2008-2009 Catalog 
    
    Mar 29, 2024  
2008-2009 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Business, BS


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The student bears primary responsibility for the fulfillment of degree requirements.

General Requirements

Total Credits

A minimum of 120 semester hours of academic credit required.

RESIDENCY

Candidates for the Bachelor of Science (Business) must complete a minimum of 30 credits of business course work (to include the 18-21 credits in the area of emphasis and BUAD 400 & 450) after the student has been accepted into the College of Business and Administration and Administration.

UPPER DIVISION

A minimum of 45 credits must be upper-division (300 or 400- level) course work.

COMMUNITY COLLEGE TRANSFER HOURS

A maximum of 64 credit hours of appropriate academic credit taken at a junior or community college may be applied toward the undergraduate degree in business. The College reserves the right to disallow any credit that is not appropriate academic degree credit.

Model Degree Program for Business BS


The following four-year plan lists all the specific course requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Business degree for the academic year of this Bulletin. Equivalent courses taken at other institutions prior to admission to this degree program may satisfy some requirements, subject to College of Business and Administration policies regarding the transfer of academic credit. The order in which these courses are taken may vary with course availability; however, normal degree progress requires that students complete the degree in a freshman, sophomore, junior, senior sequence in order to complete prerequisites as required. Course prerequisite and class standing requirements are enforced by the College of Business and Administration.

Note


(The note references within this plan are explained in the following section.)

Freshman Year (Note 1)


  • Approved Electives (Note 4) (9 credits)
  • Area or Business Elective (Note 5) (3 credits)

Professional Program Areas of Emphasis


Each candidate for the Bachelor of Science-Business degree in the Professional Program must complete the prescribed courses in an area of emphasis comprising a minimum of 18 semester hours taken at UCCS.

A grade point average of 2.5 is required for the area of emphasis courses, with no grade below a C-; a 2.5 is required for all business courses; and a 2.0 is required overall. Students who graduate with area of emphasis and/or business grade point averages from2.0 to 2.49 will graduate as General Business majors.

By completing extra courses, a student can earn a second area of emphasis. In order to earn a double area of emphasis, a student must fulfill all the requirements for both areas. If there are not at least 15 hours of unique courses in the areas, then the student cannot earn a double area of emphasis.

Total: 27 Credits


Note


In addition to completing the mandatory 27 hours of accounting, applicants for the CPA exam must complete at least 21 additional semester hours in other areas of business administration such as business law,management,marketing, statistics, business communications, economics, and finance. No more than 6 semester hours in any single area may be used to satisfy this requirement.

While students may take as many hours in accounting as they wish, no more than 30 hours can be applied toward the total requirements for an undergraduate degree in business.

Accounting students should work closely with faculty and the undergraduate business advisor in planning their programs. Graduate study is receiving increasing emphasis by professional accounting organizations and employers. Students meeting graduate admission criteria may thus find it advantageous to consider continuing their education beyond the bachelor’s degree.

In Colorado, for example, individuals may be licensed as CPAs without professional apprentice experience if they have 30 semester hours of course work beyond the credits applied for the bachelor’s degree and a total of 45 hours of accounting and related courses in their combined undergraduate and graduate studies. In addition,many states other than Colorado now require a minimum of 150 semester hours to be eligible to take the CPA exam and obtain licensure. Students who plan to leave Colorado should check the specific requirements of the states to which they may relocate.

Business Administration


The Business Administration area of emphasis is part of the Professional Program. It allows the student to select 18 semester hours of upper division business course work based on the individual’s particular interests and objectives. Courses are upper division andmust be selected fromat least two different subject areas to provide a solid business foundation. Course work selected for the area of emphasismust be pre-approved via a contract. Please see the business advisor in the Student Success Center for a contract.

Finance


Finance encompasses both the science and the art of managing money and investments. The finance curriculum is divided into three primary areas: financial management, financial markets and institutions, and investments. The study of finance provides students with an understanding of numerous financial theories such as the relation between risk and return, the factors that determine asset values, and strategies for minimizing the risk exposure of both corporations and investors. An understanding of these theories helps students develop the ability to make sound and practical business and personal investment decisions. The importance of finance in the economy and the functions and purposes of monetary systems, credit, prices,money markets, and financial institutions are stressed throughout the area of emphasis. Students are trained to think logically regarding financial problems and to formulate sound financial decisions, policies, and practices.

The finance emphasis prepares students for jobs in a corporate industrial setting or in the financial services industry. Students who study corporate finance prepare for careers managing corporate assets. Specific jobs in the corporate setting can include cash and receivables management, capital budgeting decision making, short- and long-term financial planning and analysis, risk analysis and management, and financing decisions. Financial services careers include positions in investment counseling, insurance, personal asset management and other financial planning careers.

To meet the 18 credit hours of upper division course work in the finance emphasis, students must complete the following required courses and one of the elective courses listed below.

Human Resources Management


The goal of the human resources management (HRMG) function in organizations is to develop and maintain effective relationships between employers and employees.HR managers achieve this in a number of ways—matching people’s skills to job requirements, developing fair compensation practices, appraising employees’ performance levels, developing employees’ skills and abilities through training and career planning, implementing productivity improvement programs, and many other activities. HR managers perform these roles ethically and legally in an ever-changing environment. These changes include new employment laws, the changing skills and demographics of the work force, people expecting more and different things from their employers, and companies becoming increasingly globalized in their operations. The HR manager’s job is challenging.HR managers are in high demand.

The HRMG emphasis prepares students for careers in HR by covering such topics as recruiting, staffing, training and development, performance appraisal, evaluation, compensation, career planning, safety and health, equal employment opportunity and affirmative action, and labor relations.

Information Systems


The use of information technology is pervasive in the business world today. No matter what career is chosen, virtually all students will have to work with and understand the basics of information technology to be successful. For the business major, the information systems (INFS) curriculum helps prepare students for this technology-centric world.

The curriculum includes an introduction to basic computer hardware and software, programming, databases, networking, along with the fundamentals of analysis and design and project management. The continuous advances in the use of decision support systems and management information systems make the field one from which to build a productive career in business.

International Business


Economies are intertwined as never before, and inmost industrial sectors competition is increasingly global. Simultaneously, there are a number of new and dynamic events and processes that influence the world economic, cultural, and political arenas. It is essential that managers understand the implications of these changes. They affect managers in at least three ways. First, firms that see themselves as primarily domestic companies are facing increased competition by foreign firms in their domestic market. Secondly, foreign markets and resources are becoming increasingly important in terms of incremental revenue, profitability, sources of technology, and capital. And third, U.S. world-wide economic influence has diminished in a relative sense, and it has become more important than ever for executives to be aware of international influences.

This area of emphasis addresses these issues and introduces students to the challenges and basic skills required for effective international business management.

Total: 18 Credits


Foreign Language Recommendation


Studentsmajoring in international business are strongly encouraged to use their lower-division electives for learning another language and/or taking a language immersion program.

Management


Today’s highly competitive, constantly changing global environment places a premium on skilled managers who know how to lead and motivate people, build high performance teams, develop world class organizations, and understand the dynamics of organization behavior. Organizations of all sizes and types need skilled managers.

The management curriculum provides a foundation for careers in management, human resource management, small business management and entrepreneurship, and public agency management. This area of emphasis addresses contemporary issues in management and the changing roles of managers and leaders at all levels of the organization.

Marketing


Global and national economies are directly influenced by marketing, a dynamic and challenging activity relevant to profit and nonprofit organizations alike.Marketing is the guiding force in conceiving and designing products and services, pricing them according to perceived value in the marketplace, promoting them through advertising and personal selling to potential buyers, and providing acceptable distribution arrangements for customers. Customer-oriented planning and implementation provide the cornerstone of modern marketing techniques and strategies.

Marketing is a vital ingredient in an organization’s formula for success in effecting mutually beneficial exchanges between buyers and sellers. Because marketing is a synthesis of a wide variety of disciplines, including management, economics, psychology, statistics, and sociology,marketing classes tend to attract students that excel in creative areas, problem-solving capabilities, and strategic thinking.

Our graduates typically find career opportunities in sales, advertising,marketing research, product development, retailing, wholesaling, e-commerce and related endeavors, both domestically and internationally.

Marketing/Professional GolfManagement


The purpose of the Marketing/Professional Golf Management is to prepare students to be professional managers in the golf industry, while holding the distinction of membership in the Professional Golfers’ Association of America (PGA). These individuals will be qualified to fill any of a number of roles in a variety of positions and specific entities.

The program involves a three-part preparation process: (a) completion of the requirements for a bachelor’s degree in marketing, (b) completion of 16-18months of supervised internships, and (c) completion of the PGA’s Professional Golf Management Training Program(PGA/PGMTM), including passing the Playing Ability Test (PAT).

Individuals will generally enter the PGM Program as freshmen business majors; in addition to meeting standard academic entrance requirements, these students must have a documented handicap of no greater than 12. Qualified transfer students are also accepted into the program; applicants must also meet the handicap requirement and must understand that their transfer credits shorten only the time allocated to the academic portion of the program. They must complete the internships and the PGA/PGMTM training on the same schedule as other students. The PGM Academic Advisor works with each transfer student to create a personalized program of study. Because there are relatively few electives in the program, it is possible that not all transferred courses will count toward graduation. All new PGM students must start their program in the Fall semester.

Service Management


The Service Management area of emphasis is designed to provide skills and knowledge for those who will work in a management or professional capacity in the service sector, including customer service departments, call centers, help desks, insurance, and other professional service organizations (e.g. law, accounting).

Sport Management


The Sport Management area of emphasis is designed to prepare students to become the next generation of leaders in the sport management industry through education and training that imparts the knowledge, skills, and experience essential for providing increased enjoyment and rewarding participation within the wide and varied world of sport.

Junior Year (Note 6)


  • Non-Freshman Communication Elective (Note 2) (3 credits)
  • Business Area of Emphasis/Major (Note 7) (6 credits)
  • Area or Business Elective (Note 5) (3 credits)
  • Open Elective (Note 4) (3 credits)

Senior Year


  • Business Area of Emphasis/Major (Note 7) (12 credits)
  • Area or Business Elective (Note 5) (6 credits)
  • Open Elective (Note 4) (5 credits)

Required Undergraduate Curriculum Notes


Note


(*BUAD 300 should be taken during the second semester of the sophomore year and requires 45 hours of completed course work to enroll). Skills Courses must be completed (with a grade of C- or better) prior to enrolling in the Junior Core and Emphasis classes.

University Composition Competency


All students must complete the University Composition Competency requirement prior to graduation. After completing both ENGL 131 and a Non-Freshman Communication Elective (COMM 324, ENGL 307 or ENGL 309), students must submit a Writing Portfolio or enroll in an additional writing course. Please consult the Business Advisor in the Student Success Center for complete details.

Computer Literacy


The College of Business and Administration requires all students complete a computer literacy requirement prior to enrolling in some courses through completion of one of the following options:

  • Complete INFS 110 or equivalent computer course
  • Pass Computer Competency test
  • Transfer equivalent of basic computer course

If a student meets this requirement by exam, no credits are awarded and a three hour, open elective course must be taken to fulfill the credits.

Open and Approved Electives


The business degree requires 27-30 hours of Open and Approved electives chosen from the CoB Approved Elective list for the current catalog year. Students must choose one Humanities, one Social Science, one Natural Science (w/lab) and three additional courses from the list. Open electives are free/unrestricted electives numbered 100-400 with the following exceptions: CS 100, CS 103, CS 104;maximum of two credits of PE/Applied Music. These credits provide a means to take elective courses geared toward expanding the breadth of students’ education to other topics pertinent to their course of study in business. Electives should be chosen carefully based upon the student’s interests and objectives.

Area or Business Electives


12-15 hours of Area or Business electives are required. Business Electives can be used for a second business major, a business minor, or to explore business topics other than those required in the students’ major. Students may also elect to utilize Area Electives for minors offered through the Letters, Arts and Sciences, Engineering, and/or Nursing Colleges (a maximum of 15 hours upper division ROTC credit if the student completes the ROTC program). Students should direct questions and obtain written approval from the Business Advisor prior to undertaking these classes.

The Professional Program


Begins in the junior year and allows students to begin focused study in their chosen discipline. CoB students declare an Area of Emphasis (major) for their academic degree requirement and must follow the sequence of courses listed in the Model Degree Plan for their catalog year of acceptance.

Area Of Emphasis


Requires 18-21 hours of specific course work. Business students will select one of the following Professional Program Areas of Interest: Accounting*, Business Administration, Finance, Human Resources Management, Information Systems, International Business, Management,Marketing, Professional Golf Management*, Service Management or Sport Management*, (*these programs have unique degree requirement, please see the following Emphasis sections for more details). In order to earn a double area of emphasis, a student must fulfill all the requirements for both areas. If there are not at least 15 hours of unique courses in the areas, then the student cannot earn a double area of emphasis.

Additional Requirements


Registration in BUAD 400 and 450 is restricted to business seniors only; all Junior Core courses and the Non-Freshman Communication Elective must be completed.

Accounting


Students who pursue a degree in accounting will be prepared for careers that include such areas as financial accounting, managerial accounting, accounting systems, taxation, and auditing. The emphasis is designed to prepare students to work in public accounting, business and industry, and not for- profit and governmental organizations.

Course work in accounting at UCCS conveys a comprehensive understanding of the theory and concepts that underlie practice. Emphasis is placed on logical reasoning to enable students to solve problems in accounting and to make sound policy decisions in the context of social, legal, and political environments.

The undergraduate area of emphasis in accounting consists of a minimum of 21 semester hours in upper division accounting courses. Those students who wish to obtain licensure as Certified Public Accountants must complete ACCT 461 (Auditing) to be eligible to sit for the CPA examination.

The basic requirements for all accounting majors are as follows:

Note:


PGMT 110 is to be taken in the summer following the freshman year. PGMT 210 and 211 are to be taken in successive Summer and Fall semesters following the sophomore year. PGMT 410 and 411 are to be taken in successive fall and spring semesters after the junior year.

All internships occur under the supervision of members of the PGA of America at facilities approved by the PGM Program staff. The facilities can be located virtually anywhere in the country or, in some circumstances, outside the country. Placement is assisted by the Internship Coordinator in cooperation with each student. Internships typically provide compensation directly to the student. Each student will submit a post-internship report and will receive a grade based on demonstrated progress toward completing specified work experiences.

PGM students also must enroll in the PGA/PGMTM during their freshman year, which is accomplished through their enrollment in PGMT 100. The cost of the program is in addition to regular tuition and student fees. It is collected from students as special course-related fees and is passed along intact to the PGA of America. Completion of the PGA/PGMTM also requires passing three checkpoints (during the sophomore, junior, and senior years) as well as the Playing Ability Test administered by the Colorado Section of the PGA or other sections in other states. Students are encouraged to pass the PAT as soon as possible, even before enrollment and preferably before the second internship. PGA standards require freshmen to attempt the PAT at least once, sophomores at least twice, and all others at least three times per year until it is passed. Additional information about the PGA/PGMTM and the PAT is available at www.pgalinks.com. Students who participate in the PGM Program are subject to additional unique academic and professional policies as described in the PGM tudent Handbook. Copies of the handbook are available from the program’s Director.

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