Program Learning Objectives

The Business Administration Program has a long standing reputation of quality education in West Virginias and southern West Virginia, in particular. Program graduates have found and achieved success in professional positions, locally, regionally, and at the national level.

A regular cycle of Academic Program Review is conducted to assess the business administration degree program. The faculty examines curriculum, course content, and learning outcomes to ensure appropriateness in the context of learning requirements and provides the review to Department stakeholders.

The assessments take place in several classes including Strategic Management, Business Productivity Software, Business Ethics, Business Communications, and International Business. It is expected that 80% of students achieve a 70% (Satisfactory) or greater on each objective.

Click here for the Department’s current Program Assessment Plan.

Systematically apply tools of quantitative analysis and modeling to make recommendations and business decisions.

OBJECTIVE: Students will

  1. Use technology resources to design, develop, and present information.
  2. Employ technology resources to conduct research, analyze data, solve problems, synthesize information and make decisions.
  3. Effectively locate, organize and manage data using the appropriate computer software.
Criteria Points
OBJECTIVE 1 2 3
Use technology resources to design, develop, and present information. Presents information using limited technology resources. Demonstrates use of technology to develop and present information. Demonstrates appropriate use of technology to design, develop, and present information effectively and in a professional manner.
Employ technology resources to conduct research, solve problems, synthesize information and/or make decisions. Demonstrates a limited understanding of technology and finds little information to help make decisions. Demonstrates ability to select appropriate research databases and a basic knowledge of how to use them. Demonstrates ability to select an appropriate mix of research databases and other resources, using them competently in an integrated search strategy to solve problems and make decisions.
Effectively organize and manage data using the appropriate computer software. Demonstrates a limited ability to use several basic computer technologies. Demonstrates ability to use many of the basic computer technologies with a limited understanding of all of their features and capabilities. Demonstrates ability to use appropriate technology to organize and manage data without error, using its multiple features and capabilities.
Total

Technological Competence Data 2015-2018

Communicate effectively in a wide variety of business settings employing multiple communication media.

OBJECTIVES: Students will

  1. Use standard English which is mechanically and grammatically correct.
  2. Compose communication that reflects understanding appropriate terminology and business concepts.
  3. Produce documents in appropriate format.
  4. Reflect understanding of audience and situational analysis.
  5. Compose communication that differentiates the writer’s voice from primary and secondary sources (plagiarism).
Criteria Points
OBJECTIVE 1 2 3
Use standard English which is mechanically and grammatically correct Numerous errors Very few errors No errors
Compose communication that reflects understanding appropriate terminology and business concepts Shows minimal or no understanding of appropriate terminology and business concepts Shows substantial understanding of appropriate terminology and business concepts Shows full understanding of the appropriate terminology and business concepts
Produces documents in appropriate format Style absent or mixed Critical components not fully developed All critical components well developed
Reflects understanding of audience and situational analysis Shows minimal or no understanding of audience or situation Substantial understanding of audience and situation Shows full understanding of the audience and situation
Compose communication that differentiates the author’s voice from primary and secondary sources (no plagiarism) Content is paraphrased representing the writer’s voice and is correctly cited using the appropriate research style.
Total

Effective Written Communication Data 2015-2018

Recognize ethical issues and discern the tradeoffs and implications of applying various ethical frameworks when making business decisions.

OBJECTIVES: Students will

  1. Identify ethical issues.
  2. Enumerate consequences of unethical behavior.
  3. Propose solutions to ethical problems.
  4. Provide reasons for behaving ethically.
Criteria Points
OBJECTIVES 1 2 3
Identify ethical issues Issues not identified or unintelligible Correctly explains the issues but doesn’t  provide in-depth understanding Correctly enumerates issues and provide explanation of issues
Enumerate consequences of unethical behavior to stakeholders None listed or those listed do not relate to the ethical issue Enumerates 1-2 consequences only Enumerates all consequences of behavior discussed in class
Propose recommendations to resolve ethical problems Identify recommendations that do not relate to the ethical problem resolution Explains recommendations relating to the ethical problem resolution Differentiates recommendations that address the ethical problem resolution
Develop evaluation process for and provide reasons for behaving ethically Shows little knowledge of how to evaluation and solve ethic problems Shows some ability to evaluate ethical issues and provides some recommendations for solving them Is able to evaluate ethical issues in terms of their effect on many stakeholders, and can provide rational reasons for behaving ethically (forecasts the consequences of the decision)
Total

Ethical Awareness Data 2015-2018

Become familiar with major economic, social, political, and technological trends and conditions that influence the development of the global economy and demonstrate competence in the cultural, interpersonal and analytical dimensions of international business.

OBJECTIVES: Students will

  1. Develop basic knowledge of their own cultural rules and biases, and knowledge of cultural values, attributions, and perceptions of others.
  2. Demonstrate an understanding of the challenges and concerns faced by managers in multicultural organizations.
  3. Recognize cultural differences in both verbal and nonverbal communication and be able to communicate effectively with individuals from other cultures.
  4. Express curiosity and openness toward individuals who are culturally different from themselves.
Criteria Points
LEARNING
OBJECTIVES		 1 Unsatisfactory 2 Satisfactory 3 Proficient
Recognize their own cultural rules and biases, and knowledge of cultural values, attributions, and perceptions of others. Students show minimal awareness of their own cultural rules and biases and are uncomfortable with cultural differences between themselves and others Students can recognize and explain some of their own cultural biases and are fairly comfortable with cultural differences between themselves and others Students can articulate insights into their own cultural rules and biases and are aware of how to recognize and respond to their cultural biases
Demonstrate knowledge about the challenges and concerns faced by managers in multicultural organizations. Students cannot explain how culture influences global managers Students can explain some elements of culture’s influence on global managers and their ability to effectively manage in the global environment Students can explain in detail how culture influences global managers and their ability to effectively manage in the global environment
Identify cultural differences in both verbal and nonverbal communication and be able to communicate effectively with individuals from other cultures. Students are unable to describe cultural differences in verbal or nonverbal communication, and are unable to communicate well with individuals from other cultures Students can describe simple cultural differences in verbal and nonverbal communication and are somewhat able to communicate with individuals from other cultures Students can describe in complex cultural differences in verbal and nonverbal communication and are able to communicate effectively with individuals from other cultures
Express curiosity and openness toward individuals who are culturally different from themselves. Students show little interest in other cultures and little concern for interacting with individuals from other cultures Students ask simple questions about other cultures and show some curiosity toward some other cultural perspectives Students ask complex questions about other cultures and search for answers that reflect multiple cultural perspectives
Total
  • To be initially/benchmarked measured in Principles of Macroeconomics (ECON 203)
  • Second measurement in International Business (BGEN 412)

Globalization and Intercultural Sensitivity Data 2015-2018

Evaluate and make business decisions taking into account the interdependent relationships among competitive and environmental conditions, organizational resources, and the major functional areas of business.

Overall core business knowledge is reinforced throughout the program but is accessed through the capstone Strategic Management course and through the use of the internship opportunity. Students are advised to take the Strategic Management course in their final semester before graduation. Strategic Management incorporates two nationally recognized assessment measures; Capsim and the ETS Major Fields Test.

Capsim is an industry leader in business simulation technology used for the development and assessment for business acumen by exposing them to concepts. Our students have scored mostly at the benchmark level or even above. Students in their capstone course experience what it is like to manage a business by exposure to concepts and terminology in an engaging simulated environment. Students are responsible for making decisions in the following core business areas: marketing, R&D, production, finance, HR, market segments, and TQM.

ETS Major Fields Test is administered to students also during their final semester before graduation. This exam is a national competency exam evaluating students on their mastery of their field of study and evaluate their ability to analyze and solve problems, understand relationships, and interpret material from the business environment. The exam tests in eight Assessment Indicators or fields in business. These included Accounting, Economics, Management, Quantitative Business Analysis, Finance, Marketing, Legal and Social Environment, and International Issues. As indicated in the table below, our students have scored mostly at the benchmark level or above in the majority of the eight Assessment knowledge areas.

Core Business Knowledge Data 2015-2018

Identify and evaluate implications of business decisions for organizational stakeholders and the natural environment

OBJECTIVES: Students will

  1. clearly identify and articulate a problem.
  2. identify possible solution strategies for solving the problem.
  3. gather relevant information and data.
  4. correctly solve the problem.
Criteria Points
OBJECTIVE 1 2 3
Clearly identify and articulate a problem Identifies or partially identifies the problem Correctly dissects the problem into sub-problems or pieces Prioritizes sub-problems and formulates possible solutions
Identify possible solution strategies for solving the problem Identifies some factors needed to solve the problem Illustrate most important criteria needed to address the problem Applies criteria needed for assessing the problem
Gather relevant information and data Identifies where to find information Distinguishes among appropriate information sources Gathers all necessary information and understands how to use it
Correctly solve the problem Displays minimal comprehension of the solution Determines viable solutions Correctly and critically develops the optimal solution
Total