Basic Knowledge And Competency In The Subject Areas Essential To All Business Professionals
The Business Foundation is the curriculum required of all COBA undergraduates - regardless of major. The goal of the business foundation is to ensure that all bachelor recipients have fundamental knowledge of multiple business disciplines - not just the one in which they specialize.
Objective
Students Should Be Capable Of Effective Oral And Written Communication
Oral and written communication skills are essential to the modern business professional. The pace at which modern business is conducted necessitates that the communication of ideas take place accurately and quickly. Conducting business in a global environment also means that modern business professionals need to accommodate cultural differences in their communications.
Indicator
Written Communication
Degree candidates will respond in writing to a series of business scenarios during the required BUAD 3335 coursework. The composite performance of the students, as measured by a faculty developed rubric, will indicate the communication competency level.
Criterion
Writing Assessment
At least 80% of sampled students will score at least 70% on the business communication rubrics.
Indicator
Oral Presentations
BUAD 3335 requires students to give an oral presentation. Professors teaching the course use a common rubric to grade the presentations.
Criterion
Oral Assessment
At least 80% of sampled students will score at least 70% on the oral presentation rubric.
Objective
Students Should Possess Essential Critical Thinking And Problem Solving Skills
The business person must be able to recognize problems arising from the issues in their areas of responsibility , discriminate between the relevant and irrelevant data , and apply the appropriate concepts from the appropriate business discipline.
Indicator
Performance On Instruments In The Business Foundation Courses
Common embedded questions in business foundation courses will test critical thinking or problem solving skills or an evaluation of acceptable or unacceptable on writing assignments as defined by the following:
Critical thinking and problem solving consist of problem recognition followed by, differentiating between relevant and non relevant data, developing an argument or premise, and choosing of an appropriate concept, rule, formula, or strategy which is applied using the relevant data resulting in a correct decision.
Criterion
Percentage Of Correct Responses On Questions Embedded In Exams In Courses In The Business Foundation
Common questions are embedded in the exams of business foundation courses. Student performance on these questions is an indicator of how well COBA students are learning to think critically and solve problems. Students should achieve at least a 70% average on these questions.
Criterion
Percentage Of Acceptable Use Of Critical Thinking Or Problem Solving On Written Assignments
Student performance in correct use of relevant data, analysis of the problem, application of concepts and solving the problem is an indicator how well COBA students are learning to critically think and solve problems. Student performance should achieve an average of 70% acceptable.
Objective
Students Should Demonstrate Competency In The Core Areas Of Business Knowledge
Students should be able to demonstrate competency in the principles of accounting, business statistics, business law, economics, finance, management, marketing and management information systems.
Indicator
Student Performance On Pre And Post Exams In Management
All MGMT 4370 students will take exams at the beginning of the semester and then retake the same exam at the end of the semester. Multiple professors teaching multiple sections of MGMT 4370 administer the same exam. The combined results are an indicator of how well COBA students are learning the principles of management.
Criterion
Improved Measurement As The Difference Between Pre-Test And Post-Test Scores In Management
Students taking a pre-test and post-test in MGMT 4370 will earn a mean score significantly better on the post-test than on the pre-test.
Indicator
Student Performance On Questions Embedded In Final Exams In Accounting
Common questions are embedded in the final exams of multiple sections of ACCT 2301 and ACCT 2302. Student performance on these questions is an indicator of how well COBA students are learning the fundamentals of accounting.
Criterion
Percentage Of Correct Responses On Embedded Final Exam Questions In ACCT 2301 And ACCT 2302
The number of correct responses to the common questions for each objective divided by the number of attempts to the common questions for each objective should equal at least 60%.
Finding
ACCT 2301 And ACCT 2302 Results For Fall 2011
ACCT 2301: The following course objectives were assessed.
(1) gain a basic knowledge of the precise terminology, procedures and techniques used in identifying, organizing and reporting accounting information for business entities (Successful Response Rate: 62.0%)
(2) learn fundamental principles and concepts underlying the valuation and disclosure of financial statement accounts (Successful Response Rate: 64.8%)
(3) develop a basic understanding of the economic information contained in company financial statements and what it communicates about the business (Successful Response Rate: 65.3%)
(4) recognize accounting information as essential to business decision-making (Successful Response Rate: 47.1%)
Aggregate Successful Response Rate over all objectives: 62.8%
ACCT 2302
The following course objectives were assessed.
1. Understanding of the role and scope of financial and managerial accounting and the use of accounting (Successful Response Rate: 73.6%)
2. Understanding various terms and concepts and their appropriate uses including the idea of using (Successful Response Rate: 66.8%)
3. Obtaining a level of proficiency in various calculations that are routinely used in financial and managerial accounting such as debt and equity financing and investments, preparation of a statement of cash flows, product cost determination, C-V-P analysis, and budgeting. (Successful Response Rate: 73.5%)
4. Becoming aware of the behavioral implications of financial and managerial accounting in virtually all aspects of business activity. (Successful Response Rate: 61.1%)
Aggregate Successful Response Rate over all objectives: 69.0%
Indicator
Student Performance On Questions Embedded In Final Exams In Business Analysis
Common questions are embedded in the final exams of multiple sections of BANA 2372 and BANA 3363. Student performance on these questions across the various sections is an indicator of how well COBA students are learning the fundamentals of business statistics.
Criterion
Percentage Of Correct Responses On Embedded Final Exam Questions In BANA 2372 And BANA 3363
Final exams in BANA 2372 and BANA 3363 will include embedded questions covering topics considered to be essential by all Business Analysis faculty. Each of these questions should have a 70% correct response rate or better.
Indicator
Student Performance On Questions Embedded In Final Exams In Finance
Common questions are embedded in the final exams of multiple sections of FINC 3320. Student performance on these questions across the various sections is an indicator of how well COBA students are learning the fundamentals of finance.
Criterion
Percentage Of Correct Responses On Embedded Final Exam Questions In FINC 3320
Final exams in FINC 3320 will include embedded questions covering each of the course learning objectives. Each of these questions should have a 70% correct response rate or better.
Finding
FINC 3320 Results For Fall 2011
Overall correct response rate for all embedded questions: 66.7%
The following course objectives were assessed:
1. Understand the role of the financial manager (67.5%) 2. Understand the basics of financial statements and their analysis (73.8%) 3. Understand the principles of Time Value of Money (80.2%) 4. Understand the basics of bond and stock valuation (56.0%) 5. Understand cash flow estimation and apply basic capital budgeting methods (67.4%) 6. Understand the basics of risk and return (51.9%) 7. Understand the basics of corporate financing (48.8%) 8. Understand the basics of international financial management (81.5%)
Indicator
Student Performance On Pre And Post Exams In Marketing
All MKTG 3310 students will take exams at the beginning of the semester and then retake the same exam at the end of the semester. Multiple professors teaching multiple sections of MKTG 3310 administer the same exam. The combined results are an indicator of how well COBA students are learning the principles of marketing.
Criterion
Improvement Measured As The Difference Between Pre-Test And Post-Test Scores In Marketing
Students taking a pre-test and post-test in MKTG 3310 will earn a mean score significantly better on the post-test than on the pre-test.
Finding
MKTG 3310 Results For Spring 2012
Overall correct response rate for all embedded questions: 83.23%
1. Overview of Marketing (75.0%) 2. Strategic Planning (89.0%) 3. Ethics (88.0%) 4. Consumer Behavior (86.0%) 5. Globalization (77.5%) 6. Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning (85.2%) 7. Marketing Information Systems & Market Research (87.0%) 8. Products and Brands, Product Strategy, Services (86.2%) 9. Pricing (79.0%) 10. Distribution (78.0%) 11. Promotion (82.0%)
Indicator
Student Performance On Pre And Post Exams In Management Information Systems
All MGIS 3310 students will take exams at the beginning of the semester and then retake the same exam at the end of the semester. Multiple professors teaching multiple sections of MGIS 3310 administer the same exam. The combined results are an indicator of how well COBA students are learning the principles of management information systems.
Criterion
Improvement Measured As The Difference Between Pre-Test And Post-Test Scores In Management Information Systems
Students taking a pre-test and post-test in MGIS 3310 will earn a mean score significantly better on the post-test than on the pre-test.
Finding
MGIS 3310 Results For Spring 2012
Overall percentage increase of student scores from pre-test to post-test: 378%
Learning Objectives 1. Understanding the components of a computer based information (542% increase) 2. Understanding the role of Information Systems in the business organization (68% increase) 3. How to use Information Systems to solve business problems (309% increase)
Action
Actions For Accounting Business Knowledge
ACCT 2301: All findings but one exceeded the minimum criteria. The findings suggest that in future semesters the 2301 teachers should place more emphasis on Objective 4 [i.e., recognize accounting information as essential to business decision-making]. However, the results for Spring 2010 [the last other semester we have data for] showed Obj. 4 with a success percentage of 67.9%. The conclusion is to wait and see what the Spring 2012 results are and then look at the trend, if any, and proceed from there.
ACCT 2302: Though all findings exceeded the minimum criteria, the findings suggest that in future semesters the 2302 teachers might place a little more emphasis on Objective 4 [i.e., becoming aware of the behavioral implications of financial and managerial accounting in virtually all aspects of business activity]. The results are minimally above the criteria of 60%. In addition, the results for Spring 2011 showed Obj. 4 with a success percentage of 60.8%, again above the 60% but just barely. This seems to suggest that students have difficulty with that objective and more emphasis may be warranted.