Business Administration

BUSI 1043 – Introduction to Financial Literacy – 3 credit hours

Introduction to the concepts of personal budgeting, spending, investing, and debt management. Emphasizes the individual’s ability to discern financial choices, to discuss money and financial issues without discomfort, to plan for the future, and to respond competently to life events that affect everyday financial decisions, including events in the general economy.

BUSI 2203 – Entrepreneurship – 3 credit hours

Focuses on the following fundamentals of entrepreneurship: creative thinking, leadership, problem-solving, risk-taking, and adaptation to change along with basic concepts in economics, accounting, and marketing. Strong emphasis on experiential learning activities which will involve student interaction with business leaders and entrepreneurs.

BUSI 2216 – Entrepreneurship Project – 6 credit hours

Students will develop a business plan and begin implementation of the business concept that they have submitted prior to the beginning of the semester in which they register for the course.

BUSI 2303 – Business Communication – 3 credit hours

Study of communication processes in business as related to managerial and professional communication. Emphasis on interpersonal and organizational concepts; goals, skills, and criteria; cultural aspects; electronically assisted communication; collaborative communication; planning, organizing, and developing business messages; message patterns; visual and oral media; research and reports; and the employment process. Prerequisite: ENGL 1023.

BUSI 2503 – Business Mathematics – 3 credit hours

Introduces elementary finance and specific problems relative to business enterprises. Prerequisite: MATH 1013 or a minimum ACT mathematics subscore of 26 or equivalent.

BUSI 2713 – Business Law – 3 credit hours

Studies the legal environment of business. Introduces the private and public aspects of business law. Topics include law and the judicial system, contracts, regulation and consumer protection, and commercial paper.

BUSI 2903 – Introduction to Management – 3 credit hours

Introduces the discipline of Management. Integrates the basic processes of management: planning, organizing, motivating, and controlling. Case studies are used to solve realistic problems in managing a business. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing.

BUSI 2933 – Small Business Management – 3 credit hours

A study of the problems of establishing and operating a small business. Includes development of a business plan, integrating capital requirements, location, managing inventory, taxation, and services.

BUSI 3103 – Consumer Behavior – 3 credit hours

Marketing is a customer-driven function that begins and ends with the consumer – from identifying customer needs to trying to meet those needs and ensuring post-purchase satisfaction. This course focuses on fundamental theories and concepts in consumer behavior to enhance the student’s understanding of how and why people choose, use, and evaluate goods and services the way they do.

BUSI 3303 – Introduction to Marketing Research – 3 credit hours

This course focuses on the use of marketing research as an aid to making marketing decisions, specifically how the information used to make marketing decisions is gathered and analyzed. Prerequisite: BUSI 3933.

BUSI 3403 – Digital Marketing – 3 credit hours

The course focuses on the what, why, and how of digital marketing, including online listening and monitoring, search engine optimization, search ads, email marketing, and participation in social media. Prerequisite: BUSI 3933.

BUSI 3503 – Business Computer Applications – 3 credit hours

Uses computer-based spreadsheets to create and analyze worksheets and graphs for accounting, finance, marketing, and human resource management.

BUSI 3513 – Introduction to Integrated Marketing Communication – 3 credit hours

The course introduces students to the fundamentals of integrated marketing communications (IMC). Students learn and apply the IMC planning process and examine the role of integration to ensure consistency of creative strategy and complementary use of traditional and digital media. Prerequisites: BUSI 2303 and BUSI 3933.

BUSI 3533 – Principles of Finance – 3 credit hours

Studies the basic principles, concepts, and analytical tools in finance. Areas examined include: budgeting, present value concepts, sources, and uses of funds. Prerequisites: ACCT 2123 and BUSI 2903.

BUSI 3603 – Employee & Labor Relations – 3 credit hours

Provides a comprehensive introduction to employment and labor regulations. Consideration will be given to the rights and responsibilities of employers and employees throughout the employment relationship. Topics to be discussed will include the common law and statutory foundations of employment law, the employment relationship, collective bargaining, and labor relations. Prerequisites: BUSI 2713 and BUSI 3953.

BUSI 3933 – Principles of Marketing – 3 credit hours

Studies the behavioral, functional, societal, and institutional foundations of marketing, as well as the marketing mix variables: product, price, promotion, and channels of distribution. Prerequisite: BUSI 2903.

BUSI 3943 – International Marketing – 3 credit hours

The course considers the marketing strategies needed to remain competitive in a global environment. The impact of changing economic, political, legal, social, and cultural environments on management decision making is examined. Prerequisite: BUSI 3933.

BUSI 3953 – Personnel Management – 3 credit hours

Deals with personnel functions within organizations. Topics include: recruitment, selection, appraisal and compensation, labor laws governing management and labor, and future prospects in the personnel field. Prerequisite: BUSI 2903.

BUSI 3973 – Management Information Systems – 3 credit hours

Introduces information systems in business and the global society. Topics include information technology concepts, business information support systems, transaction processing systems, management decision support systems, expert systems, enterprise systems, and systems development.

BUSI 3983 – Acquiring & Developing Talent (Workforce Planning) – 3 credit hours

Focuses on workforce planning and talent management. Topics include workforce needs analysis, recruitment and staffing, organizational entry and socialization, training, career and succession planning, performance measurements, and issues in mergers and consolidations. Prerequisite: BUSI 3953.

BUSI 3993 – International Business Operations – 3 credit hours

Study of globalization, political, and cultural diversities; foreign investment; regional economic integration; the global monetary system; global capital market; the strategy and structure of international business; exporting; alternative approach to entering foreign markets; global manufacturing and material management; global marketing and research and development (R&D); global human resource management; accounting in international business; and financial management in international business. Prerequisite: Junior standing.

BUSI 3TX3 – Topics in Marketing – 3 credit hours

This course examines topics within marketing that are of current interest or that deal with specific areas of marketing. Examples include sports marketing, entrepreneurial marketing, marketing for non-profits, healthcare marketing, and data analytics. Prerequisite: BUSI 3933.

BUSI 4103 – Marketing Capstone Project – 3 credit hours

Students apply knowledge and skills learned in their course of study to develop a marketing plan for a for-profit company or non-profit organization. Prerequisite: Business major with senior standing.

BUSI 4603 – Compensation & Benefits – 3 credit hours

Provides advanced study of the human resources function of compensation. Topics include design and administration of the total compensation system, including such subtopic areas as pay equity, job evaluation, wage and salary structures, variable pay programs, negotiation of benefit plans, benefit administrational and legal compliance, and compensation and benefits regulations. Prerequisites: ACCT 2113 and BUSI 3953.

BUSI 4623 – Quantitative Business Research Methods – 3 credit hours

Provides a cross-discipline foundation in research methods in business. Exposes students to the set of conceptual tools and techniques that will enable them to understand the nature of the scientific method as it applies to a business setting, to evaluate the usefulness of research proposals and studies from the point of design and execution, and to execute a basic job of planning and carrying out a research project. Prerequisites: BUSI 2903 and ECON 2203.

BUSI 4763 – Operations Management – 3 credit hours

This course provides students with concepts, techniques, and tools involved in the process of converting or transforming resources into products or services. Included in the course are the managerial concepts in decision making as well as the interplay between financial objectives and operational capabilities. Topics covered include operations and productivity, operations strategy in a global environment, project management, forecasting, design of goods and services, managing quality, location strategies, layout strategies, inventory management, Just In Time (JIT), and lean operations. Also included are case studies and a semester-long simulation game which demonstrates critical concepts. Prerequisites: BUSI 2903 and ECON 2203.

BUSI 4773 – Human Relations in Business – 3 credit hours

Studies individual and group behavior in organizations, the nature and crucial importance of communication, employee motivation, and development of the human aspects on organizations. Prerequisite: Senior standing or instructor’s permission.

BUSI 4783 – Business Ethics & Values – 3 credit hours

Includes an analysis of the issues in the social responsibilities of business, ethics in promotion, distribution, processing, research, product development, honesty and fairness, accounting, finance, and production. Includes a study of federal legislation that created agencies to force business to act in socially responsible ways. Prerequisites: Senior standing or instructor’s permission.

BUSI 4793 – Business Policy – 3 credit hours

Establishes effective business policy within the framework of the problems and methods of business decision-making. Written and oral analyses are made of comprehensive cases cutting across the major functions within business organizations. Group and individual reports are required. Uses a computer simulation. This is the capstone course for the bachelor’s degree business major and should be taken in the student’s final semester. Note: A fee of approximately $25 is required for the ETS Majors Fields Test. Prerequisites: BUSI 3533, BUSI 3933, BUSI 4763 and senior standing.

BUSI PN00 – Internship in Business – 1-6 credit hours

Provides experiential learning at an on-campus or off-campus site. Internships give students the opportunity to actively participate in a business related to their emphasis/concentration; integrate classroom knowledge and theory with practical application and skills; and provide the opportunity to make connections in the industry and to develop hard and soft skills. Working closely with a faculty member and an on-site professional supervisor, the intern receives valuable work experience and may receive an advantage in competition for full-time, ongoing employment after graduation. May be taken during the fall or spring semester or during the summer. Forty hours constitute one credit hour. Grading: Credit/No Credit. 

BUSI PN06 – Entrepreneurship Internship – 6 credit hours

Students will spend at least 240 hours during the semester working at an entrepreneurial business. The internship will be accompanied by a seminar.

RELATED COURSES: ACCT – Accounting

ACCT 2113 – Financial Accounting – 3 credit hours

Introduction to the concepts and principles involved in the preparation of financial statements. Topics covered include: the accounting cycle, the balance sheet, income statement, assets, liabilities, and stockholder equity. The emphasis is on external reporting requirements. Prerequisite: MATH 1013 or a minimum ACT mathematics subscore of 26 or equivalent.

ACCT 2123 – Managerial Accounting – 3 credit hours

Introduction to the concepts and principles involved in the preparation of internal financial reports. Topics covered include: job order and process costing, budgeting, variance analysis, and financial statement analysis. Emphasis is on reporting for management controlling, decision-making, and planning purposes. Prerequisite: ACCT 2113.

ACCT 3113 – Intermediate Accounting I – 3 credit hours

Introduction to intermediate concepts and principles involved in the preparation of GAAP-based financial statements. Topics covered include: cash, temporary investments, current assets, inventory, plant assets, and investments. Prerequisite: ACCT 2123 with a minimum grade of C+ or instructor’s permission.

ACCT 3123 – Intermediate Accounting II – 3 credit hours

A continuation of Intermediate Accounting I. Topics covered include: current and long-term liabilities, earnings per share, revenue recognition, income taxes, leases, pensions, and financial statement analysis. Prerequisite: ACCT 3113.

ACCT 3303 – Cost Accounting – 3 credit hours

Examines topics related to the internal reporting of financial information to management. Topics covered include: costing systems, budgeting, variance analysis, variable costing, absorption costing, joint costs, cost allocation, and cost-volume-profit analysis. Prerequisite: ACCT 2123.

ACCT 3453 – Taxation I: Taxation of Individuals – 3 credit hours

Focuses on the federal income taxation of the individual taxpayer. Emphasis is on income tax compliance with discussions of income tax planning for investment activities, property transactions, and ordinary income. Prerequisite: ACCT 2123.

ACCT 3973 – Accounting Information Systems – 3 credit hours

Provides students with a variety of technology and business analysis concepts and skills. Topics include data modeling, transaction processing systems, internal controls, enterprise systems, systems development, information security, and computer fraud. Includes hands-on experience in both manual and computerized accounting systems. Prerequisites/Corequisites: ACCT 3113 and ACCT 3303.

ACCT 4353 – Auditing – 3 credit hours

Examines the attest function. Topics covered include professional responsibilities, audit planning, audit evidence, and reporting requirements. Emphasis is placed upon areas covered on the CPA examination. Prerequisites: ACCT 3123 and senior standing.

ACCT 4453 – Taxation II: Taxation of Business Entities – 3 credit hours

Emphasizes compliance and planning concepts for the business entity, including the C-corporation, S-corporation, and partnerships. Essentials of tax research will also be covered. Prerequisite: ACCT 3453.

ACCT 4553 – Advanced Accounting – 3 credit hours

Examination of advanced accounting concepts, such as mergers and consolidations, foreign currency transactions and other international accounting issues, partnerships, estates, and trusts. Prerequisite: ACCT 3123.

ACCT 4653 – Not-for-Profit Accounting – 3 credit hours

Introduction and examination of the concepts and principles involved in governmental and nonprofit accounting. Topics covered include: financial reporting, funds, encumbrances, expenditures, revenues, and budgets. Special emphasis is placed on the similarities and differences between corporate and not-for-profit accounting and reporting. Prerequisite: ACCT 3123.

ACCT 4723 – Income Tax Practice Seminar – 3 credit hours

Practical application of Federal and Kentucky individual income tax law through service-learning. In conjunction with the AARP Tax-Aide program and Internal Revenue Service Volunteer income tax assistance program, students provide free federal and state income tax return preparation and e-filing for the local community. Prerequisite: ACCT 3453 and instructor’s permission.

ACCT PN00 – Internship in Accounting – 1-6 credit hours

Provides experiential learning at an on-campus or off-campus site. Internships give students the opportunity to apply the skills and understandings learned in accounting courses in a professional setting; integrate classroom knowledge and theory with practical applications and skills; and provide the opportunity to make connections in the industry and to develop hard and soft skills. Working closely with a faculty member and an on-site professional supervisor, the intern receives valuable work experience and may receive an advantage in competition for full-time, ongoing employment after graduation. May be taken during the fall or spring semester or during the summer. Forty hours constitute one credit hour. Grading: Credit/No Credit.

RELATED COURSES: CIS – Computer Information Systems

CIS 1003 – Computer Concepts & Applications – 3 credit hours

A survey of computing and technology-related issues, including hardware, software, operating systems, file management, networks, electronic communication, Internet research, technology in society, and online security, privacy, and ethics. Also provides a survey of and hands-on experience with word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, database, Web browser, and email software. Recommended: Keyboarding skills or instructor’s permission.

CIS 2703 – Visual Basic Programming – 3 credit hours

Visual Basic language will be used to provide experience in planning and creating interactive Windows applications with an emphasis on Graphical User Interface design skills. Prerequisite: MATH 1013. Course rotation: Fall.

CIS 2713 – Introduction to Computational Science – 3 credit hours

Presents an introduction to the theory and application of computer programming. Basic control 195 structures and object-oriented constructs are explored. Also listed as MATH 2713. Prerequisite: MATH 1013 or a minimum ACT mathematics subscore of 26 or equivalent. Course rotation: Spring.

CIS 3003 – Web Design – 3 credit hours

Introduction to basic Web design and creation principles using Web authoring software, HTML, JavaScript, and Cascading Style Sheets. Course rotation: Fall.

RELATED COURSES: ECON – Economics

ECON 2023 – Survey of Economic Issues – 3 credit hours

A study of national and international economic issues such as market and command economic systems; agriculture subsidies; healthcare issues; green Gross Domestic Product and environmental pollution; Social Security; poverty; state of national economy; unemployment; inflation; budget deficit and national debt; the financial market; economics of higher education; feminist economic issues; regional economic integration; protectionism versus free trade; world poverty; developing countries’ international debt; and the role of international institutions such as WTO, IMF and the World Bank. Note: Students who have taken ECON 2043 or ECON 2033 may not take this course for credit. Prerequisite: Mathematics course meeting/exceeding general education requirements.

ECON 2033 – Microeconomics – 3 credit hours

A study of supply, demand, price, seller-market power, profit, consumer choice, specialization, efficiency, domestic and international trades, and distribution of income. The role of middlemen, speculators, and the government in the economy. Current economic controversies are discussed. Prerequisites: Sophomore standing and MATH 1013 or a minimum ACT mathematics subscore of 26 or equivalent.

ECON 2043 – Macroeconomics – 3 credit hours

A study of inflation, unemployment, national income, booms and busts, government budget deficit, money, monetary and fiscal policies, specialization, efficiency, trade, currency exchange, and balance of payment with other nations. Prerequisites: ECON 2033 and MATH 1013 or a minimum ACT mathematics subscore of 26 or equivalent.

ECON 2203 – Statistics for Business & Economics – 3 credit hours

Content includes descriptive statistics, survey of probability concepts, discrete probability distribution with emphasis on Poisson and binomial distributions, continuous normal distribution, simple random sampling, and sampling distribution. Prerequisite: MATH 1013 with a minimum grade of C.

RELATED COURSES: COMM – Communication

COMM 3103 – Advanced Public Speaking – 3 credit hours

An intensive application of the basic skills of public speaking. Delivery is stressed as a critical component of speech-making. Emphasis is given to critical thinking skills, analysis of research findings, the impact of language on messages, and critiquing and examining the delivery and speaking skills of current political and entertainment figures. Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C in COMM 2103. Recommended: COMM 1003.

COMM 3113 – Public Relations Principles & Practices – 3 credit hours

Students will learn how information moves inside and outside organizations and how this information can be used to contribute to organizational goals. For students considering careers in public relations, this course will provide initial communication planning and writing skills. For students interested in communication applications as part of careers in other fields, this course will contribute to understanding communication applications in modern organizations.

COMM 3303 – Group Communication & Decision Making – 3 credit hours

Study of time interaction and communication in small-group and team situations. Emphasis is placed on role identity, listening, conflict, problem-solving and decision-making. Recommended: COMM 1003.

COMM 3503 – Organizational Communication – 3 credit hours

A management approach to communication within business environments. Includes team approaches, problem-solving, and development of professionalism. Recommended: COMM 1003.

COMM 3603 – Intercultural Communication – 3 credit hours

Provides an overview of the study of communication and culture with an emphasis on the theory and practice of cross-cultural and intercultural communication. It includes comparative studies of communication practices in different cultures and subcultures (cross-cultural) and descriptive normative studies of communication between different cultures and subcultures (intercultural). Recommended: COMM 1003.

COMM 3713 – Gender & Communication – 3 credit hours

An assessment of communication interaction as influenced by gender differences and similarities. Intensive study of gender in social and professional situations. Recommended: COMM 1003.

COMM 4103 – Conflict Resolution – 3 credit hours

An intensive study of the nature of conflict, its causes and consequences, and communication strategies for managing and resolving conflict. Recommended: COMM 1003.

COMM 4203 – Crisis Communication – 3 credit hours

Communication strategies for dealing with crisis situations through prevention, readiness, and resolution of crisis situations will be developed. Recommended: COMM 1003.

COMM 4403 – Communication Law & Ethics – 3 credit hours

Study focuses on media law and ethical considerations in the contemporary communication environment. Topics include the First Amendment, libel, invasion of privacy, information access, free press and fair trial considerations, obscenity, copyright, advertising, and telecommunication regulations. Also listed as JRNL 4403.

COMM 4503 – Interviewing – 3 credit hours

A comprehensive study of interviewing techniques as applied in diverse settings, including employment, performance appraisal, health care, and human services. Students will demonstrate understanding of relevant principles and techniques through observation of and participation in a series of interviews in and out of class. Recommended: COMM 1003.

COMM 4713 – Leadership – 3 credit hours

Study of communication relative to values, leadership, and power in organizational contexts such as business, professional, social, educational, and political groups. Recommended: COMM 1003.

COMM 4723 – Persuasion – 3 credit hours

An advanced study of theories of human influence and motivation and their applications with emphasis on commercial and political advertising in mass communication and computer-mediated communication.

COMM 4743 – Social Media Communication – 3 credit hours

A social scientific study of the influence of communication on the history, theory, ethics, technology, and uses of social media. Specific focus will be given to the analysis of messages and emergent social structures through social media platforms, i.e., Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn. Course topics include but are not limited to the impact of social media and technology on interpersonal relationships, the workplace, journalism, and politics. Recommended: COMM 1003.