Business Core to Change

By Lindsay Anderson

The Foster College of Business will roll out a series of changes to its core curriculum the fall of 2015. 

This process started with student input with a survey from fall 2013. Additionally, the Dean’s Student Advisory Council (DSAC) was involved throughout the process. Prospective employers and Foster College of Business alumni also gave valuable input. 

The business core changes ensure that students who want to complete their degrees in four years can easily do so.

“I think the new business core benefits students much more than the previous core. The new core adds a lot of flexibility, allowing a student to either get broad exposure to many topics or dive deep into specific ones,” Tyler Beason ‘15, a Finance student from Mattoon, Illinois, said. “Additionally, the new core makes double majoring something that every student can, and should, consider.”

Here is a list of the new changes to the undergraduate business core:

• BUS 100 – Intro to Business, Hours: 2, Notes: Hours reduced by one hour
• ATG 157 – ATG Principles – Financial, Hours: 3
• ATG 158 – ATG Principles – Managerial, Hours: 3
• MIS 173 – Information Systems, Hours: 3, Notes: Excel and Database
• IB 206 – International Business, Hours: 2
• ECO 221 – Principles of Microeconomics, Hours: 3
• ECO 222 – Principles of Macroeconomics, Hours: 3
• M L 250 – Interpersonal Effectiveness, Hours: 2
• Q M 262 – Quantitative Analysis I, Hours: 3
• MTG 315 – Principles of Marketing, Hours: 3
• FIN 322 – Business Finance, Hours: 3
• BLW 342 – Legal Environment of Business, Hours: 3
• M L 350 – Managing for Results in Orgs, Hours: 2
• Quantitative Skill Building, Hours: 3, Notes: Choose one: Q M 263, ECO 319, M L 353
• M L 452 – Strategic Mgt and Business Policy, Hours: 2, Notes: M L 452 and BUS 400 are concurrent coreqs
• BUS 400 – Client Consulting Project, Hours: 2, Notes: M L 452 and BUS 400 are concurrent coreqs
• 42 total hours before electives
• FCB Electives, Hours: 6, Notes: FCB courses can’t double count toward first major
• Total FCB Hours: 48

“I was fortunate enough to be included in the process of creating the new core for the Foster College of Business, so I was able to see just how much thought and effort went into every decision made,” Sharon Mozes ’16, a Marketing and Management and Leadership major from Skokie, Illinois, and president of the Dean's Student Advisory Council (DSAC), said. “I am very pleased with the final result. It does what I wanted the core to be able to do, provide flexibility for students. As a double major, I know just how valuable each credit hour is, and I am very happy that the college understands that and is allowing us to make the most of our time while here at Bradley. The core opens up the possibility to incorporate both breadth and depth in our educational experience.”

“We will continually evaluate the core to make improvements to better serve our students to improve their education and job prospects,” Associate Dean of the Foster College of Business, Jason Garrett adds.

The one question students will need to ask themselves, in regards to the new business core changes, is if it will be advantageous for them to change their catalog year. Every case will be reviewed, but according to Alison Jones, Foster College of Business Undergraduate Advising Coordinator, switching catalog years will be most beneficial to freshmen, all new transfer students, sophomores, and upperclassmen with new majors.

“This will be a real benefit to most students,” Jones said. “However, students must meet with their faculty advisors and submit a catalog year change form if they choose the new core.”

“The advantages of this new business core include flexibility, easier transitions for internal and external transfers, and students can add majors and minors or selected courses to explore their interests, without adding additional time to their college career,” Dean of the Foster College of Business, Darrell Radson said.