Graduate Studies Reports Access

Graduate Course Proposal Form Submission Detail - GEB6895
Tracking Number - 2871

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Current Status: Approved by SCNS - 2012-06-21
Campus: Tampa
Submission Type: Change
Course Change Information (for course changes only): Add prerequisites: ACG 6026, ECO 6005, MAN 6147, MAR 6815, ISM 6021, FIN 6406, QMB 6305 AND completion of MBA core requirements FIN 6466 and MAN 6726 or CI.
Comments: to GC chair 5/4/12. for MBA; 2nd change (to add pre-reqs). Added 5/14/12. GC appd 5/15/12. to USF Sys 5/15/12. to SCNS 5/23/12. Concurrence issue regarding credits. Request to make variable 3-4. Faculty appd. Sub to SCNS 6/18/12. Appd eff 8/1/12

Detail Information

  1. Date & Time Submitted: 2012-04-25
  2. Department: Business Administration
  3. College: BA
  4. Budget Account Number: 140500
  5. Contact Person: Paul Solomon
  6. Phone: 8139745995
  7. Email: psolomon@usf.edu
  8. Prefix: GEB
  9. Number: 6895
  10. Full Title: Integrated Business Applicatons
  11. Credit Hours: 3-4
  12. Section Type: D - Discussion (Primarily)
  13. Is the course title variable?: N
  14. Is a permit required for registration?: N
  15. Are the credit hours variable?: Y
  16. Is this course repeatable?:
  17. If repeatable, how many times?: 0
  18. Abbreviated Title (30 characters maximum): IBA
  19. Course Online?: C - Face-to-face (0% online)
  20. Percentage Online: 0
  21. Grading Option: -
  22. Prerequisites: ACG 6025, ACG 6075, ECO 6708, ECP 6702, MAN 6055, ISM 6021, QMB 6305, MAR 6815, FIN 6406
  23. Corequisites: None
  24. Course Description: The MBA capstone course, Integrated Business applications (IBA) affords students the opportunity to apply and integrate knowledge, skills, and experience in a semester-long, project-based course in which students create a comprehensive business plan.

  25. Please briefly explain why it is necessary and/or desirable to add this course: Needed for program/concentration/certificate change
  26. What is the need or demand for this course? (Indicate if this course is part of a required sequence in the major.) What other programs would this course service? This course is the required capstone for the MBA program; the proposed change requiring completion of prerequisite courses will insure that students have the foundation knowledge to successfully complete the course. The course is offered infall,spring, and summer semesters; enrollment generates between 160-320 Grad I SCH each semester.
  27. Has this course been offered as Selected Topics/Experimental Topics course? If yes, how many times? No
  28. What qualifications for training and/or experience are necessary to teach this course? (List minimum qualifications for the instructor.)
  29. Objectives: The objectives of the MBA capstone sequence are to:

    • Provide an opportunity for students to integrate and apply knowledge, skills, and experience in a problem-solving environment

    • Simulate the often difficult strategic and operational choices and trade-offs organizations are required to make as they craft long and short term plans

    • Help students gain the skills required to develop a comprehensive business plan

    • Enhance students’ ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams

    • Enhance students’ critical thinking, communication, and presentation skills

  30. Learning Outcomes: Students who complete requirements for the capstone experience should be able to:

    • Develop a comprehensive analysis of the economic, political-legal, technological, socio-cultural, and competitive environments in which an organizations operates

    • Identify internal competencies and challenges or an organization

    • Perform a sophisticated target market analysis, identify a value proposition, and identify sustainable, differential competitive advantages

    • Use appropriate quantitative skills including statistical, financial and other quantitative tools and techniques to assess critical success factors and forecast performance

    • Understand and explain the relationship between risk and return

    • Develop alternative scenarios in ambiguous and uncertain environments

    • Recommend action programs and implementation steps designed to successfully market, manage, and finance strategies and tactics

    • Work effectively in and understand the team environment of business

    • Develop effective written and oral presentations of project results

  31. Major Topics: • The strategic planning process

    • Internal/external situation analysis

    • Developing forecasts

    • Strategies and action plans under uncertainty

    • Implementation, pro forma statements and financial modeling Evaluation and control

  32. Textbooks: None; however, students are expected to consult texts from prior MBA coursework and to access print and electronic materials relevant to team projects
  33. Course Readings, Online Resources, and Other Purchases: None; however, students are expected to consult texts from prior MBA coursework and to access print and electronic materials relevant to team projects
  34. Student Expectations/Requirements and Grading Policy: No tests are given in the class. Some elements of the term assignment may be due in draft form on certain dates; however, these are viewed as "building block" assignments and will not be graded individually. Instead, students will receive feedback designed to aid them in the preparation of the team’s final document. Teams should begin saving team meeting notes and elements of the business plan electronically from the very beginning to facilitate writing the final plan.

    The student’s final grade is based on his/her performance on the project. The plus/minus grading system will be used for this course. In addition to the professor's assessment, peer and self evaluations are considered in awarding individual final grades. Low performing team members should expect to earn a grade lower than that of other team members working on the same project, regardless of the overall project grade. Note that all students are required to attend the final presentation. Failure to do so will result in a reduction of your course grade.

    Team members who repeatedly fail to contribute to the team effort may be fired by their team. To do so, the team must document the action as any business would have to do. Team members must first meet with the professor to discuss the nature of the problem. If the problem cannot be resolved, the team member must be given written warnings with copies to the professor. After two such warnings, a team member may be fired. If a student is dismissed from a team, s/he will have few choices but to start the course over because it is often difficult to get hired by another team (just as it is often difficult to get a new job). A new team will want to know what skills and motivations you bring to the job. They may ask for recommendations from your past team.

  35. Assignments, Exams and Tests: No exams. Assignments relate to elements of the overall plan that students are expected to discuss in team “problems and progress” sessions held each week; elements due for each session are noted on the syllabus.
  36. Attendance Policy: Course Attendance at First Class Meeting – Policy for Graduate Students: For structured courses, 6000 and above, the College/Campus Dean will set the first-day class attendance requirement. Check with the College for specific information. This policy is not applicable to courses in the following categories: Educational Outreach, Open University (TV), FEEDS Program, Community Experiential Learning (CEL), Cooperative Education Training, and courses that do not have regularly scheduled meeting days/times (such as, directed reading/research or study, individual research, thesis, dissertation, internship, practica, etc.). Students are responsible for dropping undesired courses in these categories by the 5th day of classes to avoid fee liability and academic penalty. (See USF Regulation – Registration - 4.0101,

    http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfgc/ogc%20web/currentreg.htm)

    Attendance Policy for the Observance of Religious Days by Students: In accordance with Sections 1006.53 and 1001.74(10)(g) Florida Statutes and Board of Governors Regulation 6C-6.0115, the University of South Florida (University/USF) has established the following policy regarding religious observances: (http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfgc/gc_pp/acadaf/gc10-045.htm)

    In the event of an emergency, it may be necessary for USF to suspend normal operations. During this time, USF may opt to continue delivery of instruction through methods that include but are not limited to: Blackboard, Elluminate, Skype, and email messaging and/or an alternate schedule. It’s the responsibility of the student to monitor Blackboard site for each class for course specific communication, and the main USF, College, and department websites, emails, and MoBull messages for important general information.

  37. Policy on Make-up Work: This is a team-based course. All students are expected to attend all class and team sessions. Failure to participate fully in the team project may result in a failing grade or the student’s being fired from his/her team.
  38. Program This Course Supports: MBA
  39. Course Concurrence Information: None


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