Bachelor of Science in Business

Undergraduate Thesis

Bachelor of Science in Business: Administration

The Holy Spirit University of Atlanta’s Bachelor of Science program in Business, with a concentration in Administration, focuses on the principal areas essential to management, providing a solid grounding in corporate operations, the theory and practice of leadership, professional communication, finance, economics, organizational behavior, business law and marketing. Throughout the learning experience, students analyze and apply the tools of effective decision-making and problem-solving, while developing a fundamental understanding of business-related procedures and processes, all of which, in combination, are ultimately essential to adept leadership.

Program Objectives:

• Apply critical thinking and reasoning skills to identify problems and to develop problem-solving abilities within the business context.
• Develop potential, enabling them to face the future with confidence and determination.
• Prepare for leadership and service within a broad spectrum of business and business-related arenas.
• Acquire the tools specific to business processes and procedures and the capacity to understand the principal theory, significance and practical applications related thereto.
• Develop a solid understanding of the functional components of business - economics, marketing, accounting, finance, law, management, thus enabling the graduate to assume managerial trainee and like positions, in which they will have the occasion to grow and develop further.
• Apply theoretical knowledge to the solution of real-life (field related) problems both individually and through teamwork within the context of a variety of active learning environments.
• Develop strong communication skills with due emphasis on the tools of effective writing.

Career Opportunities: Graduates in Administration will be suitably prepared to assume management trainee positions in the corporate sector, in industry, in government, in other professional arenas – or, alternatively, to assume enhanced responsibilities within the context of a currently-held position. Those who so elect will be academically prepared to pursue graduate studies in business or in a wide array of related disciplines.

Bachelor of Science in Business: Finance

The BS degree in Business, with a Finance concentration, is constituted of a solid core of balanced coursework in management, marketing, economics, contemporary corporate operations and structures, business communication – with special emphasis on financial operations and financial management. Degree candidates analyze and apply the tools of effective financial analysis, understanding how such analysis bears upon and impacts decision-making and problem-solving. Students confront a panorama of financial issues, prepare a wide array of reports, and come to understand the effects of the international market on local markets, and of technological applications within the finance realm. The student is then afforded both firm business grounding and a substantial specialization in the multi-focal areas of finance and the co-related divisions of the business enterprise.

Program Objectives:

• Develop a well-rounded understanding of the major functional areas of business including: the ability to prepare, read, analyze and communicate financial information
• Develop the ability to apply financial information in managerial decisions.
• Understand the responsibilities of a financial manager’s roles in the areas of planning, organizing, directing, and controlling.
• Develop an understanding of the finance and marketing mix to successfully perform in the competitive and complex environment.
• Acquire an understanding of fundamental legal concepts and their application to the business community.
• Develop a basic knowledge of the use of information technology in managing organizations and the ability to apply modern scientific and mathematical methods to management and finance-related problems.
• Develop the ability to formulate and understand solid business policy using case analysis and discussion.
• Apply theoretical knowledge to the solution of real-life (field related) problems both individually and through teamwork within the context of an active learning environment.
• Develop strong communication skills with due emphasis on the tools of effective writing.

Career Opportunities: Business degree graduates with a Finance emphasis might consider broad-based career options in numerous areas: finance-centered (managerial) trainee positions in both the public and private sectors, in corporations, consulting firms, investment and banking industries, non-for-profit organizations, and governmental agencies, among others. Those who so elect will be academically prepared to pursue graduate studies in business-finance or a wide array of related disciplines.

Bachelor of Science in Business: International Business

Among the four specialization options provided as options within the Bachelor of Science degree in Business, the International Business focus is two-fold in its concentrated training: it lays the foundation for specialization by offering a well-grounded core of study across the principal areas of business and, too, it accords special emphasis to the complexities of global perspectives. While not losing site of the essential business operations, these are then pursued in depth as related to national and international issues and the significant interdependence of such matters and markets. Students develop an understanding of globalization of markets and production, global trade, regional trade agreements, supra-national organizations and the multi-dimensional effects of foreign exchange systems.

Program Objectives:

• Apply critical thinking and reasoning skills to identify problems and to develop problem-solving abilities in a spectrum of international business environments.
• Acquire a fundamental understanding of, and sensitivity to, principal complexities (differences and likenesses) between and among business practices across geographical and cultural boundaries.
• Develop a basic knowledge of the use of information technology in managing national and international organizations and the ability to apply modern scientific and mathematical methods to management and other business-related problems.
• Gain a solid understanding of the functional components of business - economics, marketing, accounting, finance, law, management, both in the US and in a variety of other international settings.
• Develop the ability to formulate and understand solid business policy using case analysis and discussion (based on the identification and study of comparative and contrastive operations and decisions in various international forums).
• Apply theoretical knowledge to the solution of real-life (field related) problems both individually and through teamwork within the context of multiple active learning environments.
• Apply theoretical knowledge to solve real-life problems through teamwork within the context of an active learning environment.
• Develop strong communication skills with due emphasis on the tools of effective writing.

Career Opportunities:

Those with the undergraduate specialization in International Business face a wide range of possible career options: management trainee positions in the multi-national corporate sector, in industry, in government, in other professional arenas where awareness of, and sensitivity to, cross-cultural environments are essential. Growth-oriented positions both in the US (global) market and perhaps in other geographical regions. Alternatively, those engaged in the multinational or international arena will be prepared to assume augmented (internationally-based or globally-focused) responsibilities. Graduates who seek yet further specialization will be academically prepared to pursue graduate studies in international business, global studies, international economics and an array of tangential disciplines in which organizational, entrepreneurial and cross- or trans-cultural likenesses and differences are paramount.

Bachelor of Science in Business:Marketing

The Bachelor of Science program in Business, with an emphasis in Marketing, offers candidates a thorough knowledge of marketing concepts and leads them to develop a comprehensive understanding of strategic and tactical marketing strategies. The program provides the tools by which to identify and satisfy consumer needs, once understood. Specialized skills of selling, advertising, retailing and market research are significant components of the training process. Courses engage students in the analysis of current marketing theory and practices relevant to general marketing, international marketing and sales marketing. Combined with the core courses across the major areas of business, students are prepared to gain a contextualized understanding of the place and scope of marketing within the current economy with an understanding of strategic approaches.

Program Objectives:

• Develop a well-rounded understanding of the major functional areas of business including: the ability to prepare, read, analyze and communicate marketing-centered processes, data, and findings.
• Develop the ability to apply marketing-based information in managerial decisions.
• Demonstrate fundamental competency in the areas of complex, specialized and often creative-based skill-sets specifically associated with marketing.
• Understand the responsibilities of a marketing manager’s roles in the areas of planning, organizing, directing, and controlling.
• Develop an understanding of the marketing mix in order to perform successfully in that competitive and complex environment.
• Acquire an understanding of fundamental legal concepts as applied to marketing and their application to the business community.
• Develop a basic knowledge of the use of information technology in managing organizations and the ability to apply modern scientific and mathematical methods to management and marketing-related problems and solutions.
• Develop the ability to formulate and understand solid business policy, with an emphasis on marketing strategies, using case analysis and discussion.
• Apply theoretical knowledge to the solution of real-life (field related) problems both individually and through teamwork within the context of a variety of active learning environments.
• Develop strong communication skills with due emphasis on the tools of effective writing.

Career Opportunities: Options for graduates include e-commerce, marketing analysis, professional selling, supply chain management, marketing research and customer service/leadership (trainee) positions. Further opportunities in advertising, brand management and marketing analysis will continue to present themselves. The Marketing degree offers a notably broad slate of possibilities to graduates in a number of closely-related, fast-paced and exciting fields.