Faculty

John Volpe, Assistant Professor of Economics (Program Director)
V.R. Nemani, Associate Professor of Business Administration
Sheila Barry-Oliver, Assistant Professor of Business Administration
Victoria G. Goetz, Assistant Professor of Business Administration
John Haskins, Assistant Professor of Business Administration
Bill Steel, Assistant Professor of Information Technology

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Description

Students in the School of Professional Studies may pursue a Bachelor of Science degree (B.S.) in entrepreneurship and small business management. The entrepreneurship and small business management major prepares students for starting and managing a business venture. Students will learn the qualities that are essential for entrepreneurial success. Through the use of the case study method, they will learn how to prepare practical business plans. They will also study effective strategies for the implementation of business plans, in the process developing and acquiring the skills necessary to take an idea through to its commercial reality.

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Major Requirements

Required Courses (42 credits)

ALL of the following courses:

BADM 101 Introduction to Business
BADM 205 Legal Aspects of Business
BADM 211 Business Mathematics
BADM 221 Financial Accounting
BADM 231 Theory and Practice of Marketing
BADM 243 Information Systems in Organizations
BADM 252 Entrepreneurship
BADM 253 Social Entrepreneurship
BADM 324 Cost Accounting
BADM 341 Electronic Business
BADM 351 Entrepreneurial Finance and Resource Development
BADM 353 Small Business Development, Management, and Finance
BADM 355 Business Plan Development
BADM 357 Venture Capitalism

Capstone Course (3 credits) 

This course provides students with the opportunity to synthesize the information, concepts, and skills acquired throughout the Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management Program. It is taken at the end of one's course of study.

ONE capstone course:

BADM 499 Senior Seminar

Co-Requisite Courses (9 credits)

ALL of the following courses:

ECON 101 Introduction to Microeconomics
ECON 102 Introduction to Macroeconomics
PHIL   253 Business and Professional Ethics

Co-requisite courses are taken as part of the School of Professional Studies' 40-credit Core Curriculum. The required economics courses fulfill half of the 6-credit Social Sciences requirement; PHIL 253 fulfills the 3-credit Philosophy requirement. If courses other than these are used to meet Core Curriculum requirements, students must take these three courses as part of their Electives; they may not be taken as Business Electives. It is recommended that students take the economics courses as early as possible in their program of study. Course descriptions are available in the Economics and Philosophy sections of the catalog.

Suggested Electives

As students complete the remaining elective courses to fill out the minimum of 128 credits required for a bachelor's degree, they are encouraged to select courses from among the following:

BADM 225 Personal Financial Management
BADM 241 Computer Applications in Business
BADM 251 Management & Leadership Development
BADM 307 International Business
BADM 451 Project Management
COM   290 Public Speaking
ENGL 209 Business Writing

Course descriptions for these electives may be found in the Business Administration, Communication, and English sections of the catalog.

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Program Policies

Advanced Placement: Credit earned through AP exams may not be applied toward the major.

CLEP Policy: Students wishing to receive credit for CLEP examinations should contact the academic advising staff.

Cross-listed Courses: Courses that are cross-listed represent identical courses offered with a different program prefix. Students may not enroll in or receive credit for more than one iteration of a cross-listed course even in different semesters.

Grades in Major Courses: Students are required to earn a grade of "C" (2.0) or better in all courses counted to fulfill requirements for the major or minor.

Pass/No Pass: The pass/no pass grading option is not accepted in courses to be applied for the major or minor.

Senior Assessment: All majors are required to take BADM 499 Senior Seminar at Trinity College.

Study Abroad: Students are encouraged to plan their studies to allow for the possibility of study abroad to obtain a greater understanding of how global economic, political, environmental, social, and cultural issues influence domestic and multinational organizations. Prior discussions with the program director are necessary to ensure that the courses taken abroad may be applied toward major credit. 

TELL Policy: Students with substantial experiential learning are encouraged to apply for TELL credits in entrepreneurship and small business management.

Transfer Credits: Students may apply transfer credit toward the major and minor in accounting if the transferred courses parallel those required for the major or minor. Transfer students who elect an accounting major must complete a minimum of 12 credit hours in accounting major courses at Trinity College, of which three must be in BADM 499 Senior Seminar.

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Course Descriptions

BADM 101 Introduction to Business
Provides students with an overview of the functions and operations of business organizations. Topics discussed include forms of business ownership, research and development, marketing, finance, accounting, production, materials management, and human resource management. Formerly BUA 105 Introduction to Business.
3 credits

BADM 205 Legal Aspects of Business
Offers a comprehensive overview of the principal legal aspects of business management. Topics include: the legal environment of business; contracts; domestic and international sales; negotiable instruments; creditors rights and bankruptcy; agency; business organization; labor and employment relations; government regulations; property; and, special topics (insurance, wills and trusts, liability of professionals, international and comparative law, and law for entrepreneurs). The overall objective of the course is to become familiar with the subject matter by covering the above topics in readings and class discussion sessions. Formerly BUA 302 Legal Aspects of Business.
3 credits

BADM 211 Business Mathematics
Explores quantitative concepts, ratios, and analysis commonly used in the various functional areas of business, including human resources, finance, accounting, and marketing. Topics include discounts, markup/markdown, interest, payroll, commissions, and ratios for performance analysis. Formerly BUA 228 Business Mathematics.
3 credits

BADM 221 Financial Accounting
Introduces the concepts and techniques of financial accounting as prescribed by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASBE). Students study and understand balance sheets, income statements, cash flow statements, and journals and ledgers, and how to prepare them. Accounting concepts such as revenue recognition, asset measurement, alternative inventory valuation methods, intangible assets, present value, stockholders equity, and liabilities and interest are also studied. Students come away from the course with an understanding of the importance of accounting in business decision-making. Typically offered only in the fall semester. Formerly ACC 235 Financial Accounting and ACC 245 Principles of Accounting I.
3 credits

BADM 231 Theory and Practice of Marketing
Addresses the principles and processes in the marketing of consumer goods and services and the organizational and environmental variables that have to be managed in order to be successful. Course materials focus on the essential components of the marketing mix, including product development, distribution, pricing policies, and promotional strategies. Formerly MKT 221 Theory and Practice of Marketing.
3 credits

BADM 243 Information Systems in Organizations
Provides an introduction to systems and development concepts, information technology, and application software. The course explains how information is used in organizations and how information technology enables improvement in quality, timeliness, and competitive advantage. Formerly BUA 223 Theory of Management Information Systems.
3 credits

BADM 252 Entrepreneurship
Develops entrepreneurial skills through analysis and examination of the strategies employed by today's most successful entrepreneurs. The case study approach is utilized. Students learn about the entrepreneurial process, and about the opportunities and challenges facing entrepreneurs starting new business ventures. Identifying promising new opportunities, developing business concepts and marketing plans, and managing a new venture are integral components of this course.
3 credits
Prerequisites: BADM 101

BADM 253 Social Entrepreneurship
Develops awareness of social policy and change. Examines current external environmental societal factors. Analyzes current conditions and projected changes -- demographic, technological, political, legal, regulatory, environmental, and social -- facing business managers in the overall macroenvironment. Focuses on optimizing available resources to maximize benefit to society.
3 credits
Prerequisites: BADM 101

BADM 324 Cost Accounting
Provides a comprehensive introduction to managerial accounting for business managers, focusing on the principles and practice utilizing realistic business cases. Course emphasizes not the preparer's mode but rather the managerial interpretation and implementation of the work of professional accountants in order to facilitate wise and logical business decision-making. Course stresses basic concepts and the intuitive organizing principles evident in the three primary business management activities: financing, investing, and operating. Topics include process costing, manufacturing costs, cost terms (fixed v. variable, direct v. indirect, and product v. period costs), cost-volume-profit analysis, capital budgeting, and standard costs and variance analysis.
3 credits

BADM 341 Electronic Business
Examines the linkage of organizational strategy and electronic methods of delivering products, services and exchanges in inter-organizational, national, and global environments. Information technology strategy and technological solutions for enabling effective business processes within and between organizations in a global environment are considered. Formerly BUA 353 Electronic Business.
3 credits
Prerequisites: BADM 243

BADM 351 Entrepreneurial Finance and Resource Development
Focuses on principles of corporate and financial management, financial statement analysis and interpretation, effective planning, budgeting and financial control, financial risk assessments, and fundamentals of basic financial planning for new and small businesses. Includes in-depth discussion and analysis of entrepreneurial resource development and human resource management and development. Incorporates the study of ethical business decisions in the small business environment.
3 credits

BADM 353 Small Business Development, Management, and Finance
Covers the initial and continuing development, management, and finance of the small business enterprise. Focus is on essential issues of law, accounting, and technology as they relate specifically to the small business. Includes analysis of the basics of starting and maintaining a home-based small business enterprise, as well as small business planning and management in general, including customer service, public relations and advertising, goal setting, merchandising, packaging and pricing, employment, record-keeping, and financial management. Reviews the unique issues involved in owning and operating the family business, including succession planning, the family business culture, hiring and managing family members, the interaction between family and non-family employees, and operating the family business. In addition to lectures, the case study method is used extensively to illustrate opportunities and problems facing the entrepreneurial small business enterprise in America in the new millennium.
3 credits

BADM 355 Business Plan Development
Focuses on methods for entrepreneurs and small businesses to find and develop new business opportunities, including initial capitalization through partners and other investors. Includes a detailed study of the management of business personnel and associates, the analysis of competition in the market place, and the forecasting of business growth. Students learn how to define objectives, strategies, and action plans, forecast sales and expenses, prepare profit and loss statements, predict and manage cash flow, and determine sales and marketing strategies, among other key topics. Students are required to identify and define new business opportunities and to prepare related business plans.
3 credits

BADM 357 Venture Capitalism
Focuses on the essence of entrepreneurial success - new business development and venture capital financing, and on the opportunities and problems facing venture capitalists with small companies as they move from starting a business to its successful operation. New developments in private and public equity financing and the structure of the venture capital market are discussed. Topics also include the economics of financing contracts, starting new companies, investing in start-up companies, lending to small companies, conventional bank loans, private placements, and refinancings, among other issues.
3 credits

BADM 491 Internship
Allows students to pursue an internship under the direction of a faculty member and an off-site supervisor. Formerly BUA 488 Internship.
3 credits
Prerequisites: Permission of instructor

BADM 497 Directed Research
Allows students to pursue an advanced research project under the direction of a faculty member.
3 credits
Prerequisites: Permission of instructor

BADM 498 Independent Study
Allows students to develop an independent course of study under the direction of a faculty member.
3 credits
Prerequisites: Permission of instructor

BADM 499 Senior Seminar
Integrates the functional areas of business, international business, and professional ethics, with a strong emphasis on the synthesis of knowledge and skills gained throughout the business administration curriculum and on understanding how strategic decisions affect the performance of organizations. The course relies heavily on case study analyses and assists in preparing students for entry into the business world or graduate studies. Formerly BUA 480 Senior Seminar.
3 credits
Prerequisites: All functional core courses

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