Graduate & Continuing Studies Undergraduate Catalog and Handbook 2009-2010

Program Purpose :: Program Requirements :: Online Orientation :: Concentration Coursework :: LBA Coursework

Program Purpose
The Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies/Degree Completion Program is designed for the student who has previous college coursework and is seeking to complete a bachelor's degree. The candidate will select coursework in two concentration areas in addition to fulfilling the necessary liberal arts requirements and elective courses to fulfill requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree. Concentration areas include:

• Business
• Event Planning
• Human Behavioral Sciences

Program Requirements
The Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies/Degree Completion requires completion of 36 to 42 hours of concentration course requirements as specified below, 30 semester hours of specified liberal arts courses and elective coursework as needed to total 120 hours. A minimum of 36 hours must be taken at Stephens. In addition, 36 of the student’s total hours must be upper-level (300-level or above). An on-campus capstone seminar is required for all non-Stephens College alumni. A grade of “C-“ or better is required in each of the core and elective courses and a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 overall is required for graduation.

Online Orientation
Flexibility and quality are the hallmarks of the Stephens College Graduate & Continuing Studies program. In an effort to stand by our mission and to assist new students in making a successful transition back into college, Stephens requires that all new students complete a one hour online orientation during the first four weeks of classes. 

As part of the orientation, students will complete comprehensive assignments designed to familiarize them with all aspects of Blackboard as well as Stephens College policies and procedures as outlined in the undergraduate catalog.

Concentration Coursework
The student must select two concentration areas from the list above and complete the necessary coursework for that area. Courses and their descriptions for each concentration area are listed below:

Business (21 credit hours)

BUS 171: Foundations of Business in the 21st Century (3 credit hours)
An introduction to the structure and functions of contemporary business enterprise. Emphasis placed on career possibilities and the skills and knowledge necessary for specific careers.

BUS 225: Principles of Management (3 credit hours)
Prerequisite: BUS171; permission of instructor
The study of the basic principles of management, including organizational designs and the use of groups, leadership, communication, planning, decision-making and controlling.

BUS 250: Principles of Marketing (3 credit hours)
Prerequisite: BUS171 and COM107; permission of instructor
A course designed for beginning students of marketing. Attention will be devoted to a study of the process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion and distribution of goods, ideas and services. The role of marketing in modern society is also examined.

ACC 220: Managerial Accounting (3 credit hours)
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
An introduction to the preparation, use and interpretation of internal accounting data in the managerial functions of planning, organizing, controlling and decision-making. Topics include: product costing, operating budgets, capital budgeting, variance analysis and performance evaluation.

ECO 202: Microeconomics (3 credit hours)
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
An introduction to basic theory of business and market economics under capitalism. Topics include supply and demand, elasticity, cost behaviors, marketing structures and resources markets.

BUS 350: Principles of Finance (3 credit hours)
Prerequisite: ACC220; permission of instructor
An introduction to finance from a corporate perspective. Topics include financial markets, capital budgeting, working capital and financial statement analysis.

BUS 318: Social and Ethical Issues in Business (3 credit hours)
Prerequisite: Junior standing and 3 credit hours in 100-or 200-level courses in BUS; permission of instructor
An applied ethics course in which techniques of moral reasoning are applied in the analysis of moral issues in business. The course covers such broad issues as the moral justification of our economic system, the moral responsibility of corporations and the role of business in a global society.

BUS380: Emerging Trends in Organization Communication (3 credit hours)
This course explores the concepts of new media technologies and the role they play in organizational communication. Additionally, topics in corporate responsibility, reputation  management and non-profit communication will be discussed. Students will learn the the use of blogs, wikis, Web 2.0, virtual communities, etc. as communication tools. Students will use digital media technology to create communication messages providing them with practical experience.

Special Events Planning & Management (18 credit hours)

BUS 171: Foundations of Business in the 21st Century(3 credit hours)
An introduction to the structure and functions of contemporary business enterprise. Emphasis placed on career possibilities and the skills and knowledge necessary for specific careers.

MPA 205: Public Relations: Principles & Practices (3 credit hours)
Prerequisite: BUS 171
A survey course of public relations principles and theories practiced today in business, nonprofit organizations, associations, government and education. The historical, legal, organizational and social context of public relations.

BUS 250: Principles of Marketing (3 credit hours)
Prerequisite: BUS171 and COM107
A course designed for beginning students of marketing. Attention will be devoted to a study of the process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion and distribution of goods, ideas and services. The role of marketing in modern society is also examined.

MPA 240: Nuts & Bolts of Event Planning (3 credit hours)
An introduction to the special events, meeting and convention industry. Students will be exposed to functions such as planning, budgeting, negotiating, registering and the scheduling of events.

MPA 330: Advanced Event Planning & Management (3 credit hours)
Prerequisite: MPA240
The purpose of this course is to acquire an in-depth knowledge about the specialized field of event management and to become familiar with management techniques and strategies required for successful planning, promotion, implementation and evaluation for special events within any context.

MPA 401: Marketing & Promoting Your Event (3 credit hours)
Prerequisite: MPA330
The primary focus of this course will be to plan and manage an event during the semester. Additionally, students will learn how to market and promote the event.

Human Behavioral Studies (18 credit hours)

PSY 111: Introduction to Psychology (3 credit hours)
An introduction to the major sub-fields of contemporary psychology. Emphases on the diversity of psychology as a discipline and how psychological principles pertain to everyday life.

PSY 211: Educational Psychology (3 credit hours)
This course surveys the nature and conditions of human learning. We examine methods of assessing intellectual and personality characteristics as well as social dynamics as pupils enter into the learning process.

PSY 310: Developmental Psychology (3 credit hours)
Prerequisite: PSY 111
This course uses major psychological theories to explore the normal stages of development from birth until death. Selected controversial issues and case studies relating to development will also be discussed.

PSY 315: Social Psychology (3 credit hours)
A survey of major topics in social psychology including social perception, social interaction and social influence will form the core of this course with attention to stereotypes, aggression, conformity and persuasion.

PSY 320: Abnormal Psychology (3 credit hours)
Prerequisite: PSY 111; cross listed with PSY555G
Survey of basic areas of abnormal psychology, history of mental disorders, survey of extent and severity of problems today. Emphases in biological, psychological and social approaches to explaining mental disorders.

PSY 331: Learning Cognition (3 credit hours)
Prerequisite: PSY 111
Provides an introduction to the study of learning and cognition through an examination of the basic learning paradigms of classical and instrumental conditioning and issues fundamental to the structure and function of cognitive theory. Emphases on applied and theoretical findings

Liberal Arts Courses (One 3-credit hour course from each area)

Arts, Humanities & Religion

Literature

History

Math

Natural Science

Social Science I

Social Science II

Communication I (English Composition I)

Communication II (English Composition II)

Global Ethics (3-6 credit hours; for students who have not attended Stephens College, an on-campus seminar is required during this course)

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