Entrepreneurship, Technology, and Law

All programs offered by the Foster College of Business, Bradley University, are accredited by the AACSB International: The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

FACULTY Professors Hills, McGowan (chair), Perry; Associate Professors Marcum, Stephens; Assistant Professors Blair, Khan; Executive-in-Residence West.

The Department of Entrepreneurship, Technology, and Law curricula provide students with the educational experiences of reasoning, problem solving, and decision making so that they, through balanced programs, will be qualified to accept responsible positions in business and the public sector.

Specific departmental objectives include the following: (1) To give students the historical perspective necessary to understand the evolution of business in a global, social, political, economic, and technological environment; (2) To excite students about new ideas and knowledge; (3) To provide students with a basic understanding of entrepreneurship, information technology, and the legal environment of business,; (4) To develop well-informed individuals who understand their ethical and social responsibilities in business situations; (5) To enable students to understand the operation of our business and economic systems; (6) To develop the ability to think clearly, analyze carefully, and express thoughts and conclusions logically; and (7) To help students develop competence in a major field of study.

Students enrolling in the Department of Entrepreneurship, Technology, and Law must select and complete the requirements for one of the following majors: (1) entrepreneurship, (2) management and administration with a concentration in legal studies,  or (3) management information systems. The department also offers a minor in management information systems

Entrepreneurship Major

Bradley’s entrepreneurship program is ranked in the top 25 in the nation according to The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur Magazine (among over 2,000 schools reviewed).  The entrepreneurship major prepares students to create, own, manage, or work successfully in small and emerging businesses or to enhance opportunities in large organizations. Students learn how to research new product or service ideas, determine their feasibility, and develop business plans necessary to launch a business, a new product, or a new service. They develop the skills to operate a business once it is started, grow the business, and eventually sell it or pass it on to the next generation. The major helps students understand the functional areas of business and apply the theory to the unique situations found in small or growing ventures. Students with an entrepreneurship major are also prepared for careers in consulting, working within a family business setting or in large firms to assist them in discovering and exploiting opportunities. The objectives of the entrepreneurship major are to:

  1. Introduce students to the nature of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship.
  2. Expose students to the excitement and challenges of owning one's own business.
  3. Discover, evaluate and exploit opportunities.
  4. Develop the ability to analyze ideas for new products or services and determine their
    feasibility and commercialization potential.
  5. Develop the ability to produce a well-designed and credible business plan to use in
    soliciting external funding.
  6. Create an awareness of angel investing, venture capital, public offerings, and other
    methods of financing high-growth ventures.
  7. Develop the knowledge and skills needed to operate a business on a day-to-day basis.
  8. Understand the uniqueness of the functional areas of business as they relate specifically
    to small and emerging businesses.
  9. Provide opportunities for hands-on learning from emerging businesses through an
    optional entrepreneurship internship.

Requirements

Requirements for the entrepreneurship major are as follows:

  • BMA 280 Entrepreneurial Creativity
  • BMA 281 The Entrepreneurial Career
  • BMA 382 Entrepreneurship
  • BMA 383 Managing Entrepreneurial Growth
  • BMA/FIN 384 Entrepreneurial Finance or ATG 204 Cost Accounting
  • BMA 482 Entrepreneurial Experience
  • 6 hours chosen from the following courses:
    • BMA 357 Leadership and Interpersonal Behavior
    • BMA 385 Technology Entrepreneurship
    • BMA 386 Social Entrepreneurship
    • BMA 488 Internship in Entrepreneurship
    • BMA 489 Topics in Entrepreneurship
    • A course approved by department chair

Entrepreneurship majors must satisfactorily complete at least 15 hours of BMA-prefixed courses at Bradley University. Students should note that some courses are offered only once each year. Students should consult with their advisor to ensure that the correct courses are taken.

Typical Course Sequence

Freshman Year

  • BUS 100 Contemporary Business - 3 hrs.
  • ENG 101 English Composition - 3 hrs.
  • COM 103 Oral Communication Process - 3 hrs.
  • MTH 115 Brief Calculus - 4 hrs.
  • ATG 157 Accounting Principles - Financial - 3 hrs.
  • PSY 101 Principles of Psychology - 3 hrs.
  • BMA 281 The Entrepreneurial Career - 1 hr.
  • BMA 173 Information Systems Business Applications - 3 hrs.
  • General Education Courses - 9 hrs.

32 hours

Sophomore Year

Fall 

  • BMA 280 Entrepreneurial Creativity - 3 hrs.
  • ATG 158 Accounting Principles - Managerial - 3 hrs.
  • ECO 221 Principles of Microeconomics - 3 hrs.
  • QM 262 Quantitative Analysis I - 3 hrs.
  • General Education or Behavioral Science - 3 hrs.

15 hours

Spring

  • BMA 382 Entrepreneurship - 3 hrs.
  • BMA 250 Interpersonal Effectiveness in Organizations – 2 hrs.
  • BUS 220 Career Planning Strategies - 1 hr.
  • ECO 222 Principles of Macroeconomics - 3 hrs.
  • QM 263 Quantitative Analysis II - 3 hrs.
  • General Education, Behavioral Science or Elective Course outside FCBA - 3 hrs.

15 hours

Junior Year

Fall

  • BMA 350 Managing for Results in Organizations - 2 hrs.
  • BMA 342 Legal Environment of Business - 3 hrs.
  • IB 206 Introduction to International Business - 2 hrs.
  • MTG 315 Principles of Marketing - 3 hrs.
  • BMA 383 Managing Entrepreneurial Growth - 3 hrs.
  • General Education Courses or Elective Course outside FCBA - 3 hrs.

16 hours

Spring

  • FIN 322 Business Finance - 3 hrs.
  • ENG 300, 301, 304, or 306 - Advanced Writing - 3 hrs.
  • Third-Level Economics (any) - 3 hrs.
  • BMA 357 Leadership and Interpersonal Behavior or BMA 385 Technology Entrepreneurship or BMA 386 Social Entrepreneurship  - 3 hrs.
  • General Education Courses or Elective Course outside FCBA - 3 hrs.

15 hours

Senior Year

Fall

  • BMA 482 The Entrepreneurial Experience - 3 hrs.
  • BMA 353 Operations Management - 3 hrs.
  • BMA/FIN 384 Entrepreneurial Finance or ATG 204 Cost Accounting - 3 hrs.
  • Behavioral Science or Free Electives outside FCBA - 6 hrs.

15 hours

Spring

  • BMA 452 Strategic Management and Business Policy - 4 hrs.
  • BMA 357 Leadership and Interpersonal Behavior or BMA 385 Technology Entrepreneurship or BMA 386 Social Entrepreneurship  - 3 hrs
  • Behavioral Science or Free Electives outside FCBA - 9 hrs.

16 hours

Total: 124 hours

Management and Administration with a Concentration in Legal Studies Major

The management and administration with a concentration in legal studies major provides a solid grounding in the skills and concepts necessary to meet the complex and challenging tasks of management. Students who are uncertain as to their career goals will find that this major provides excellent preparation in business for a wide range of job opportunities. Additionally, students are well prepared for graduate-level business (MBA, DBA, PhD) or public administration (MPA) programs, law school, and other graduate school programs.

Requirements for Management with Legal Studies Concentration

    • BMA 342 Legal Environment of Business*
    • BMA 345 Law of Business
    • BMA 356 Human Resource Management*
    • BMA 357 Leadership and Interpersonal Behavior*
    • BMA 358 Managerial Decision Making*
    • BMA 395 Real Estate Principles
    • BMA 446 Employment Law
    • 3 hours of BMA elective courses
    • One of the following:
      • ECO 352 Industrial Organization*
      • ECO 362 Economics and Law*
      • PLS 317 International Law
      • PLS 459 Constitutional Law
      • PLS 460 Constitutional Law

Management with legal studies concentration majors must satisfactorily complete at least 15 hours of BMA-prefixed courses at Bradley University. Students should also note that some courses are offered only once each year.

The following sequences of courses are recommended for students majoring in management with legal studies concentration.

Freshman Year

  • BUS 100 Contemporary Business - 3 hrs.
  • ENG 101 English Composition - 3 hrs.
  • MTH 115 Brief Calculus with Applications I - 4 hrs.
  • ATG 157 Accounting Principles – Financial - 3 hrs.
  • COM 103 The Oral Communication Process - 3 hrs.
  • PSY 101 Principles of Psychology - 3 hrs.
  • General Education Courses  - 9 hrs.
  • BMA 173 Information Systems Business Applications - 3hrs.

31 hours

Sophomore Year

  • ATG 158 Accounting Principles – Managerial - 3 hrs.
  • BUS 220 Career Planning Strategies - 1 hr.
  • ECO 221, 222 Principles of Economics – 6 hrs.
  • QM 262, 263 Quantitative Analysis I and II – 6 hrs.    
  • BMA 250 Interpersonal Effectiveness in Organizations – 2 hrs.
  • BMA 350 Managing for Results in Organizations - 2 hrs. (need 42 hrs. completed)
  • IB 206 International Business – 2 hrs.
  • General Education, behavioral science, or elective course outside FCBA  - 9 hrs.

31 hours

Junior Year

Fall

  • BMA 342 Legal Environment of Business - 3 hrs.
  • BMA 357 Leadership & Interpersonal Behavior - 3 hrs.
  • FIN 322 Business Finance - 3 hrs.
  • MTG 315 Principles of Marketing - 3 hrs.
  • Behavioral Science or free elective course - 4 hrs.

16 hours

Spring

  • BMA 345 Law of Business* - 3 hrs.
  • BMA 356 Human Resource Management - 3 hrs.
  • ENG 300, 301, 304, 305, or 306 Advanced Writing - 3 hrs.
  • General Education, behavioral science, or elective course outside FCBA  - 6 hrs.

15 hours

Senior Year

Fall

  • BMA 353 Operations Management - 3 hrs.
  • BMA 358 Managerial Decision Making - 3 hrs.
  • BMA 395 Real Estate Principles* - 3 hrs.
  • BMA Elective - 3 hrs.
  • Free Elective outside FCBA - 3 hrs.

15 hours

Spring

  • BMA 446 Employment Law* - 3 hrs.
  • BMA 452 Strategic Management & Business Policy - 4 hrs.
  • *Choice of ECO 352, ECO 362, PLS 317, PLS 459, PLS 460 - 3 hrs.
  • ECO Jr.-Sr. elective or free elective outside FCBA - 6 hrs.

16 hours

Management Information Systems Major

Management information systems (MIS) is an exciting field that combines people skills with technical skills. The MIS major blends the fields of business and information technology. It enables students to be successful in developing appropriate business applications. Information is seen by business as an increasingly important resource. The MIS major teaches students how to manage this vital resource.

Graduates of the program can expect interesting and challenging job opportunities in a dynamic field. The MIS major can be a fast track to management positions or the basis for advanced graduate work. Typical graduates’ first jobs are in technical and information related fields or as consultants. After gaining experience, graduates develop new business applications as analysts and then assume management positions. This major prepares students for some of the nation’s fastest growing career opportunities such as systems analysis, computer networking, and business intelligence.

The MIS major differs from other “computer” majors in its emphasis on human aspects and business applications. While knowledge of computer systems is a large part of the program, a larger portion is devoted to getting the right job done.

  1. The major develops competence in a number of areas:
  2. the use of personal computers, large computers, and other technological resources,
  3. managing information technology to achieve the goals of the organization,
  4. programming in a variety of languages used in business, and
  5. the quantitative skills needed for problem solving and decision making.

Departmental requirements for the management information systems major are as follows:

  • Three programming courses:
    • BMA 276 Developing Info. Systems for E-commerce
    • One of the following sequences: BMA 175 & BMA/CIS 275 or & CS 101 & CS 102
  • BMA 272 Management Applications of Personal Computers
  • BMA 375 Business Systems Analysis and Design
  • BMA 478 Implementing Business Computer Systems
  • BMA 373 Business Data Communications or BMA 374 Database Management and Administration
  • In addition to the requirements above, two of the following:
    •    BMA 357 Leadership and Interpersonal Behavior
    •    BMA 373 Business Data Communications
    •    BMA 374 Database Management and Administration
    •    BMA 378 HCI & Usability Testing
    •    BMA 379 Information Security

A recommended course sequence for management information systems, Foster College of Business Administration, and general education courses follows. Management information systems majors must satisfactorily complete at least 15 hours of BMA-prefixed courses at Bradley University. Elective courses should be chosen with care to ensure that University general education and Foster College of Business Administration requirements are met. Management information systems majors should consult with their advisor when preparing their academic schedules.

Freshman Year

  • ENG 101 English Composition - 3 hrs.
  • BUS 100 Contemporary Business - 3 hrs.
  • MTH 115 Brief Calculus with Applications I - 4 hrs.
  • ATG 157 Accounting Principles – Financial - 3 hrs.
  • COM 103 The Oral Communication Process - 3 hrs.
  • BMA 173 Information Systems Business Applications - 3 hrs.
  • BMA/CIS 175 Intro. to Developing Business Applications - 3 hrs.
  • BMA/CIS 275 Business Applications Using Visual Basic - 3 hrs.
  • General Education Courses - 6 hrs.

31 hours

Sophomore Year

  • ATG 158 Accounting Principles – Managerial - 3 hrs.
  • ECO 221, 222 Principles of Economics - 6 hrs.
  • QM 262, 263 Quantitative Analysis I and II - 6 hrs.
  • BMA 272 Mgt. Applications of Personal Computers - 3 hrs.
  • BMA 276 Developing Info. Systems for E-commerce - 3 hrs.
  • BUS 220 Career Planning Strategies - 1 hr.
  • IB 206 International Business – 2 hrs.
  • General Education and Behavioral Science Courses  - 7 hrs.

31 hours

Junior Year

  • ENG 300, 301, 304, 305, or 306 Advanced Writing - 3 hrs.
  • FIN 322 Business Finance - 3 hrs.
  • BMA 342 Legal Environment of Business - 3 hrs.
  • BMA 250 Interpersonal Effectiveness in Organizations – 2 hrs.
  • BMA 350 Managing for Results in Organizations - 2 hrs.  
  • BMA 373 Business Data Communications or BMA 374 Database Management and Administration - 3 hrs.
  • BMA 375 Business Systems Analysis and Design - 3 hrs.
  • MTG 315 Principles of Marketing - 3 hrs.
  • General education, behavioral science, and free elective courses outside FCBA - 9 hrs.

31 hours

Senior Year

  • BMA 353 Operations Management - 3 hrs.
  • Two courses from: BMA 357, 373, 374, 378 or 379 - 6 hrs.
  • BMA 452 Strategic Management and Business Policy - 4 hrs.
  • BMA 478 Implementing Business Computer Systems - 3 hrs.
  • Economics Junior-Senior Elective - 3 hrs.
  • General Education, behavioral science, or elective course outside FCBA  - 12 hrs.

31 hours

Management Information Systems Minor

A minor in management information systems will provide an opportunity for students to enhance their knowledge and credentials in the use and development of computer software and/or hardware. The minor will provide students with an opportunity to be employed in the IS field, give them the skills that will make them the ideal liaison between IS professionals and experts in other functional areas of an organization, and the technological base to become valuable “power users” of essential software applications, such as spreadsheets, databases, and e-commerce tools. The minor will allow the student to develop focused expertise in one of the distinct fields that comprise the breadth of the information systems professional. The minor is open to all majors across campus.

The minor requires 15 hours.

Required courses

  • BMA 173 Information Systems and Business Applications – 3 hrs.
  • BMA 272 Management Applications of Personal Computers - 3 hrs.
  • BMA 276 Developing Information Systems for E-Commerce - 3 hrs.

Elective Courses (choose two from the following)

  • BMA 373 Business Data Communications - 3 hrs.
  • BMA 374 Database Management and Administration - 3 hrs.
  • BMA 375 Business Systems Analysis and Design - 3 hrs.
  • BMA 378 HCI and Usability Testing - 3 hrs.
  • BMA 379 Information Systems Security - 3 hrs. 

This is the official catalog for the 2013-2014 academic year. This catalog serves as a contract between a student and Bradley University. Should changes in a program of study become necessary prior to the next academic year every effort will be made to keep students advised of any such changes via the Dean of the College or Chair of the Department concerned, the Registrar's Office, u.Achieve degree audit system, and the Schedule of Classes. It is the responsibility of each student to be aware of the current program and graduation requirements for particular degree programs.