in Canvas). (Graded 30 points. Prepare to discuss in class. See the notes in Canvas.) ). This is an INDIVIDUAL case.

Readings: Diez, F.J., Spearot, A.C. (2012). Core competencies, matching, and the structure of foreign direct investment: An update. Working Papers, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, No. 12-8. Retrieved on Dec. 5, 2012 from http://www.bostonfed.org/economic/wp/index.htm. (For this class, read pages 0-12. Scan the rest.) Ku, C. & Diehl, P.F. (2006). Filling the gaps: Extra systemic mechanisms for addressing imbalances between the international legal operating system and the normative system. Global Governance 12, 161-183. (Scan the article. Read and understand the conclusion.)

Student Presentation A: Functions of The U.S. Export-Import Bank and other multi-national banks (e.g. Asian Development Bank, World Bank, etc.).

Student Presentation B: European Code law versus U.S. (British) Common law. The implications for business executives

Unit 5

Sept. 18, 2018

Managing Risk in an

International Setting

Political Risk

Lecture: Political Risk

Exercise: Natural Disasters. (See Unit 5 in Canvas. This exercise is not graded).

Case: A Stranger in a Strange Land: Micro Political Risk and the Multinational Firm. (Harvard Product # BH316-PDF-ENG. https://hbsp.harvard.edu/import/560033. Prepare to discuss in class. (Graded 30 points. Prepare to discuss in class). This is a Group case.

Readings: Pilling, M. (Oct., 2004). Is it safe to send executives overseas? Director. 58 (3), 47-49.

Dewhurst, M., Harris, T., Heywood, S., & Aquila, K. (2012). The global company’s challenge. McKinsey Quarterly, Issue 3, 76.80.

Student Presentation: The functions of U.S. Embassies abroad related to business

Unit 6

Sept. 25, 2018

Managing Risk in an

International Setting

International Business Risk

Lecture: International Business Risk

Exercise: Market Access (See Unit 6 in Canvas. Graded--20 Points)

Case: American Operators, Inc. Makes a Deal (In Canvas). This is an INDIVIDUAL case.

Readings: Miller, K.D. (1992). A framework for integrated risk management in international business. Journal of International Business Studies, 23 (2) 311-331.

Student Presentation: International Letters of Credit: What are they for and when should they be used?

Unit 7

Oct. 2, 2018

Managing Risk in an

International Setting

Cultural and Financial Risk

Lecture: Financial risk, Cultural risk and Managing risk.

Exercise:Globalization (not Graded)

Case: Barco Projection Systems: Worldwide Niche Marketing (Harvard Product # 591133-PDF-ENG https://hbsp.harvard.edu/import/560033 ). (Graded 30 points. Prepare to discuss in class). This is a Group case.

Readings: Slangen, A. H. L & Van Tulder R. J. M. (2009). Cultural distance, political risk, or governance quality? Toward a more accurate conceptualization and measurement of external uncertainty in foreign entry mode research. International Business Review. 18, 276-291. (For this class, skip sections 3,4 and 5. You may scan the research if you desire.)

Levitt, T. (1984). The globalization of markets. McKinsey Quarterly, Summer, 1-20.

Student Presentation: The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA)

Oct 7–Oct. 13Fall Break No Classes

Unit 8

Oct. 16, 2018

Assessing the International

Environment in the International

Arena

Lecture: Assessing the Strategic Environment in the International arena

Exercise: Force Field Analysis. (See Unit 8 in Canvas. Graded—20 Points).Case: Exporting Tuli's to Germany (In Canvas) (Graded 30 points. Prepare to discuss in class). This is an INDIVIDUAL case.

Readings: U.S. Department of Commerce (2009). Your global business partner. Retrieved Sept. 12, 2009 from http://www.buyusa.gov/home/export.html. (Please do a thorough scan of the website and be prepared to discuss the contents.)

Lawrence, R.Z. & Edwards, L. (2012). Shattering the myths about U.S. trade policy. Harvard Business Review, March, 149-152.

Student Presentation: Freight Forwarders

Unit 9

Oct. 23, 2018

Managing Overseas

Operations

Lecture: Managing Overseas operations (Local customs, managing field offices, managing external relationship). Corporate Social Responsibility

Exercise: Review of International Firm Project. A summary write-up for this case (one paragraph) should be posted in the Assignments Folder in Canvas, AND be posted on the Canvas Discussion Board at the beginning of this class. Selected students will make a 3-minute presentation of their paper in class. Graded—20 Points).

Case: Three Countries (In Canvas) (Graded 30 points. Prepare to discuss in class). This is an INDIVIDUAL case.

Readings: Gugler, P. & Shir, J. Y. J (2009). Corporate social responsibility for developing country multinational corporations: Lost war in pertaining global competitiveness? Journal of Business Ethics. 87, 3-24.

Student Presentation: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in an international setting.

Unit 10

Oct. 30, 2018

Innovative Forms of International

Business

Lecture: Innovative forms of international business (Franchising, Joint Ventures, International cooperative agreements, Technology transfers). Final review.

Reading:Killing, P. (1982). How to make a joint venture work. Harvard Business Review, May-June, 120-127.

Case: Golden Arch Hotel: McDonald's Adventure in the Hotel Industry (Harvard Product #: TB0109-PDF-ENG https://hbsp.harvard.edu/import/560033 )(Graded 30 points. Prepare to discuss in class). This is a Group case.

Student Presentation: Compare and contrast domestic and international strategies.

Final Exam

Paper due

Course Materials

Readings:

Banalieva, E.R., & Santoro, M.D. (2009). Local, regional, or global? Geographic orientation and relative financial performance of emerging market multinational enterprises. European Management Journal. 27 (5), 344-355.

Bedell D. (Mar., 2009). Revisiting NAFTA. Global Finance. 23 (3), 22-24.

Desai, M.A. (July-August, 2008). The financial function in a global corporation. Harvard Business Review, pp 108-112.

Dewhurst, M. , Harris, T., Heywood, S., & Aquila, K. (2012). The global company’s challenge. McKinsey Quarterly, Issue 3, 76.80.

Diez, F.J., Spearot, A.C. (2012). Core competencies, matching, and the structure of foreign direct investment: An update. Working Papers, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, No. 12-8. Retrieved on Dec. 5, 2012 from http://www.bostonfed.org/economic/wp/index.htm

Falvey, R, Foster N. & Greenaway, D. (2006). Intellectual property rights and economic growth. Review of Development Economics, 10 (4), 700-719.

Guerrieri, P., & Padoan, P.C. (1986). Neo-mercantilism and international economic stability. International Organizations, 86 (40), 29-42.

Gugler, P. & Shir, J. Y. J (2009). Corporate social responsibility for developing country multinational corporations: Lost war in pertaining global competitiveness? Journal of Business Ethics. 87, 3-24.

Hofstede, G. (1993). Cultural constraints in management theories. Academy of Management Executive. 7 (1), 81-94.

Killing, P. (1982). How to make a joint venture work. Harvard Business Review, May-June, 120-127.

Ku, C. & Diehl, P.F. (2006). Filling the gaps: Extrasystemic mechanisms for addressing imbalances between the international legal operating system and the normative system. Global Governance 12, 161-183.

Lawrence, R.Z. & Edwards, L. (2012). Shattering the myths about U.S. trade policy. Harvard Business Review, March, 149-152.

Levitt, T. (1984). The globalization of markets. McKinsey Quarterly, Summer, 1-20.

Miller, K.D. (1992). A framework for integrated risk management in international business. Journal of International Business Studies, 23 (2) 311-331.

Nicita, A. (2009). The price effect of tariff liberalization: Measuring the impact on household welfare. Journal of Development Economics. 89, 19-27.

Pilling, M. (Oct., 2004). Is it safe to send executives overseas? Director. 58 (3), 47-49.

Posner, T. R. (Aug. 2009). A change in the U.S. trade policy. World Trade. 22 (8), 40-41.

Slangen, A. H. L & Van Tulder R. J. M. (2009). Cultural distance, political risk, or governance quality? Toward a more accurate conceptualization and measurement of external uncertainty in foreign entry mode research. International Business Review. 18, 276-291.

U.S. Department of Commerce. (2009). Trade Data Reports. Retrieved Sept. 12, 2009, from http://www.export.gov/tradedata/index.asp

U.S. Department of Commerce (2009). Your global business partner. Retrieved Sept. 12, 2009 from http://www.buyusa.gov/home/export.html.

Vaidya, S. (Winter-Spring, 2009). International joint ventures: an integrated framework. Competitiveness Review. 19, 8-ff.

World Trade Organization. (2009). Intellectual property rights and TRIPS. Retrieved on Sept. 12, 2009 from http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/trips_e/trips_e.htm.

Cases:

(Harvard Cases are available at: https://hbsp.harvard.edu/import/560033 )

Week 1: Feng Shui: Sarah Kemp's Dilemma. (in Canvas)

Week 2: Geographic Indications: I say "Kalamata", the EU Says "Black Olive. (Harvard Product # 309114-PDF-ENG)

Week 3: Changing Levels of Intellectual Property Rights Protection for Global Firms: A Synopsis of Recent U.S. and E.U. Trade Enforcement Strategies. (Harvard Product # BH214-PDF-ENG)

Week 4: Walmart: Which way Should They Go? (in Canvas)

Week 5: A Stranger in a Strange Land: Micro Political Risk and the Multinational Firm. (Harvard Product # BH316-PDF-ENG)

Week 6: American Operators Makes a Deal (In Canvas)

Week 7: Barco Projection Systems: Worldwide Niche Marketing. (Harvard Product # 591133-PDF-ENG)

Week 8: Exporting Tuli's to Germany. (In Canvas)

Week 9: Three Countries. (In Canvas).

Week 10: Golden Arch Hotel: McDonald's Adventure in the Hotel Industry. (Harvard Product # TB0109-PDF-ENG).

About your instructor…

Thomas Lee Boam has been at the University of Utah since January, 2007. From 1982-2007, he was a United States Foreign Service officer (Diplomat). During his diplomatic service he served in Germany, the former German Democratic Republic (East Germany), Hong Kong, the People's Republic of China, and Canada. This included an assignment as U.S. Consul General in Germany's largest state of North Rhine-Westphalia. His last assignment was as Minister Counselor for Commercial Affairs at the American Embassy in Ottawa, Canada. In his embassy positions, his primary duty was to assist American businesses doing business overseas.

For thirteen years prior to his career in the diplomatic service, Dr. Boam was in the private sector. His last position was Director of International Operations for a microfilm service organization. Between these two positions, he has travelled the world, and has done business on all continents. In addition to his diplomatic career, Dr. Boam has also taught for the University of Maryland's Asia Division.

Dr. Boam was born in Ft. Collins, Colorado. He graduated from the University of Utah with a B.A. degree in Industrial Psychology, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the same institution. He has a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership from the University of Oklahoma. He speaks fluent German, Mandarin Chinese, as well as some French and Dutch.

Academic Integrity

Your work must represent your own words and ideas or the collective words and ideas of the team. If you are using any others' ideas or words, cite all relevant sources. It is inappropriate for you to solicit or accept material from students who may have taken this class in the past, or who are currently taking it in another section. Please do not share the contents of the tests and quizzes with others.

5.32 DESB GRADING POLICY

Purpose of Grading

Grading has two main purposes:

1. Grading provides feedback to students on how well they have mastered the content and learning objectives of a particular course. Generally, grades in the School should be interpreted as follows:

A - Excellent Performance/Superior Achievement

An "A" student is one who understands the content and learning objectives thoroughly, completely and accurately, and can demonstrate that understanding in a number of ways. Such a student will have done exceptionally well on assignments, exams and class projects, and will have participated extensively in class discussion by asking good questions and contributing constructive thoughts. An "A" student will also have demonstrated a strong interest in the learning process by contributing to a constructive class environment and to the learning success of his or her fellow students.

B - Good Performance/Substantial Achievement

A "B" student is one who has demonstrated a relatively high level of mastery of the content and learning objectives of the course. A "B" student will have done very well on assignments, exams and class projects, and will have participated constructively in class discussion. A "B" student will have demonstrated a positive attitude toward the learning process and made a positive contribution to the learning environment of the class.

C - Standard Performance and Achievement

A "C" student will have demonstrated a reasonable level of mastery of the content and learning objectives of the course. A "C" student will have completed assignments and demonstrated a reasonable grasp of requisite knowledge on exams and class projects. A "C" student will have demonstrated a reasonable level of commitment to the learning process and made a positive contribution to the learning environment of the class.

D - Substandard Performance/Marginal Achievement

A "D" student will have demonstrated some level of mastery of the content and learning objectives of the course, but less than that desired to serve as a basis for future endeavor. A "D" student will not have completed all assignments in a satisfactory manner, nor demonstrated more than a partial grasp of requisite knowledge on exams and class projects. A "D" student will have demonstrated only some commitment to the learning process and made only a marginal contribution to the learning environment of the class.

E - Unsatisfactory Performance and Achievement

An "E" student has failed to demonstrate any significant mastery of the content and learning objectives of the course. An "E" student will not have completed all assignments in a satisfactory manner, nor demonstrated any significant grasp of the requisite knowledge on exams and class projects. An "E" student will have failed to demonstrate any significant level of commitment to the learning process, nor made any positive contribution to the learning environment of the class.

The most important aspect of grading from the student's standpoint is to view it as an opportunity to understand where his or her strengths and weaknesses lie so that he or she can capitalize on the strengths and work to improve the weaknesses through future courses of action.

2. To provide a system of measurement to distinguish among students for various evaluative purposes. Internal to the University, students are allowed to progress based on grades. For example, admission to professional programs and graduate programs use grades as a major (but not the only) input. In addition, scholarships and other awards are based largely on grades. External to the University, persons recruiting and hiring students consider grades an important factor in their evaluation process.1

DESB Grading Policy

A grading policy is needed for the following reasons:

1. To ensure fairness and consistency across the School.

2. To ensure that students can use grades as reliable feedback of their actual performance and understanding of course material.

3. To ensure that grades are based on actual learning and achievement, so that persons who base decisions on them have confidence that they are reliable for that purpose.

The School's policy is as follows:1. Faculty are responsible for developing an appropriate system of evaluation, feedback and grading for each course. That system is described in the course syllabus.

2. Faculty are responsible for carrying out the system described in the syllabus in an accurate and effective manner. In particular, faculty must design evaluative processes (e.g., assignments, exams) that are capable of distinguishing clearly among students who have different levels of mastery in the course.

3. Faculty are responsible for arriving at a grade for each student that the faculty member believes appropriately indicates the student's mastery of the course material and learning objectives. Once that is done, the faculty member will consider the class' overall performance in

1 1In accordance with University policy and applicable regulations, grades are not made available to persons or organizations outside the University without the student's written consent.

terms of School guidelines. If the class means falls outside the guidelines, the faculty member will explain the nature of the deviation in a memorandum to the chair of the department responsible for the course. These guidelines are provided to ensure that grading, on average for the School as a whole, is sustained at a reasonable level over time. The guidelines are as follows:

COURSE LEVEL GUIDELINE

1000-2000 2.4-2.83000-3990 2.6-3.04000-5990 2.8-3.26000-6990 3.1-3.5

4. If students have a concern about their grade in a particular course, they should consider whether it reflects an accurate evaluation of their mastery of the course material and learning objectives, in terms of the above descriptors. If they need clarification of the instructor's evaluation, they should meet with the instructor to obtain additional information and feedback. If after doing this, they believe their grade was arrived at in an inappropriate manner; they may pursue an appeal through the School's appeals process as described in Section 5.15 of the Student Handbook.

Updated: 8/15/00

GPA (Grade Point Average) Scale

A 4.0A- 3.7B+ 3.3B 3.0B- 2.7C+ 2.3C 2.0C- 1.7