Program Codes:
BABUMKTG
Bachelor of Arts
Introduction
The curriculum of the Business Department within the Walker College of Business is designed to prepare students for management positions in business and industry, with federal, state and municipal agencies performing business functions, to become entrepreneurs, and to prepare students for graduate and professional schools. Mercyhurst University, through its business department, has the following degree programs accredited by the International Accreditation Council for Business Education:
Curriculum in the business majors is designed to develop the “whole person” through a liberal-arts course of study; develop communication skills, both oral and written; offer a broad base of business courses for general understanding of the world of business with specialized study in a functional area of business; provide analytic and decision-making tools; and provide students with off-campus work experience (internship), where theory from coursework is put into practice.
Minor Programs
The Business department offers seven minor programs for interested students: Accounting, Business Administration, Economics, Human Resource Management, Management, Marketing. and Risk Management. The minor program in Business Administration is intended for non-Business majors only. Requirements for each minor are listed on the associated major page.
Business Administration Minor (For Non-Business Majors only)
Required coursework:
ACCT 101 Principles of Accounting I
ACCT 102 Principles of Accounting II
BADM 310 Business Law I
ECON 105 Macroeconomics
ECON 106 Microeconomics
FIN 280 Financial Management
MGMT 120 Principles of Management
MKTG 162 Principles of Marketing
No minor course may be taken on a pass-fail basis, and students must earn a minimum GPA of 2.75 in the required business courses to meet minor program requirements. Students who fail to earn a grade of "C" or better in a required business course must repeat the course. Only two courses from a major may be used to satisfy minor requirements.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Business Department is to prepare students for leadership roles on the national and international level, to become the entrepreneurs of the future, and to continue their education in graduate and professional schools. With its collegial and supportive culture, the department embraces a rigorous and collaborative approach to learning that inspires informed judgment, decisive action and a global, enterprise perspective. Graduates will embrace Mercyhurst’s core values of respect and tolerance for people and their ideas, and dignity in the treatment of all workers.
Business graduates are expected to demonstrate:
Business Majors:
The business majors require the successful completion of 39 credits of common business core courses. These core courses are designed to provide an exposure to fundamental business functions.
Students who select more than one major, or who select a major and minor or minors within business, may take only two overlapping courses. In the case of dual majors within business, an exception is made only for the business core. This policy establishes the uniqueness of each intellectual discipline and assures the intellectual integrity of dual majors and minors.
No course taken as part of the business core or part of a business major (or minor) requirement may be taken on a pass/fail basis. Additionally, students who earn less than a “C” in these courses must repeat them (See Repeat Courses section).
GPA Requirements and Reviews
All students (including transfer students) in the business department must maintain a minimum business and overall GPA of 2.75. Failure to meet these GPA requirements at the time of graduation will result in the student earning a degree of either BA in Business Studies or BA in General Studies, depending upon his/her GPA.
Repeat Courses
Students who fail to earn a grade of C or better in any business program requirement must repeat the course. If the student does not receive a C (or better) after repeating the course, the student will not be permitted to re-take the course resulting in the inability to earn a major or minor in the field of study.
The Marketing major provides students with a solid foundation in the theoretical and practical processes related to marketing, including strategic planning, market and competitor analysis, and identifying and selecting target markets; as well as the implementation of strategies using pricing, product/service development, placement, and promotional tactics, and monitoring the success of marketing plans. Our coursework prepares students to pursue careers in fields such as: social media/digital marketing, consumer insights and marketing research, advertising and branding, selling and sales management, global marketing, marketing management, and for graduate school programs.
BUSINESS MAJOR CORE COURSES
This course introduces the basics of financial accounting for business enterprises with a focus on accounting for corporations. Topics include the theory of the financial accounting principles that guide the preparation of financial accounting information and the role of accounting in capital markets as well as the ethical standards imposed on accountants. The course provides a thorough review of the accounting cycle and the operating areas of the balance sheet with special focus on how accounting transactions affect the financial statements and analysis of financial statement information.
This course presents accounting information used for internal business management. The focus of the course is using accounting information to better aid in the planning, controlling and evaluation of company performance. Topics include budgeting, job costing, product pricing, break-even analysis and decision models.
ACCT 101
A survey of the legal principles found in transactions typified in today's business world. Emphasis is placed on the case study method along with real-world examples. Topics covered include: alternative dispute resolution, structure of the court system, contracts, sales, property law, insurance law, and corporate ethics.
This course introduces the field of business analytics, commonly defined as the extensive use of data, statistical and quantitative analysis, exploratory and predictive models, and fact-based management to drive decisions and actions. Business analytics is a process of transforming data into actions through analysis and insights in the context of organizational decision making and problem solving. As such, business analytics is applied in operations, marketing, finance, and strategic planning among other functions. Students actively participate in the delivery of this course through case and project presentations. Offered Fall and Spring Semesters Prerequisites: STAT135, Junior/Senior Standing.
A capstone course which emphasizes business problem solving based on accounting, finance, management and marketing principles. Students will complete and present a case study project.
Managerial Economics focuses on the application of economic theory to managerial decision-making. It applies statistical and quantitative tools and the methodological approaches commonly used by economists to business decisions such as demand estimation, product pricing, profit maximizing level of output, resource management in the short and long run, market analysis, risk analysis and strategic competition. In this course, topics will be presented through the use of case studies that establish a situation in which managers must make key decisions about a firm and its products. Microeconomic principles such as supply and demand, elasticity, short-run and long-run shifts in resource allocation, diminishing returns, economies of scale, and pricing are applied in the analysis. Junior or Senior Standing
ECON-106 and MATH-109 or STAT-135
Application of statistical techniques to business problems. Includes descriptive statistics, business forecasting, statistical inference, and regression. Computer software is used in this course. The goal is to introduce students to a new way of thinking about data, and to help them gain an understanding of how to use, communicate, and interpret statistics in a variety of business contexts. Offered fall and spring semesters.
MARKETING MAJOR REQUIREMENTS
This course addresses the categories of consumers and provides an understanding of consumer behavior. Emphasis is placed on the consumer's decision process and the internal and external factors that influence a consumer's purchasing decisions.
MKTG 162
A managerial orientation to the analysis, planning, implementation, and control of marketing decisions. A case-oriented approach will emphasize managerial decision making and problem solving in the areas of product development, pricing, promotion, and distribution. Emphasis will also be placed on the development of marketing plans for a new product/ service. Topics will be addressed in a variety of diverse industries including health care, consumer products, and high tech.
ECON-106, MKTG-357
An individual work-study experience in an approved business institution. Placement of a qualified student in a business setting which involves an area of interest, provides training and on-the-job learning, and prepares the student for business practice. Junior standing, 2.75 GPA in required business courses, and written permission of the program director or associate dean.
ADDITIONAL MAJOR REQUIREMENTS (Choose 3)
This course provides an introduction to the application of social media to today's marketing environment. Social media marketing is now integral to organizations' overall marketing strategy, therefore, this course addresses essential theoretical and practical application of skills, such as strategic planning and tactical execution for social media applications, integrated marketing communications, and consumer insights through social media analytics and metrics.
MKTG 162
This course focuses on the creative and media components of advertising, marketing, and branding strategies. Emphasis will be placed on the customer's role in the branding process, brand and product positioning, elements of a brand identity, and key communication messages. Students will develop decision making and analytical skills by developing a campaign for a local or national business.
MKTG 162
This course examines how to utilize digital media technology to meet marketing goals. Students will understand the digital marketing environment, examine best practices in developing digital marketing strategies, learn how to implement strategies using digital marketing techniques, and evaluate the performance of digital marketing campaigns using digital marketing metrics.
MKTG 162
Marketing Minor Requirements:
MKTG 162 Principles of Marketing - 3 credits
MKTG 301 Consumer Behavior - 3 credits
MKTG 357 Marketing Research - 3 credits
MKTG 406 Marketing Management
Additional Requirements (Choose 2):
MKTG 200 International Marketing Management
MKTG 260 Social Media Marketing
MKTG 317 Sales Management
MKTG 347 Advertising & Branding Strategies
MKTG 360 Digital Marketing