Cohort 2016 Welcome Packet

ONLINE MBASouthern Illinois University

Welcome from the Associate DeanAs the Associate Dean in charge of Graduate Programs for the SIU College of Business, I would like to extend a warm welcome to the incoming online MBA cohort for Summer 2016. We are excited you have chosen SIU for your upcoming professional development journey.

We have designed a rigorous graduate program with a nice mix of technical core material and analytical theories supplemented by valuable professional development and “soft-skill” topics. We deliver this program through a sophisticated digital platform

using the latest technologies to convey material and provide engaging learning activities. This is a digital program designed for a digital world.

You will be taught by outstanding scholars who are leaders in their fields. Many of our online faculty members are internationally known for advancing business knowledge through cutting-edge research that informs future textbooks. However, they are also outstanding instructors, with a wonderful ability to translate that research into useful material for practicing managers like yourself.

Our professors won’t stand at the front of a board with a piece of chalk and talk at you. Instead, they will ask you to engage fully with them, with the material, and with your classmates, virtually every one of whom has extensive managerial experience upon which to draw and deliberate. Your professors will incorporate videos, online interviews, articles, activities, and discussion threads that provide multiple perspectives and encourage you to analyze and apply the concepts you’ll learn.

Don’t be fooled by rumors that online programs are somehow easier than more traditional residential MBA programs. This program is every bit as demanding as our on-campus program, if not more so. We will challenge you, and we have high expectations of what you will accomplish. And given that you were selected from a pool of highly qualified applicants, we are confident in your ability to rise to meet the challenge and exceed expectations. Our ultimate goal is to help you produce sustainable value in a rapidly changing global economy… and we hope you have some fun doing it!

So, welcome. Work hard and embrace the challenge. Enjoy getting to know your interesting faculty and classmates. And have some fun in the process. I look forward to congratulating you personally when you receive your diploma in two years!

Cheryl Burke Jarvis, Ph.D.Associate Dean

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Contents

GETTING STARTED 4

PROGRAM SCHEDULE 8

PROGRAM STAFF 9

PROGRAM FACULTY 10

STUDY ABROAD 16

PROGRAM CURRICULUM 17

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CREATING YOUR SIU NetID

The first step to becoming enrolled in the Online MBA program (oMBA) is to create your SIU NetID. The NetID will allow you to register for this semester’s courses. To create your NetID, please go to https://netid.siu.edu and follow the instructions listed on the website.

LOGGING INTO YOUR COURSES

You will log in to the oMBA program at: http://online.business.siu.edu using your NetID. Your eight week summer session courses will be available for access at 6 pm CST on Sunday, June 12, 2016.

GETTING TO KNOW YOU

We have a few preliminary “Get to Know You” questions and have put them in a survey. Please use the following link to view the survey: http://tinyurl.com/SIUoMBA16

Before classes begin, please complete the survey (above) and upload your photo to your account profile at http://online.business.siu.edu.

GETTING STARTED

GETTING STARTED

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FOUNDATION WORKSHOPS

Incoming students who do not have an undergraduate business degree or who feel they may need a refresher in some core foundation business skills have the voluntary option of participating in our online foundation workshops. These foundation workshops prepare incoming MBA students with the basic knowledge of the business core subject areas. These areas include accounting, finance, statistics/spreadsheet/information systems, and general MBA study and research. The workshops will be held during the two weeks prior to the start of the fall semester in August. Since these courses are optional, you may elect to take only 1 or all 4 of the workshops at a cost of $500 per workshop. We will provide you with a certificate of completion at the end of the workshop.

More information on registering for the workshops or determining what it entails can be found here at http://mba.business.siu.edu/workshops

TECHNOLOGY

The oMBA program courses are based on the Desire2Learn Brightspace management system. Most browsers are supported, although we strongly recommend Google’s Chrome browser. For more specific information please click on the “System Check” link before logging in to the system at http://online.business.siu.edu. If you need technical assistance with the management system, there are several resources. You can contact the SIUOnline Helpdesk at 618| 453-1024 or mycourse@siu.edu or through their Live Chat link (click on the Live Chat – Student link on the right side of the page) Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., central time. In addition, SalukiTech offers technical support 24/7 (excluding University Holidays and Administrative Closure days) and can be reached Toll-Free at 866| 718-4357 or SalukiTech@siu.edu.

Finally, you can always contact our offices at 618| 453-3030 during business hours or contact your Teaching Assistant (TA) via email, even on weekends (we ask that TAs have a less than 24 hour turn-around time on weekends).

GETTING STARTED

BILLING

The oMBA program cost is $854 per credit hour. During the spring and fall semester you will be enrolled in 8 credit hours. During the summer semester you will be enrolled in 5 credit hours. You will be billed accordingly each semester.

INSTALLMENT PAYMENT PLAN

SIU and Nelnet Business Solutions (NBS) are providing an installment payment program for students. Because it is not a loan program, there is no debt incurred and no credit search. There are no interest or finance charges assessed by SIU or NBS on the unpaid balance while enrolled in the plan. SIU has contracted with Nelnet Business Solutions to provide various payment options for you. More information on the installment payment plan can be found online at: http://bursar.siu.edu/account_services/installment_plan.html

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GETTING STARTEDFINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

For those students utilizing financial aid/student loans to help cover their tuition costs, the university runs on an academic year of Fall, Spring, Summer. Since this program starts in Summer, your financial aid application (FAFSA) is due by the end of the previous academic year. You will need to immediately apply for financial aid for the upcoming academic year as well (fall, spring, summer). Any questions about the FAFSA or student loan requirements should be directed to the financial aid office at http://fao.siu.edu

For those students using GI Bill, IVG, ING, or Veteran’s Tuition Assistance: all paperwork for this process goes through the Veteran’s Affairs department. All questions related to your eligibility, appropriate paperwork required, and deadlines for submission should be directed to the SIU Veterans Services office. Information can be found at http://veterans.siu.edu

TEXTBOOKS

As an online student, the majority of materials for your classes will be in digital form. They will either be links to digital textbooks or PDF documents of articles and cases. All course materials are included in the cost of tuition and are usually distributed inside the D2L system.

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PROGRAM SCHEDULE

All course offerings are subject to revision Updated 4/6/2016

Summer Term Fall Term A Fall Term B Spring Term A Spring Term B8 weeks 1st 8 weeks 2nd 8 weeks 1st 8 weeks 2nd 8 weeks

(Jun 13 - Aug 5, 2016) (Aug 22 - Oct 14, 2016) (Oct 24 - Dec 16, 2016) (Jan 17 - Mar 10, 2017) (Mar 20 - May 12, 2017)

Managerial & Organizational BehaviorBA 540 (3 credits)Semi-Self-paced

Managerial Accounting& ControlBA 510 (3 credits)

Management of Information SystemsBA 560 (3 credits)

Marketing ManagementBA 550 (3 credits)

Financial ManagementBA 530 (3 credits)

Business CommunicationBA 506 (2 Credits)Self-Paced

Summer Term Fall Term A Fall Term B Spring Term A Spring Term B8 weeks 1st 8 weeks 2nd 8 weeks 1st 8 weeks 2nd 8 weeks

(Jun 12 - Aug 4, 2017) (Aug 21 - Oct 13, 2017) (Oct 23 - Dec 15, 2017) (Jan 16 - Mar 9, 2018) (Mar 19 - May 11, 2018)

Operations Strategy for Global CompetitionBA 522 (3 credits)

Brand ManagementBA 505 (3 credits)

Advanced Financial ManagementBA 531 (3 credits)

Business EthicsBA 514 (3 credits)

Business PoliciesBA 598 (3 credits)

International Business *BA 580 (2 credits)

* oMBA students have one of two options: (a) completion of International Business (MBA 2 credits), or (b) Study-Abroad Program (SIU-sanctioned study-abroad experience – 2 credits). International Immersion is required for the MBA program. Additional costs are associated with the Study Abroad option.

oMBA Program ScheduleCohort 16 - Entering Academic Year 2016-2017

Year

One

Critical Issues for Business Leaders BA 507 (2 Credits)

Fundamentals of Career Effectiveness BA 508 (2 Credits)

Year

Two

Advanced Seminar in Leadership DevelopmentBA 509 (2 credits)

Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice BA 511 (2 credits)

Cohort Entering Academic Year 2016-2017

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* oMBA students have one of two options: (a) completion of International Business (MBA 2 credits), or (b) Study-Abroad Program (SIU-approved study-abroad experience – 2 credits). International Immersion is required for the MBA program. Additional costs are associated with the Study Abroad option. See page 16 for more information. All course offerings are subject to revision.

Xiaoxin BeardsleyDirector, MBA Programsxwang@business.siu.edu618| 453-3030

Jeffery ReeceDirector of Recruitment & Admissionsjreece@business.siu.edu618| 453-3030

Nicholas HoffmanAcademic Outreach & Career Specialistnhoff@business.siu.edu618| 453-3023

Bruce FisherChief Information Officerbwfish@business.siu.edu618| 453-7964

Lynne Johnston WestraDigital Media Specialistlwestra@business.siu.edu618| 453-5736

PROGRAM STAFF

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NWAMAKA ANAZA is an Assistant Professor of Marketing in the School of Business at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Her areas of expertise focus on studying employees in service roles with particular interest directed to sales professionals, public, and non-profit employees. She also specializes in online consumer behavior with a new emphasis on social media marketing. She is a frequent contributing author for a number of leading academic journals including Psychology & Marketing,

Journal of Business Research, Journal of Business & Industrial Management, among many others. She has received numerous research awards and has been invited as a visiting professor at respected institutions around the world, including Wuhan University and University of Applied Sciences Hochschule Ludwigshafen am Rhein. She is on the editorial board of the Journal of Services Marketing and remains active in different professional associations including the American Marketing Association, Society of Marketing Advances, and Academy of Marketing Science. Prior to her academic appointment, she worked for several years in sales and account management.

TERRY CLARK was born and raised in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England. He attended the Newcastle College of Art and Industrial Design, where he studied fine art, specifically painting, before he began his love affair with Southern Illinois University in the 1970’s when he arrived on campus to attend college. Dr. Clark earned his bachelor’s degree in 1980 and his master’s in 1982, both from SIU, and a doctorate in 1987 from Texas A&M University. After holding faculty positions at University of Notre Dame and Emory University. He joined the SIU teaching staff in 1999. He specializes in marketing strategy and international marketing. Dr. Clark received the College of Business Undergraduate Teacher of the Year Award in 2003, Outstanding Graduate Teacher of the Year in 2010 and Teaching Honor Roll in 2004 and 2010. Dr. Clark has a passion for all things Saluki, “Of all the universities I’ve studied at, worked at or visited, SIU is by far my favorite,” he said. “I love Southern Illinois, I love Carbondale and I love our campus.”

PROGRAM FACULTY

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PROGRAM FACULTYBRUCE DERUNTZ is a Professor in the College of Engineering at Southern Illinois University Carbondale where he teaches classes in leadership, quality and project management. Dr. DeRuntz received his bachelor’s degree in Industrial Technology from Eastern Illinois University, his master’s in Manufacturing Systems from Southern Illinois University as well as his doctorate from Southern Illinois University in Workforce Education and Development. In 2006 he was appointed the director of

Southern Illinois University’s Leadership Development Program. His research interest is in identifying the critical characteristics that all technical leaders possess. Dr. Deruntz is a Fellow with the American Society for Quality where he is editor of the Quality Management Forum and associate editor of the Journal of Industrial Technology. Dr. Deruntz holds certifications for Six Sigma Black Belt and Quality Engineer. He has received the department’s Outstanding Teacher Award and has also served as the Industry Division President for the Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering (ATMAE).

GREGORY DEYONG is an Assistant Professor of Operations Management at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois. In addition to over 15 years of industrial experience in purchasing, scheduling, ERP systems and factory management, Dr. DeYong holds a degree in Chemistry, an MBA, and a Master’s degree and doctorate in Operations Management. He has published research articles in the European Journal of Operational Research and Production and Inventory Management Journal and has also prepared educational materials for McGraw-Hill/Irwin. He has also conducted numerous research presentations at academic conferences. Dr. DeYong teaches in the area of Operations Management, focusing on computer applications in business, operations management, supply chain management, and advanced operations management. Dr. DeYong has been a member of APICS (The Association for Operations Management) for over ten years and is a member of the Decision Sciences Institute and INFORMS (The Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences).

PROGRAM FACULTYJOHN GOODALE is a native of southern Michigan and joined the SIU College of Business in Fall 2009. Dr. Goodale has been serving on the Editorial Review Board for the Journal of Operations Management since 2012. From 2003-2010 he served on the Editorial Board for the Cornell Quarterly. In addition, Dr. Goodale has been an active member of the Production and Operations Management Society (POMS) and INFORMS. Among his responsibilities Goodale was the program and

proceedings editor for the POMS 2008 National Conference, a member of the Organizing Committee for the POMS 2006 College of Service Operations Conference, and a track chair for the POMS 2003 National Conference. He has published research papers in the Journal of Operations Management, Production and Operations Management, European Journal of Operational Research and other journals. Dr. Goodale completed his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan State University, and earned his MBA and Ph.D. at the University of Utah. Dr. Goodale states, “I was attracted to SIU and the Management Department because of the faculty. I feel fortunate to be working in a Department with such dedicated and successful scholars.”

KYLE HARFST joined Southern Illinois University in 1994 and currently serves as Executive Director of Southern Illinois Research Park. Dr. Harfst holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Northern Iowa, and master’s and doctoral degrees, both from Southern Illinois University. His dissertation title was Assessing the Impact of Small Business Training on Nascent Entrepreneurs in Illinois. He brings a background in banking and work with entrepreneurs through his professional and academic experience. Prior to his 22 years of university-based economic development, he was a banker in the State of Iowa. When asked about why he chose to pursue a career in higher education setting, Dr. Harfst said, “Initially this was not a deliberate choice. I had been a banker in Iowa for nearly 10 years prior to coming to SIU. The plan was that I would get my MBA here and then go back into banking. However, my initial work at the Small Business Development Center gave me the opportunity to utilize my business skills with start-up companies and existing businesses.”

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PROGRAM FACULTYCHARLES HODGES joined the SIU College of Business in 2014. He came to the SIU College of Business with an extensive background in teaching online delivered courses with the University of West Georgia (UWG) and Georgia State University. He taught his first fully online course in 1998 and spent several years as the Finance Course Lead in the Georgia WEBMBA. During his career he has received multiple Faculty Teaching and Faculty Research awards. Professor Hodges has over 40

publications and a similar number of presentations. In addition to quantity, he also has quality with publications in Journal of Financial Economics, Financial Analyst Journal, Journal of Banking and Finance, and other top Finance journals. Hodges enjoys many games and athletic events, thus possibly explaining his undergraduate degree in Leisure Services. He is trained in his subject matter with his MBA (Finance) and his Ph.D. in Finance from Florida State University. He has consulted extensively, primarily in the restaurant and retail industries. He was an active duty officer (Captain) in the U.S. Army during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. His current outside business interests are as Managing Partner for Fairlie-Poplar Associates LLC and Fairlie Poplar Investments LLC. Hodges current research interests are mostly focused on long-term investments and small firm finance.

NICHOLAS HOFFMAN is the Academic Outreach & Career Specialist for the College of Business’ graduate programs. He comes from the Applied Psychology doctoral program here at SIU where he served as a Senior Associate in the business research firm, Applied Research Consultants. Formerly a Teaching Assistant for the Online MBA program, he now brings his expertise in data management, evaluation and program development to expanding the College’s career services to all graduate students in the College. In addition to these activities, he also provides academic advisement to current oMBA graduate students, and oversight to the teaching assistantship experience for the online MBA program. Most recently he has taken on the role as the instructor for the introductory class, Business Communication, under the supervision of Dr. Cheryl Jarvis. His research interests surround diversity in leadership, including GLBT leadership, and the role of leadership in an employee’s recovery from a discriminatory or harassment experience.

PROGRAM FACULTY

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CHERYL BURKE JARVIS is the Associate Dean of the SIU College of Business and a professor of marketing. She came to the College of Business in the fall of 2009 from Arizona State University, where she was a faculty member for nine years. At ASU, Jarvis was named a member of the Research Faculty for the Center for Services Leadership, which is the world’s premiere research center in services marketing and management. At Southern Illinois University Carbondale, she served as chair of

the Department of Marketing from 2012 to 2014 and was named associate dean in 2014. Jarvis teaches two online classes, Promotions Management and Advertising Management, as well as Services Marketing and a doctoral seminar, Research Methods. Having worked for a variety of firms in the publishing, advertising and public relations industries, Jarvis understands the complexities of marketing. Dr. Jarvis earned her bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from Texas A&M University, where her father taught for 38 years. She earned a second master’s degree, as well as her doctorate in marketing from Indiana University.

MARCUS D. ODOM came to Southern Illinois University in 1998 from The University of Southwestern Louisiana. Dr. Odom earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from Arkansas State University and a doctorate in accounting from Oklahoma State University. He also served as a captain in the U.S. Army. Dr. Odom teaches undergraduate and graduate accounting information systems, internal auditing, fraud auditing, cost, managerial accounting and he is also a Deloitte and Touche Faculty Fellow. Dr. Odom served as Director of the School of Accountancy from 2004 until 2014. He is actively involved in the AAA IS Section, serving in the past as a Regional Coordinator, a member of the Notable Contributions to the Literature Committee, Historian, Treasurer and program chair for the 2008 Mid-year meeting. He is an active member of the Accounting Program Leaders Group (APLG). Dr. Odom has published papers in Journal of Information Systems, International Journal of Accounting Information Systems, Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, among other academic journals.

JOHN PEARSON a native of Minnesota, began his passion for teaching at Southern Illinois University in 2001. His favorite part of his job is the relationship with SIU students. Dr. Pearson earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Minnesota’s St. Cloud State University and a doctorate in business administration from Mississippi State University. Dr. Pearson’s favorite part of his job at Southern Illinois University is the relationship he has with the students whom he describes as “hardworking,

honest individuals. It makes interacting with them a rewarding experience and I enjoy working with younger individuals and helping them prepare for their future.” Dr. Pearson is passionate about his research and is currently studying team building through technology, the positive and negative impact of internet technology, website design and organizational decision making as related to technology investment. Dr. Pearson won the Researcher of the Year Award in 2007, was nominated for the Outstanding Researcher Award in 2004 and 2006, and nominated for the Outstanding Undergraduate Teacher Award in 2002.

CHARLES STUBBART teaches business strategy, management, organization theory and entrepreneurship at both undergraduate and graduate levels. He has extensive experience teaching abroad at schools in Canada, Finland, Sweden, Russia and Northern Albania. Before joining the College of Business faculty in 1991, Stubbart taught at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Rochester Institute of Technology. Dr. Stubbart attended Syracuse University and earned a bachelor of business administration from Rochester Institute of Technology. He holds his master’s and doctoral degrees in business administration from University of Pittsburgh.

PROGRAM FACULTY

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RAYMOND WACKER was born in Omaha, Nebraska. He earned a bachelor’s degree in 1973 from St. Louis University, a master’s degree in 1974 from the University of Toronto and a doctoral degree in 1989 from the University of Houston. Dr. Wacker joined the College of Business in 1989, and has garnered praise and numerous accolades including the 2007 Outstanding Educator Award given by the Illinois CPA Society. Dr. Wacker teaches taxation, international business policy, business ethics,

and managerial and financial accounting. His research focuses on international taxation.

PROGRAM FACULTY

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STUDY A B ROA D

STUDY ABROAD

The SIU College of Business has a well-established one-to-three-week study abroad program in France with our partner school, Grenoble Graduate School of Business. This program occurs from mid-May to mid-June every year and is coordinated by Jeffery Reece (jreece@business.siu.edu).

When looking at the course calendar, students can choose to replace BA 580 International Business in Summer beginning their year 2 classes with the BA 588 Study Abroad opportunity. The program consists of three 1-week courses that students can participate in France during the time frame listed above. Whether students choose to attend 1 week, 2 weeks, or 3 weeks, they get the credits to replace the BA 588.

*Please be advised that additional program costs are incurred for participating in the study abroad option above and beyond the tuition for the course. This is not included in the traditional tuition costs of your program as it is a voluntary opportunity to experience real-world international business travel. More information will be sent out during the fall of your first year with specific details.

The Online MBA involves a commitment to a twenty-three month, 42-credit graduate management curriculum delivered entirely via the Internet. Using the most up-to-date digital technology, you participate in class activities, access course material, and receive an engaging program every bit as rigorous as our on-campus coursework. The courses listed below are in numerical class listing order. To see the chronological order of classes, see the two year schedule.

BA 505 - Brand Management (3 Credits)

This course will focus on important issues facing brand managers who are managing existing brands. The focus will be at the level of the brand and the discussions will pertain to issues involved in the development and implementation of brand strategies. The course will provide students with a conceptual framework to examine brand equity and use it as the basis for managing categories of brands, brand extensions, and dealing with the threats of generic brands. There will be an emphasis on bringing together the different elements of a brand strategy.

BA 506 - Business Communication for MBA Professionals (2 Credits)

Business Communication for MBA Professionals will prepare students for the demands of professional writing for the demands of both graduate level study and professional environments. It will cover topics within the field of academic, professional, and digital communication, including: synthesis and critique of academic and professional texts, document design, precision writing, presentation development, collaborative composition, client communication, and digital communication strategies. Familiarity, experience, and successful execution of professional writing goals will be emphasized through a variety of writing activities and thoughtful revision and synthesis of those activities in a significant course project.

BA 507 - Critical Issues for Business Leaders (2 Credits)

This course is designed to provide masters students with a forum to further explore topics on critical issues for business leaders. Our emphasis will always be on self-development and the attainment of tools to advance leadership skills. The two major themes for the course are to enhance the ability to think clearly and decisively; and, to build leadership and team performance. The process shall involve reading provocative articles and engaging in experiential exercises the culmination of which provides for a practical knowledge of select leadership issues.

PROGRAM CURRICULUM

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BA 508 - Seminar on Career Effectiveness (2 Credits)

This course is designed to provide masters students with a forum to further explore topics on career effectiveness. Our emphasis will always be on self-development and the attainment of tools to advance your professional career. The two major themes for the course are to maximize personal job performance/career success; and, to engage in effective interaction with others. The process shall involve reading provocative articles and engaging in experiential exercises the culmination of which provides for a practical knowledge of select issues related to personal brand management.

BA 509 - Advanced Seminar in Leadership Development (2 Credits)

This is a class on leadership. The focus is not so much on leadership in terms of different styles or theories, but more about the leadership development process, in developing your self-confidence and the skills necessary to lead. We will build upon the conceptual foundations provided from your previous management courses (such as BA 507: Critical Issues for Business Leaders), structuring opportunities for further understanding of theoretical ideas, but emphasizing more of their practical application. This course is designed to provide graduate business students with an in-depth examination of exemplary organizational leadership skills. Students will identify their own leadership strengths and weaknesses, and develop a tangible action plan for achieving their personal leadership development goals.

BA 510 - Managerial Accounting and Control (3 Credits)

This course will focus on cost concepts, measures, methods and systems of internal accounting useful for managerial planning, implementation, control and performance evaluation.

BA 511 - Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice (2 Credits)

This course is designed to provide master’s students with an introduction to entrepreneurship, its theory, and practical applications. During this course students will be exposed to a number of activities related to starting and operating a business. The goal of this course is to provide students with the basic tools for business creation.

BA 514 - Business Ethics (3 Credits)

This course discusses the philosophical implications of contemporary issues in business ethics.

PROGRAM CURRICULUM

BA 522 - Operations Management (3 Credits)

This course is an advanced course in Operations Management. This is a useful component of main-stream MBA programs for two reasons. First, traditional MBAs should have a generalist perspective. So the foundational background in each of the functions of the firm is necessary, including Operations. This course focuses on six important topics that are common elective courses in graduate business schools. Those topics are Operations Strategy, Process and Capacity Strategy, Quality Management, Process Management, Supply Chain Management, and Project Management.

The second reason that this course is important is that there are operations issues in all functions, and operations issues in every industry. MBAs need a “process perspective” that they can employ and with which they can observe, understand, analyze, and improve processes and supply chains. This course further develops that perspective and provides the opportunity to study and apply that perspective (that is, apply operations frameworks and principles) in a variety of settings.

BA 530 - Financial Management (3 Credits)

The purpose of this course is to provide students with a moderately in-depth look at corporate financial planning. While students may never become a finance professional, it is likely that they will be exposed to financial planning in their careers. Students will need to be able to interact with and understand the language of finance when dealing with the finance professionals in their companies.

BA 531 - Advanced Financial Management (3 Credits)

The purpose of this course is to provide students with a moderately in-depth look at several financial topics. These topics include an overview of financial institutions, the security issuance process, corporate debt and dividend policy and mergers.

BA 540 - Managerial and Organization Behavior (3 Credits)

This course applies concepts and theories from the behavioral “science” to the problems that managers face in attempting to structure human activity and motivate human beings to engage in goal seeking behavior.

PROGRAM CURRICULUM

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PROGRAM CURRICULUM

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BA 550 - Marketing Management (3 Credits)

This course is designed to provide MBA students with a foundation of marketing and marketing’s role within an organization by exploring marketing strategy and the many responsibilities of the marketer. During this course, we will discuss the product itself (with an emphasis on innovation), promotional communication, branding, consumer behavior, marketing research, pricing (yes, this is a marketing activity!), and distribution (also a primary responsibility of the marketer). In addition, we will spend an entire module discussing the role of traditional and non-traditional media (such as social networking and mobile marketing) in marketing during the digital age.

BA 560 - Management of Information Systems (3 Credits)

This course is about the use of information technology in business organizations, and society in general. The past decade has seen a radical change in how organizations conduct business, and much of this is because of the advances that have occurred in the capabilities provided by technologies such as the World Wide Web, wireless networks, smart phones, etc.

BA 580 - International Dimensions of Business (2 Credits)

This course is designed to introduce students to key issues in Global Business. This course will examine issues involved in the context, theory and practice of conducting business across national boundaries, across the world. Culture, economic arrangements, technical standards, currency movements, language, religion, ideology, politics, distance and conflicting interpretations of national and global interests combine to complicate the situation. Using a combination of lectures, global business cases, written assignments and online discussions, the goal is to gain insight into these issues.

BA 598 - Business Policies (3 Credits)

In this course, students will study the development and evaluation of business strategies and policies as they relate to the overall performance of the firm within its environment. Knowledge of the functional areas of administration, available business data and analytical tools will be utilized in solving comprehensive business cases and simulation games.

Learn | Grow | Adapt