Introduction

Having an idea is one thing, commercializing it is another. This concentration contains curriculum that is designed to take teams of Graduate Students through the process of idea generation to business concept and from business concept to sustainable value through the completion of a competition-ready business plan. Student teams may generate their own ideas and concepts or “commercialize” a technology created by an Engineering Design Team. Program participants are taught how to perform an opportunity analysis and develop a business plan and proposal to help them launch a new venture. Teams that work with the design projects experience how business and engineering work together to achieve the common objective of bringing a product to market. In addition, this concentration prepares students with hands-on application of practical business skills to use in the workforce.

Course Descriptions

MGMT 5310 Entrepreneurial Strategy (3)
Entrepreneurial Strategy exposes upper and graduate level business students to the principles of launching a new business. The course combines case analysis, profiling real entrepreneurs, and guest lectures from business owners and advisors in the region. The course will drive them to explore emerging opportunities in new existing markets in which a new venture could be launched. It will also expose students to feasibility analysis to determine success as well as the process of writing a business plan to execute the start-up venture in the market. While prior business background is not completely necessary, the course will help the student who has taken a variety of business courses coalesce the knowledge into a comprehensive plan to launch their own business.

MGMT 5311 Concepts and Application for New Ventures (3)
The course is designed to provide an introduction to entrepreneurship including an overview of the tools and theories involved in starting and growing a business

BULW 5320 Leadership and Negotiation (3)
This course focuses on the development of negotiation and versatile leadership skills important in the effective management of change. Through role playing exercises, tapes, diagnostic tools, seminar discussion, selected reading, and cases students will learn theory and build skills necessary for meeting objectives and providing leadership in diverse groups and organizations.

Only one of the following two courses:

BULW 5330 Employment Law (3)
Historical interpretations and present provisions of regulations governing labor. Common law; state and federal statutes; Fair Labor Standards Act; Worker’s Compensation; Social Security; liability; United State Department of Labor; social legislation; fair employment practices.

MGMT 5360 Human Resource Management (3)

Review of the basic elements of employed performance, with analysis of the factors involved in employment, placement and personnel planning. This course blends theory and practice so the student may better understand the policies and procedures required for recruitment selection and personnel planning.

With prior approval from the MBA director, you may pick one of the four projects below to apply management principles and theory in a practical setting. (This will replace one course from the two above.)

BUSI 5360 Internship (3)
Using an outside organization or one of the learning institutes within the College, the student must submit a paper with an analysis of their experiential learning, prepare an industry bibliography and write a paper summarizing the tasks and accomplishments encountered within the organization

BUSI 5370 Business Case Writing (3)
Write a case study with critical evaluation of an organization in action

BUSI 5380 Global Enrichment (3)
The global enrichment program allows students to increase their interest in other cultures, become less ethnocentric as they become aware of cultural differences, develop language skills within a cultural context and become more culturally sensitive and accepting. Students can make professional contacts, gain a sense of direction for their future career and gain a sense of responsibility in working on a project.

BUSI 5350 Business Plan Competition (3)

Downloadable Degree Plan

MBA - Entrepreneurship (Microsoft Excel Format)