Business Administration

Brown School of Business and Leadership

Department of Business Administration

Department Chair: Zamira S. Simkins, Ph.D.

Description

The business administration major is designed to give graduates the knowledge, skills, critical thinking ability, and technological competence essential to be successful in business, conduct research, analyze information, and communicate effectively. The business administration major provides a strong foundation in business functions and includes courses in management, marketing, finance, accounting, economics, information systems, international business, and business law. Additionally, students select electives from the disciplines above to develop a greater degree of specialization according to their individual interests and career goals.

The Bachelor of Science in Business Administration including all tracks has received specialized accreditation through the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE).

Outcomes

Upon completion of the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, graduates will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate knowledge of the functional areas of business.
  2. Formulate business solutions.
  3. Communicate business information to specific audiences in varied formats. 
  4. Critique ethical issues and practices that affect business in domestic and global environments.
  5. Demonstrate professional competencies related to contemporary business careers.

Entrepreneurship Track Description

The entrepreneurship track option is designed for students who wish to:

  • Build and oversee a business venture.
  • Obtain necessary skills and abilities to run a successful business enterprise.
  • Enhance their knowledge in the areas of resource management, marketing feasibility, business finance, and business networking as required to run a self-owned business.
  • Increase their proficiency to communicate and effectively promote innovative business ideas.

Entrepreneurship Track Outcomes

Upon completion of the entrepreneurship track, graduates will be able to:

  1. Identify specific business opportunities and construct corresponding entrepreneurial approaches.
  2. Utilize the elements of the entrepreneurial process: idea generation, start-up, and growth of a small business enterprise to determine the viability of new business opportunities.
  3. Identify and integrate required elements necessary to write a business plan for a new business venture.
  4. Demonstrate a working knowledge of specific marketing, finance, human resources, and legal management practices necessary to be a successful entrepreneur.
  5. Appraise specific entrepreneurial risks and determine alternate ways to reduce or eliminate such threats.

Finance Track Description

The finance track is designed for students who wish to:

  • Enhance their knowledge of the financial aspects of business practices, personal investments, and governmental policies and procedures. 
  • Learn the theories and practices of finance from the perspective of organizational management, the investing community, and the regulatory agencies.
  • Articulate the theories and practices of finance as they relate to the successful operation of a modern organization or to the performance of personal investments.

Finance Track Outcomes

Upon completion of the finance track, graduates will be able to:

  1. Apply theories and fundamental principles of finance to business decision-making practices.
  2. Appraise risk profiles and asset valuation of businesses using specific financial data. 
  3. Analyze and interpret the role and operations of the domestic and global financial markets as they relate to the development of personal, stakeholder, and corporate gains.
  4. Explain the global financial environment and its processes as they relate to multinational and domestic businesses.

International Business Track Description

The international business track is designed for students who wish to:

  • Develop a better understanding of the global business environment. 
  • Study the impact of the global economy on domestic and foreign companies, trade policy and foreign investment, and aspects of international management, production, and marketing. 
  • Pursue career opportunities in international business.

International Business Track Outcomes

Upon completion of the international business track, graduates will be able to:

  1. Evaluate the effects of globalization on countries and businesses. 
  2. Assess the political, economic, financial, legal, and cultural factors impacting international business operations, transactions, marketing, and management. 
  3. Formulate a strategy to reduce risks of doing business in the international environment. 
  4. Evaluate ethical issues facing international businesses. 
  5. Recognize cultural differences and challenges of working in a diverse workplace.
  6. Demonstrate cross-cultural communication skills.  

General Track Description

The general track option is designed for students who wish to:

  • Explore different functional areas of business to determine job and career possibilities.
  • Enhance their knowledge in select functional area(s) of business - Accounting, Economics, Finance, Fashion Merchandising, Economics, International Business, Information Systems, Management, Marketing, Real Estate, as well as select topics in Legal Studies and Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics. 
  • Learn theories and practices of business from the perspective of various organizational practices.

General Track Outcomes

Upon completion of the general track, graduates will be able to:

  1. Apply models and fundamental principles to areas of business practices that support a wide variety of organizations.
  2. Utilize specific area-based tools necessary for responsible decision-making in public, private, and non-profit sector contexts.
  3. Identify the requirements for specific business-related responsibilities needed in a changing employment environment.
  4. Explain applied functions carried out in specific departments of an organization.

Sport Management Track Description

The sport management track option is designed for students who wish to:

  • Provide management and/or marketing support to professional, intercollegiate, or interscholastic sport organizations or resort establishments.
  • Oversee and operate recreational programs in municipalities or tourism environments.
  • Oversee and operate an exercise or athletic training facility.
  • Own a sport-related business.

Sport Management Track Outcomes

Upon completion of the sport management track, graduates will be able to:

  1. Identify and evaluate the unique business context of the different sport and recreation industries.
  2. Use and adapt specific business strategies in the application of managing a sport-related organization.
  3. Apply appropriate legal and economic considerations to managing sport and recreation organizations.
  4. Analyze various marketing and promotional strategies to choose appropriate approaches in support of a successful sport business plan.

Policies

Students must earn a minimum GPA of 2.00 in the major. The lowest acceptable grade is a “C” in all courses listed in the catalog under "Program Requirements" for the major, track electives, and SEE courses required by the major. No student, regardless of major, will be permitted to advance to the next course in the major without earning a grade of “C” or better in the prerequisite course(s). When a grade below “C” is earned in a major course, the student must repeat that course. A course may be repeated once without special permission. 

Business administration majors must apply in writing to the Dean of the School of Business and Leadership requesting permission to take a course for a third time. Those who do not successfully complete a major course with a grade of “C” or better after three attempts will not be allowed to continue in the business administration program.

Requirements

The courses listed below are required for completion of the bachelor’s degree in business administration. Students must also complete the requirements for the Stevenson Educational Experience (SEE).

Specific pre- and co-requisites for each course are listed in the course descriptions.

Major Requirements:

FYS 100First Year Seminar

1 credit

ACC 140Financial Accounting

3 credits

ACC 141Managerial Accounting

3 credits

EC 201Principles of Macroeconomics

3 credits

EC 202Principles of Microeconomics

3 credits

FIN 300Principles of Finance

3 credits

INBUS Any International Business Course

IS 135Computer Applications for Business

3 credits

LAW 208Business Law

3 credits

MATH 136Introduction to Statistics

4 credits

MGT 204Principles of Management

3 credits

MGT 210Business Writing

3 credits

MGT 300/MKT 301Applied Business Analytics

3 credits

MGT 308Business Ethics

3 credits

MGT 310Organizational Behavior

3 credits

MGT 313Operations Management

3 credits

MGT 422Strategic Management

3 credits

MGT 430Business Capstone Seminar

3 credits

MKT 206Principles of Marketing

3 credits

Students must complete all of the program requirements and one of the following tracks.

Entrepreneurship Track:

All major requirements, MGT/MKT/FIN 417, and the following:

MGT 224Principles of Entrepreneurship

3 credits

MGT 324Entrepreneurial Business Planning

3 credits

MGT 323Social Entrepreneurship

3 credits

or

MGT 413Project Management

3 credits

or

MGT 424Entrepreneurial Development

3 credits

MKT 330Strategic Marketing for Entrepreneurs

3 credits

Finance Track:

All major requirements, FIN 417, and four of the following electives:

FIN 321Money & Banking

3 credits

FIN 355Special Topics in Finance

3 credits

FIN 416International Finance

3 credits

FIN 420Investment Theory and Practice

3 credits

FIN 425Principles of Risk Management and Insurance

3 credits

FIN 435Applied Corporate Finance

3 credits

FIN 450Business Valuation

3 credits

REA 400Real Estate Market Analysis, Valuation and Finance

3 credits

General Track:

All major requirements, and MGT or MKT or FIN 417 and four business electives from the following subject areas/courses:  ACC, CDF 110, EC, FIN, FMER, INBUS, IS, LAW 325, LAW 345, LAW 470, MGT, MKT, REA

International Business Track:

All major requirements, MGT/MKT/FIN 417, and four of the following INBUS electives:

Note: Business Administration: International Business track majors are required to take one program-required INBUS course, and up to 4 approved track electives. An INBUS course completed as a part of the program requirements cannot be double-counted towards the International Business track elective courses.

INBUS 201Survey of International Business

3 credits

INBUS 315/MGT 315International Business Management

3 credits

INBUS 325/MKT 325International Marketing

3 credits

INBUS 347/MGT 347International Human Resource Management

3 credits

INBUS 416/FIN 416International Finance

3 credits

INBUS 420International Operations Management

3 credits

INBUS 430International Economics

3 credits

INBUS 470/LAW 470International Business Law

3 credits

Sport Management Track

All major requirements, MGT 235, MGT/MKT 417, and three of the following electives:

EC 340Economics of Sports

3 credits

LAW 345Sports Law

3 credits

MGT 335Management of Sport Enterprises

3 credits

MKT 315Sports Marketing

3 credits

Suggested Course Sequence

2023-24 SCS Business Administration

Minor in Business Administration

A minor in business administration is not available; however, students majoring in other fields who have an interest in business may consider earning an academic minor in accounting, economics, management, or marketing, or a professional minor in Management and Organizational Leadership, Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development, Human Resources, or Real Estate. Please see an academic advisor for more information. Specific information regarding minor requirements may be found in the Academic Information section of the catalog. General guidelines regarding minors may be found in the Minors section of the catalog.

Minor in Finance

The discipline minor in Finance requires successful completion of a minimum of six courses and 18 credits with a FIN prefix. The finance minor is available to students in all majors, except Business Administration: Finance Track. Due to curriculum overlap, students can receive credit for either FIN 300 or FIN 303 but not for both.

Other Options

BS/MS Option: The BS/MS option is available for students majoring in business administration who wish to combine their bachelor’s coursework with work toward a master’s degree in one of Stevenson’s graduate programs. Students choosing this option may earn their master's degree in as little as one year after their bachelor's degree. Interested students must formally apply for entrance into a BS/MS option in their junior year. Once admitted into this program, students develop an educational plan in consultation with their undergraduate and graduate advisors. For more information on this program, see the Stevenson University Graduate Catalog.

Course Descriptions

See Accounting Course Descriptions

See Economics Course Descriptions

See Finance Course Descriptions

See International Business Course Descriptions

See Management Course Descriptions

See Marketing Course Descriptions