Business
Professional Accreditations or Memberships:
The bachelor of science, with majors in accounting, business management, management information systems and marketing, is accredited by AACSB International – the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Fewer than 5 percent of business programs globally and less than 30 percent in the United States meet the rigorous standards of quality set by AACSB International.
Career Possibilities:
Career opportunities depend on the chosen program of study, and include accountant, supply chain specialist, data analyst, sales and marketing representatives, information systems analyst, human resource specialist, computer programmer, project manager, product manager, market research analyst, cost analyst, financial analyst, logistics coordinator, recruiter, training specialist, entrepreneur, and personnel generalist. Examples for career opportunities in accounting include certified public accountant, staff accountant, tax specialist, auditor, and accounting manager. Some specific career opportunities for a major in management information systems include information systems analyst, business analyst, computer programmer, network administrator, database administrator, website developer, and project manager. The marketing major is designed for students who wish to pursue a career in the areas of advertising, promotions, marketing, sales, research or public relations with career opportunities including account executive, advertising manager, brand manager, communication director, corporate trainer, creative director, event planner, fund-raising coordinator, international sales representative, market researcher, political campaign managers, promotions manager, public relations specialist, and several more.
Business Department Overview
The Business Department is in the College of Business, Economics, and Computing. Faculty members in the Business Department are dedicated to providing students with quality instruction relevant to situations encountered in the changing world of business. All students in the Business Department develop business skills in the primary functional areas of business through exposure to accounting, finance, supply chain and logistics management, marketing, organizational behavior, MIS, operations management, and strategic planning. Communication skills, quantitative techniques, leadership, teamwork, and computer technology are stressed throughout the curricula. In addition, students explore ethical considerations of business decisions and gain an understanding of multinational and multicultural aspects relevant to today’s business world. Many students apply their class knowledge through internships or through community projects sponsored by the Ralph Jaeschke Solutions for Economic Growth (SEG) Center. The department also offers minors in business management, global management, and management information systems, as well as certificates in business fundamentals, project management, and sales. Students preferring the flexibility and convenience of a business degree earned entirely online may choose to complete the 67 credit completion program in business management with a general business concentration. Students wanting to pursue this option should declare the online degree completion in business management.
Program Level Outcomes
Business students build knowledge and skills in a variety of areas. However, the following learning goals are emphasized and assessed throughout the business curriculum:
- Students can recognize the ethical implications in a business situation and choose and defend an appropriate resolution.
- The students can write effectively about a business problem or issue.
- The students can make an effective oral presentation on a business problem or issue.
- Each student is knowledgeable in project management principles and is able to apply these principles to a practical situation.
- Students will be able to articulate important diversity issues – including, but not limited to, race, ethnicity, culture, gender, age, socio-economic status and political/religious/sexual orientation – in business management.
- Students will be able to effectively use computer technology to support a business decision.
Solutions for Economic Growth (SEG) Center
The Ralph Jaeschke Solutions for Economic Growth (SEG) Center is a partnership between business, economics, and computer science faculty, students, and local businesses. Students in the SEG Center apply and develop their skills by working on real-world business projects in the community. Projects include business plan development, supply chain and logistics problems, marketing research, promotions plan development, the analysis of production processes, strategic planning, cost evaluation, inventory planning, recruitment and retention of employees, web page design, network planning, security planning, and software development. Students working in the SEG Center have access to a modern computer lab and project meeting rooms.
Preparation for Graduate School
Undergraduate study in any of the business department majors provides excellent preparation for graduate work in programs including an MBA, MS in accounting (accounting major) or law school.
Business Honors
Students who major in any of the business department majors and who maintain a GPA of 3.5 or higher in all upper-level business course work and an overall GPA of 3.0 or better will graduate with business honors.
Beta Gamma Sigma is the honor society serving business programs accredited by AACSB International. Beta Gamma Sigma faculty members invite qualified business students for membership based on academic excellence.
Students majoring in marketing with an overall GPA of 3.25 may also apply for Alpha Mu Alpha, the honor society of the American Marketing Association provided that they are members of the American Marketing Association and the Universities collegiate chapter.
Declaring a Major
Students must submit a plan declaration form to the Business Department office or the Advising and Career Center. Students accepted into a business department major will be classified as a declared major and will be notified of this declaration by the department via UW-Parkside e-mail. Majors will be assigned an advisor from the Business Department. Transfer students who have an interest in pursuing a degree with a business related major should meet with the College of Business, Economics, and Computing (CBEC) academic advisor as early as possible to go over the transfer course evaluation and prerequisites.
Common Requirements and Policies for Business Department Majors
The business curricula is rigorous and extensive. It is imperative that students acquire a solid foundation of preparatory courses. All Business Department majors share many common requirements and policies. Students should be familiar with the common policies as well as the specific requirements of their chosen major.
Business Department Graduation Requirements
All business students are subject to the following graduation requirements.
- Completion of 120 credits including general university requirements. A minimum of 57 credits of the total 120 credits required to graduate must be in areas other than business and upper-level economics. COMM 105 Public Speaking for the 21st Century, ENGL 201 Advanced Composition, ENGL 202 Technical Writing or ENGL 204 Writing for Business and Industry, ECON 120 Principles of Microeconomics and ECON 121 Principles of Macroeconomics may count in this amount. Reconsideration of this policy will be given to students who enter UW-Parkside with advanced standing (e.g. foreign language, placement into college or advanced English or math classes, etc.).
- Completion of requirements of the business department and individual major(s). Students must meet all requirements for the major in effect at the time of admission into the specific program.
- Students must obtain a grade of C or better in each of the “Fundamental Preparation Courses” and “Business Preparation Courses” as listed in the section on course requirements.
- An overall degree GPA of 2.00 or higher (including any transfer courses).
- An overall GPA of 2.5 in 300/400 level business foundation, major and concentration courses (including any transfer courses).
Transfer Policies
Transfer students may fulfill some of the requirements for the business department majors at UW-Parkside by transferring appropriate courses taken elsewhere (check with the CBEC academic advisor). However, all students must complete at UW-Parkside at least 50 percent of the total business department credits required for the bachelor of science degree with majors in accounting, business management, management information systems or marketing. The total business department credits include the business preparation courses, the business foundation core courses, and the major courses. No more than 50 percent of the required credits for a major may be transferred. Only courses with a grade of C or better will be accepted (C-minus is not acceptable) to fulfill a major requirement. Only junior/senior level courses in business from regionally accredited four-year colleges or universities are eligible to be transferred for any 300 - 400 level course in business. Students should work with the CBEC academic advisor and any such transfer credit should be approved by the associate dean.
Non-Business Students
Non-business students may enroll in any 100- or 200-level business course if they meet the individual course prerequisites. To enroll in 300- or 400-level business courses, students must have at least 54 credits earned, meet the course prerequisites, and have a minimum overall GPA of 2.00 (calculated with and without transfer grades). Students will need to get a permission number from the course instructor in order to register for an upper-level business course.
Independent Study Guidelines
The purpose of independent study is to provide qualified students an opportunity to conduct directed research on a Business Management topic or issue of interest to the student. Such research is done under the supervision of a faculty member, but will be primarily student planned and conducted. Independent studies are intended to provide an opportunity for the student to enhance their academic experience; they are not intended to substitute for existing courses.
Requirements
Students must have at least 54 credits earned and must have completed at least 50 percent of the upper-level business foundation core curriculum.
Independent study projects may range from 1 to 3 credits. Grades received for independent study will count toward the computation of the major and the overall GPA.
A student can apply a maximum of 6 independent study credits toward graduation requirements. The combined credits for internships and independent studies across all business disciplines cannot exceed 6 credits. Other rules may apply to specific concentrations. Please refer to the course catalog for further information.
The student and the supervising faculty member must agree, in writing, on the nature of the project, the parameters, and the timeframe.
The student must submit the Permit to Register for Independent Study, with all required signatures, in accordance with UW-Parkside policies.
In general, a student cannot receive independent study credit for work that is essentially the same as an existing course.
Internship Guidelines
Internships provide opportunities for Business majors to apply classroom knowledge in a work setting. Internships are offered for credit and may be paid or unpaid. A student who wishes to complete an internship must provide a description of the work or project to be completed on the employer’s letterhead. An agreement must be signed by the student, the faculty supervisor, the department chair, and the site supervisor. Internships are graded as either CR (credit) or NC (no credit). In order to receive credit, the student must:
- complete the appropriate number of work hours,
- provide a written performance evaluation from the internship supervisor, and
- complete one or more items of the following documentation (as determined by the faculty supervisor):
- regular status reports on the work performed,
- summary paper on internship experience, and/or
- other written documents prepared by the student related to the internship.
Requirements
Internships can range from 1-3 credits, with 50 hours of internship work required for every 1 credit. Students must have at least 54 credit hours earned and must have satisfactorily completed at least one upper-division business foundation core course in the area. There may be specific requirements in certain areas; please check the catalog for specific 494 courses.
Students must complete the Permission to Register for Internship form, along with supporting documentation and all relevant signatures, as per UW-Parkside policies.
Students must normally complete the work during the semester in which the credit is taken. If the work runs beyond the semester for which the student is registered, a grade of Incomplete may be assigned pending completion of the work during the following semester.
The internship supervisor must complete and submit the ‘internship evaluation’ form from the department.
A maximum of 6 internship credits may be counted toward graduation requirements. The combined credits for internships and independent studies across all business disciplines cannot exceed 6 credits. Other specific rules may apply to other concentrations. Please refer to the course catalog for further information.
Business Department Policies and Procedures
- All business students must have a minimum overall GPA of 2.00 (calculated with and without transfer grades), have at least 54 credits earned, and must have satisfactorily completed the pre-business curriculum to enroll in any 300- or 400-level business course.
- All students must have completed the stated prerequisites to enroll in any business course. Both the instructor and department chair must approve any deviation from this policy.
- Students with a business major who have not completed a course at UW-Parkside for 12 consecutive months will be dropped as a major. Once dropped, a student must reapply for major status and will be required to follow all requirements in effect at the time of re-admittance.
- All students must complete their degree program within 10 years of completing their first 300-level business course
- Students are required to have a minimum overall GPA of 2.00 to be accepted as a business student.
- All students are required to meet with their advisor prior to registration each semester.
- The final responsibility in selection of courses and the fulfillment of all graduation requirements rests with the student.
- Students who feel that exceptional circumstances beyond their control justify an exception to any policy or procedure of the Business Department may submit a formal appeal to the Undergraduate Committee of the department. Appeal procedures are available in the Business Department office (Molinaro Hall 344).
Programs Offered
Business Management Major Concentrations
- Finance
- General Business
- Human Resource Management
- Supply Chain Management, Logistics, and Analytics
Marketing Major Concentrations
- Digital Marketing and Social Media Strategy Concentration
- General Marketing Concentration
- Professional Sales and Relationship Marketing Concentration