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427 Elliott Hall (248) 370-2957
Fax: (248) 370-4974
http://www.sba.oakland.edu
Dean: Mohan Tanniru
Associate Dean: Balaji Rajagopalan
Office of the Dean: Donna Kellstrom, business manager and director of corporate relations; Robin Michel, development director
Department chairs: Mohinder Parkash, accounting and finance; Thomas W. Lauer, decision and information sciences; Anandi P. Sahu, economics; Ravi Parameswaran, management and marketing
Distinguished professor emeritus: Karl D. Gregory
Professors emeriti: Elefterios Botsas, Daniel N. Braunstein, Ronald Horwitz, Sid Mittra, John Tower
Professors: Lizabeth A. Barclay, Mohammed S. Bazaz, Joseph H. Callaghan, Addington Coppin, Mohammad Dadashzadeh, Gadis J. Dillon, David P. Doane, Sherman R. Folland, Oded Izraeli, Thomas W. Lauer, Paul Licker, J. Austin Murphy, Kevin J. Murphy, Ravi Parameswaran, Anandi P. Sahu, Howard S. Schwartz, Jonathan Silberman, Miron Stano, Vijayan Sugumaran, Kenneth M. York
Associate professors: Henry Aigbedo, Mukesh Bhargava, Xiaodong Deng, Eugene B. Fliedner, John W. Henke, Mark W. Isken, Karl Majeski, Karen S. Markel, John Kim, Kieran Mathieson, Cynthia Miree-Coppin, Nivedita Mukherji, Robert Nehmer, Ram Orzach, Mohinder Parkash, Sandra H. Pelfrey, R. Mohan Pisharodi, Balaji Rajagopalan, Srinarayan Sharma, Mark Simon, Kasaundra Tomlin, Ronald L. Tracy, T.J. Wharton
Assistant professors: Ranadeb Chaudhuri, Yu Vivienne Chen, Seong-Yeon Cho, Liang Fu, Joy Ruihua Jiang, Hong Qian, James Serocki, Joseph Schiele, Rajeev Singhal, Janell Townsend, Jennifer E. Yugo, Ellen Zhu, Xie Zhu
Special instructors: Donna Free, Frederick Hoffman
Graduate Program Advisers: Paul Trumbull, coordinator, graduate business programs, Theawiana English, extension site administrator/adviser; Donna Free, faculty coordinator, masters of accounting program (MAcc)
Professional and Community Education: Lori Crose, director of professional development; Linda Wallace program coordinator
Undergraduate Program Advisers: Julie Dermidoff, senior academic adviser; Kellie Klinck, senior academic adviser; Laurie Shano, academic adviser
Board of Visitors
The Board of Visitors provides a direct link between the business community and the School of Business Administration. The board is composed of outstanding corporate and professional leaders from the Detroit metropolitan area. Board members assist the dean on several projects and provide consultation on goals and objectives, curricula designs and research programs.
The board members are:
Craig Stinson, Norman Group GmBH.,Chairman, Board of Visitors
James M. Cavellier, SVP Information Services, Comerica Bank
John R. Crary, Vice President Information Technology, Lear Corporation
Stuart D. Doyle, Senior Director, Advisory Services, Cisco Systems
Terry A. Fiscus, Chief Financial Officer, Royal Oak Industries
Frederick Funston, Principal, US Nat’l Leader, Governance, Deloitte & Touche
Kevin Gleeson, Attorney-at-Law, Sullivan, Ward, Asher & Patton, PC
Raymond Gunn, Managing Director, Wingspan Capital Partners, LLC
Kenneth Harris, President and CEO, Detroit Black Expo, Inc.
Timothy F. Healy, Executive Vice President, Takata-TK Holdings, Inc.
John Irwin, City Executive, US Trust/Bank of America PWM
Robert T. Martin, President, ISCG Incorporated
Mark J. Mendola, Managing Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP (Detroit)
Karen Milner, Principal and Founder, Spearhead Advisers, LLC
Victor Naidu, President and CEO, Ramsoft Systems
Paul S. Peabody, Former Vice President and CIO, Beaumont Hospitals
Gary Pilibosian, CJI Process Systems, Inc.
William H. Sandy, Founder and former Chairman, retired, Sandy Corporation
John M. Savio, Vice President, Branch Operations, Oakland University Branch, Michigan State University Federal Credit Union
Douglas Smith, Deputy County Executive, Oakland County
Rebecca R. Smith, President, East Michigan Region, The Huntington National Bank
Mohan Tanniru, Dean, School of Business Administration, Oakland University, ex-officio
Joseph Tori, Owner, g2 Business Development Solutions
Tommi White, Chief Executive Officer, ER-One Partners
Mission
The mission of the School of Business Administration is to advance knowledge and enhance students’ abilities to manage in a global business environment. The mission is achieved through a synergistic combination of teaching, scholarship and professional service, with emphasis on the linkage of theory and practice, and the application and management of technology. Toward the achievement of these ends, the SBA promotes collaborative relationships among students, faculty, administrators and employers.
General Information
The School of Business Administration (SBA) programs enable students to combine the intensive study of a functional area of business (i.e., accounting, actuarial sciences [pending Board approval], finance, human resources management, management information systems, marketing or operations management) or business economics with a broad background in management. Alternatively, students can focus on economics, the fundamental discipline behind business processes. In these programs, a strong foundation in liberal arts is combined with a rigorous education in written and oral communications and in problem definition, analysis and resolution. This combination produces graduates who can think analytically, communicate effectively and work cooperatively with others of similar or diverse backgrounds in both domestic and international environments. Graduates of these programs are prepared to handle the increasingly complex and changing problems faced by managers in profit-oriented enterprises and not for- profit organizations, both public and private.
The programs include:
- Bachelor of Science with majors in accounting, business economics, economics, finance, general management, human resources management, management information systems, marketing and operations management;
- Bachelor of Arts with a major in economics (offered in conjunction with the College of Arts and Sciences (see the Department of Economics section in the Arts and Sciences portion of the catalog for a description of this program);
- Minors in accounting, applied technology in business (ATIB), business, economics, entrepreneurship, finance, human resources management, international management, management information systems, marketing, operations management, and quantitative methods.
High school students who intend to pursue a major offered by the SBA should consult the Admissions section of the catalog for specific preparation requirements. Students transferring from other institutions, both international and domestic, may be requested to provide documentation of the content and scope of the courses they have taken at their previous institutions.
The SBA offers a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree for students in any major, including business and management. The MBA is a professional program in business designed to prepare students for careers involving problem identification, problem solving, decision making and leadership in any type of organization. MBA students may elect concentrations in accounting, business economics, entrepreneurship, finance, human resources management, international business, management information systems, marketing, production and operations management, or supply chain management. It is preferred that students with an undergraduate degree in business or one of the functional areas of management have two years of work experience before entering the MBA program. Students interested in pursuing this degree should contact the Office of Graduate Business Programs, 238 Elliott Hall, (248) 370-3287 for more information.
The SBA offers a Master of Accounting degree, which prepares graduates for a variety of professional accounting positions in public accounting, corporations, and other organizations. It provides appropriate technical accounting course work and results in the 150 credits required to become a Certified Public Accountant. Interested students should see the section on the Requirements for the accounting major for more information and contact the Office of Graduate Business Programs, 238 Elliott Hall, (248) 370-3287 for detailed information on admissibility into the program.
The SBA offers a Master of Science in Information Technology Management (MSITM) degree. The goal of the program is to provide a strong technical and managerial background to those who are interested in using information technology for competitive advantage. It is intended to provide business professionals with the knowledge they need to manage information technology effectively in support of their decision-making. It is also intended to provide information systems professionals with knowledge of the latest technologies and their use in application development. Students interested in pursuing this degree should contact the Office of Graduate Business Programs, 238 Elliott Hall, (248) 370-3287 for more information.
Oakland University undergraduates working on majors other than those in business administration may complete their prerequisites and some core courses for the MBA program while completing their undergraduate degree. For detailed information contact the Office of Graduate Business Programs.
The SBA is accredited, on both the undergraduate and the graduate levels, by AACSB International (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business), the premier business school accreditation agency. In addition, the accounting program has achieved the separate AACSB accounting accreditation.
For more information on the SBA undergraduate programs, the MBA, the Master of Accounting program, the Master of Science in Information Technology Management program, accreditation, SBA courses and SBA faculty, visit the School’s Web site at: www.sba.oakland.edu.
Degree Requirements
The curriculum described shall be followed by students entering the School of Business Administration beginning with the fall 2010 semester. Students enrolled prior to fall 2010 may choose to satisfy either the degree requirements listed in this catalog or those in the catalog of the academic year in which they were initially admitted to pre-business or undecided business in the SBA (or any catalog during the interim), provided that catalog is not more than six years old at the time of graduation. Students who transfer to the SBA after admission to the university or who are readmitted to the university are required to follow the requirements of the catalog in effect at the time they transfer or are readmitted. As described below, students may choose to meet the general education requirements of a different catalog.
To ensure they have met all requirements, students should seek a final program audit from one of the school’s academic advisers no later than the semester before the semester in which they plan to graduate. The responsibility for meeting graduation requirements rests with the student. The business administration programs consist of the following parts: general education (including U.S. diversity and writing foundations), the precore, the core, the major and free electives (if needed to reach 128 credits). Students in these programs must satisfy the specific requirements of each of these parts and must earn a minimum of 128 credits. (See Bachelor of Science with a major in economics for the specific requirements of that degree program.)
Each student must:
- complete at least 128 credits, including any free electives needed to reach this total;
- complete the university general education requirement as detailed in the general education section below, also under Undergraduate degree requirements;
- complete the precore requirements as listed below and be admitted to major standing in business administration as detailed in the Admission to major standing in business administration section below;
- complete the core program and the requirements of one of the business majors in the SBA with a minimum grade of a 2.0 in each of the precore, core and major courses. Once admitted to the business program as a pre-business or undecided business student or major, a student must complete all of the remaining business core, major and business minor coursework for the degree at Oakland University;
- complete at least 32 credits at the 300 level or above;
- complete at least 32 credits at Oakland University, of which at least 31 credits must be in courses offered by the School of Business Administration, excluding ECN 150 , ECN 200 , ECN 201 , ECN 210 and QMM 240 , QMM 241 , and QMM 250 . Of these 31 credits, at least 12 credits must be in the student’s major;
- take the last 8 credits needed to complete baccalaureate requirements at Oakland University;
- earn a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00 in courses taken at Oakland University and in courses taken in the SBA.
Academic Advising, Mentoring and Major Standing
Students who have questions about schedule planning, degree requirements, admission to the SBA, major standing, transfer credit, petitions of exception or graduation audits should meet with one of the school’s advisers. The Center for Student Advising and Development is located in 238 Elliott Hall, (248) 370-3285. To avoid delays, students are encouraged to seek advising prior to early registration periods. Once major standing has been achieved (see Admission to major standing in Business Administration), students are encouraged to consult with faculty within their major area to discuss schedule planning within the major, career tracking and other issues relevant to making academic decisions that will enhance opportunities for success within a chosen career field.
The school offers advising and mentoring to students who plan to pursue one of its degree programs. Faculty members are available to provide support, curricular guidance and career information as students make the transition from high school or a previous college to Oakland University’s business administration or economics programs. Incoming freshmen and transfer students are encouraged to seek information from these experienced faculty members.
The ACHIEVE Program
The goal of the ACHIEVE Program is to help students in the School of Business (SBA) make the transition from high school graduates to “day one professional workers” in their chosen field of study. The SBA accomplishes this goal by integrating professional and career development into its undergraduate curriculum. Starting in their freshman year and continuing through their senior year, business students participate in mandatory prescribed activities that enhance their career and professional skills. This professional development series is structured so that students learn about the different business careers and the leadership and professional skills they will need to land a job and succeed in their chosen profession.
Requirements for Business Administration Majors
General education requirement
Students in the School of Business Administration must satisfy the university general education requirement (see Undergraduate degree requirements). Students may use one catalog for the general education requirements and another for the specific degree requirements. Students enrolled prior to fall 2010 may choose to satisfy either the general education requirements listed in this catalog or those in the catalog of the academic year in which they were initially admitted to Oakland University (or any catalog during the interim), provided that catalog is not more than six years old at the time of graduation. The general education requirements may be summarized as one course from the approved lists in each of the following categories:
- Writing: This category includes:
- WRT 160 and its prerequisites;
- an intensive writing course in other general education requirements. This category is normally covered for business majors by WRT 382 - Business Writing ; and
- an intensive writing course in the major. This category is normally covered for business majors by MGT 435 - Management Strategies and Policies .
- Formal Reasoning: This category is normally covered for SBA majors by the required MTH 121 or MTH 122 or MTH 154 .
- Knowledge Explorations: The social science requirement in this category is normally covered for SBA majors by ECN 200 or ECN 210 . The rest of this category is covered by one course each in arts, foreign language and culture, global perspective, literature, natural science and technology, and Western civilization.
- Knowledge Application: This category is normally covered for business majors by QMM 240 , QMM 241 or QMM 250 .
- Capstone course: This category is normally covered for business majors by MGT 435 - Management Strategies and Policies .
- U.S. diversity: Select a course that meets one of the other knowledge exploration general education requirements and has the required diversity section.
SBA students are encouraged to increase their background in ethics by taking PHL 103 - Introduction to Ethics , to satisfy the university’s Western civilization general education knowledge exploration requirement.
Precore requirements
As preparation for the various majors of the business administration program, students must complete the following courses in writing, speech communication, mathematics, business modeling with computers, economics, accounting and statistics with minimum grade of 2.0 in each course. The required writing and precore courses are:
In addition, students admitted to the SBA as pre-business or undecided business majors are required to meet the 0 credit ACHIEVE courses required for major standing.
* If a student places into and completes MTH 154 with the required minimum grade, MTH 141 is not required. If a student does not place into calculus, MTH 121 and MTH 122 or MTH 141 and MTH 154 must be completed with the required minimum grade.
The freshman and sophomore years of study for students pursuing the business administration program will be devoted to the writing, general education and precore course requirements. Special emphasis should be given during the freshman year to the completion of the university writing requirement and steady progress in the mathematics sequence. Once sophomore status has been achieved (28 credits), students will begin work on the accounting and statistics requirements. The student’s specific mathematics and statistics sequence will depend on the student’s math placement results but can include MTH 061 , MTH 062 , MTH 121 , MTH 122 , QMM 240 and QMM 241 (or QMM 250 ). Steady progress in the mathematics and statistics sequence is defined as one course in the sequence in each fall and winter semester until the sequence is completed.
Admission to major standing in business administration
Students are strongly recommended to apply for major standing during the semester they are completing their pre-core classes and have the minimum grade point average. Major Standing is required to complete MGT 435 , may be required for some 300 and 400 level courses within a student’s major, and to be awarded an undergraduate business degree. Applications are filed with the Center for Student Advising and Development, 238 Elliott Hall. Students who do not apply for major standing during the semester that they are completing the precore requirements run a high risk of registration and major completion difficulties. To be eligible to take 300- and 400-level business courses for which major standing is a pre-requisite, business majors must be admitted to major standing in the School of Business Administration. Admission to major standing is selective. The minimum requirements for consideration are:
- Student’s admissibility to and retention in the university;
- Completion of the writing requirement;
- A minimum grade point average of 2.6 in all courses taken at Oakland University (with a minimum of 6 credits completed at Oakland University);
- A minimum grade of 2.0 in each of the following precore courses or their equivalents: ACC 200 , ACC 210 ; COM 201 or COM 202 ; ECN 200 and ECN 201 (or ECN 210 ); MIS 100 ; (MTH 061 , MTH 062 if required by the math placement); MTH 121 , MTH 122 ; QMM 240 (or QMM 250 )
- Submission of an “Application for Major Standing” for the desired major.
- Completion of SBC 199 and SBC 299 for students admitted to the SBA in 2010/2011 or after.
A student is classified as pre-business upon admission to Oakland University if they have a cumulative GPA of 2.80 or above and four years of college prep math. Transfer students are classified as pre-business if they have a cumulative transfer GPA of 2.80 or above and math through intermediate algebra. All other students are classified as undecided business and these students cannot register for 300- and 400-level courses until they obtain pre-business or major standing status within the SBA.
Undecided business students may register for all SBA pre-core courses and general education requirements.
To maintain pre-business status before obtaining major standing within the SBA, the OU student must maintain a cumulative GPA set by the SBA. Any pre-business student (SBA students not yet having major standing) who does not maintain an OU cumulative GPA (as set by the SBA) at the end of any term is classified as an undecided business student. During the 2010/2011 academic year, the GPA set by the SBA for pre-business status is 2.6
Core program
Each of the business major programs requires the completion of a common core of courses introducing students to the functional areas of business. Most of the 300-400 level business courses in the core program (i.e., MKT 302 , ORG 330 , MIS 300 , ECN 303 , POM 343 , FIN 322 , ORG 331 , and MGT 350 ) required a student to be in major standing or coded as pre-business (see Admission to Major Standing in Business Administration for requirements to be coded as pre-business).
*MGT 435 and SBC 499 require major standing and only business majors may take these courses.
Free electives
Students complete their program by taking a course or courses of their choice to yield a total of 128 credits. While the general education portion of the degree program provides students with the range of knowledge that is the essence of an educated person, the free elective portion of the program allows students to make choices concerning course work that responds to their individual interests and/or needs.
Bachelor of Science with a major in actuarial sciences
(Pending Board approval)
Major adviser: Ronald L. Tracy
Because an actuary needs a blend of mathematics, economics, statistics, and finance, this major is offered jointly by the Department of Economics and the Department of Mathematics and Statistics through the College of Arts and Sciences. See the Economics, Actuarial Sciences, B.S. section in the College of Arts and Sciences portion of the catalog.
Minors
The School of Business Administration offers 12 minors for students who want to combine their majors with an introduction to the skills, analytical techniques and institutional material of economics or an area of business.
Business majors may earn any of the following minors except in the area in which they are majoring and the business and entrepreneurship minors. The minor in applied technology in business (ATiB) is open only to business and economics majors, and admission to the minor is competitive. See the description of the minor in applied technology in business below for the grade requirements and other features of this minor. Once admitted to the business program as a pre-business or undecided business student or as a major, business majors must take all the remaining courses in their minors at Oakland University.
To earn any of these minors (except business and entrepreneurship), and to take 300- and 400- level business classes, non-business students must meet with the minor coordinator and have an approved university concentration/minor authorization form detailing the courses and the prerequisites required for the given minor. Once approved for the minor, students must take all the remaining courses in the minor at Oakland University. Students must complete the prescribed courses for the minor with a grade of 2.0 or better in each course and the prerequisites for each course. Transfer students planning to earn a minor must earn at least nine credits toward the minor at Oakland University; at least 6 of these 9 credits must be in courses at the 300 level or above.
Limit for non-business majors to less than 25 percent of credits in business: All students who are not majors in the SBA and economics majors in either the SBA or the College of Arts and Sciences, whether they have applied for a minor or not, are limited to no more than 25 percent of the total degree credits in business courses. (Students majoring in business economics are not subject to this limitation). The maximum of 25 percent of total degree credits (usually 32 credits) includes business courses taken at Oakland University and all previous colleges. Economics (ECN) courses, QMM 240 , QMM 241 , QMM 250 and QMM 452 are excluded from this requirement. Therefore, students from majors outside the business administration program may not earn more than 25 percent of total degree credits in transfer plus Oakland credits in ACC, FIN, MGT, MIS, MKT, ORG, POM or QMM courses (excluding those noted above). All student minors are subject to the 25 percent of total degree credits maximum discussed above.
Policies and Procedures
High school admissions
For entering freshmen, admission to pre-business is restricted to those presenting a 2.80 cumulative grade point average in high school academic courses and at least four years of college preparatory mathematics courses.
Transfer policy
Transfer students must have a 2.80 cumulative grade point average and mathematics through intermediate algebra (equal to MTH 062 ) for admission to pre-business. Evaluation of transfer courses is a two-part process. General education and composition courses are evaluated by the Academic Records Office. Business courses, including any required computer science courses, are evaluated by the School of Business Administration. Credit for specific SBA courses is authorized for courses of similar content taken prior to attending Oakland University at other colleges and universities accredited by a regional accrediting agency. Students transferring from other institutions may be required to submit course descriptions and related materials to aid in these transfer evaluations. Once admitted to the business program as a pre-business or undecided business student or a business major, business majors must complete all the remaining core, major and business minor course work for the degree at Oakland University. See Transfer student information for additional information.
Internal transfer
Oakland University students seeking admission to pre-business from other programs will be considered for admission after they have completed MTH 121 (or an equivalent) with a grade of 2.0 or better. An overall GPA of 2.60 or better in at least 12 credits at Oakland University is also required. Students who do not meet the criteria for pre-business will be considered for admission to undecided business if their cumulative GPA is a 2.0 or better. Students whose cumulative GPA falls between 2.00-2.59 will require adviser permission.
Second majors
Students who return to the SBA to complete a second major after graduating with a business major from OU must complete all courses remaining for that second major at Oakland University. Additionally, students must fulfill the stated major requirements in effect at the time they are admitted as a second major.
Repeats
Repeats of a course: A student can repeat, either at Oakland University or at another approved institution, any business precore or core course in which a 2.0 grade is required. The student is limited to the university maximum of three attempts for any one course requirement. including attempts at Oakland and for the equivalent course at another institution. Students must get prior approval from an SBA Adviser in order to repeat a course at another institution. If a student repeats a course at another institution, the original grade attained in the course at OU will be included in the student’s GPA. See “Repeating courses” in the Academic Policies and Procedures section of the catalog for more specific information on university rules governing course repeats.
Unsatisfactory performance
Students who are no longer eligible to participate in the School of Business Administration’s degree program may have a registration hold placed on their account until they provide documentation to the Center for Student Advising and Development that they have changed their major. Unsatisfactory performance includes the following items:
Grades: Numerical grades less than 2.0 and U grades are considered substandard. A course in which a grade below 2.0 has been earned may not be subsequently passed by competency examination or independent study.
Mathematics and Statistics Sequence: The SBA major is expected to take a math or statistics course each fall and winter semester until the student has completed either QMM 241 or QMM 250 with a minimum grade of 2.0. Failure to take a course in the mathematics and statistics sequence (MTH 061 , MTH 062 , MTH 121 , MTH 122 , QMM 241 and QMM 241 or QMM 250 depending on the student’s math placement) each fall and winter term or its equivalent will be considered to be unsatisfactory performance and the student may be removed from the SBA business program.
Mandatory Advising: Undecided Business Students whose cumulative GPA is between a 2.0 and 2.59 may be required to meet with an academic adviser in the SBA following the semester when their cumulative GPA dropped below the required 2.6 and every semester until their GPA returns to at least a 2.6 cumulative. In some cases, a registration hold will be placed on a student’s account until they complete the requirements of Mandatory Advising.
Grade Appeals
If a student wishes to dispute a final grade in a course, he or she must submit a written appeal to the appropriate department chair no later than the following deadlines: 1. If the course was taken in winter or summer terms, the written grade appeal must be submitted no later than the end of the subsequent fall semester. 2. If the course was taken in fall semester, the written grade appeal must be submitted no later than the end of the subsequent winter semester.
Prerequisites
In planning their schedules, students should ensure that they satisfy prerequisite and corequisite conditions for courses. The prerequisites for SBA programs and courses will be strictly enforced. Students who have registered for courses for which they do not meet the prerequisites and other conditions may be administratively dropped from courses or have their registration canceled.
Independent Study
The purpose of an Independent Study is to provide highly motivated students the opportunity to construct a unique educational experience that goes beyond the courses contained in the existing course catalog. The basic rules for Independent Study are:
- Student must have at least a 3.00 cumulative overall GPA.
- Students must have achieved major standing.
- Independent Study cannot be used in lieu of a required course.
- It is the student’s responsibility to develop an appropriate area of Independent Study and to arrange for a full-time faculty member to direct the Independent Study.
- Part-time SBA faculty members cannot supervise an Independent Study.
- The Independent Study contract must be completed by the student and signed by the faculty adviser, department chair and the Coordinator of Undergraduate Advising prior to registering for the course.
- It is expected that the student will perform an amount of work equivalent to a regular course with the same amount of credits and that a substantive tangible output (exam, written paper, computer program, etc.) will be developed.
- Interdisciplinary cooperation is permitted and a non-SBA faculty member may co-supervise the Independent Study. An SBA faculty member must be a supervisor and is responsible for assigning a final grade.
- The student must be made aware of the basis for grading prior to registering for an Independent Study.
- Undergraduate students cannot register for Independent Study if they already have or are taking more than 8 cumulative credits of Independent Study unless an exception is agreed to by the SBA’s Committee on Exceptions.
Assurance of Learning
To assist in the continuous improvement of its programs, the SBA engages in a two different Assurance of Learning processes. The first type of Assurance of Learning is within each business major. This process involves evaluating student performance in a variety of discipline specific objectives. The evaluation is carried out each semester in different courses required for the major. In evaluating the entire undergraduate business program student assignments in core or pre-core courses are scored on whether each the student exceeds, meets, or does not meet the SBA’s expectations for a specific learning objective. This process occurs in different core and pre-core courses every semester. Although this score is not used in calculating a student’s course grade, the assignment also receives a traditional grade from the instructor just as does other course assignments. The Learning Goals for the undergraduate business program and their corresponding Learning Objectives are:
Learning Goal 1: Critical Thinking (ECN 303 , FIN 322 , POM 343 )
Learning Objectives:
- Identify the assumptions needed to analyze the assigned case or problem.
- Identify the relevant and irrelevant data or information presented in the case or problem.
- Identify the different questions or approaches that could be considered in order to answer the problem or case.
- Derive or describe the solution to the problem or case.
Learning Goal 2: Global Business Environment (ECN 201 , MKT 302 )
Learning Objectives:
- Show awareness of a global issue relevant to business or the economy.
- Demonstrate understanding of factors and/or forces associated with this issue.
- Explain the impact of this issue on the business environment.
Learning Goal 3: Information Technology and Management (MIS 100 )
IT Learning Objectives:
- Create a professional document using a word processor.
- Conduct research using the Internet.
- Create an effective presentation using a presentation package.
- Collect and analyze data using a spreadsheet.
- Use a database software.
IM Learning Objectives:
- Identify alignment/misalignment of identified information (IS strategy) with organizational goals/objectives (Organizational strategy).
- Identify types of systems appropriate to the decision-making level within the organization.
- Organize information properly for efficient storage and retrieval.
- Identify the issues involved in creating information for decision making from data sources.
- Identify the use of IS to support decision making in functional areas.
Learning Goal 4: Communications Skills (MGT 350 , MGT 435 , QMM 241 )
Written Communication Learning Objectives:
- Be able to articulate main concept(s) in writing.
- Be able to write logically.
- Be able to write clearly and concisely.
- Be able to write using correct grammar and spelling.
Oral Communication Learning Objectives:
- Be able to articulate main concept(s) orally.
- Be able to speak coherently.
- Be able to keep audience’s attention.
- Be able to use time effectively.
Learning Goal 5: Real World Business Applications (MGT 435 , ORG 331 )
Learning Objectives:
- Identify the underlying issue(s) for the given business situation or case.
- Identify the appropriate theory (ies) or theoretical construct(s) that apply to the given business situation or case.
- Apply theory (ies) or theoretical construct(s) to the given business situation or case to generate alternatives.
Policy regarding non-business majors
All students who are not business majors in the School of Business Administration, whether they have applied for a minor or not, are limited to no more than 25 percent of their total degree credits required for their degree in business courses (usually 32 credits). The maximum of 25 percent of total degree credits includes courses taken at Oakland University and all previous colleges. Economics (ECN) courses, QMM 240 , QMM 241 , QMM 250 and QMM 452 are excluded from this requirement. Therefore, students from majors outside the business administration program, including economics majors in either the School of Business Administration or the College of Arts and Sciences, may not earn more than 25 percent of their required total degree credits in transfer plus Oakland credits in ACC, FIN, MGT, MIS, MKT, ORG, POM or QMM courses (excluding those noted above). Economics majors and students from other majors at Oakland University may take 100-and-200 level SBA courses as long as they have all the prerequisite courses with the required grades. Economics majors and students from non- business majors at Oakland University must have an approved university concentration/minor authorization form to take 300-and-400 level SBA courses which have the pre-requisite of major standing.
Additional Information
Career experience
The Career Experience unit of Career Services assists students in gaining non-credit paid work experience related to their major that will enhance their classroom learning, increase their motivation to graduate, augment their career knowledge, and improve their job seeking skills and employability. Opportunities are offered in the following programs: career related jobs, internships (corporate and grant funded), and Cooperative Education. Students in the School of Business Administration who want to combine relevant work experience with their education are encouraged to participate in such programs. Students are placed in jobs in business, non-profit or governmental organizations similar to those held by recent Oakland University graduates. All students are encouraged to explore these programs and other job/career-related information on the Career Services web site at http:/www2.oakland.edu/career services or by contacting the Career Services office at 275 West Vandenberg Hall, 248-370-3250.
Honors, awards and scholarships
In addition to being eligible for honors available to all Oakland University undergraduates, students in the School of Business Administration are eligible for the following: School honors are awarded by the SBA to graduating students who have completed a minimum of 32 credits in SBA courses with a minimum GPA of 3.33 in courses offered in the school.
American Marketing Award: The Detroit chapter of the American Marketing Association awards certificates of achievement for scholarship and service to marketing majors.
Beta Gamma Sigma: Beta Gamma Sigma is the national honor society for business schools accredited by AACSB International (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business). Membership in Beta Gamma Sigma is one of the highest scholastic honors that a student in business administration can achieve. It is based on outstanding scholastic achievement as measured by overall grade point average. Invitation for membership to Beta Gamma Sigma is extended to graduating seniors in the top 10 percent of their class and juniors in the top 5 percent of their class.
Financial Executives Institute Award:This award is presented annually to the undergraduate accounting or finance student who has demonstrated the highest standard of academic excellence. The student is honored at a meeting of the Detroit chapter of the Financial Executives Institute. Selection is made by the accounting and finance faculty of the SBA.
Omicron Delta Epsilon: Omicron Delta Epsilon is a national honor society for promising economics students. Selection for membership is made by the economics faculty.
Wall Street Journal Student Achievement Award: This award is presented annually to the graduating senior who has demonstrated the greatest academic and leadership achievement in the SBA. Selection is made by the faculty.
School of Business Administration awards/scholarships
Accounting and Finance Advisory Board Accounting Scholarship: This $1,000 scholarship is awarded annually to an undergraduate accounting major who exhibits a strong interest in pursuing a career in accounting and demonstrates leadership. The scholarship winner is selected by the AFAB scholarship committee. The award can be applied against Oakland University tuition.
Accounting and Finance Advisory Board Finance Scholarship: This $1,000 scholarship is awarded annually to an undergraduate finance major who exhibits a strong interest in pursuing a career in finance and demonstrates leadership. The scholarship winner is selected by the AFAB scholarship committee. The award can be applied against Oakland University tuition.
Alumni Association Endowed Scholarship Fund: This $3,000 award is available to junior or senior business majors with at least 3.00 GPA in their major. See applications for other criteria.
Benedettini-Pearson Endowed Scholarship: This scholarship is awarded to a freshman undergraduate student who has selected business or economics as their preferred program of study on their admissions application, has graduated from a public high school located in Detroit, Flint, Oak Park or Pontiac and has demonstrated financial need.
Bud Kulezsa Family Endowed Scholarship Fund: This $1,000 scholarship is awarded to the undergraduate accounting major who has completed at least two accounting courses beyond ACC 210, has at least a 3.00 overall GPA, and has at least a 3.00 GPA in accounting courses. Foreign language ability and evidence of an entrepreneurial spirit will enhance the application.
Derderian Kann Seyferth & Salucci: This $1,000 tuition award is open to undergraduate accounting majors with a minimum GPA of 3.00 or above.
Diane and Michael Grieves Endowed Diversity Scholarship: This one-year full tuition scholarship will be awarded to economically disadvantaged students pursuing a degree in Management Information Systems.
Dicron Tafralian Memorial Scholarship: This $1,000 scholarship is awarded annually, on a merit basis, to a continuing accounting major at Oakland University. Selection is made by the accounting faculty of the SBA. This scholarship was established in memory of Dicron Tafralian, who served in administrative capacities at Oakland University for many years.
Doeren Mayhew Award: This $1,000 scholarship is awarded annually to an undergraduate accounting major. Candidates must have at least junior standing, a 3.00 or higher GPA in courses taken at Oakland University, and have an interest in pursuing a career in public accounting. The scholarship can be used only for tuition.
Francis C. Amos SBA Alumni Scholarship: In honor of Michigan State representative Frances Amos, active alumna and ardent supporter of Oakland University, this $5,000 scholarship was established to reward outstanding business students who exemplify her commitment to community service and the pursuit of personal academic excellence. This scholarship is open to junior and senior business students who have achieved major standing. See application for other criteria.
Gale Blank Copple Endowed Economics Scholarship: This $1,000 scholarship is given annually in recognition of outstanding achievements in economics and overall academic accomplishments to a member of Oakland University’s Women’s Economic Society. Applicants must have senior standing and must maintain full-time status during the next academic year. They must have completed at least four courses in economics with a GPA of at least 3.00 and must have an overall GPA of at least 3.00.
Jon & Gwyn Hartman Scholarship: This scholarship awards $5,000 to a junior or senior accounting or finance major who is a full-time student with at least 45 credits at Oakland University and a GPA of at least 3.20.
Marvin L. Katke Scholarship: This scholarship awards a junior or senior business major with at least a 3.00 GPA who demonstrates outstanding academic achievement and extra-curricular and/or civic involvement. This scholarship normally awards $2,500.
Lorenz Awards for Rising Seniors: These awards are to recognize academic excellence in SBA juniors who are moving into their senior year. A full tuition scholarship for the senior year will be awarded to the junior student who has the highest overall GPA in the SBA; $2,000 goes to the student with the second highest GPA; $500 awards go to the two students with the third and fourth highest GPA.
Meer Scholarship: This $1,000 scholarship award is open to an undergraduate student at the University and admitted to major standing in the School of Business Administration. Candidates must have a 2.80 or higher GPA and submit a one-page essay describing how receipt of an award will assist them, either directly or indirectly, in successfully completing their studies and obtaining the undergraduate degree.
Paul F. Lorenz/Texas Instruments Excellence Awards: These awards are based on undergraduate academic excellence. Awards of $1,000 and $500 will be made to two graduating seniors with the highest overall GPAs.
Professor Ronald M. Horwitz Outstanding Finance Student Scholarship Award: This $1,000 award is given to the graduating undergraduate finance major with the best combination of academics and activities, as determined by the Department of Accounting and Finance faculty. Significantly greater emphasis is placed on academic performance in finance courses. Serving in a leadership role in student activities will also be an important factor.
SBA Tower Scholarship: This $2,000 scholarship is awarded to an undergraduate student pursuing a degree in the School of Business Administration.
Stephan and Rita Sharf Scholarship: A scholarship awarded annually to an upper division student who will be enrolled full-time in the SBA. Selection is based upon academic achievement and demonstratedfinancial need. This scholarship normally awards $3,000.
The Catherine Tyler International Scholarship: This $1,000 tuition award was established in memory of Catherine L. Tyler, Ph.D., who was an Assistant Professor of Management in the School of Business Administration at Oakland University. This award is open to undergraduate students at the University and admitted to major standing in the School of Business Administration who will use the award to participate in a University approved study abroad or international internship program.
T.M.B.K.S. Scholarship Award – Accounting: The $1,000 tuition/book assistance award is available to qualified undergraduate accounting majors who has exhibited an outstanding combination of academic performance and extracurricular activities.
T.M.B.K.S. Scholarship Award – Decision and Information Sciences: The $1,000 tuition/book assistance award is available to qualified junior or senior students who have achieved major standing in Decision Information Sciences.
T.M.B.K.S. Scholarship Award – Economics: The $1,000 tuition/book assistance award is available to qualified junior or senior students who have achieved major standing in Economics.
Volkswagen of America Corporate Leadership Scholarship Award: These scholarship awards were established to assist talented students pursuing a career in business. Candidates must be full-time students, have achieved junior standing, have a GPA of 3.00 or above, and have demonstrated financial need. This scholarship normally awards $2,000.
Course Offerings
Required precore and core courses for students majoring in the business programs are generally offered each fall, winter and summer semesters.
Except as noted, the 300- and 400-level ACC, FIN, ATB, MGT, MIS, MKT, POM and QMM courses require that the student have major standing in business or an approved concentration/ minor authorization form that includes the course in order to register for the course. Economics courses at the 300-400 level require major standing only for business majors. The 300-level courses should be taken during the junior year (56-90 credits). Non-business majors are allowed to take ENT courses. Except for courses that fulfill the business minor, 300- or 400-level courses can only be taken by non-business students if they meet the prerequisites (except for major standing) and the course is listed on an approved university concentration/minor authorization form.
The 500-level accounting courses are designed as advanced electives for undergraduate accounting majors and as electives for students in the Masters of Accounting program. The school offers selected courses from this catalog as warranted by student needs and availability of faculty. Specific offerings for each term may be found in the Schedule of Classes.
Department of Accounting and Finance
Department of Decision and Information Sciences
Department of Management and Marketing