Commerce

The primary objective of this course is to provide a foundational overview of business, including the themes of the history of business, business and society, and innovation. The course will enable students to gage interest in business and prepare students for business-related education, jobs, and careers. THIS COURSE IS A PREREQUISITE FOR THE MCINTIRE SCHOOL OF COMMERCE.

This course introduces financial accounting, the role of accounting, and how economic transactions are identified and recorded in an accounting system. It covers the construction and analysis of basic financial statements and the accounting system's function in measuring, classifying, and reporting economic data. Students learn about financial statements, raising capital, business investments, accounting for inventory, and accounts receivable.

This course introduces students to essential foundational concepts in financial economics. Students learn to value simple streams of future cash flows and apply this skill to more complicated settings, including valuing marketed securities like stocks and bonds, valuing projects within firms, and valuing firms as a whole. Along the way, they are introduced to the concepts of arbitrage absence and market efficiency and their impact on valuation.

This course examines the critical role of information systems in modern organizations. It covers fundamental concepts (hardware, software, data, processes, and people) and explains how information systems generate organizational value. Through case discussions and hands-on practice with tools and frameworks, students gain a foundational understanding of information systems and their fit within broader organizational systems.

An introduction to personal finance, focusing on financial decision-making and financial wellbeing. Students will develop the knowledge and skills to analyze common financial situations and develop a financial plan. Topics include short-, intermediate-, and long-term planning; budgeting; taxes; credit; debt; insurance; stocks, bonds, and mutual funds; diversification; 401(k)s, IRAs, and HSAs. Prerequisite: Non-Commerce students, 4th Year.

This course will provide knowledge of product management in combination with project management skills, both of which are necessary for the management of the digital product innovation process end-to-end. Course consists of seminars on roles of the product & project manager, managing innovation, selecting projects, stakeholder mgmt, team mgmt, schedule & time mgmt, risk mgmt, & on leading changes. Workshops on digital innovation, agile & waterfall methods.

Provides an introduction to the management of database systems and how business intelligence can be used for competitive advantage. The course uses an applied, problem-based approach to teach students the fundamentals of relational systems including data models, database architectures, database manipulations (e.g., SQL), and BI tools. 

Explores product, service, business model, and process innovation in existing companies with a focus on preparing students to participate in, lead, and advise innovation teams to increase the likelihood of a desired corporate outcome. Course format includes case studies, projects, and the most recent academic thinking on topics like organizational design, ethics in innovation, resources allocation, culture development, & "managing clever people."

The basic objective of this course is to develop a general understanding of research methodology as a prerequisite to the intelligent use of research results in marketing management. Thus, the course is designed to provide an introductory background that enables the student to evaluate the potential value of proposed research and to assess the relevance, reliability, and validity of existing research. This research-evaluation ability requires knowledge of the language and techniques of marketing research, including research designs, data collection instruments, sample designs, and varieties of data analysis. Prerequisite: Second-semester, third-year Commerce standing or permission of instructor.

Introduces the American legal system, emphasizing contracts, torts, agency, corporations, and partnerships. May be taken prior to enrollment in the McIntire School.

Further introduces the American legal system, emphasizing debtor-creditor law, bankruptcy, product liability, and sale of goods, property, and commercial paper.

Placeholder for fall core courses. COMM 3010 (4 cr.) provides an overview of a business from strategic process perspective and as a system. COMM 3020 (4 cr.) studies the interaction of human behaviors, within the organization and the business environment. COMM 3030 (4 cr.) covers basic analytical tools used in marketing and finance, and introduces a disciplined problem-solving process to structure, analyze, and solve business problems.

New Course in Commerce

Students in this course will acquire a working knowledge about markets and investing that any educated person should have in order to be a good citizen. The course is an introduction to what financial markets are and how they function, all within a broader social context. While the course will deal concretely with topics in economics, statistics, psychology and finance, no prior knowledge of any of those topics is required.

A rigorous introduction to the full field of finance. Students should gain an appreciation of the role of financial markets and institutions in our economy as well as an introduction to the responsibilities, concerns, and methods of analysis employed by corporate financial managers. We focus on the two fundamental aspects of financial decision-making: time value and risk (modern portfolio theory, the capital asset pricing model, and alternatives). The concepts of time value and risk are used to value the two basic financial assets, bonds and stocks, as well as real assets, investment projects, and companies. In addition, the course introduces derivative securities (options, futures) and discusses their application in a wide variety of settings (real options, contingent claims valuation of equity). The course also covers the theory and practice of capital structure decisions (Modigliani and Miller, taxes, bankruptcy costs, asymmetric information, agency) and dividend decisions. The course will include a thorough discussion of market efficiency and an introduction to the field of behavioral finance. A unifying theme of the course is how no-arbitrage conditions and the law of one price can be used to value most financial assets. The emphasis in this course (both in and out of class) will be on problem solving. Prerequisite: COMM 3010, 3020, and 3030.

This interdisciplinary course will explore the complex choices in environmental policy and management by examining and integrating three relevant perspectives: environmental science, ethics and economics. Environmental science provides a basic understanding of the impacts of human activities on the environment. Economic analysis focuses on the relevant benefits and costs. Ethics addresses the conflicts of values involved in decisions about the environment. The balancing of environmental and economic costs and benefits, coupled with human beliefs about what is 'right' or 'wrong,' is at the heart of the environmental decision-making process. The process is complex because it involves a diverse set of stakeholders with differing perspectives and objectives. A case study approach will be used to examine the wide range of scientific, historical, cultural, ethical and legal dimensions of environmental issues.

This course introduces students to various emerging AI applications across societal, governmental, organizational, and personal sectors. We assess these uses through ethical and justice perspectives and AI ethical frameworks, evaluating their implications for individuals, organizations, and society. Students will develop policy recommendations for governments and organizations to advance the common good and mitigate potential harms of AI.

This hands-on course introduces the fundamentals of machine learning and AI and how they create business and societal value. Students learn how models are developed, evaluated, and deployed to support real-world decisions. Through labs, assignments, and a capstone project, they build predictive models in Python. The course also addresses ethical and managerial considerations. No prior coding or technical experience is required.

Machine learning and artificial intelligence form the foundation of a large variety of analytics applications that offer significant value in today¿s business environment and beyond. In this accessible, hands-on course, students will be introduced to the basic concepts of how ML and AI models are developed, evaluated, and deployed to create value, and learn how to how to practically apply these concepts to support real-world decisions and actions.

Examines the concept of global marketing and the institutions, literature, managerial processes, models and/or frameworks, strategies, tactics, and theories related to marketing in the global arena. The impact of international economics, culture, and nationalistic governmental policies, global and regional trade alliances, and other multilateral entities on trade patterns and marketing decision-making in global firms are considered. Prerequisite: Fourth-year Commerce standing or instructor permission.

This course introduces students to the field of advertising and promotions and the role these play in the overall marketing program of an organization. The course covers the strategic aspects of marketing communications and the executional tactics used to carry out such strategic initiatives. Students work with a real client on a case study provided by the American Advertising Federation's (AAF) National Student Advertising Competition (NSAC).

This course introduces students to the software used by creative personnel within an advertising agency, such as Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator, to name a few.

This course focuses on how consumers meet needs through the evaluation, acquisition, and use of goods and services. Covers major influences on the consumption process, including psychological, situational, and socio-cultural factors. Specific topics include perception, attitudes, values, consumer decision-making, and customer satisfaction, among others. The marketing implications of understanding the consumer are emphasized, but social factors are also considered. Prerequisite: Fourth-year Commerce standing or instructor permission.

Analyzes the federal income tax law and its application to business, investment, and personal transactions.

This course seeks to develop students' ability to respond to complex leadership challenges in multiple contexts. Through experiential learning, students will be better prepared to influence the strategic direction of their organizations. Topics include understanding the role organizational leaders, managing firm culture, guiding firm change, utilizing power and influence, balancing stakeholder expectations, and managing organizational threats.