BUSINESS PROGRAMS - OPUS COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
Undergraduate Business Programs Office
McNeely Hall (MCH) 128
cobundergrad@stthomas.edu
(651) 962-5544
The Opus College of Business majors all provide carefully designed curriculums that strive to balance practice and theory. Students begin by developing their analytical and critical thinking skills with allied courses in economics, statistics and mathematics, while a series of first and second-year common business core courses provide a broad foundational knowledge of all the key functional areas within business, including accounting, business law, finance, operations/supply chain, and management, and marketing. A specific business ethics core course is also included, but ethical managerial decision-making is woven into the entire curriculum, helping students not only align their values with their future business practices, but helping them understand the conflicts and challenges modern business leaders face.
Most business majors provide students the opportunity to stack specialized, focused knowledge and skills in several different business areas (listed below) on top of the common business core, while the general business management major is an efficient program without focused specialization in a certain function. It is a good option for students seeking to combine business with a second major outside of business, and/or one or more minors in other fields.
Opus College of Business faculty provide students with hands-on, interactive learning experiences such as presentations, group projects, case studies, simulations, and guest speakers - as well as stimulating discussion and debate. Several business elective or specialized major courses offer opportunities for collaboration or consulting experiences with external companies and ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½/nonprofit organizations.
Academic Policies for Business Majors
All business and allied courses applied towards an Opus College of Business major or minor must be taken for a letter grade. These courses may not be taken on a pass/fail basis.
It is expected that students earning an Opus College of Business degree will take their major coursework at St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½. Once matriculated, students must have prior approval before registering for a business course at another university.
All students who major in a business field must complete a minimum of 28 credits in Opus College of Business coursework at the University of St. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½, and at least 16 of these 28 credits must be in courses from the specific Opus department of the student’s major. For students completing the general business management major, the residency requirement is a minimum of 22 credits in Opus business courses, with at least 8 of these 22 credits in MGMT courses. Credits earned at ACTC colleges and through affiliated study abroad programs do not count toward this residency requirement. (London Business Semester coursework is considered in residence.)
Opus College of Business courses taken more than eight years ago may need to be reviewed for alignment with the current major/degree requirements, and/or a student may need to petition the university’s Committee on Studies to graduate from a prior catalog.
Student Honor Pledge
The Opus College of Business aspires to develop and graduate highly principled global business leaders, so students are appropriately expected to maintain the highest standards of integrity while enrolled in the business program. Academic honesty is fundamental to the principle of independent learning and growth. The Honor Pledge (below) is signed by undergraduate business students at the time they declare their business major or minor, as an affirmation of their commitment to accept personal responsibility for their own behavior, and conduct themselves in an ethical manner with honesty and integrity in all their actions.
Opus Student Honor Pledge: As a student in the Undergraduate Program of the Opus College of Business, I will adhere to the University’s academic integrity policies and act with honesty, integrity, respect, and accountability in all my actions.
Beta Gamma Sigma (Honor Society)
Beta Gamma Sigma (BGS) is the International Honor Society for business students at AACSB accredited business schools. This is the highest academic honor that can be achieved in the Opus College of Business. Each year, Opus students in the top 10% of their class by institutional GPA are invited to join BGS.
Business Majors
- Accounting
- Business Communication
- Entrepreneurship
- Financial Management
- General Business Management
- Human Resource Management
- International Business
- Leadership & Management
- Law & Compliance
- Marketing Management
- Operations & Supply Chain Mgmt
- Real Estate Studies
General Business Management majors will earn a B.A. degree, while all other specialized business majors will receive a B.S.B.A. degree.
Major in Business Administration (B.A.)
One of the business concentrations of:
Business Undergraduate Courses
Course Number | Title | Credits | |
---|---|---|---|
BUSN 100 | BUSN for the Common Good | 2 | |
Description of course BUSN for the Common Good : | This course opens a welcoming door to students who want to know more about business and the opportunities and career paths it offers. The course builds awareness of the need for preparation and for building essential skills in order to be an effective contributor, and to be resilient in the face of ongoing change in any organization and in dynamic markets. Finally, it invites students to begin planning a business or organizational career that will allow them to use their gifts, to contribute, and to lead a good and satisfying life. | ||
BUSN 200 | Busn Learning Through Service | 0 | |
Description of course Busn Learning Through Service : | This experiential course offers students the opportunity to strengthen their development as effective and principled business leaders. During the course, students develop their own learning objectives and partner with their selected nonprofit to pursue those objectives, while making meaningful impact in the ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ and fostering a long-term commitment to service. Students complete 40 hours of volunteer service at a nonprofit organization, a series of reflective assignments, and a final creative project. BUSN 200 is required of all undergraduate students in the Opus College of Business—both majors and minors. Students are encouraged to complete BUSN 200 during their second year. Students can complete BUSN 200 while studying abroad or while away from campus during J-term or summer. Registration in a BUSN 200 Orientation section is also required. This course is graded S/R. | ||
BUSN 202 | MS Excel Business Applications | 0 | |
Description of course MS Excel Business Applications : | The course will introduce students to the use of Microsoft Excel for business applications. Students will develop skills in using Microsoft Excel to solve business problems. This course will be online, with students using the MyEducator Excel Educator software platform. Students will submit Excel exercises to demonstrate their learning. Students enrolled in this course will pay a technology fee, and will then be granted lifetime access to the Excel Educator site. Students who feel they have mastered the content of this course may apply for a waiver of this course through an examination. Students can attempt a waiver through examination for this course only once, and there is a fee for the examination. This course is graded pass/fail. Students must achieve at least a passing percentage on each exercise, and an overall passing percentage to complete this course. | ||
BUSN 243 | Individual Study | 2 OR 4 | |
Description of course Individual Study : | No description is available. | ||
BUSN 297 | Topics | 4 | |
Description of course Topics : | The subject matter of these courses will vary from year to year, but will not duplicate existing courses. Descriptions of these courses are available in the Searchable Class Schedule on Murphy Online, | ||
BUSN 298 | Topics | 4 | |
Description of course Topics : | The subject matter of these courses will vary from year to year, but will not duplicate existing courses. Descriptions of these courses are available in the Searchable Class Schedule on Murphy Online, | ||
BUSN 305 | Internship | 0 | |
Description of course Internship : | This zero-credit elective business course supports undergraduate student engagement in relevant internship and curricular practical training opportunities. Prerequisite: Declared business majors only. | ||
BUSN 389 | Research | 2 OR 4 | |
Description of course Research : | No description is available. | ||
BUSN 393 | Individual Study | 2 OR 4 | |
Description of course Individual Study : | No description is available. | ||
BUSN 476 | Experiential Learning | 1 TO 4 | |
Description of course Experiential Learning : | No description is available. | ||
BUSN 495 | Individual Study | 2 OR 4 | |
Description of course Individual Study : | No description is available. |
International Business Undergraduate Courses
Course Number | Title | Credits | |
---|---|---|---|
IBUS 450 | Trans Issues/Mgmt/Mktg/Blaw | 4 | |
Description of course Trans Issues/Mgmt/Mktg/Blaw : | This course is to be taken abroad. Final determination as to the specific course will be decided before the course is taken in consultation with the international business adviser. Prerequisite: Approval of international business adviser | ||
IBUS 460 | Trans Issues/Finc & Acct | 4 | |
Description of course Trans Issues/Finc & Acct : | This course is to be taken in the country of choice. International accounting and finance practices are significantly different from those in the U.S. Therefore, the student should be extremely careful in choosing the course. Selection will be made only in consultation with the international business adviser. Prerequisite: Approval of international business advisor or assistant dean. | ||
IBUS 470 | Trans Issues/Int'l Business | 4 | |
Description of course Trans Issues/Int'l Business : | This course is to be taken abroad and may include an internship. Students incorporating an internship experience in this course must have prior approval from the international business adviser. If the student is working for an American company, s/he must work in a section of the company where the student's second language is required. Prerequisite: Approval of international business advisor or assistant dean. |
Business Analytics Courses
Course Number | Title | Credits | |
---|---|---|---|
BUAN 201 | Data for Business | 2 | |
Description of course Data for Business : | This course is intended for aspiring business data analysts who will be working on business analytics projects and interacting with data analytics specialists (e.g., model producers and enablers). This course will introduce students to a selected business analytics software solution, providing basic skills required of business data analysts. This course covers the core analytic techniques of data preparation, data exploration and data visualization, in the context of working with business data. Prerequisites: STAT 220 | ||
BUAN 401 | Business Analytics Projects | 4 | |
Description of course Business Analytics Projects : | This project-based course provides an opportunity for students to manage a business analytics project and implement the breadth of skills developed throughout the Business Analytics co-concentration. The goal is to provide you an opportunity to manage a beginning-to-end project including all aspects of client and project management, business problem analysis, data management and analysis, and presentation of the results. Small teams of students will work together to manage the project and develop the project deliverables. This course has higher than normal expectations of work outside of class due to the nature of business analytics projects and the expectation of high levels of professional quality. Prerequisites: STAT 220; BUAN 201; STAT 320 or ECON 311 or ECON 315; MKTG 245; BETH 315 / BLAW 315; OPMT 320; and ACCT 320, or MKTG 345, or FINC 475, or OPMT 350. | ||
BUAN 476 | Experiential Learning | 1 TO 4 | |
Description of course Experiential Learning : | No description is available. |