BA 250 Technology and Communication in Business: 3 semester hours
In this course, students will study technology, research and communication as it relates to the business environment. Students will be expected to demonstrate proficiency in the use of computer software including word processing, spreadsheet, database and presentation. In addition, students will be required to complete a research paper using a specified format and to make a professional presentation using presentation software (i.e. PowerPoint). Research using the Internet will be required. The various communication skills required of professionals in the business area will also be studied. This includes, but is not limited to, e-mail, team building, conducting a meeting and cooperative problem solving. This course is required of all business majors at Mount Mercy University and must be taken at Mount Mercy. Prerequisites: Completion of the speech and freshman writing general education requirements. Sophomore standing for four-year Mount Mercy students; Junior standing for transfer students to Mount Mercy.
BC 202 Accounting: Information for Decisions: 4 semester hours
This course provides a fundamental knowledge of accounting for individuals who do not expect to become practicing accountants but who need a basic understanding of accounting concepts. This course will emphasize accounting as a communication system involving analysis and interpretation of data. Accounting concepts will be covered as they relate to the user of financial information rather than a preparer’s perspective. Emphasis will be placed on the use of accounting information for both financial and managerial decisions. Prerequisite: none
BN 204 Principles of Management: 3 semester hours
This course includes a systematic examination of the following four functions and processes within an enterprise: Planning – development of objectives and plans; Organizing – structuring work relationships; Leading – activating coordinated efforts; Controlling – measuring progress and taking corrective action. The course emphasizes an overall framework for effective integration of the distinct processes.
BA 270 Business Statistics: 3 semester hours
Study of descriptive and inferential statistics with an emphasis on business applications. Topics include: measures of central tendency, measures of dispersion, probability and probability distributions, confidence intervals, hypotheses testing, correlation and regression, time series analysis, and indexes. Prerequisites: one year of high school algebra or MA 006 or departmental approval.
BN 340 Management Information Systems: 3 semester hours
This course addresses the ongoing process of gathering, storing, and retrieving the information that managers need to make immediate business decisions and to prepare long-term business plans. The concepts learned in this course apply to many functional areas including finance, marketing, manufacturing, production, and human resources. Topics include operational, tactical, and strategic decision making as well as design, analysis, and implementation of management information systems. Prerequisites: BN 204 and BA 250.
BN 350 International Management: 3 semester hours
Organizations today are competing in a global marketplace that poses new challenges for managers. It is crucial that students of management be knowledgeable about the international dimensions that affect all businesses. This course will study the development of appropriate strategies for multinational companies. The environment and cultural context for international management will be examined along with worldwide developments. Prerequisites: BN 204 and Junior standing or approval of instructor.
BN 370 Advanced Topics in Management Information Systems: 3 semester hours
This course is an advanced study of contemporary and emerging management information system (MIS) issues. Students will examine and focus on the strategic impact and competitive advantage of information technologies on the business (for profit and nonprofit) environment. Students will develop a firm understanding of the strategic, tactical, technical and management issues surrounding both consumer e-commerce and business-to-business systems, and explore emerging issues related to supply chain management, business process re-engineering, enterprise resource planning, and Internet privacy and security. Prerequisite: BN 340.
CS 139 Topics in Computer Programming
Various topics in Computer Science
CS 320 Information Technology Management: 3 semester hours
This course will focus on management issues in enterprise computing. Areas to be examined include operations policies, asset procurement and management, IT staffing requirements and job responsibilities, training needs and objectives, and end-user support. Security issues and issues relating to appropriate and inappropriate use of individual workstations will be addressed. Prerequisite: a computer programming course and BA 250 or CS 205 or CS 221.
CS 333 Information Technology Project Management: 3 semester hours
This course is designed to take the student in management information systems through all of the phases of a project in information technology. The emphasis will be on the management aspects of the project rather than any specific technical issues such as what programming language to use. All aspects of the planning of the project will be covered, from the evaluation of the original proposal to the postmortem analysis of the performance and effectiveness of all involved in the development. Prerequisite: MA 132, CS 139, BC 202, BN 204, BA 250.
CS 420 Management Information Systems Senior Thesis: 3 semester hours
This course is designed to be the capstone course of the management information systems major. In this course the student will conduct an in-depth and detailed analysis of a major project in the information technology field. Examples of such projects are the development of a new software application, a comparative analysis of using open source software versus a commercial product, and the advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing all or part of an information technology project. Prerequisite: CS 333.
MA 132 Basic Mathematical Modeling: 3 semester hours
A mathematical model is a simplification of reality that is mathematically manageable. This course examines some specific models that are widely useful, but most of its focus is on choosing or creating a model, using the model to draw conclusions and refining a model when it is not sufficiently useful. Hence, mathematics is used to solve real life problems. Technology (e.g. Excel) will be used frequently. While algebra skills are needed, additional mathematics will be developed within the course; in particular, difference equations are necessary and logarithms are useful. Prerequisite: high school algebra 2 or MA 006 Intermediate Algebra, or departmental approval.
MA 135 Basic Statistics: 3 semester hours
This course is an introduction to the basics of probability as well as descriptive and inferential statistics. Topics include measures of central tendency, measures of dispersion, histograms, the normal and binomial distributions, hypothesis testing, confidence intervals, chi-square distribution, correlation, and prediction. Prerequisite: two years of high school algebra, MA 006, or departmental approval. (Offered every spring semester).
MA 139 Pre-Calculus: 4 semester hours
Pre-Calculus is a collection of topics necessary for the successful completion of a year of calculus. Basically, a good knowledge of pre-calculus is a comfortable familiarity with the idea of function and with most of the basic functions, including polynomials, rational functions, exponential, logarithmic and trigonometric functions. This comfortable familiarity allows one to solve equations and inequalities involving these various functions and to produce function rules from graphs or graphs from function rules. Prerequisite: three years of high school mathematics (including Algebra 2 and Geometry), an A- in MA 006, or the consent of the instructor.
MA 142 Mathematics Modelling: 3 semester hours
A mathematical model is a simplification of reality that is mathematically tractable. This course does examine some specific models that are widely useful, but most of its focus is on choosing or creating a model, using the model to draw conclusions and refining a model that is not sufficiently useful. It briefly reviews, and then uses, the tools learned in Pre-calculus: functions and graphs, logarithms, and trigonometry. Prerequisite: MA 132 or MA 139, or its equivalent in high school, or consent of the instructor.
MA 150 Discrete Mathematics: 3 semester hours
The purpose of this course is to present various mathematical topics that are applicable to computer science. Topics to be covered include non-decimal numeration systems; prefix and postfix notation; the basic operations of sets, relations, and functions; induction and recursion; equivalence and congruence relations; propositional logic, truth tables, logical equivalence, and implication; Boolean algebra and switching theory; matrices and determinants; permutations and combinations; graph theory and directed graphs. Prerequisite: MA 139 or equivalent, or permission of instructor.