Business Administration

Faculty: Associate Professors Chelminska (coordinator) and Ogren, and Assistant Professor Bruce 

The Business Administration major provides students with hands-on learning, leadership development, and real-world experiences that bring business concepts to life. Students participate in immersion trips, hear from guest speakers, and engage in applied projects that connect classroom learning to professional practice. Students will be able to choose from five concentrations:  

Management Concentration will prepare students to learn and practice management skills in various environments and in diverse workplaces. Through creative problem-solving and strategic analysis, students develop the confidence, ethical awareness, and communication skills needed to lead and make an impact in today’s dynamic marketplace. 

International Business Concentration prepares students to understand the dynamics of global operations and the challenges that businesses face when expanding internationally. Students will gain knowledge regarding diverse environments that vary by business etiquette, cultural norms, political systems, and legal systems.

Entrepreneurship concentration prepares students who aspire to start their own ventures, innovate within existing organizations, or become leaders in dynamic, fast-paced environments. This concentration blends foundational business knowledge with specialized skills in innovation, strategy, and value creation.  

Marketing concentration prepares students to understand consumers, build brands, and communicate values across a variety of industries. Through creative problem-solving and strategic analysis, students develop the confidence, ethical awareness, and communication skills needed to lead and make an impact in today’s dynamic marketplace.  

Arts Administration concentration prepares students who aspire to work in the world of art management, bridging fine arts and fundamentals of management. Through behind the scenes logistics of event technology and building business acumen, students develop the confidence, leadership, and communication skills needed to lead and make an impact in today’s fine arts industries.  

Degrees and Minors

Courses

BUS 101: Intro to Business

Credits 4
An introduction to the study of business and the role of organizations in the economy. The course provides an overview of major functional areas including accounting, economics, entrepreneurship, finance, management, marketing, human resource management, and international business. Students explore career pathways in business and gain foundational knowledge to support selection of a business major.

BUS 103: Mind Over Money

Credits 4
Mind Over Money invites students to uncover the “why” behind every dollar. Discover how emotions, habits, and biases drive spending and saving, then use data and experiments to test your own money choices. Learn how to think smarter, choose better, and take control of financial decisions that shape your future.?

BUS 105: Business Communication

Credits 4
Business Communication course will prepare students to communicate effectively in a professional way. Students will learn communication concepts and techniques that will prepare them to be a successful communicator in oral, written, and nonverbal form.

BUS 220: Personal Investing - Stocks & Bonds

Credits 4
This course will cover the fundamentals of investing in capital markets focusing primarily on ownership of stocks and bonds. We will discuss corporate capital structure and the advantages and disadvantages of each as an investor. Students will learn how and where to research information about investments. We will discuss the risk return trade off as well as the various kinds of risks to be considered when investing. We will discuss the importance of having clearly defined investment objectives and how to create a portfolio based on those objectives.

BUS 230: Intro to Business Sustainability

Credits 4
This course will serve as an introduction to the fields of corporate social responsibility and business sustainable practices. It will explore topics such as anthropogenic interference and how to counteract it, multi-stakeholders’ approach, environmental stewardship, and social impact. Students will learn about business sustainable practices and their social responsibility.

BUS 240: Mgmt & Org Behavior

Credits 4
Examines the principles of management and organizational behavior and their influence on individual, team, and organizational performance. Topics include planning, organizing, leading, and controlling; motivation; human behavior in organizations; team dynamics; decision making; and organizational culture. Emphasis is placed on applying these concepts to contemporary organizational settings.

BUS 255: Entrepreneurial Lab

Credits 2 4
An experiential course that provides hands-on entrepreneurial practice for students interested in starting, owning, or managing a business. Students engage in real-world business activities including planning operations, managing finances and budgets, marketing products or services, improving processes, and evaluating results and customer feedback to respond to marketplace opportunities and challenges. Instructor permission required - email togren@cottey.edu. Must be taken for four credits in a single semester to fulfill the Communication General Education requirement.

BUS 260: Legal Environment of Business

Credits 4
Students will learn about fundamentals of business law, history and development of law, legal system, legal reasoning, and law of contract, torts, and agency.

BUS 270: Data Analytics & Visualization

Credits 4
Data Analytics & Visualization course will prepare students to clean, process, and visualize data. They will also learn software programs such as advanced excel and Tableau. Students will learn skills to use data to solve problems and support business decisions. Communication skills include verbal communication through story-telling applications related to data.

BUS 280: Principles of Accounting

Credits 4
Students will learn fundamental concepts, tools, and theories of accounting, combining financial and managerial topics, such as financial statements, journal entries, internal control, inventories, cost systems, and ethics.

BUS 285: Principles of Economics

Credits 4
Principles of Economics introduce both microeconomic and macroeconomic concepts, exploring how individuals, businesses, and governments make decisions in conditions of scarcity. Students gain analytical skills to understand markets, national economies, and global issues, preparing them to evaluate personal choices, business strategies, and public policy in an interconnected world.

BUS 305: Business Technology

Credits 4
This course introduces students to essential business technologies, including Microsoft Office, point-of-sale systems, cloud collaboration, and data management tools. Students will build practical skills, strengthen digital communication, and learn workplace technology essentials, preparing them to adapt confidently and professionally to evolving business environments.

BUS 315: Operations Management

Credits 4
Examines managerial decision making related to the production and delivery of goods and services. Topics include process efficiency, capacity planning, facility layout, forecasting, inventory management, quality control, and lean concepts. Students analyze operational challenges using quantitative models and case studies to analyze operational challenges and improve organizational performance.

BUS 325: Principles of Marketing

Credits 4
This course examines how organizations identify customer needs and develop strategies to create and deliver value in competitive markets. Students explore consumer behavior, market research, segmentation, branding, pricing, distribution, promotion, global marketing, ethics, and sustainability. Emphasis is placed on applied learning as students analyze a real or simulated business and develop a comprehensive marketing plan with strategic recommendations.

BUS 335: Entrepreneurial Strategy

Credits 4
Focuses on the strategic process of identifying, evaluating, and developing entrepreneurial opportunities. Students assess personal entrepreneurial capabilities, conduct feasibility analysis, research market needs, evaluate financial potential, and identify resources required to launch and grow a venture. Emphasis is placed on developing strategic thinking and venture development skills in contemporary business environments.

BUS 340: Principles of Finance

Credits 4
Fundamental concepts of financial decision-making within business organizations. Topics include financial statements, time value of money, risk and return, interest rates, capital budgeting, and investment analysis. Emphasis is placed on how managers use financial information to evaluate projects, allocate resources, and support strategic decision-making within organizations operating in a global business environment.

BUS 355: Human Resource Management

Credits 4
Examines the principles and practices used to manage people effectively within organizations. Topics include job analysis, recruitment and selection, training and development, performance management, compensation, employee relations, and employment law. Emphasis is placed on how human resource practices support organizational strategy, improve productivity, and ensure ethical and legally compliant workplace decisions. Students analyze real workplace scenarios and evaluate strategies for managing and developing an effective workforce.

BUS 365: Professional Sales & Marketing

Credits 4
This course explores the essential skills for professional sales, emphasizing the connection between sales and marketing in driving business success. Students will learn to identify prospects, craft persuasive messages, handle objections, negotiate deals, and close sales using marketing insights, digital tools, and consumer psychology. Through hands-on exercises, role-plays, and real-world applications, students will develop the confidence and expertise to succeed in sales, marketing, and business development roles.

BUS 370: Digital Marketing

Credits 4
This course provides a comprehensive overview of digital marketing strategies and practices in the digital economy. Students will explore major digital channels and platforms, including social media marketing, webpage design, search engine optimization (SEO), and mobile marketing. Emphasis is placed on understanding core digital marketing principles, implementation techniques, and the associated risks and limitations. The course also examines how social media marketing is used to increase brand awareness, engage key audiences, generate leads, and foster customer relationships through the creation and distribution of valuable content.

BUS 375: Consumer Behavior

Credits 4
This course examines how psychological, social, cultural, and economic factors shape consumer decision-making. Students learn to analyze consumer motivations and behaviors and apply insights to segmentation, branding, and marketing strategies. Emphasis is placed on practical business applications, ethical considerations, and adapting to changing consumer trends.

BUS 420: Implementing Business Ed Programs

Credits 4
Students will develop an understanding of the nature, organization, and administration of business programs in the middle and secondary schools. Students will learn how business education prepares students for a changing work world and will examine how advertising and public relations are used in marketing business education. Students will develop an awareness of the issues, trends, and problems in developing an effective rapport with counselors and administrators, as well as an awareness of a culturally diverse workplace.

BUS 430: Coordination of Cooperative Ed

Credits 4

Students will learn how to establish and manage cooperative and specialized programs for business and marketing. Emphasis will be placed on promotion of school, community, and employment relationships.

BUS 490: Strategic Management (Capstone)

Credits 4
Integrates knowledge from across the business curriculum to examine strategic decision making in organizations. Students analyze internal and external business environments, evaluate competitive conditions, and develop corporate and business-level strategies. Through a consulting-based capstone project, students work with a real small business client to conduct strategic analysis and develop a three-year strategic plan. Topics include internal and external analysis, competitive strategy, and strategic implementation.