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 degree recipients have fundamental knowledge of multiple business disciplines - not just the one in which they specialize.
Objective
Business Foundation - Master Learning Objectives
Master Learning Objectives for Business Foundation Courses
BBA graduates will be able to: 1. Understand and evaluate organizational performance. 2. Understand the environment in which business decisions are made. 3. Understand and apply theories, frameworks, and tools that support business decision making.
Indicator
Embedded Exam Questions
Questions are embedded in exams in each Business Foundation course. The questions are related to one or more of these Business Foundation objectives: 1) Understand and evaluate organizational performance, 2) Understand the environment in which business decisions are made, and 3) Understand and apply theories, frameworks, and tools that support business decision making. Student performance on these exam questions is an indicator of how well COBA students are learning about one or more of the three objectives.
Criterion
Percentage Of Correct Responses
The percentage of correct responses on the embedded exam questions should equal 70 percent or more.
Finding
Business Foundation Assessment Results - 2014-2015
Understand and Evaluate Organizational Performance Percentage of Correct Responses - 71.09%
Understand the Environment in which Business Decisions are Made Percentage of Correct Responses - 74.56%
Understand and Apply Theories, Frameworks, and Tools that Support Business Decision Making Percentage of Correct Responses - 77.36%
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 The Texas Assessment Of Critical Thinking Skills (TACTS) Exam
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. The TACTS exam evaluates 12 thinking skills in a multiple choice exam format.
Criterion
Performace On TACTS
70% of students will score an average of 70% or higher on the TACTS.
Finding
Finding
255 students completed the TACTS exam in eight sections of the Managment Operations course. On average, students scored 39% on the overall exam that included all 12 skills, with only one skill with an average score above 70% (Given a set of constraints, being able to determine logically possible combinations.)
Action
Action
The chair of the critical thinking committee retired in May 2015, so a new critical thinking committee is being formed to study the results. 2014-2015 is the first year the TACTS was used to assess critical thinking, and the committee will study the results to determine ways to improve students' critical thinking skills.