Evening and Weekend Core Courses

Smith's core classes for all students are the basis of the curriculum and form the foundation for managerial decision making. These courses provide focused opportunities to develop the behavioral and cognitive skills critical to effective management, including leadership, teamwork, communication and analysis.

BUSI604 Business Case Competition
This competition integrates oral and written assignments and individual assessments culminating in a seven day competition. During this competition students will integrate elements from their various courses and demonstrate mastery of their communications skills. Teams are given a business case that deals with the broad strategy issues facing a company. The teams present their analyses and recommendations in written and oral presentations. In a multistage competition, teams will be selected to advance to the final round, which is judged by a panel of business leaders who play the role of the company's board of directors. For MBA student in full time MBA program only.

BUSI608 ELM: Business Ethics
Guest speakers and student role playing animate such ethics topics as workplace discrimination, sexual harassment, product defects, and whistle-blowing.  A visit to a federal prison provides a unique opportunity to speak with former executives-turned-inmates about the serious consequences of compromising ethical standards.

BUSI610: Introduction to Financial Accounting
Overview of financial accounting, periodic financial statements and the financial reporting process. Importance of financial statements as information source for creditors and investors and as a means by which managers can communicate information about their firms. Non-majors should review their registration eligibility in the statement preceding the BUSI courses.

BUSI611: Managerial Accounting
Use of accounting data in corporate planning and control. Cost-volume-profit analysis, budgeting, pricing decisions and cost data, transfer pricing, activity-based management, performance measures and standard costing.

BUSI620: Strategic Information Systems
Use of information technology to achieve competitive advantage, efficient operations, and effective decision making. Analysis of functions of information technology and its impact on competitive strategy and organizational operations. Non-majors should review their registration eligibility in the statement preceding the BUSI courses.

BUSI630: Data Models and Decisions
To develop probabilistic and statistical concepts, methods and models through examples motivated by real-life data from business and to stress the role that statistics plays in the managerial decision making process. Non-majors should review their registration eligibility in the statement preceding the BUSI courses. 

BUSI640: Financial Management
Analysis of major corporate financial decisions using a market-oriented framework. Topics include capital budgeting, security portfolio theory, operation and efficiency of financial markets, options pricing, financing decisions, capital structure, payout policy and international finance. Non majors should review their registration eligibility in the statement preceding the BUSI courses.

BUSI650: Marketing Management
Analysis of marketing problems and evaluation of specific marketing efforts regarding the organization's products and services, pricing activities, channel selection, and promotion strategies in both domestic and international markets. Non-majors should review their registration eligibility in the statement preceding the BUSI courses.

BUSI662: Leadership and Teamwork
Course examines concepts of team-building and leadership which are critical to managerial success. Topics include leadership, decision making, communication and conflict, work motivation, building effective teams, and organizational change and culture. Non-majors should review their registration eligibility in the statement preceding the BUSI courses.

BUSI663: Managing Human Capital
Course examines core human resource management principles and emphasizes skills for maximizing an organization's human capital. Topics include recruitment, selection, performance feedback and incentives, termination of poor performers, and managing organizational change through human resource systems and policies. Non-majors should review their registration eligibility in the statement preceding the BUSI courses.

BUSI671: Supply Chain Logistics and Operations Management
This course introduces students to the concept of value-driven supply chains and its integration with operations. The course focuses on the fundamental principles underlying supply chains, using insights from both operations management and logistics. Non-majors should review their registration eligibility in the statement preceding the BUSI courses.

BUSI681: Managerial Economics and Public Policy
Basic microeconomic principles used by firms, including supply and demand, elasticities, costs, productivity, pricing, market structure and competitive implications of alternative market structures. Market failures and government intervention. Public policy processes affecting business operations. Non-majors should review their registration eligibility in the statement preceding the BUSI courses.

BUSI683: The Global Economic Environment
Relationship between national and international environments. Determinants of output, interest rates, prices and exchange rates. Analysis of effect of economic policies (fiscal, monetary, trade, tax) on the firm and the economy.

BUSI690: Strategic Management
Integrative strategic management focusing on strategy formulation and implementation in domestic and global settings. Industry and competitor analysis, industry and firm value chain, leadership, goal setting, organizational structure and culture. Case study approach to top management and organizational problems. Non-majors should review their registration eligibility in the statement preceding the BUSI courses.