Certificate in Business Management

This course takes a three-pronged approach for instilling in students actionable knowledge critical for navigating the opportunities and challenges inherent in managing themselves and others in organizations. First, students review contemporary management research, focusing, for example, on micro-level theories of motivation and decision-making, meso-level theories of teamwork and leadership, and macro-level theories of organizational culture and structure. Second, students apply these theories to analyze real-world situations, to generate and evaluate alternative courses of action, and to recommend and defend best courses of action. Third, students are provided opportunities to enhance their interpersonal and teamwork skills as well as their communication skills, which are essential in the workplace. 

Marketing and Business Development is designed to educate students about the organizational functions of marketing and business development and their impact on organization success, society and the economy. In this course, students acquire comprehensive knowledge about marketing concepts, programs and strategies to develop sustainable relations with the market and create mutual value for the organization and its stakeholders. The course emphasizes business development which includes personal selling strategies, product and service innovation, strategic market system alliances and new market development. The challenges marketing professionals face are analyzed and ethical ways of approaching them are identified. Through the use of projects, written assignments, case discussions, and newsworthy marketing issues and trends, students are encouraged to apply the marketing process to managerial situations and opportunities.

“What do information systems have to do with business,” you ask? Everything! A profound and fundamental shift is underway in our economy. A shift away from an industrial-based to an information-based economy. The information-based economy has complex implications for the management of the modern enterprise. The goal of this course is for students to see how modern businesses use information systems to increase profitability, gain market share, improve customer service, and manage inventory and daily operations across a wide variety of fields, including accounting, finance, marketing, and supply chain management. The course also highlights how innovative firms are constantly experimenting with new types of products, production processes, organizational structures, and competitive strategies that can only be enabled through the use of information systems. In other words, information systems provide the foundation for modern business enterprises. The information economy also has important and irrevocable workforce implications. Tremendous demand will exist for employees that can combine technical skills with business insight to create value for their organizations. Accordingly, this course is also designed to both explore careers in Information Systems & Technology (IST) and demonstrate how Information Systems (IS) can be utilized in any career to facilitate personal and organizational success. The course approaches the above topics by developing requisite technology concepts and skills required for success and efficiently and effectively applying those skills in a business context. 

Develops analytical thinking skills and designed to make students better decision-makers. Provides students with the opportunity to identify, infer, analyze, and apply critical thinking and decision-making skills to an organization. Great emphasis is placed on preparing students to think like managers who can deal clearly, rationally, and creatively in a dynamic workplace. In addition, it addresses formal, optimal models as well as behavioral descriptive models. Students will consider risk, decision and outcome evaluation, and assessment of arguments on opposing sides. Equips students with concrete skills in critical thinking and decision making that will allow them to identify, interpret, evaluate and solve organizational problems, as well as provide necessary strategic direction. 

This course introduces the fundamentals of salesmanship and the problems confronted by the sales manager. Emphasis will be placed on developing an understanding of production planning, pricing, market analysis and specific areas of sales management. Attention will be given to management of the sales force, recruitment, selection and ethical considerations. Software will be integrated into this course to reflect current trends in sales management and the selling function. 

An introductory course that provides an understanding of terminology and key concepts and requires students to create a business plan. The course utilizes entrepreneurs who have started businesses. This course is required for students prior to enrolling in other Entrepreneurship courses.