Mar 28, 2024  
2012-2013 Catalog 
    
2012-2013 Catalog ARCHIVED CATALOG: Content may no longer be accurate.

Department of Business Administration


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Department Chair: Michael Stevens
Location: Wattis Business Building, Room 216
Telephone: Kathy May 801-626-6075
Professors: Anthony Allred, Brian Davis, Stanley Fawcett, Taowen Le, Stephen Russell, Shane Schvaneveldt, Seokwoo Song, Michael J. Stevens, E. K. Valentin; Associate Professors: Edward Harris, Yuhong Fan; Assistant Professors: Shaun Hansen, David Read, Jeremy Suiter, James Turner; Instructors: Wendy Fox-Kirk, Terrilyn Morgan; Visiting Professors: Chuck Kaiser, Joel Watson, Zhuolin Yu

The student who majors in business administration is seeking the most general business degree that is offered at the bachelor’s level. This major has been described as an undergraduate MBA because of its emphasis on breadth of education across all of the functional areas of business. This degree might be especially appropriate for students who intend to become entrepreneurs.

The Information Systems & Technologies is also under the Department of Business Administration.

Business Administration Finance Emphasis

After studying in the School’s core courses about the various functions in organizations, the student who concentrates in finance learns how to acquire, allocate, and control a firm’s financial resources efficiently.

A background in finance will prepare the student to: (1) conduct detailed financial analyses; (2) relate the financial environment of an organization to the policies that organization will need for optimum returns; and (3) select and analyze investment opportunities for both individuals and organizations. For those students desiring to pursue careers as analysts or consultants, a graduate degree is recommended.

Business Administration Management Emphasis

The student who concentrates in management prepares to apply the knowledge and skills needed to design and maintain a positive motivational work environment. Such an environment aligns the goals of the organization with those of individuals within the organization for the purpose of increasing organizational efficiency and effectiveness.

In addition to the John B. Goddard School of Business & Economics core requirements, the management student studies human resource management, organizational behavior, continuous improvement, effective communication, and information technology. Management students will choose specialty tracks with the approval of their advisor and the management area faculty advisory council.

Management students who choose the human resource management track usually are intending a career in human resource management. These students will have some courses dealing with general management as described for the Management Emphasis but will also take courses in such specialized areas as employment and labor law and compensation and benefits.

Business Administration Marketing Emphasis

This is the only business marketing program on WSU’s campus. Students concentrating in marketing specialize in course work that deals with business activities involved in getting the right goods and services to the right customers at the right time, the right place, and in the right way.

Courses provide students with vital marketing concepts and experience in applying them. These courses prepare students to assume responsible positions in industry. Those desiring careers in marketing research or higher levels of corporate management are well prepared to enter graduate programs of their choice.

Business Administration Supply Chain Management Emphasis

Supply chain management, as an area of emphasis, allows students to focus their education on the “supply chain” of purchasing, producing, moving, and marketing goods and services on a global basis.

The supply chain management major learns how to plan and manage a firm’s operations as well as the logistics of selecting suppliers, moving materials into a firm, and distributing finished product to customers. The discipline involves industrial purchasing, inventory management, production planning and control, quality management, transportation, and distribution management.

The growing recognition by industry of the value of more effective and efficient management of the supply chain has intensified demand for persons with formal education in this area. Weber State has enjoyed considerable success in placing supply chain management graduates in a wide variety of employment opportunities with above-average salaries with such firms as Kimberly Clark, Ford Motor Company, Toyota, Hospital Corporation of America, Northrop Grumman, Wal-Mart, J.C. Penney Company, UPS, Autoliv, and the U.S. Air Force. We are also noting that career paths to senior executive positions in large corporations are increasingly mandating education or experience in operations and supply chain management.

Professional associations and area companies make several scholarships available each year exclusively to supply chain management majors at Weber State University.

Information Systems & Technologies

A bachelor’s degree in Information Systems & Technologies provides students with a broad background in basic business knowledge, problem solving, and computer systems analysis and design skills. Graduates from this major are prepared to help organizations use computer technology to support their business processes. Technologies that all IST majors study include software development, computer architecture, database design, web development and management, and networks. Then, depending on the electives the student chooses, the student will also study advanced software development, and systems analysis and design, or advanced networks, information security and computer forensics.

Information Systems & Technologies graduates may work for a large organization, specializing in one aspect of information technology. Or, they may work for a small firm as one of a few people who helps support all areas of the firm’s technologies. The job will involve working with people to understand how they do their jobs and where computers can be most effective, as well as implementing computer-based solutions; training people to use the systems; installing and troubleshooting hardware, software and networks; and helping management understand and plan for the best new technologies to integrate in the organization’s business processes.

Programs

    Associate of ScienceBachelor of ScienceEmphasis Option for Bachelor of Integrated Studies

       BIS emphases are also offered for most programs with a minor.

    MinorHonors, Departmental

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