Business Degree Programs in Reading, PA

Albright College, Pennsylvania:
Welcome to Albright College, located in Reading, Pennsylvania. Our Economics and Business Department offers business administration and management degree programs with two concentrations: economics (bachelor of arts) and business administration (bachelor of science). Economics, a liberal arts discipline, is utilized in both concentrations as a foundation to better understand the world we live in as well as to prepare the student for a career in business, government, law or non-profit organizations.

Undergraduate Business Degree Programs:
The Economics and Business Department offers two concentrations for the business administration program: economics (bachelor of arts) and business administration (bachelor of science). Students taking each concentration are required to complete specified courses in Economics, Finance, International Business, Management and Marketing.

Economics, a liberal arts discipline, is utilized in both concentrations as a foundation to better understand the world we live in as well as to prepare the student for a career in business, government, law or non-profit organizations.

Concentration in Business Administration (Bachelor of Arts):

Requirements:
- ECO 105 (social science as part of the general studies requirement)
- ECO 207 (quantitative reasoning as part of the general studies requirement)
- A core requirement of these courses: ACC 101; BUS 210, 345, 346, 347, 366, 380, 460
- One additional economics course above the 100-level
- In addition, students must complete four courses in one of the following tracks: Economics, Finance, International Business, Management or Marketing.

- Economics: ECO 335, 336, 492 and one 300-level economics course.

- Finance: BUS 355, BUS 485, ECO 313, plus one course selected from ACC 201, ECO 301, 307 or 336.

- Note: Students interested in careers involving serious financial analysis are strongly encouraged to complete the Interdisciplinary Concentration in Accounting, Economics and Finance described in the Interdisciplinary Concentrations section of this catalog.

- International Business: BUS 368, 374, 498 and ECO 301.

- Management: BUS 365, 368, 250 or 382 and 496.

- Marketing: BUS 370, 372, 374 or ENG 317and BUS 497.

Students combining business administration with another area (other than economics) must complete:

• ACC 101
• BUS 345, 346, 347, 366
• BUS 210 or 368
• BUS 380
• BUS 460
• General studies courses ECO 105 (social science) and ECO 207 (quantitative reasoning)

Combined concentrators will receive a track designation if the four required upper-level courses are completed. Students considering combining business administration with economics should consult the department chair for the required courses.

Interdisciplinary Concentration in Accounting, Economics and Finance
This concentration contains accounting, economics and finance courses that provide a foundation for careers in financial analysis. See the "Interdisciplinary Areas of Concentration" section of this catalog for curricular details.

Business Administration (B.S.) Courses:

Production Management
An introduction to concepts, principles and practices of effective creation and distribution of goods and services. The focus of the course is on quantitative techniques for problem solving and decision making in a variety of strategic and tactical areas of operations management, including total quality management, forecasting, product design, process design and capacity planning, location planning, supply chain management, inventory control and project management.

Business Law I
Basic legal procedures covering contracts, agency and warranties. Cases and actual legal transactions are studied.

Business Law II
Basic legal procedures covering wills and estates, property law, and partnerships and corporations. Cases and actual legal transactions are studied.

Financial Management
Introduction to foundation concepts in finance and introduction to the field of financial management also known as corporate finance. Topics include financial statement analysis, financial markets, rates of return, risk measurement, time value of money, security valuation, cost of capital, capital budgeting, capital structure theory, cash distributions to shareholders, working capital management and financial forecasting.

Management Principles (W)
This course introduces the dynamics of managing organizations. As a manager you need expertise in strategy, motivation, communication, leadership and evaluation. The management principles covered in this course provide the framework through which these skills can be developed. Not open to first-year students.

Marketing Management (W)
An overview of marketing management with emphasis on the management of functional areas of marketing, including product development, pricing, promotion and distribution channels. These topics are considered in the context of developing an effective marketing program within the framework of the social, economic and political/legal environments. Not open to first year students

Intermediate Finance
Advanced topics in finance including working capital management, capital budgeting, capital structure and derivatives.

Small Business Management (W)
This course introduces you to the challenges and rewards of starting and operating a small business. It helps students understand what is required of a small business owner in terms of financial, managerial and emotional resources. Students are required to develop a business plan by using computerized simulation software and to interview owners of businesses of interest.

Management of Information
Students learn to apply spreadsheet and database software to business case situations. The how and why of managing computer-based information systems for gaining and maintaining a competitive advantage are covered in this course. Other topics include the legal and ethical implications of information gathering and dissemination.

International Management
The study of management from an international perspective. Focus on management challenges associated with developing strategies and managing the operations of companies whose activities stretch across national boundaries with special emphasis on the transnational approach.

Marketing Strategies and Policies
This course focuses on in-depth, integrative application of marketing management principles that successful firms use to create a strategic advantage. The case method as a learning tool is used in class to enhance the student's ability to dissect problems, offer a variety of creative solutions and ultimately make a justifiable decision. Students also apply their holistic knowledge of strategic marketing concepts by developing and presenting a marketing plan.

Marketing Research
The theory and application of research methodology in marketing. Emphasis is on the role of marketing information in business decisionmaking. Topics include cost and value of information, research design, information gathering and analysis, and research problems.

International Marketing
Explores aspects of marketing unique to international business. In addition to studying the uncontrollable variables facing the marketing manager, such as the cultural and legal environment for business, students learn to design strategies for global markets. Cases of both successful and unsuccessful international ventures are analyzed.

Business, Government and Society
Students examine the interaction between business and the larger legal and social framework in which it operates. Issues such as corporate social responsibility and business ethics are discussed. Actual corporate case studies are analyzed.

Internship
A practical, professional work experience in which the student participates in the daily operations of an organization. Active participation and a significant level of responsibility are expected. Written assessments determined by departmental policy are required.

Seminar in Strategies and Policies (W)
The cornerstone of this course is an Internet business simulation that requires students participate in top management decisions in a competitive environment. Team performance depends upon its ability to function well and react in an ever-changing business climate. Background material on formulation, corporate strategy, and the implementation and evaluation of top management decisions guide students through the simulation.

Investments (W)
Security analysis, advanced valuation theory, and portfolio construction and management.

Senior Marketing Seminar (W)
An intensive research course resulting in submission of a senior paper. In addition, various topics in marketing are discussed in a seminar setting

Senior Seminar in International Business (W)
Advanced topics in international business selected from leading periodicals and journals with emphasis on case analysis. Submission of a senior thesis is a course requirement.

Concentration in Economics (Bachelor of Arts):

Requirements
• ACC 101
• ECO 105 (satisfies general studies social science requirement)
• ECO 207
• ECO 302, 307, 335, 336
• ECO 492
• MAT 105 or 107 (satisfies general studies quantitative reasoning requirement)
• An economic fields requirement of five additional economics courses above the 100-level

Co-Concentration in Economics
Students combining economics with another area of concentration (other than business administration) are required to complete the following:

Requirements
• ECO 105 (satisfies general studies social science requirement)
• ECO 207
• ECO 302, 307, 335, 336
• ECO 492
• MAT 105 or 107 (satisfies general studies quantitative reasoning requirement)
• One additional economics course above the 100-level

Students considering combining economics and business administration should consult the department chair for the required courses.

Courses:

The Economics of Social Issues and Public Policy
This course introduces and reinforces economic principles through the study and discussion of current controversies and policy issues. The course is strongly based in the use of economic terminology and tools. The course is intended as an introduction to the study of economics and as a means of reinforcing economic modeling and critical thinking skills. The course also provides an overview and discussion of many important policy issues. General studies social science credit.

Principles of Economics
An introduction to the methodology of economics and basic principles of microeconomics and macroeconomics. This course provides a foundation for further study in economics. It also serves as an introduction to basic economics as a social science.

Statistical Analysis for Economics and Business
Introduction to the concepts, theories and methods of statistical problem-solving in business and economics. Topics include: frequency distributions, descriptive statistics, elementary probability and sampling theory, probdistributions, elementary hypothesis testing, analysis of variance, correlation and regression. Satisfies general studies quantitative reasoning requirement. Not open to first year students
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing

Law and Economics
The economic analysis of law brings together two fields of study and facilitates a greater understanding of both. Economics provides a theory of behavior useful for understanding the effects of the law as well as a normative standard for evaluating the law. Topics covered include property, contracts, tort liability and the economics of crime and punishment.

Environmental Economics
The application of economic principles to a variety of environmental problems. Attention is given to the economics of resource depletion, waste disposal, population growth and economic growth.

Comparative Economics
An important aspect of the trend toward the globalization of markets is that economic decisions and their outcomes are becoming increasingly intertwined and interdependent. This growing interdependence requires knowledge of the rules and institutional mechanisms by and with which other economies operate. Such knowledge has become a crucial economic resource, the use of which economic policymakers, industrial leaders and individual firm managers can no longer do without. This course examines the various approaches and methods used to solve economic problems in a number of societies, both past and current, with a special emphasis on today's key European and Asian economies. It analyzes the principles and institutions by which these economies have sought to improve their objectives of better resource allocation, technological progress, income distribution and growth.

Economic Development
This course deals with economic development problems in the third world among the less-developed countries. Topics include: characteristics of underdevelopment, theories of development, poverty and population pressures, international trade, third world debt and foreign aid.

International Economics and Finance
A study of international economics and finance. Topics include a survey of the major theories of international trade, foreign exchange systems and markets, international money and capital markets, and international banking. Special attention is given to these topics as the framework within which the financial managers of multinational corporations operate.

History of Economic Ideas
A survey of the major schools of economic thought from the 17th century to the present. Mercantilist, Physiocratic, Classical, Marxist, Neoclassical, Keynesian, Neo-Marxist and Modern conventional economic theories are examined.

Econometrics
A study of the applications of mathematical and statistical techniques to the analysis of economic data, with special emphasis on economic and business forecasting. Topics include simple regression, multiple regression, simultaneous equations models, models of expectations, model selection criteria and time series analysis.

Money and Banking
A study of depository banking institutions, financial markets and the Federal Reserve System. The supply of and demand for liquidity is examined in both microeconomic and macroeconomic aspects. Alternative rules for the conduct of monetary policy are evaluated.

Labor Economics
A study of the labor process, labor markets and labor relations in a global economy. An examination of labor problems from the viewpoint of the employee, the employer and the public, with special emphasis on rapidly changing labor market configurations for the 21st century.

Intermediate Microeconomic Analysis
A study of the principles of demand, production, pricing of commodities, productive series and productive resources in various industries and market situations.

Intermediate Macroeconomic Analysis
An examination of the modern history of determination of the level and rate of growth of income, employment, output and general price level. Alternative fiscal and monetary policies to facilitate full employment and stable economic growth.

Public Finance
A study of the economic basis of government activities and the consequences of alternative government expenditures, regulations and finance. The emphasis is on the microeconomic functions of government and the way it affects the allocation of existing resources and distribution of income.

Industrial Organization
This course focuses on the structure, conduct and performance of industries and markets. Emphasis is on evaluating public policy towards business and business practices and the relationship between the structure of markets and the socioeconomic performance of business enterprises. Lectures, group projects and case analysis are utilized.

Senior Seminar in Economics
An intensive research course resulting in the submission of a senior thesis. Advanced topics in economic theory and policy are considered throughout the semester.