A student's perspective on the award-winning undergraduate Cross-Functional Core curriculum
May 15, 2008
Crystal Bates, SMG '07, provides an overview of the cross-functional core, the suite of courses taken by all School of Management undergraduates during their junior year. Core courses include FE 323 Financial Management, MK 323 Marketing Management, IS 323 Introduction to Information Systems, and OM 323 Operations & Technology Management.
"We are basically learning how to run a business. Our professors were asking us real-life questions that potential investors would want to know from a startup company."
The capstone experience of the core is the New Product Development
project, requiring students to work in teams from the first day of class throughout the entire year. Together, they bring a new product from concept through development, creating a marketing plan, a supply chain analysis, a design prototype, a financial plan, and a sales strategy.
A cross-functional roster of faculty also work as a team to deliver this unique pedagogical experience to the students.
"We are basically learning how to run a business,” Bates explains here. “Our professors were asking us real-life questions that potential investors would want to know from a startup company. I found that I was stretched as an individual to see where my interests lie. I feel that this project has given me a competitive edge,” Bates says. “I’ve become a better manager and business woman as a result.”
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