Education

Associates of Liberal Arts, with emphasis in Graphic Design)

Bachelors of Science in Technical Management, with specialty in Marketing
Coursework included classes focused in…
[tabs tab1=”Marketing” tab2=”Design” tab3=”Management” tab4=”General”] [tab] Global Issues in Business – This course explores ways in which business is affected in areas such as accounting, finance, marketing and operations in an international context. Emphasis is placed on major trade agreements and their impact from either a collaborative or a competitive viewpoint.MarketingFundamentals in

E-Commerce – This course provides an in-depth overview of the issues, technology and environment of electronic commerce. Knowledge gained facilitates more comprehensive and contemporary exploration of future coursework in marketing, operations, finance, business law, and database and website management. Challenges and opportunities of electronic business are discussed.

Consumer Behavior – Students in this course analyze consumer purchasing behavior as it relates to development of marketing mix programs. Important considerations include economic, psychological, cultural, cognitive and social factors.

Marketing Research – Students in this course analyze various market research techniques, including methodology used to gather information for decision-making. Emphasis is placed on methods and techniques for collecting, analyzing, interpreting and disseminating primary and secondary data for final end-use.

Advertising & Public Relations – This course introduces the field of advertising and public relations. Topics include media relations; media buying; determining appropriate media; promotions; public relations and publicity development tools; methods for improving customer satisfaction; relationship- building strategies; and ethics in advertising and public relations.

Salesmanship – This course addresses the complex and demanding responsibilities of sales personnel, including forecasting; territory management; understanding customer expectations and buyer behavior; gathering feedback; communicating; budgeting; and relating sales goals to marketing goals.

International Marketing – This course provides a conceptual framework for marketing internationally, whether exporting or establishing a multi-national enterprise (MNE). Students explore development of international marketing programs, as well as various macroenvironmental factors that affect decision-making in an international setting.

Creativity, Innovation & New Product Development – This course concentrates on the processes of creativity and innovation as tools for marketers and small business managers. Students identify opportunities for using these processes and apply them to implementing and expanding product lines in corporate and entrepreneurial ventures. A structure for introducing new products is presented.

Internet Marketing – This course provides a review of traditional marketing strategies and demonstrates their use in building a viable online business. Emphasis is placed on coordinating Internet marketing activities with existing traditional marketing. Steps to develop a company’s Internet presence are also discussed.
[/tab] [tab]Visual Design Fundamentals – In this course students examine the foundation of visual design. Topics include the design process; elements of design, such as line, color, form, function and space; and combining elements for enhanced visual design. Students explore these topics through various projects and by applying concepts using appropriate software.

Digital Imaging Fundamentals – Students in this course learn concepts of digital imaging, including editing, optimizing and preparing images for web-based delivery. Topics such as color, special effects and compression formats are examined.

Information Design – This course addresses principles of analyzing, explaining and communicating instructions, as well as ideas and information used in integrated text and graphics. Using a collaborative approach, students use real-world examples to explore user-centered design.

Web Design – This course introduces fundamentals of web design principles and web content management. Topics include the user interface, web page conceptualization, page structure, extensible hypertext markup language (XHTML), cascading style sheets (CSS), WYSIWYG editors, scripting and web accessibility standards.

Web Animation – This course focuses on design and production of animation within the constraints of web applications. Topics include file-size optimization, timing, formatting requirements and scripting. Automated animation techniques as well as user-mediated animation are addressed

Advanced Design & Rapid Visualization – Students in this course develop skills in creating graphic media. Students explore design and use of type, and the process of using rapid visualization for design concept and idea formulation, as well as create media that enhance user understanding.
[/tab] [tab]Principles of Management – This course examines fundamental management theories and traditional managerial responsibilities in formal and informal organizational structures. Planning, organizing, directing, controlling and staffing are explored.

Project Management – This course enhances students’ ability to function in a project leadership role. While exploring the project life cycle, they gain experience in budget and timeline management. Project management software is used to design project schedules using methods such as bar charts, program evaluation review technique (PERT) and critical path method (CPM) to produce project plans to apply to the solution of case studies.

Statistics for Decision-Making – This course provides tools used for statistical analysis and decision-making in business. The course includes both descriptive statistics and inferential concepts used to draw conclusions about a population. Research techniques such as sampling and experiment design are included for both single and multiple sample groups.
[/tab] [tab] International Cultural Explorations – This course introduces economic, historical and social forces that influence the culture of a given destination in the Study Abroad program. Experientially based, the course offers an overview of relevant arts and artifacts; cultural aesthetics; and the values of family, leisure, religion and work. Topics at the various intersections of culture, society, technology and ethics are emphasized.

Introduction to Business & Technology – This course introduces business and the environments in which businesses operate. Students examine the roles of major functional areas of business and interrelationships among them. Organizational theories and techniques are examined, and economic, cultural, political and technological factors affecting business organizations are evaluated.

Public Speaking – This course teaches basic elements of effective public speaking. Topics include audience analysis, organization, language, delivery and nonverbal communication. Practical application is provided through a series of individual and group presentations in a variety of rhetorical modes.

Data Analysis – This course focuses on analyzing business situations using current spreadsheet software. Using data derived from real-world business situations, students learn to use appropriate spreadsheet software features to organize, analyze and present data, as well as to make business decisions. Through personal database technology such as Access, the course also introduces basic database concepts.

Technology, Society & Culture – In this capstone course, the relationship between society and technology is investigated through reading, reflection, research and reports. The course identifies conditions that have promoted technological development and assesses the social, political, environmental, cultural and economic effects of current technology. Issues of control and ethical considerations in the use of technology are primary. Discussion and oral and written reports draw together students’ prior learning in specialty and general education courses.

Psychology – This course provides a foundation for understanding, predicting and directing behavior. Organized within a framework encompassing foundations, general topics and applications, the course provides an understanding of how psychological principles and concepts relate to professional and personal life. Topics include learning, attitude formation, personality, social influence, dynamics of communication, conflict resolution, motivation, leadership, and group roles and processes.

Culture and Society – This course explores the role of culture in social organizations. Social institutions, and the issues of race and gender within social structures, are analyzed in the context of multicultural societies and increasing global interaction. Basic sociological principles and research findings are used to support analysis of cultural and social issues.

Professional Writing – This course extends composition principles to writing in a career context. Through a process-oriented approach, students learn to create effective reports and correspondence. Major emphasis is given to the principles of professional writing in common applications. Studies include electronic communication and oral reporting. Students may also learn to create web pages for communication purposes.

Advanced Composition – This course builds on the conventions and techniques of composition through critical reading requirements and longer, more sophisticated reports, including a documented library research paper. Assignments require revising and editing for an intended audience. Students are also taught search strategies for accessing a variety of print and electronic resources.[/tab_item] [/tab] [/tabs]