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Lasell University
Lasell University

Business Management

Major

What You'll Learn
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The Business Management major prepares you to work in the complex and challenging global business world. You'll learn skills such as leadership and team building, and acquire an understanding of what it takes to be an effective business manager. 

Courses in the Business Management major provide a working knowledge of management practices that promote organizational effectiveness. Learn skills such as leadership and team building and understand the fundamentals of business law, marketing, and economics.

The Business Management major is accredited by ACBSP for student-driven research and excellence in teaching in the functional areas of business.

Business Management Major Features

  • Participate in at least one internship as well as a required Service Learning program.

  • Learn organizational behavior, cross-cultural management, and resource management.

  • Graduate with a comprehensive level of knowledge in technology, economy, and business management.

  • The School of Business provides students various opportunities to meet and network with industry professionals, including our annual School of Business Day. This all-day event is centered around Business education, networking opportunities, and career development. 

  • The Double Laser Program offers students the opportunity to earn an accelerated Master's degree in as little as one year after graduation.

What You'll Learn

From your first day, you’ll take courses in your major and advance towards graduation with a yearly plan. Not sure what classes to take? We’ll help you create the perfect plan. 

 

Courses and Sample 4-Year Plan

WRT101
Writing I

In this course, students gain understanding of and confidence in strategies for effective writing by composing and reading in a variety of genres. The course emphasizes writing as a process and focuses on the rhetorical choices writers make. Students engage critically with sources by examining how genre, context, purpose, credibility, and bias work together to create meaning and impact audiences. Students who choose to take Writing I Workshop are provided with time during class to work on their writing while the instructor and a writing tutor are present to provide assistance. Students must earn a “C” or higher in order to pass this course

The First Year Seminar (FYS) is part of the Core Curriculum and a requirement for all incoming first year students and transfer students with fewer than 15 credits. The First Year Seminar is a theme-based inquiry course that engages students in a specific area of interest while providing support for a smooth transition into the Lasell University community and the Connected Learning philosophy. Through studying an academic topic, students develop and apply core intellectual skills and receive an introduction to the core knowledge perspectives. At the same time, students connect to the experiences and people that make up the Lasell University Community. Course outcomes are accomplished through engaging activities including reading, writing, class discussions, presentations, team projects, field trips, and exploration of campus resources. Civic engagement and service-learning activities are often part of this course as is participation in the Connected Learning Symposium. Through the seminar, students develop close ties with faculty and peer mentors who serve as advocates for first year students' academic success. Past course titles have included: The Immigrant Experience, Fashion & Film of the 20th Century, The Social History of Rock & Roll, Exploring Cultures & Languages, The Spark of Creativity, Women and Sports, and Latin America: Food And Traditions. This requirement may be fulfilled by taking either FYS103 or HON101 (for students enrolled in the Honors Program).

This course is designed to familiarize students with various aspects of the business world. Areas covered include: private enterprise; forms of ownership; legal aspects; management practices in a diverse and global business environment; marketing; human resources; global operations management; labor relations; and finance. In addition, students become aware of how business functions are integrated into an organization to achieve specific goals both locally and internationally.

For freshman only. This is a comprehensive course that introduces students to the skills they need to develop themselves professionally. It cultivates and hones the skills necessary for students to communicate effectively and professionally in a business environment. This course provides students with the skills necessary to engage in field experience, internship and post-graduate employment searches as well as for the general business world around them. Using myriad methods, students will develop the necessary professional skills for professional presentation, professional communication, negotiation, personal branding, networking and team building. Students will also be introduced to the concept of emotional intelligence and its impact on overall career and academic outcomes. Students will complete a minimum of three professional presentations as part of this course. Prerequisites: None

This course is the foundational course for mathematical and quantitative reasoning at Lasell College. Mathematical reasoning is the critical skill that enables a student to solve real-world problems involving quantitative analysis by making use of particular mathematical skills. Through the development of their mathematical reasoning skills, students will recognize the power of mathematics in its own right as well as its relevance in the real world. Students will develop and enhance their mathematical reasoning skills through a project/application-based curriculum supported by readily available current technological tools and topics that will include, but not be limited to, the following: solving systems of equations, linear programming, statistical, and graphical data analysis.

This course introduces students to basic Microsoft Excel skills. Excel is an electronic spreadsheet program used for storing, organizing and manipulating data. It is critical to the business world today as the volume data generated has exploded. This introductory course will provide students with information and skills needed to create basic workbooks and worksheets, create simple formulas, copy and move data, format data and cells, work in large spreadsheets and with data series, create pivot tables, and more. As part of this course, all students will have the opportunity to become certified in Microsoft Excel through the professional certification called Microsoft Office Specialist: Excel 2016 – Core Data Analysis, Manipulation, and Presentation. The certification also comes with an electronic badge. Students are also introduced to Income Statements, Balance Sheets, Statement of Cash Flows, Ratios, and the Basic Accounting Cycle

This course is an introduction to the principles of the economic behavior of individuals, firms, and industries in the mixed economic system. Topics include consumer demand; elasticity; supply and costs of production; the allocation of economic resources; international trade; and the role of government in promoting economic welfare.

This course is a continuation of Writing I and focuses on research and public writing. Theme-based courses provide students with lenses to explore issues of interest and develop their reading, research, and writing skills. Students work with a topic of their choice, broadly based on the course theme. Assignments build upon each other, lead up to a researched position paper, and culminate in a public piece. Students who choose to take Writing II Workshop are provided with time during class to work on their writing while the instructor and a writing tutor are present to provide assistance. Students must earn a grade of “C” or higher in order to pass this course. Prerequisite: WRT 101

Equity & Intersectionality(KP)

This is an introductory course in descriptive and inferential statistics focused on applications in business. Topics include: data analysis, and graphical methods of describing data, measures of central tendency and variability, time-series analysis, trend and seasonality analysis, simple and multiple correlation and regression analysis, sales and cost forecasting, probability, expected monetary value, and the Normal distribution. Prerequisites: MATH 106 with a grade of C or better or demonstrated competency through placement testing and ENG 102. With permission of the instructor only.

BUSS220
Principles of Marketing

In this course, the fundamentals of marketing are explored for practical application in today's business environment. The process of creating value for customers by utilizing the tools of marketing -- market segmentation, targeting and positioning, marketing research and communications, product development, channels of distribution, and pricing -- are explored with a project-based, interactive approach. Additionally, there is a service learning component included in this course that enables students to further apply the course concepts while working to advance a participating non-profit organization. Prerequisites: BUSS101, COM101, HEM101, HEM102, FASH101, or SMGT102 AND ENG102 or WRT102.

In this course, students gain experience in the development and use of information within an organization. Course topics include: cost terms; production costing; cost allocation for planning and control; cost behavior patterns; cost-volume-profit relationships; budgeting; inventory planning and control; pricing decisions; and aspects of investment decisions.Prerequisite: BUSS105

This course explores basic functions of the United States economy viewed as a whole and policies designed to affect its performance. Topics include economic scarcity; causes of unemployment and inflation; money and monetary policy; the impact of government taxation and spending; and the federal debt. Some consideration is given to international economic problems and to contrasting economic systems. Prerequisite: ECON 101.

KP (Knowledge Perspective) Course

This course is designed to help students develop their ability to think critically about the world around them using the framework of sociology. Students explore the relationship between individual and society – how personal experience is shaped by social forces, but also how society is created and changed through individual interaction. The focus is on the interrelationships of groups, social organization, and social institutions such as education, religion, family, and the economic and political order.

This course provides a working knowledge of everyday law as it applies to both business and personal needs. The primary focus is on contract law and property law. Different sections offered are specific to majors and/or interests (Section A – General Business, Section B – Sport Management, Section C – Hospitality Management). Students can choose any section that they prefer, regardless of major

In this course, students study individuals within the context of the organization using a behavioral approach. Group dynamics and intergroup dynamics are emphasized in relation to productivity and work satisfaction along with the examination of specific aspects of organizations that influence behavior. Areas covered include: structure, leadership, and change. Teaching modalities include case studies and role-playing. This is a writing intensive course. Prerequisite: PSYC 101 or SOC 101.

In this project-based course, students explore a social or intellectual problem using at least two knowledge perspectives. Faculty and students follow a collaborative process of exploration, discussion, and problem solving that integrates knowledge perspectives and core intellectual skills.

KP (Knowledge Perspective) Course

KP (Knowledge Perspective) Course

BUSS203
Financial Management

This course provides an introduction to the fundamental concepts of finance. Various techniques of analysis that reveal the relationships of risk, return, and value are demonstrated. Topics include: financial reporting; long- and short-term forecasting; managing working capital; capital budgeting; and the nature of corporate securities and debt-equity mix. Prerequisites: BUSS 101 OR HEM 101 OR FASH 101 OR SMGT 102; BUSS 202 with a grade C or better & ECON 102.

This course focuses on a broad view of advertising dealing with planning, creation, and execution in relation to the marketing cycle. Topics include: organization and operation of the advertising agency; publicity; public relations; behavioral sciences as applied to advertising; budgeting; and planning. Prerequisite: BUSS220

Choose an Elective or Minor course

Choose an Elective or Minor course

Choose an Elective or Minor course

This course provides the conceptual and technical foundations of various aspects of Data Analytics. The purpose is to prepare students with foundation skills in Big Data, a skill widely needed and valued across the business world. The course will expose students to the data analytics practices executed in the business world and explores key areas of the analytical process, how data is created, stored, accessed, and how organizations work with data and creates the environment in which analytics can flourish. This course will provide students with a strong foundation in all the areas that support analytics and will help them to better position themselves for success within any organization. This course provides the conceptual and technical foundations of various aspects of Big Data Analytics, including cloud computing, NoSQL Databases, predictive and prescriptive analytics. Prerequisite: MATH208 or MATH209.

Operations strategy typically examines how operations can be used as sources of competitive advantage. This class will focus on understanding the need of formulating an operational strategy (long-term plan) and making strategic (important) operational decisions. The old view of operations management as the task of maintaining a comparatively static production or service facility has given way to one characterized by a need for renewed flexibility, relentless improvement, and the development of new capabilities at the operating unit level. As a result of this changing environment, the skills required of operations managers have changed as well. The course is based mostly on case studies supported by conceptual frameworks.

This course will address the interaction between the lives we lead and the application of traditional (and some nontraditional) ethical theories and principles to important decision points in our lives. Students will take on real-life ethical problems and dilemmas for each class; each student will be responsible for presenting a number of issues, as well as for guiding the discussion of those issues in class. The problems we address will largely span a lifetime of experiences and concerns. Students will also write several papers that evaluate formal arguments, using standard tools of critical thinking and philosophy. The course is discussion based, so a willingness to read carefully, to think critically, and to engage in classroom presentations and discussions is essential. Prerequisite: Junior standing, MDSC203 & ENG102.

Choose an Elective or Minor course

Choose an Elective or Minor course

BUSS330
Managing Change

This course examines the unique problems associated with managing organizations during mergers, reorganizations, and other times of change. Strategies to cope with change, as well as induce it, are examined. Prerequisite: BUSS 224.

This course examines the staffing function of management including planning, recruitment, selection, training, motivation, appraisal, compensation, labor laws, and organizational development. The course also addresses current issues affecting the human resource manager, including the changing work force and need to increase productivity, as well as changes in the area of unions and affirmative action. Both class discussions and case studies are used to prepare students for the personnel and related tasks involved in a management position. Prerequisite: BUSS 224.

Choose an Elective or Minor course

Choose an Elective or Minor course

Choose an Elective or Minor course

This capstone course requires students to apply a broad knowledge of management and administrative techniques to specific situations. An emphasis is placed on strategy formulation and implementation. This is a writing intensive course. Different sections offered are specific to majors and/or interests (Section A – General Business, Section B – Sport Management, Section C – Hospitality Management). Students can choose any section that they prefer, regardless of major. Prerequisite: Senior standing, Major within the School of Business

This internship for students within the School of Business is scheduled to take place during the student's senior year (juniors are permitted with permission). Students serve as interns for a total of 150 hours in a position related to their field of study. The hours are completed concurrently with weekly class meetings and course work. Detailed reports, reflective exercises, weekly journal entries, a final comprehensive project, and other written requirements are completed throughout the internship process. The internship supervisor monitors each student's performance and visits each internship site as needed. Different sections offered are specific to majors and/or interests (Section A – General Business, Section B – Sport Management, Section C – Hospitality Management). Students can choose any section that they prefer, regardless of major. Prerequisite: Senior Standing, Major within the School of Business

Choose an Elective or Minor course

Choose an Elective or Minor course

Choose an Elective or Minor course

This example four-year plan is provided as a broad framework that you can follow in order to complete your degree within four years. Be sure to always consult your academic advisor before registering for classes.

4-Year Plan
Student and Alumni Profiles
Sandra Fakih headshot

"My academic program combined entrepreneurship and fashion allowing me to pursue two of my career interests."

Sandra Fakih '24

Entrepreneurship

Read More about Sandra
Sandra Fakih headshot
Caroline headshot

"I was able to get two degrees within 5 years and saved a significant amount of money."

Caroline St. Croix '23 G'24

Fashion Media and Marketing

Read More About Caroline
Caroline headshot

Learning Outcomes

  • Learn leadership and team building skills, and acquire understanding of individual and group behavior in organizations to become effectiveness as business leaders.
  • Become knowledgable about human resources, information technology, and the global economy.
  • Understand the challenges faced by business and use research and strategy to become effective decision makers.
  • Identify ethical issues within business and evaluate and decide solutions to problems.

For a complete list of courses and learning outcomes, view the Academic Catalog

Career Outlook

Our students have interned with:

  • Eaton Vance Management
  • Spirit of Adventure Council, Boy Scouts of America
  • Boston Event Guide
  • YMCA of Greater Boston
  • Support Solutions
  • Taiba Flocks Travel, Jedda, Saudi Arabia

Our alumni work for:

  • Samet & Company
  • Tonneson
  • Rhode Island State Auditor 
  • PricewaterhouseCoopers
Beyond the Classroom
DECA Chapter

DECA prepares emerging leaders for successful careers in industries including fashion, business, hospitality, and communications. Create programs and participate in regional and national DECA collegiate events and competitions.

School of Business Partnerships

Our partnerships provide students with valuable experiences outside the classroom including internships, on-campus speakers, and networking events.

School of Business Day

The 6th annual School of Business Day highlighted the challenges and opportunities of using Artificial Intelligence in a variety of business sectors. Speakers included executives from the Boston Red Sox.

Certified Financial Planning (CFP)

Prepare for the CFP Exam with a seven-course sequence of online classes designed to meet the requirements of the CFP®️ Board of Standards. Students who complete the educational requirements are eligible to sit for the CFP Examination and are prepared for direct employment in financial services. Each course is offered asynchronously online over an eight-week accelerated class schedule.

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