DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS AND INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Major in International Business | Minor in International Business | Course Descriptions

CHAIR: William B. Green (936) 294-1265

FACULTY: Berg, Blackburne, Bumpass, Butler, Frank, Freeman, Hegwood, Miller, M. Muehsam, V. Muehsam, Nath, Samuels

Vision

To develop outstanding Economics, International Business, and Business Analysis programs with faculty that is recognized for excellence in instruction, research, and service.

Mission

To provide curricula that promote critical thinking skills and enhance decision making abilities, which help students become productive and informed citizens. Faculty will engage in research to create and disseminate new knowledge, develop quality-teaching skills, maintain high professional standards, and actively serve the University Community.

The Economics program is intended for students seeking a logical, ordered way of looking at business problems. The principles, approaches, and conclusions derived from the study of economics form the basis for developing sound policies in business, government, and personal life decisions. The study of economics is an effective way to prepare for several types of careers, including management training programs in corporations and financial institutions of all sizes; federal, state, and local government employment in administrative and staff positions dealing with analysis, planning, and control functions; analyst positions on corporate staffs; and graduate education in law,business, public administration, urban studies, and economics.

The International Business program is designed for students preparing for positions with business, government, or international agencies dealing with international trade and foreign investments. As a result of the growing importance of international trade in the world economy, domestic and multinational corporations face a growing need for employees with specialized training in matters relating to international trade. The study of international business is an effective way to prepare for several types of careers, including management training programs in domestic and multinational corporations; federal, state, and international agency employment in administrative and staff positions dealing with analysis, planning, and control functions; and graduate education in law, business, public administration, and economics.

Curriculum: Major In International Business¹

BACHELOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

Students majoring in International Business must have a minor. The requirement for the minor will be waived for International Business students who are pursuing either a double major (two majors from the College of Business Administration) or a double degree (a B.B.A. and a degree offered by one of the other colleges within Sam Houston State University). There are enough electives in the International Business program to earn a minor without adding additional hours to the program. The first and second years are the same as for a major in Economics.

CURRICULUM: MINOR IN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

A minor in International Business (30 or 33 hours) is available to all bachelor degree programs that permit a minor. The minor in International Business requires ACC 231, 232; ECO 230 (or 233 and 234), 480; FIN 367; MGT 380; MKT 371; 6 hours from FIN 471, GBA 465, MGT 4716 or MKT 4716, and 3 hours from ECO 335, 374, 463, or 468.

¹Transfer students must take at least 50% of the required business curriculum for the B.B.A. degree in residence at Sam Houston State University.

²Two four-hour laboratory science courses must be from two different departments: Biology (including ESC 147), Chemistry, Geography/Geology (the only geography course that satisfies a laboratory science requirement is GEO 131/111), or Physics.

³ Select from AGR 299*, ART 160, 161, 163, 260, DNC 131, 176, MUS 161, 264, 265, THR 160, 164, 166, 230, 231. Satisfies the Visual and Performing Arts requirement of Component Area 4 of the Core Curriculum (see pages 52-53 of this catalog).

⁴Select from BSL 236, Foreign Languages 263, 264, GEO 265, 266, HIS 265, 266, or SOC 168. Satisfies the Cultural Studies requirement of Component Area 4 of the Core Curriculum (see pages 52-53 of this catalog).

⁵ECO 463, FIN 471, GBA 465, and MGT 471 are typically offered ONLY in the fall semester. ECO 480, and MKT 471 (previously MKT 470) are typically offered ONLY in the spring semester. ECO 335, 374, or 468 are typically offered every third semester on a rotating basis (one each semester) each fall or spring semester. See an advisor for a schedule of course offerings.

⁶MKT 471 (previously MKT 470) and MGT 471 (International Management and Marketing) are dual listed courses. A student cannot receive academic credit for both MKT 471 and MGT 471.

⁷A minor in a supporting business field or a foreign language is strongly recommended. Employment opportunities in International Business are likely to be enhanced with foreign language skills. Students who have high school credits in a foreign language or who have otherwise developed a foreign language proficiency are encouraged to participate in the College Level Examination Program (CLEP). Acceptable scores on the CLEP examinations will allow students to earn up to 14 hours of foreign language credits in French, German, or Spanish.

*Subject to action by the Board of Regents, The Texas State University System, and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

BUSINESS ANALYSIS COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

BAN 232 BUSINESS ANALYSIS. An introduction to the use of quantitative business techniques. Topics include: organizing and presenting data, descriptive statistics, probability, discrete and continuous distributions, systems of equations, modeling, optimization procedures, and statistical inference. Prerequisite: MTH 199. Credit 3. (Taught each semester.)

BAN 363 INTERMEDIATE BUSINESS ANALYSIS. A continuation of BAN 232 and is designed to introduce the use of statistics as a business tool in the face of incomplete knowledge. Topics include: estimation, hypothesis testing, analysis of variance, goodness-of-fit measures, correlation, simple and multiple regression. Prerequisite: BAN 232. Credit 3. (Taught each semester.)

BAN 364 OPERATIONS RESEARCH. Quantitative methods used in the analysis of business problems. Topics include decision theory, linear programming, transportation and inventory models, Bayesian probability, and queuing theory. Prerequisite: BAN 232. Credit 3