Curriculum

The first semester of a standard two-semester sequence for those considering further work in management or economics. Coverage includes economics of households, business firms, and markets; consumer behavior and the demand for commodities; production, costs, and the supply of commodities; price determination; competition and monopoly; efficiency of resource allocation; governmental regulation; income distribution; and poverty. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking. In 2019-20 this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.

The second semester of a standard two-semester sequence for those considering further work in management or economics. National economic performance; the problems of recession, unemployment, and inflation; money creation, government spending, and taxation; economic policies for full employment and price stability; and international trade and payments. Carries social science divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Social Inquiry I. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.

Topic-based seminar in critical reading and writing. Engagement with a variety of sources and practice in writing in a range of genres with particular attention to argumentation, prose style, and revision, informed by reflection and feedback, including individual conferences. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: First-Year Writing Seminar.

Students may receive credit for not more than one of the following courses: CAS MA 121 or CAS MA 123. Differentiation and integration of functions of one variable. Same topics as CAS MA 123, but with less emphasis on mathematical generality and more on applications. Especially suitable for students concentrating in the biological and social sciences. Carries MCS Divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Quantitative Reasoning II. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.

Required of all Questrom 1st-semester freshmen. Open to non-Questrom students who have completed a semester of FT work at BU. *This course explores local and global ethical problems that managers face in markets for goods, services, labor, or capital. Through identification and discussion of the basic business disciplines, students uncover the interdependencies in the creation, delivery and capture of value. Students explore the complex analyses necessary to make ethical decisions vis-a-vis a multiplicity of stakeholders and in service of diverse personal and institutional goals. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Teamwork/Collaboration.

This course offers an overview of fundamental financial analyses, such as time value of money, interest rates, basic valuation of cash flow streams, and basic stock and bond valuation. The content is relevant to understand a broad class of problems and decisions for businesses or individuals. It offers applications across decision domains. The teaching materials include online problem solving and case writing. Students may not take SM132 and FE101 for credit.

Basic concepts underlying financial statements and accounting procedures used in preparing statements of financial position, income statements, and statements of cash flow. Stresses the interpretation, analysis, and evaluation of published financial statements.

Exposes students to the fundamentals of probability, decision analysis, and statistics, and their application to business. Topics include probability, decision analysis, distributions, sampling, estimation, hypothesis testing, and chi-square. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Quantitative Reasoning I.

Persuasive written and oral communications are essential skills that are required for success in every business discipline. In this course, students will learn how to communicate clearly and persuasively. Course objectives include learning how to inspire action through compelling, high-impact communications by taking a point of view and supporting it with logic and evidence, generating insights with meaningful conclusions and recommendations, and understanding and applying the principles of logical reasoning to organize information and lead an audience to action. Students will learn to write simply and clearly in a variety of formats. They will also master presentation delivery by connecting authentically to the audience, harnessing the power of storytelling, and using body language to positively reinforce the message. Finally, students will enhance professional skills that are integral to business success. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Research and Information Literacy, Writing, Research & Inquiry.

This course is about understanding, analyzing, and navigating the complexities of contemporary organizational life. After taking this course, you will be able to: (1) Understand yourself, including your personal tendencies, and sharpen your ability to interact and communicate with others in ways that make you more effective at work; (2) Formulate strategies for collaborating, building effective teams, and carving out your role within them; (3) Analyze, predict, and influence others' behaviors, organizational hierarchies, power structures, and cultures; and (4) Apply the principles of organizational behavior to craft feedback, manage conflict, and lead in your work environments. This is done through in-class simulations, individual self-reflection, active participation in class, team exercises, exams, readings, and group projects and presentations. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Teamwork/Collaboration.

Examines the use of economic and statistical tools for making business decisions. The course emphasizes linking data analysis to spreadsheet modeling of decision making. Topics include multiple regression, causal inference, forecasting, demand modeling, and optimization. Case studies apply concepts to practical business problems. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Quantitative Reasoning II.

Examines the use of economic and statistical tools for making business decisions at an advanced level, and prepares students for future study in business analytics. Introduces programming for data analysis (no previous programming knowledge required) and links data analysis to decision making using both spreadsheet modeling and statistical programming. Topics include multiple regression, causal inference, forecasting, predictive analytics, machine learning, demand modeling, and optimization. Case studies apply advanced concepts to practical business problems. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Quantitative Reasoning II.

Sophomore requirement. Introduces the basic principles, methods, and challenges of modern managerial accounting. Covers traditional topics such as job-order costing, cost-volume-profit analysis, budgeting and variance analysis, profitability analysis, relevant costs for decision making, and cost-plus pricing, as well as emerging topics such as Activity-Based Cost (ABC) accounting. The material is examined from the perspective of students preparing to use management accounting information as managers, to support decision making (such as pricing, product mix, sourcing, and technology decisions) and short- and long-term planning, and to measure, evaluate, and reward performance. Emphasizes the relationships between accounting techniques and other organizational activities (such as strategy and motivation).

Provides students with an understanding of the important role that information and information technology play in supporting the effective operation and management of business. Elaborates on the themes of "place to space" and the implications for business of the digital enterprise. Focuses on learning IS concepts in the context of application to real business problems.

Provides a broad overview of the American judicial system and fundamental legal issues. Examines dispute resolution, torts, contracts, criminal law, business organizations, employment law, intellectual property, and international law. The goal is to understand not only the basic rules of law but also the underlying social policies and ethical dilemmas.

Provides students with a powerful set of tools which will prepare them to analyze, formulate, and implement business firm strategy with the aim of attaining sustainable competitive advantage. Adopts the perspective of the general manager, challenging student knowledge in each functional area in the effort to create integrative strategies that serve the needs of shareholders, as well as other stakeholders inside and outside the company. The course includes conceptual readings, which elucidate the fundamental concepts and frameworks of strategic management, as well as case analyses. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Writing-Intensive Course, Creativity/Innovation.

Component of QST SM323, The Cross Functional Core. Introduces students to the themes of financial decision making: valuation and risk management. The focus is on the problems of forecasting, capital budgeting, working capital management, project risk management, and financing in a cross-functional context. A semester-long business-plan project explores the interaction between marketing, operations, management information systems, and finance decisions. The course compares the financial objectives of the manager and the investor. Introduction to the time value of money, securities valuation, portfolio diversification, and the cost of capital. 4 cr.

Component of QST SM323, The Cross Functional Core. Focuses on the elements of operations management that are of particular importance in the context of new product development. These include: product and process design, process analysis, supply chain configuration, inventory management, and capacity and production planning. A semester-long business plan explores the interaction between operations management and marketing, information systems, and finance decisions.

Component of QST SM 323, The Cross Functional Core. Teaches quantitative methods and modeling techniques that will improve the student's ability to make informed decisions in an uncertain world. The two major modules of the course are models for optimal decision-making and decision- making under uncertainty. The first module focuses on methods and predictive models for decision-making; how optimization models are used to identify the best choice; and how choices change in response to changes in the model's parameters (sensitivity analysis). The second module covers the measurement and management of risk and Monte Carlo simulation. Throughout the semester, we will perform hands-on analysis that will improve Excel modeling skills; discuss the ethical use of data analytics; and learn to recognize pitfalls and biases in quantitative decision-making. cr. N

Component of QST SM323, The Cross Functional Core. Introduces students to the field of marketing management: analysis, planning and implementation of marketing strategies as the means for achieving an organization's objectives. Students analyze cases and participate in workshops that focus on key marketing management tasks: marketing research, consumer behavior, segmentation and targeting, sales forecasting, brand management, distribution channels, pricing, promotion and advertising strategies, and marketing ethics. A semester-long business plan project where students collect primary and secondary research explores the interactions and the cross functional integrations between marketing, operations, and finance, while leveraging business analytics. cr. 4