Business Administration (BS)*

This program is offered by the George Herbert Walker School of Business and Technology/Business Department. It is available at the St. Louis main campus and at select U.S. and international campuses. Please see the Locations Offering Undergraduate Programs section of this catalog for a list of campuses where this program is offered.

Program Description

The bachelor of science (BS)* in business administration program presents a business as a system of interrelated functional areas working together to fulfill strategic goals in a complex competitive environment. The purpose of the BSBA program at the Walker School is to produce graduates who have the knowledge and skills to be upwardly mobile within any type of business organization. Students may choose to pursue the BSBA on its own or may choose to pursue one of several specialized emphases.

*NOTE: The bachelor of science (BS) degree is abbreviated as BSc when completed in Vienna with Austrian accreditation. 

The bachelor of science in business administration is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).

Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to understand and apply the following seven competencies: 

• Systemic Thinking: Students understand the big picture of a business: how the business is impacted by outside forces and how it is driven by its interconnected internal functions.
• Problem Solving: Students can identify business problems and opportunities, analyze them and formulate potential strategies to address them.
• Business Communication: Students can prepare clear, concise and accurate written materials and can make formal and informal business presentations using appropriate visual aids.
• Interpersonal Skills: Students understand and can apply theories relating to group processes, group composition and teamwork.  
• Technology Literacy: Students can utilize technology to analyze business problems, propose and examine potential solutions and present recommended courses of action.
• Ethical Reasoning: Students can identify and analyze value conflicts and ethical dimensions of business issues and situations. 
• Global and Cultural Understanding: Students understand the inherently global nature of modern business and consider international systems and cultural differences in their decision-making process.

Degree Requirements

For information on the general requirements for a degree, see Baccalaureate Degree Requirements under the Academic Policies and Information section of this catalog.

• 45 required credit hours
• Applicable University Global Citizenship Program hours, with accommodations for the business administration BS
• Electives

Global Citizenship Program for Business Administration BS

Requirements are modified to allow MATH 1430 to satisfy both a requirement of the major and also the GCP 'Quantitative Literacy' requirement.

Core Curriculum

• MATH 1430 College Algebra (3 hours)
• MNGT 2000 Foundations for Business Success* (3 hours)
• ACCT 2010 Financial Accounting (3 hours)
• BUSN 2100 Business Communications (3 hours)
• BUSN 2750 Introduction to Statistics (3 hours)
• ECON 2000 Survey of Economics (3 hours)
• MNGT 2280 Introduction to Business Law (3 hours) 
• MNGT 2500 Marketing (3 hours)
• WSBT 2000 Career Exploration (1 hour)
• WSBT 2300 Personal Branding (1 hour)
• WSBT 2700 Career Management Strategies (1 hour)
• BUSN 3150 Business Information Systems (3 hours)
• BUSN 3950 Business Analytics (3 hours)
• FINC 3210 Principles of Finance (3 hours)
• MNGT 3450 Management & Organizational Behavior (3 hours)
• BUSN 4110 Operations Management (3 hours)
• MNGT 4900 Managerial Policies and Strategies (3 hours)

*Students must register for MNGT 2000 their first semester as BS Business Administration majors (with or without emphasis). 

Special Requirements

Students studying at the Vienna campus must complete additional courses in order to meet Austrian accreditation requirements to receive the Austrian accredited Diploma.

Emphasis in Accounting

This emphasis is only available at the St. Louis main campus.

The emphasis in accounting is designed to provide students with the core knowledge, skills, and tools necessary to successfully enter the profession of accounting. The accounting curriculum will allow students to explore and appreciate the career opportunities in public accounting, corporate accounting, and other related areas. The program is also designed to offer the student a general, diversified business background that is significantly important to the accounting professional in today's technology-driven, global business environment. 

Emphasis-Specific Learning Outcomes

• Students can identify, analyze and apply fundamental auditing and attestation procedures.
• Students can analyze, apply and communicate financial accounting and reporting concepts and procedures and demonstrate the ability to utilize technology to financially analyze organizations.  
• Students can identify and apply tax concepts and procedures.
• Students can perform the accounting for consolidations both on a national and international level, describe the accounting for governmental organizations and utilize managerial/cost account in decision making.

Required Courses

• ACCT 2025 Managerial Accounting (3 hours)
• ACCT 3025 Advanced Cost and Managerial Accounting (3 hours) 
• ACCT 3030 Intermediate Accounting I (3 hours) 
• ACCT 3040 Intermediate Accounting II (3 hours)
• ACCT 3085 Federal Tax Accounting (3 hours)
• ACCT 3800 Accounting Information Systems (3 hours)
• ACCT 4100 Advanced Financial Accounting (3 hours)
• ACCT 4900 Auditing (3 hours)

For students who wish to obtain the Certified Public Accounting (CPA) license in the State of Missouri, please note that one of the requirements for such license is the completion of 150 undergraduate or graduate college credit hours of which the last 30 credit hours must include 6 credit hours of accounting courses and 6 credit hours of business courses. Please consult your advisor concerning the requirements for the CPA license.  

Emphasis in Economics

This emphasis is not currently accepting new students in the domestic US.

The emphasis in economics provides students with a solid understanding of the macroeconomic forces that shape and move markets, the structure and behavior of industries within markets and the philosophical underpinnings of the market economy. The study of economics complements the BSBA by developing an underlying paradigm that the decision maker can use to more fully understand the market forces impacting the business environment and to predict the potential impact of their decisions on the firm.

Emphasis-Specific Learning Outcomes

• The student will demonstrate familiarity with the primary measures of economic performance (GDP, Price Level, Unemployment). 
• The student will demonstrate proficiency in the use of the primary economic models (ISLM, Mundell-Fleming, Solow, Consumer Choice Theory, Price Optimization, Cournot Reaction Functions, Edgeworth Box and Game Theory).

Required Courses

• ACCT 2025 Managerial Accounting (3 hours)
• ECON 3000 Basic Economic Modelling (3 hours)
• ECON 3020 Intermediate Microeconomics (3 hours)
• ECON 3030 Intermediate Macroeconomics (3 hours)
• 3000-level or 4000-level ECON elective (3 hours)
• 3000-level or 4000-level ECON elective (3 hours)
• ECON 4000 Assessment Exam (0 hours)

Emphasis in Entrepreneurship

The emphasis in entrepreneurship empowers students to explore innovative approaches to start new ventures or help grow existing ventures. Students learn how to recognize and assess business opportunities, conduct economic and resource feasibility analyses, and develop an entrepreneurial plan of action. Expert faculty promote entrepreneurial thinking among students and help them to develop the necessary real-world skills for founding and growing an entrepreneurial venture.

Students demonstrate these skills by developing and presenting a viable business plan to a review panel made up of successful entrepreneurs in the capstone course. Opportunities to connect with the entrepreneurship community, conduct research and get involved in the Entrepreneurship Club help students build a network of connections and resources that are vital to success.

Emphasis-Specific Learning Outcomes

• Students can demonstrate an understanding of the entrepreneurship process.
• Students can identify and apply entrepreneurship concepts and principles used in developing entrepreneurial action plans. 
• Students can integrate entrepreneurship concepts, research and tactics to effectuate entrepreneurship. 

Required Courses

• MNGT 2600 Innovation through Social Impact Organizations (3 hours) (revised name)
• BUSN 3710 Entrepreneurial Financial Management (3 hours)
• MNGT 2700 Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management (3 hours)
• MNGT 3720 Entrepreneurial Marketing (3 hours)
• MNGT 3740 Global Entrepreneurship (3 hours)
• MNGT 4960 Entrepreneurship Capstone (3 hours)

Emphasis in Human Resource Management

The goal of the Human Resource Management Emphasis is to transfer relevant knowledge to students and transform them into highly effective, strategic, problem-solving decision-makers. Students will be exposed to all industry-related issues and opportunities, equipped with the tools needed to address the challenges and complexities of managing today's workforce and enabled to successfully complete in the marketplace and perform favorably on the job. 

The program content is designed to provide comprehensive coverage of the major Human Resource Management functions while highlighting issues that affect strategic decision-making and operational execution. The courses involves both practical and theoretical considerations in the development of Human Resource professionals in settings such as business, industry, government, and nonprofit organizations and institutions, both nationally and globally. 

Emphasis-Specific Learning Outcomes

• Identify and explain important technology, facts, concepts, principles, analytic techniques and theories used in Human Resource Management when analyzing moderately complex situations.
• Analyze, assess and apply the entry-level SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) competency clusters.
• Develop the business acumen needed to perform Human Resource Management transactions, employ standard operating procedures and promote operational efficiency.

Required Courses

• MNGT 3400 Human Resource Management (3 hours)
• MNGT 3690 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (3 hours)
• CSIS 3410 Information Analysis (3 hours)
• MNGT 4400 Employment Law and Compliance (3 hours)
• MNGT 4420 Compensation and Benefits (3 hours)
• MNGT 4600 Contemporary Human Resource Management Strategies (3 hours)

Emphasis in International Business

This emphasis is available at Geneva.

The international business emphasis prepares students for a successful career at global, multi-national corporations. It focuses on preparing students to apply relevant business theories and concepts to the companies based in different countries and dealing with differing socio-cultural economic, political, legal and technological environments. Students are prepared to use their knowledge of business, cultural and political concepts to create successful international strategies. 

Emphasis-Specific Learning Outcomes

• Students will explain the important terminology, facts, concepts, principles, analytic techniques and theories used in international business.
• Students will be able to identify and apply appropriate terminology, facts, concepts, principles, analytic techniques and theories used in international business when analyzing moderately complex situations.
• Students will be able to synthesize and integrate important concepts, principles and theories used in international business into solutions to moderately complex management problems.

Required Courses

• MNGT 3320 Business Law: International (3 hours)
• MNGT 4100 International Management (3 hours)
• MNGT 4330 International Marketing (3 hours)
• ECON 3720 International Trade and Finance (3 hours)
• MNGT 4940 Global Competitive Strategies (3 hours)

Marketing

The emphasis in marketing prepares students for a broad spectrum of careers in marketing, including branding, product development, advertising, digital marketing and customer relationship management. Students learn how organizations create value through the various marketing activities: customer behavior, pricing, promotion, product development, distribution and marketing research.
 

Emphasis-Specific Learning Outcomes

• Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of how to identify and utilize relevant information in order to make effective marketing decisions.
• Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to make and defend decisions regarding the various marketing mix elements for value creation in a way that reflects the needs and characteristics desired for organizational success and meaningful relationships among and between stakeholders. 
• Students will demonstrate personal skills (i.e. ethics, teamwork, effective communication, critical thinking) which are important keys to having a successful career in marketing. 
• Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of mutually interdependent relationships of all the major functional areas of a business enterprise.

Required Courses

• MNGT 3150 Consumer Behavior (3 hours)
• MNGT 3510 Management of Integrated Marketing Communications (3 hours)
• MNGT 3580 Professional Selling (3 hours)
• MNGT 4330 International Marketing (3 hours)
• MNGT 4570 Marketing Research (3 hours)
• MNGT 4920 Marketing Strategies (3 hours)

Emphasis in Sports and Entertainment Management

This emphasis is only available at the St. Louis main campus.

The emphasis in sports and entertainment management is designed to provide students with the knowledge, skills and tools necessary to succeed in the business-side of sports and entertainment. The administration of academic and professional sports and athletic franchises is a large and growing business in the United States and around the world. Sometimes overlooked but also important is the use of professional sports venues to host live entertainment events (concerts, ice events, children's shows). Recognizing the importance of both sports and entertainment, this program provides an inclusive approach providing graduates the skills necessary to be successful in both areas of business. 

Emphasis-Specific Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, students will be able to:

• Formulate business operational, managerial and marketing plans central to professional sports team and entertainment organizations.
• Quantify the economic impact that entertainment events and venues bring to communities.
• Apply critical thinking, problem solving and communication skills to the management of the sports and entertainment business sectors. 
• Analyze the trends, opportunities and challenges to compete successfully in a rapidly changing sports and entertainment global environment. 

Required Courses

• BUSN 2037 Introduction to Sports and Entertainment Management (3 hours)
• BUSN 3457 Sports and Entertainment Marketing (3 hours)
• BUSN 4717 Sports Finance (3 hours)
• BUSN 4747 Sports Operations and Logistics (3 hours)
• BUSN 4757 Live Entertainment Management (3 hours)
• BUSN 4827 Sports and Entertainment Internship (3 hours)