Undergraduate Learning Goals

Undergraduate Business Foundation

• Demonstrate critical thinking and analytical skills.
• Demonstrate competent oral and written communication skills.
• Demonstrate competent leadership skills.
• Demonstrate understanding of the body of knowledge encompassed by the UG Business Foundation courses.

 Accounting (ACCT)

• Analyze and evaluate costing systems, prepare master budgets, evaluate managerial performance, analyze management control systems, and provide decision support for cost management and other managerial decisions.
• Analyze transaction cycles and accounting processes, evaluate risk, and recommend internal controls for accounting processes.
• Use software to improve efficiency and internal control, analyze data, and support decision-making.
• Analyze and communicate the effects of basic tax rules on individuals, partnerships and corporations, and prepare basic tax returns based on research of pertinent authority to answer tax questions..
• Prepare and evaluate financial statements according to generally acceped accounting principles and identify, research, and recommend resolution of related accounting issues, including ethical implications of alternatives.
• Perform basic analysis of financial systems and statements, and write a report on the performance, financial condition, and management effectiveness.
• Demonstrate skills and abilities relevant to the accounting profession, including effective written and oral communications and working effectively in teams.
• Be aware of the needs of communities beyond the boundaries of their professional community.

Economics (ECON)

• Indentify, and describe to the lay person, the important institutions and determinants of economic activity at the local, regional, national, and international levels, including the basics of fiscal and monetary policy and how each affects the economy.
• Explain to the non-economist the fundamental economic problem of scarcity (and tradeoffs);the meaning of a market economy and how markets allocate society's scarce resources; what it means for markets to fail and the role of government in finding solutions for market failure.
• Analyze the ethical and social justice dimensions of market and policy outcomes.
• Identify key relationships between important variables.
  • Understand the differences between correlation and cause-and-effect.
  • Apply algebraic, graphical, and statistical tools to analyses of problems and issues in business and public policy.
  • Identify the relationship between assumption and interpretation.
• Think critically, for example, be able to:
  • Summarize low-level articles from professional journals.
  • Articulate the connections between the different sub-disciplines of economics.
  • Automatically compare and contrast different economic theories.
•  Employ their discipline knowledge and skills in service to the community, for example:
• Present themselves and interact with others in a professional manner.
• Communicate economic concepts orally.
• Convey economic ideas in a variety of written forms.

Finance (FINC)

• Describe and explain to lay individuals financial concepts relating to: value creation, risk management, and the functioning of financial institutions and world financial markets, for corporate and investor decision-making.
• Demonstrate strong critical thinking and problem solving skills within an ethical framework.
• Apply tools such as spreadsheet, mathematical, and statistical modeling to analyze problems and issues in finance.
• Employ discipline knowledge and skills orally and in written form in a professional manner in service to the community.
• Recognize social justice issues inherent in financial decision-making.

Information Systems (IS)

• Demonstrate proficiency in computer and database skills.
• Demonstrate knowledge of key information systems concepts.
• Understand the strategic implications of information technology management.
• Integrate a global perspective into information technology management.
• Communicate effectively in speech and writing.

 International Business (INBU)

• Describe how businesses and other organizations are adapting people, processes, and structure to a global business context.
• Identify sources of globalization and describe some major effects on individuals and organizations.
• Identify key management challenges presented by globalization and describe techniques for addressing them.
• Integrate management, marketing, finance, and other functional areas in international business.

Management (MGMT)

• Demonstrate an understanding of how business management concepts relate to service to others, organizational social responsibility, ethical practice, and commitment to justice.
• Demonstrate an understanding of diversity (national, ethnic, cultural, gender, etc.) and the issues and challenges related to managing a workforce that is diverse.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the role of leadership in organizations both at the micro level (individual, teams) and at the macro level of organizaitons (e.g., strategic management, organizational structure).
• Demonstrate an understanding of major organizational behavior/general management concepts, theories, and their applications (such as motivation, teams, and decision making).
• Demonstrate an understanding of human resource management concepts and their application (such as compensation, training, and benefits).
• Demonstrate effective written communication skills.

Marketing (MKTG)

• Students will show excellent communication skills.
• Students will understand and be able to apply the "marketing concept".
• Students will understand and be able to apply the principles of segmentation, targeting, positioning, and differentiation as keys to marketing strategy.