BUSINESS (BUS)
Course Descriptions
BUS 205 Cr. 3
The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business
This course introduces students to ethical theory and
decision-making models, as well as the legal framework in which
American business operates, the substantive legal rules that
govern American business domestically and internationally, and
the ethical and social responsibility implications of business
conduct within the legal environment. Governmental efforts to
regulate business activity by statute and administrative agency
rules and decisions are emphasized. Prerequisite: ECO 110 or ECO
120 and 30 credit hours. MBA foundation course
BUS 700 Cr. 1-3
Business Forum
Emphasis on the exploration of new developments in business
theory and practice. Topics will vary from semester to semester.
Prerequisite: admission to the MBA program. Repeatable for
credit — maximum 9.
BUS 710 Cr. 2
Statistical Analysis Foundations
This course is designed for students entering the MBA program
who have not had sufficient exposure to the subject before.
Students will learn the basic concepts, principles and
techniques of business statistics. They will be able to
implement the techniques on spreadsheets using specially
designed templates, and will develop a working knowledge of the
subject in order to solve statistical problems in business. The
techniques will cover such topics as descriptive statistics,
probability distributions, estimation, hypothesis testing and
simple regression. Prerequisite: College algebra, basic
competency in using MS Excel. Offered Fall. This course is an
internet MBA foundation course.
BUS 730 Cr. 3
Decision Framing and Decision Making in Complex Environments I
This course challenges students to integrate all of the
discipline-specific skills developed in the MBA foundation
courses within a dynamic decision-making context. The focus of
the course will be on the process of problem
framing/identification, analysis, and decision-making in complex
and uncertain environments. Students develop critical judgments
about the efficient and effective application of core knowledge
which requires applying the tools of analysis appropriately and
exacting useful insights and drawing managerially relevant
recommendations from the analysis. Prerequisite: successful
completion of the MBA foundation requirements. Offered
Fall.
BUS 731 Cr. 3
Decision Framing and Decision Making in Complex Environments II
This course further integrates the discipline-specific skills
developed in the MBA foundation courses and Decision Framing
(BUS 730). The course will focus on the process of problem
analysis and decision making in complex and uncertain
environments utilizing an interdisciplinary approach by
integrating critical knowledge and practices from finance,
marketing, operations and organizational behavior. The course
emphasizes the development of critical judgments, implementation
of analytical tools, extracting useful insights and drawing
managerially relevant recommendations from the analysis.
Prerequisite: successful completion of the MBA foundation
requirements and BUS 730. Offered Spring.
BUS 735 Cr. 4
Business Decision Making and Research Methodology
This course introduces a variety of quantitative and
qualitative methods that support business decision-making and
research. These methods range from quantitative approaches like
multivariate analysis, simulation and linear programming to
qualitative approaches that use unstructured forms of data
collection, both by interviewing and observation. Students will
achieve conceptual understanding of the research methods covered
in the course and acquire hands-on experience in applying these
methods to practical business situations and business research
while using computer-based tools. Prerequisite: successful
completion of the foundation requirements. Offered Fall.
BUS 750 Cr. 3
Managing in an Environmental and Socially Conscious World
This course analyzes business decisions in the context of
environmental, human rights, and social responsibility issues.
The course provides an open, balanced, and interdisciplinary
approach that examines the complex social, environmental and
human rights issues central to the conscientious management of
business organizations. The course will examine these issues in
business decision situations, explore solutions from alternative
paradigms of corporate governance and incorporate them when
formulating organizational tactics and strategy. Prerequisite:
BUS 730. Offered Spring.
BUS 755 Cr. 3
Managing in a Changing Technological Environment
This course examines changes in the technological environment
in the modern business world. It surveys contemporary
information technologies such as the Internet and their impacts
on business practices in all essential business function areas.
The course introduces effective models and techniques for
managing technological change. Prerequisite: BUS 730. Offered
Spring.
BUS 760 Cr. 4
Managing in a Global Environment
This course develops the critical skills and integrated
knowledge necessary to function effectively in today’s global
environment. The course describes how global agreements,
changing technologies, global institutions and evolving
political patterns affect the conduct of global business. This
course develops the ability to frame problems from multiple
managerial perspectives — including operational, economic,
environmental, ethical, financial, cultural, and technological
frames of reference — and to apply sophisticated decision making
and coalition building processes to arrive at integrated
solutions in a diverse and changing world. This course will
typically employ a problem-based approach to the subject area
and will seek to integrate, in this approach, such traditional
functional disciplines as operations, logistics, marketing,
finance, accounting, information systems, and management.
Prerequisite: BUS 730. Offered Fall and Summer Session. This
course is offered as a campus course and as an Internet course.
BUS 780 Cr. 1-6
Internship in Business Administration
This course is a practical learning experience designed to
apply the skills and competencies acquired within the MBA
program to challenging business problems in both the profit and
non-profit sectors. Prerequisite: successful completion of the
MBA core curriculum, and written approval of the MBA program
director. Repeatable for credit — maximum 6.
BUS 790 Cr. 1
MBA Program Assessment
This course consists of a capstone activity which gives
students an opportunity to reflect on their MBA experience as a
whole-and thus, to have one, final, critical learning
experience. Participation in the concluding assessment exercise
provides useful feedback regarding the effectiveness of the MBA
program. This assessment will be multi-disciplinary and
multi-dimensional in its design and execution. Where possible,
it will involve participants from the broader UW-L academic and
business communities. Prerequisite: completion, or in the final
stages, of all other MBA program requirements. Last course
before graduation. Pass/Fail grading.
BUS 799 Cr. 1-6
Research: Master’s Thesis
This course consists of a directed independent research study
to be selected and executed under the direction of a graduate
faculty member. Prerequisite: successful completion of the MBA
core curriculum and written approval of the MBA program
director. Completion of a master’s thesis is optional within the
MBA program. Repeatable for credit — maximum 6.