Coursework
MIS Coursework:
Information systems in Organizations – I learned the role of information technology as a business enabler and identified and explained management information systems applications including customer relationship management systems, enterprise systems, e-commerce applications, transaction processing systems, business analytics, and emerging technologies. I learned how to evaluate the organizational fit and suitability of business applications and interpreted the interaction between information technology, customers, processes, data, infrastructure, participants, and the environment in an organization. We also covered the ethical challenges of information technology and explained the evolving role of management information systems in the organization, and the role and careers of MIS professionals.
Data-Centric Application Development – I learned how to develop web-based data-centric applications using high-level programming language. I used debugging techniques to identify errors and make improvements. I also learned to interpret system requirement specifications and explain technical components including the use of systems development lifecycles in creating software applications. As well as create simple data-driven applications that connect with a database.
Data Analytics – I learned to analyze data and learned how to present insights from business data. I analyzed, modeled, and designed database-centric solutions for organizations. I created data models and data warehouses based on business rules. I also learned how to operate and manage a database system and structured query language (SQL). Lastly, I sourced traditional and new data types and applied data mining and visualization to generate business intelligence.
User Experience Design – I learned to describe, scope, and build a complete user experience. I also learned the role of usability and design principles and built innovative and pleasurable user interfaces that achieve human, social, organizational, and business model goals.
Web Service Programming – I created and deployed a complete, end-to-end web-based application. I designed and built complex RESTful APIs and created single-page applications that consume and integrate multiple APIs to create a seamless user experience.
Lead Global Digital Projects – I learned how to lead, plan and manage global technology-enabled, process-centric information systems projects by focusing on initiating, planning, executing, controlling, and closing projects in the context of topics such as integration, scope, timing, cost, quality, human resource, technology, communications, and risk and procurement. I explored the impact of the human element as it relates to the success and failure of information systems projects. Lastly, I learned how to monitor project plans and communicate status reports to clients, and create and respond to request for proposals.
Managing Enterprise Cybersecurity – I learned how to secure systems and the enterprise using cryptography, authentication, and ethical hacking. In this writing-intensive capstone course, I also identified and communicated cybersecurity risks facing businesses through risk assessment reports that supported management decisions.
Finance Coursework:
Intermediate Corporate Finance – This course was an Excel based course in financial management. The course covers three broad areas of study: The first area is financial statements analysis, financial statements forecasting, and free cash flow valuation of the firm. The second focuses on capital budgeting decisions. The third covers the cost of capital, leverage, and capital structure policy. I demonstrated my proficiency in each of the broad areas with an exam and a case analysis using an Excel spreadsheet. This course provided an intensive introduction to corporate financial decision-making.
Security Analysis and Portfolio Management – This course provided a detailed analysis of the equity market. Topics included: market microstructure, the principles of portfolio theory, and the valuation of equities including the techniques of fundamental security analysis.
International Finance – The course surveyed the theory and practice of international finance, as it relates to both markets and firms. Topics included issues in international financial systems, currency market and risk management, and international corporate finance.
Financial Data Analysis – This course applied the core materials in statistics and econometrics to the analysis of large financial data sets. The course covered three areas with intensive finance application: 1) statistical inference: distributions, hypothesis testing, confidence interval; 2) regression analysis: simple and multiple linear regressions, and probit/logit regression; and 3) big data and data mining: Monte Carlo simulation, R, and SQL.
Financial Modeling – This course presented the theory and practice of financial management, emphasizing computer-based modeling, and forecasting. I used spreadsheets and other software products to analyze the impacts of financial decisions related to financial statement analysis, cash budgeting, and cost of capital determination, capital budgeting, and capital structure choices. The course covered a variety of techniques, such as sensitivity and scenario analysis, optimization methods, Monte Carlo simulation, and regression analysis.
Financial Statement Analysis – This course was about analyzing and using information from corporate financial reports for the purpose of financial analysis and valuation. The goal of this course was to learn how to use financial statement information to evaluate the firm’s past and present performance and to predict likely future outcomes. I learned to evaluate how well (or poorly) the financial statements depict the firm’s economics and how I can use additional information, especially from footnote disclosures, to better understand and analyze financial statement information.
Seminar in Corporate Finance – This course integrated the key concepts of finance around the theme of valuation. The course enabled me to: prepare a complete financial analysis focusing on the firm’s sources of value and economic profit; compute a firm’s cost of capital using publicly available data; value a firm using the free cash flow method; and use the valuation model to assess takeover alternatives and potential capital structure changes.
Core Business Coursework:
Macroeconomics – I learned about business cycles, inflation, unemployment, banking, monetary and fiscal policy, international economics, and economic growth.
Microeconomics – I learned about the market system, supply and demand, cost, competition, monopoly, oligopoly, factor markets, and public goods.
Human Resource Management – I learned to address the challenges of leading high performing organizations. We examined the enablers of principled organizational leadership and performance. Course topics included leadership, change management, decision-making, culture, team building, organizational structure and control, communication, social responsibility and sustainability, motivation, human resource management, and globalization.
Marketing Management – I learned the role of marketing in the U.S. economy and within the firm, including the interaction of marketing with other business functions, as well as with society. This course introduced me to the concepts, methods, and activities that comprise modern marketing management and provided examples as well as experiences analyzing and addressing marketing issues. This course also focused on the components of marketing strategy which comprises analyzing what markets and needs the firm will serve; deciding when, where, and how the firm will meet those needs; and understanding why (i.e. a compelling business reason) the firm should implement such a strategy. Lastly, we covered marketing-mix development issues, such as product development and management; pricing; distribution, logistics and supply-chain management; integrated marketing communications and promotion; plus other decisions involved in this process.
Financial Accounting – I learned the basic concepts and principles underlying the preparation and use of financial statements. Among the topics covered are basic accounting theory, transactional analysis, income determination, asset and liability valuation, and the preparation of financial statements.
Quantitative Methods for Business I – I learned the fundamentals of mathematics and Excel in topics and illustrations specifically directed to applications in business and economics. The overarching theme of this class was to solidify foundational quantitative and Excel skills and use those skills to solve relevant business applications.
Quantitative Methods for Business II – This class grew on what I learned in Quantitative Methods for Business I. We used examples specifically directed to applications in business and economics throughout this course. The overarching theme of this class was to be proficient in areas of quantitative analysis, and to use those skills to solve relevant business applications.
Statistical Business Analytics – This course covered the fundamentals of data description, data analysis, and graphical methods with applications to business problems. Topics included random variables, discrete and continuous distributions, estimation of parameters, and hypothesis testing. I also became proficient in simple and multiple regression models and forecasting.
Managerial Accounting – I learned concepts related to the manager’s role in making business decisions using accounting data. Topics included cost classification, behavior, and allocation, cost-volume-profit analysis, operating and capital budgeting, variance analysis, performance evaluation, and responsibility accounting.
Financial Management – This course provided a survey of the financial problems associated with the life cycle of a business firm. Topics included: financial analysis and planning, capital budgeting, cost of capital, and the sources and uses of business funds. While the emphasis was on decision making within a corporate environment, the tools taught in this course are just as relevant to other forms of business organization and to personal financial management.
Legal Environment of Business – This course introduced me to the essential aspects of law with an emphasis on the legal environment of business. I learned the basics of contract, tort, property, and administrative law as well as international law. Our class discussions consisted of public policy and compliance, as well as employer and employee relations. The political, social, and economic forces that affect change were also discussed thereby providing guidance as to the future direction of the law in both the United States and around the world.
Business Communications – This writing-intensive workplace-oriented course helped me develop and refine the oral, written, and analytical skills necessary to communicate effectively in professional settings. I learned to effectively edit my writing, understand how businesses communicate with an audience, and enhanced my presentation and persuasive skills.
Introduction to Risk Management – In this course, I learned about the principal casualty risks to which organizations are exposed, including those involved in employee benefits. I learned the means of identification, evaluation, and treatment of these analyzed risks, with the methods of treatment including insurance, risk retention, self-insurance, and loss control.
Operations Management – I learned how to examine the activities necessary for the provision of an organization’s product or service. The topics included: Planning and scheduling of operations, allocation of resources, including staffing requirements and equipment decisions, inventory control, and production planning, waiting line problems, and quality.
Business Society and Ethics – This course challenged me to consider the ethical obligations of corporations and their employees to a wide variety of societal stakeholders. I was exposed to a broad range of ethical dilemmas that can arise in the business world and was offered the tools and taught the skills to respond to such dilemmas. Most significantly, the course encouraged me to critically examine a preeminent societal institution of which I am a part, with the possibility that I can ultimately be a force for positive change.
Integrative Business Applications – This course integrated various functional business disciplines to help me solidify my understanding of business practices. I learned to view organizations as integrated systems based on the knowledge accumulated to date in my BBA Core, and provided me with an opportunity to address problems faced by organizations from an integrated perspective.
Global Business Policies – This integrative course focused on strategic planning, policy formulation, implementation, and corporate-wide decision making through the use of comprehensive case problems.