Business Administration

This is a special studies course involving an internship with a corporate, public, governmental, or private organization, arranged with the Study Center Director or Liaison Officer. Specific internships vary each term and are described on a special study project form for each student. A substantial paper or series of reports is required. Units vary depending on the contact hours and method of assessment. The internship may be taken during one or more terms but the units cannot exceed a total of 12.0 for the year.

This course develops the awareness, knowledge, and skills needed to both appreciate the real-world societal context in which taxation exists as well as the technical ability to plan and manage the taxation for individuals and companies. 

This course studies French business with a focus on commercial, communication, and marketing strategies. Topics covered include selection of products, distribution channels, communication and business image, visual and sound identity, communication decisions, and business reputation. The course utilizes local, national, generalized, and specialized mass media.

This course enables students to critically assess aspects of strategic project management. Organizations have to choose where they focus their resources and what they hope to achieve. Strategic project management introduces the key principles of project, program, and portfolio (P3) management, focusing on how projects are selected, sustained and completed. Students have the opportunity to understand how P3 management relates to operational management. Essential management skills such as leadership, team building, and conflict management are explored in the context of strategic management of projects, programs, and portfolios. Through a blended learning approach, students are encouraged to evaluate organizational strategies through case studies both in lectures and coursework. Through strategic business relationships, case studies are both current and relevant. The focus is on providing students with insights based on current practice, significant industry experience, and professional standards.

This course examines financial accounting and reporting from a decision usefulness perspective. Specifically, the course explores contemporary accounting theory and research to examine the role and implications of accounting information in decision-making. It builds on basic knowledge of financial accounting by examining implications of financial reporting for business decision-making.

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the basic structures and pricing theories for financial derivatives, including an examination of futures, forwards, options, swaps, and credit derivatives. Topics include basic pricing theories for the derivatives, arbitrage vs. hedge transactions, bond pricing, duration, term structure of interest rates, interest rate derivatives, binomial option pricing model vs. Black-Scholes model, implied volatility, numerical analysis, exotic options, market risk vs. credit risk, and several cases of financial risk management.

Climate change, environmental pollution, waste of resources and the decline of biodiversity clearly show mankind that processes of change are necessary. On a policy level, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris climate agreement and the Green New Deal are setting the stage, at the corporate level, standards such as environmental social and governance (ESG) reporting, supply chain integrity and voluntary certification, and diversity are critical to long-term business success. How are companies innovating towards more sustainability today? What are the criteria, the success factors and the strategic approaches to tackle consumer, policy, employee and societal demand for more sustainability? This course looks at current sustainability frameworks, sustainable companies and sustainable innovation. Students get to know and to apply collaborative tools to be better prepared for a business environment. One focus is on the development of a sustainable business model or project, based on which students learn and try out modern methods such as the Sustainable Business Canvas, Design Thinking, Effectuation and the Blue Ocean Strategy.

This course develops knowledge and technical skills in the area of financial accounting and reporting, with a focus on the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). In addition, the course aims to enhance the ability to apply professional judgement in making sound financial reporting decisions and effectively utilizing accounting information in business decision-making. 

This course provides an introduction to company finances. It examines the different financial elements necessary to determine company value, and the manner in which to use the financial structure to increase the value taking into account the overall risk. NOTE: Students are expected to have completed Financial Economics.