Individual Business Graduate Courses

A theoretical and practical analysis of principles, techniques, and uses of accounting in the planning and control of business organizations is explored. Topics include a review of the accounting cycle and financial statements, effects of General Accepted Accounting Principles, time value of money concepts, accounting for cash, receivables, inventory, property and equipment, and intangible assets. Emphasis is placed on the use of the computer as a tool to provide critical information for decision-making.

This course provides learners an opportunity to study the utilization of basic cost accounting principles, practices, and procedures for industries using either a process job order or a standard cost system. The effective use of cost accounting as a management tool is emphasized.

This course serves to establish a foundation of knowledge regarding use of spreadsheets and database applications using the latest software found in most business environments.

This course provides a practical introduction to the tools needed to perform basic analysis of critical organizational data related to issues of quality control and decision-making. Topics covered include graphic and tabular summarization, measures of central tendency and dispersion, sampling distributions and estimation, hypothesis testing, analysis and variance, nonparametric methods, and regression analysis.

This course provides the student with an overview of management and leadership processes within an organization. The principles of planning, organizing, staffing, directing, controlling, and team development and team-building are applied to a comprehensive group project. Students develop an understanding of the role of the manager in contemporary organizations.

In this course, learners analyze the behavior of people in organizations. Organizational motivation, group behavior, group dynamics, communication, and decision-making are explored in the context of individual and group behavior. Group projects and presentations are assigned.

This course provides a study of legal topics needed by all managers and entrepreneurs, including business tort and crimes, contracts, sales, agency, employment law, credit, and bankruptcy. Additionally, this course reviews the three basic structures of a business: sole proprietorship, partnership, and corporation.

In this course, learners study marketing theory that presents a strategic overview of marketing concepts. Learners learn how to plan and implement marketing strategies and policies. Topics include consumer behavior, feasibility studies, market segmentation, marketing strategies, marketing mix forecasting, and budgeting within the domestic and global economy.

The course begins with principles of finance and moves toward topics such as leasing, mergers, and multinational finance. The theory of finance is applied to investment instruments, including stocks, bonds, options, and futures markets. Capital budgeting, cost of capital, valuation, and risk are also studied at advanced levels of analysis.

This course covers the development of current policies, practices, and techniques necessary to ensure effective personnel management in complex organizations. There is an emphasis on the role of operating supervisors, executives, and the union in researching such challenges as employee selection, training, placement, wage and salary administration, promotion, fringe benefits, employee services, and management-labor relations.

This course introduces students to the process and approach to decision-making. Topics include framing issues, expanding and evaluating options, the process of elimination, fit to organizational mission and goals and the ethical implications of decisions.

The focus of this course is on clarifying the distinction between management and leadership by examination of different models of leadership and the integration of Christian ethical principles into various functional topics.

This course explores the global business climate by offering students the opportunity to travel internationally and explore the culture, business climate, and the transformational potential of business. Course work includes pre and post cultural assessments and study of societal and personal transformation.

This course provides an examination of the alternative forms of economic organization that exist around the world. Areas of emphasis include the existing variations in the demographic capitalist framework; the ongoing process of transition in formerly socialist nations; the emergence of new sources of competition within the global economy; and the interaction between economics, politics, and culture in various societies.

The focus of this course will be on clarifying the distinction between management and leadership by the examination of different models of leadership and the integration of ethical principles into various functional topics. The course presents leadership and management theories/concepts that have emerged over the past several decades. Also, learners will survey contemporary perspectives of networking, coaching, organizational culture, diversity, learning organizations, strategic leadership, and crisis leadership. Special attention will be paid to examining the role that leaders play in identifying and implementing change in organizations. (Master’s Path Course)

This course examines leadership theories, research, and models related to working in groups and teams. It will explore new paradigms of leadership that will help teams perform at higher levels through diversity and inclusion while challenging shortsighted leaders to higher team performance through better communication and positive exchanges between leaders and followers.

The objective of this course is to familiarize learners with the environments facing managers and corporations who are operating in the global economy. Thus, learners should acquire an awareness of, and an appreciation for, the diversity and complexity of the global environment including international trade, cultures, economics, marketing, and communication issues of multinational corporations. More specifically, the successful completion of this course should enable learners to understand and analyze how global forces shape corporate strategy. (Master’s Path Course)

This course is an introduction to the concepts, principles, problems, and practices of operations management, including design, planning, control, and continuous improvement. Emphasis is on managerial processes for effective operations in both goods-producing and service-rendering organizations. Topics include operations strategy, process design, capacity planning, facilities location and design, forecasting, production scheduling, inventory control, quality assurance, and project management. (Master’s Path Course)

This course allows learners to evaluate the manager’s role in ensuring best practices for the application of technology in organizations. It presents the significant components and technologies employed in information systems, their impact on business processes, and the contribution they make to competitive advantage. Learners will assess tools and skills about communication, policy, security, management, and technology.

This course revolves around identification and analysis of leadership strategies for dealing with both functional and dysfunctional conflict in the workplace. Leaders need to understand the potential for conflict to be either destructive or beneficial within an organization. Included is a study of various conflict management styles including avoidance, accommodation, collaboration, negotiation, mediation, and domination. Learners will understand the appropriate and inappropriate use of each technique.

This course recognizes that organizations are experiencing change at a very rapid pace. Leaders need to be able to lead change, not just react to it. Effective change leadership does three things: anticipates where things are moving, facilitates the implementation of change and sustains momentum by taking charge and moving things ahead. The Leading Organizational Change course equips learners with the knowledge and tools to understand transformational leadership and change, the guidance on gaining employee commitment and overcoming resistance, and the techniques to inspire others to embrace change and sustain it to keep the organization moving in the right direction.

This course discusses the definition, formulation, and execution of strategy in fulfilling the organization’s vision, mission, and strategic goals. Leaders of for-profit organizations will focus on achieving and sustaining a competitive advantage against rival firms, while strategies of not-for-profit organizations emphasize strategic positioning to effectively serve the organization’s key stakeholders. Through this course, learners will learn how to transform an organizational vision into strategy for long-term success and sustainability.

The intersection of business, culture, and technology is dynamic. One thing that remains constant is the need for effective communication of ideas to meet the challenges and opportunities presented. This course explores foundational principles and theories of human communication. Further, it provides the business professional with a set of strategies, tools, and practical applications necessary for communication competence in the digital workplace. As the first course in this sequence, it also lays the groundwork for learners’ academic success by introducing technological, written, and oral competencies required throughout the program.

This course examines the principles, techniques and uses of accounting in the planning and control of business organizations from the management perspective. Budgetary process and related performance evaluation techniques, cost volume to profit relationships and product costing methods are examined. Review of legal and ethical implications of accounting practices.

Examines strategies for meaningful decision making based on data. Reviews sources and quality of data, how ethics and bias can alter interpretation. A proven system of information evaluation is reviewed and applied to a wide range of information sources typically used by professional managers to plan and operate their ventures.

This course explores financing of current operations and long-term capital management, sources and uses of funds, capital structure, and budgeting. Explores the concept of analyzing the financial health of organizations and connects financial health to organizational mission. Examines the challenge of global operations on finance.

Examines how and why organizations benefit from branding success. Examines the varied nature of brand communication, message development, and brand management. Incorporate elements of market research, pricing of product and services, and market positioning, product placement. Examines financial, legal and ethical constraints of marketing initiatives.

This course will expose learners to best practices related to coaching and mentoring employees that lead organizations to higher levels of performance. Learners will examine theories and models, understand sources of conflict in the organization, and explore conflict resolution techniques that improve teamwork, communication and performance.

This course provides learners skills necessary to read financial statements and understand how the results of leaders’ decisions can impact their organization’s fiscal performance. Topics include basic accounting concepts, sources and uses of funds, budgetary concepts, project cost-benefit analysis, the general business environment and how to assess the financial well-being of an organization.

Learners are exposed to the dynamics of culture within organizations, and how ethical leadership influences that culture. In this course, learners will explore the nature of ethical decision making, and how individual decisions influence the cultural dynamics of the greater organization.

Designing, measuring, and reporting metrics for effective organizational performance. Learners will explore individual and team based motivational tools, become familiar with how strategic and organizational goals and objectives can be translated into individual and team performance.

This course explores a leader’s ability to impact effective change in organizations. Embracing concepts on the effective use of power can create change at all levels. The identification of sources of power, ethical strategies and tactics for its use, and how power is lost.

Learner will take an in-depth look at how leaders navigate the complex healthcare environment in light of ever-changing regulatory demands. They will focus on decision-making, ethics and organizational mission. Learners address issues related to healthcare law, reporting, self-reporting, and outcomes.

This course looks at the demand of continuous quality improvement in the healthcare setting. Learners examine the relationship between quality and outcomes. They look at methods of measuring quality, and how measured results create actionable process in operations.

This course examines the state of healthcare, and the increased demand to provide a continuum of care based on the needs of diverse population in the marketplace. Learners examines the business implications of creating alternative service location to traditional models of care and alternative healthcare solution such as education, wellness, and access to care.

Learners in this course will explore a definition of leadership with an emphasis on identifying leadership traits, leadership styles, and leadership skill development. Specific emphasis will be on practical implementation of leadership strategies such as overcoming obstacles and addressing ethical matter. Students will reflect on their own personal leadership traits and styles.

This course focuses on the management areas of leadership. Learners will be exposed to elements of organizational structure, topics of human resource management and organizational behavior. Learners will explore how corporate strategy is linked to organizational structure.

Today’s leaders need to be proactive and forecast the needs of the organization for the short-term, the intermediate, and the long-term. Students will explore how leaders are primarily change agents to influence a shared vision for the future. Students will learn to identify elements critical to leading in a changing environment.

Learners will examine the elements of strategy development including analysis of external and internal environments, building competitive advantage at the functional, business and industry level. Focus on strategic integration with diversification and acquisition to complete in a global environment. Students will explore how different businesses and industries implement strategy, focusing on performance, governance and ethics.

This course looks at the relationship between leadership and decision making. Examines decision making as a skill set by exploring decision framing, intelligence gathering, coming to conclusions, and review. Examines the legal, ethical, cultural and organizational challenges related to decision making.

Students learn the craft, demands, and expectations of written communications to fulfill corporate-communications strategy. Students write a range of communication forms used in print and digital communications including social media, blogs, and e-newsletters.

Learners will have an opportunity to explore the purpose and value of a buyer’s persona. They will develop a persona that includes the following elements: Name, Demographics/Description, Picture, Identifiers/psychographic elements. To support the development process, they will create data collect instruments, perform statistical calculations, interpret statistical results, and craft corporate communication messages tailored to their persona. Students will also engage in group and team discussions, complete assignments, and reflect on the ways in which they can integrate the principles of Faith and Scripture through devotional thoughts each week.

This course is a comprehensive application of corporate-communications strategy, tactics, and programs. Small teams will design, implement, and evaluate a campaign in the context of a challenging 8-week case study. Team projects are presented via a student-created website for evaluation by classmates and faculty.

This course explores cultural intelligence, foreign business climate, societal and personal transformation and culminates in a global journey where students experience the intersection of business, faith and culture. Course work includes pre and post cultural assessments, and a detailed look at personal and societal transformation.

This course connects organizational mission to operations. Students examine the dynamics of board governance, the benefits and challenges of working with volunteers, and the hiring challenges of nonprofits. Students will learn how to connect long term goals into short term action.

Students write and produce a range of communication forms for print and digital communications that address the public relations needs of nonprofit organizations. In addition, students learn how to budget resources, write public-relations plans, evaluate the results of campaigns, and communicate public-relations initiatives and results to Boards of Directors and employees.

This course examines fundraising in the non-profit settings and addresses fundraising campaigns, grant writing, donor development and communication strategies. Students learn the importance of both financial and social service reporting in communicating organizational needs.

Through self-assessment and readings, this course provides the framework for understanding oneself in order to communicate and interact appropriately in a diverse world.

Course Author: Karen Dowling

This course provides insight into how differing ecologies, social structures, philosophies and educational systems impact the way in which we see and make sense of our world.

Course Author: Robert Simpson

The increase in globalization has heightened organizational awareness of cross cultural differences and increased the demand for employees with the ability to manage effectively across multiple cultures. In this course, the context of global business, and its intersection with faith, ethics, religion, values, leadership, human resources, and organizational design are explored. Also, the skills to manage relevant cultural, political, legal, regulatory, economic, socioeconomic forces are applied to a challenge selected by the student for an organization to enter a new country.