Graduate Certificate Programs
Accountancy
This certificate is intended for individuals who do not have an undergraduate business degree in accounting, as preparation for careers in various accounting fields. Students take four required courses and complete pre-program requirements as needed. Prerequisites must be satisfied for all courses. The GMAT requirement is waived for certificate applicants who have passed the CPA exam, or received an MBA from an institution that required the GMAT for admission. Students must complete all requirements within five years.
Required Courses
Students without two semesters of intermediate accounting and one semester of cost accounting may be required to take the following courses:
AC611 Financial Accounting Problems I
Deals with the measurement and reporting problems of various asset and liability accounts, revenues and expenses, and the preparation and interpretation of financial statements at the intermediate financial accounting level. Pronouncements of the AICPA, FASB and other authoritative sources are used in instruction.
AC612 Financial Accounting Problems II
Builds upon the areas covered in AC 611 and deals with problems in accounting for items such as corporate debt and investments, pension plans, leases, and income tax allocation at the intermediate financial accounting level. Pronouncements of the AICPA, FASB and other authoritative sources are an integral part of this course.
AC621 Cost Accounting
Covers basic concepts and techniques of cost accounting. Topics include cost accumulation procedures, cost-volume-profit analysis, and operational budgeting. Explores the analysis and presentation of information from a behavioral as well as a quantitative perspective.
Required Courses
AC730 Business Processes and Systems Assessment
Examines typical organizational business processes and the information technology that enables those processes. Reviews qualities of information, including those established by authoritative bodies, to assess the ability of information systems to support the business processes and an organization's management. Focuses on financial and accounting information systems (AIS) and explores several typical AIS application areas. Issues addressed include the effect of emerging technologies on business processes and their related information systems; control issues pertaining to these systems; and the implications of technology-enabled organizational changes on systems design, implementation and management. Students will be introduced to state-of-the-art tools and techniques for examining business processes and information systems and will engage in a project at a company site.
AC741 Financial Statement Auditing
This course is designed to provide a foundation in financial statement auditing. Class sessions cover the economic and social justifications for auditing; the connections between enterprise strategy, business processes, business risks, financial measures, and the audit; the role of internal control in auditing; the technical details of audit planning, testing, and reporting; and the social responsibility of the auditor. Investors, analysts, and the public face a significant problem in assessing the quality of the financial information that an enterprise reports as it goes about its activities. Arguably, these parties can make better decisions if they can trust the executives and management of the enterprise and if they are reasonably sure that the information they encounter is of high quality. One way to gain both that trust and that assurance is by examining the quality of the information through the process of financial statement auditing.
AC750 Federal Income Taxation
Examines individuals, C corporations, S corporations, and partnerships as taxable entities. Topics include the philosophy of taxation, income determination, deductions and credits, acquisition and disposition of property, and related gains and losses. Additional topics, including distribution from and liquidation of business entities, tax planning, and tax research, may be covered.
AC793 Professional Accounting Research and Policy
Introduces graduate students to professional accounting research. Focuses on how research can help address measurement, uniformity and disclosure issues that regularly arise in business. Reviews and critiques research works and their implications for the practice of accounting. Investigates ethical perspectives and emerging professional issues. Evaluates policy formulation of professional accounting standards and their impact on business reporting. Students research, analyze, develop and present proposed solutions to accounting and related business cases found in practice using modern information technology resources.
Business Analytics
The concentration in Business Analytics is designed for professionals looking to gain a competitive advantage through the sound use of data resources. The concentration provides a solid grounding in applied statistical methods with emphasis on the use of appropriate software tools. The elective courses give students the opportunity to see how these methods are used in current practice in a particular business area. Exposure to real data takes places in courses in the concentration, in an optional internship, and in other courses in the curriculum where students with quantitative skills often fill vital roles in group consulting projects. The GMAT requirement is waived for certificate applicants who have received an MBA from an institution that required the GMAT for admission. Students must complete all requirements within four years.
Required Courses
ST625 Quantitative Analysis for Business and Finance
This course provides students with an in depth coverage of regression methods and an introduction to the anaylsis of time series data. Topics include simple and multiple linear regression techniques, the use of transformations such as squares and logarithms, interactions, heteroscedasticity and multicollinearity. Issues with outlying and influential observations are also covered.The art and science of model building are demonstrated with the help of practical applications from business and finance. An introduction to autocorrelation and the modeling of time series is provided. The course utilizes statistical packages such as SAS and SPSS.
ST635 Intermediate Statistical Modeling for Business
The course focuses on modeling situations dependent on multiple variables, as commonly found in many business applications. The issues addressed include: How do we predict who is more likely to respond to a direct mail offer? How can we identify important segments in our customer base? How do we summarize large sets of variables? A central objective of the course is for participants to be able to determine the appropriate multivariate methodology based on the anaylsis objectives and available data, carry out the analysis and interpret the results. Typical topics include logistic regression, cluster analysis, factor analysis, decision trees and other multivariate topics as time permits. The course utilizes statistical packages such as SPS and SPSS.
Elective Courses (select two)
METHODOLOGY
At least one from the following methodology courses; although students may not take both EC 621 and MA 611.
EC621 Business and Economic Forecasting
Presents a range of concepts useful for business, economic and financial forecasting. Introduces the types of forecasts required, simple time-series models, data series smoothing techniques, trend-line fitting and forecasting, linear regression time-series forecasts and Box-Jenkins models. Examines the selection of appropriate techniques in various business situations and utilizes selected software for business forecasting.
MA611 Time Series Analysis
The course examines methods for analyzing financial time series. In most times series, observations from different times periods are correlated, which require a treatment that is different from usual regression analysis methods. The course reviews regression and covers smoothing and decomposition time-series models, Box-Jenkins analysis and its extensions, and other modeling techniques commonly used in business and finance, such as quantile estimation and value at risk.The course utilizes the R statistics platform.
MA710 Data Mining
This course will introduce participants to the most recent data mining techniques, with an emphasis on: getting a general understanding of how the method works, understanding how to perform the analysis using suitable available software, understanding how to interpret the results in a business research context, and developing the capacity to critically read published research articles which make use of the technique. Contents may vary according to the interest of participants.
Topics may include decision trees, neural nets,self organizing (Kohonen) maps, multiple adaptive regression splines (MARS), genetic algorithms, association (also known as market basket) analysis, web mining and text mining, and social networks anaylsis..
MK726 Customer Data Analysis and Relationship Marketing
Focuses on the analysis of customer data as the primary input to developing strategies for relationship marketing. Examines customer acquisition and retention, segmentation, customer loyalty, lifetime-value analysis of the customer, and direct-response modeling - all as part of customer relationship marketing strategy. Hands-on experience in data analysis receives heavy emphasis.
APPLICATION
Plus two or more courses from the above list or the following application courses:
CS605 Data Management and Systems Modeling
This course teaches proven techniques for modeling system requirements and managing organizational data resources, with a strong focus on data management. Students will learn how to discover and document database requirements, functional system requirements, and user interface requirements. Techniques covered in this course include entity-relationship modeling for data analysis, functional dependency and normalization for the logical design of the database, Structured Query Language (SQL) for data management, and use cases for requirements specification.
CS753 Data Warehousing and Data Mining
This course is designed to expand students' knowledge and skills gained in database management courses and look in depth at data warehousing and data mining methods. The course examines the database architecture and technologies required for solving complex problems of data and information management, information retrieval, and knowledge discovery facing modern organizations. Case studies of organizations using these technologies to support business intelligence gathering and decision making are examined. This course also provides hands-on experience with state-of-the-art data warehousing and data mining methods and tools.
EC611 The Macroeconomics of Financial Markets
Explores the links between the macroeconomy and financial markets. We begin by developing a model of the macroeconomy. We will then cover the basic asset valuation models. The remainder of the semester will explore how changes in the macroeconomy affect stock, bond, foreign exchange, and derivatives markets, as well as how these markets in turn impact the macroeconomy.
EC631 Market Structure and Firm Strategy
Examines industry organization and the nature of interfirm rivalry within contemporary market environments. Develops microeconomic tools for determining the degree and nature of competition in an industry. Presents economic models of market structure and firm behavior to explain industry performance. Analyzes market definition using scale economies, merger activity, entry barriers, and cartelization. Investigates strategic firm behavior within well-defined markets. Addresses competitive strategies such as profit maximization, price discrimination, product differentiation, and advertising. Includes a game theoretical approach to demonstrate firm interdependence. Employs a variety of industry case studies to provide institutional context to the analytical issues.
MK711 Marketing Research and Analysis
Focuses on the development of questionnaires and other vehicles for collecting marketing data, the methodology for analyzing these data (with the use of sophisticated statistical software), and reaching conclusions based on the analyses. Real-world questionnaires and real-world data are utilized.
ST701 Internship in Business Data Analysis
This course provides an opportunity for students to apply quantitative and data analysis skills in a live employment environment, serving as a quantitative analyst. With help from the internship coordinator, students identify a suitable internship and meet regularly with the internship coordinator. Students prepare a paper that discusses the internship experience and demonstrates at least one specific case analyzed during the internship period.
Business Ethics
This certificate helps students learn more about ethical thinking in business contexts, and develops the skills and expertise needed to work with an organizational ethics office or program. Students complete two required courses and two elective courses; prerequisites must be satisfied for all courses. The GMAT requirement is waived for certificate applicants who have received an MBA from an institution that required the GMAT for admission. Students must complete all requirements within four years.
Required Courses
ETH700 Ethical Issues in Corporate Life
Introduces principles of ethical thinking and applies them to situations and models for business decision-making. Explores and analyzes business ethics issues relating to the nature of the corporation, work in the corporation, the corporation and society, and the development of the corporate culture. Provides a conceptual and systematic study of corporate ethics in an effort to develop consistent criteria for business ethics decision-making.
Plus one of the following:
ETH750 Managing Ethics in Organizations
Most major American corporations today have developed ethics and compliance programs, not only to meet regulatory requirements, but also to strengthen the ethical culture of the organization and the values upon which the organization is based. Perhaps the newest American business profession is the corporate ethics officer, the new CEO on the block. These ethics officers manage the corporate ethics and compliance programs which will be the highlight of discussions in this course. The course will be taught by a team of faculty made up of corporate ethics officers from major American companies, nationally known consultants and leading academics in the field of business ethics. The course will contain some theory, especially related to ethical decision-making, but will emphasize practical experiences and lessons in how to successfully set up and manage ethics programs in organizations which recognize that business without ethics is business at risk.
ETH810 Research in Business Ethics
Allows students to develop specialized knowledge in business ethics by structuring and completing a faculty-supervised research project. This area of investigation is proposed in writing to a faculty supervisor by the student and must be approved by the supervisor and the program director. Students demonstrate research skills and technical competence through the presentation of a written report outlining the nature and significance of the project chosen and the resulting conclusions. The project may be completed in conjunction with an internship in a sponsoring company that has an ethics program.
Elective Courses (choose two)
AC766 Risk and Performance Measurement
The course presents techniques for identifying and measuring business risk and for devising strategies incorporating risk analysis into strategic planning. Provides students with a framework to develop a company's enterprise risk management process. The course ties strategic objectives, risks, internal controls, and critical success factors to business performance measurements to evaluate an entity's progress toward achieving strategic goals. Students investigate the design and implementation of a performance measurement system based on the entity's strategic plan, identifying relevant leading indicators and appropriate industry benchmarks. A comprehensive project provides students with experience in designing or evaluating a company's risk management system.
ETH701 Internship in Business Ethics
A three credit field-based educational experience for Bentley graduate students that provides the opportunity to (1) observe ethics and compliance practices, (2) apply and test hands-on the ethics/value concepts and methods learned in classes, (3) develop leadership skills, (4) test aptitude and personal preferences for various career directions, and (5) establish a basis for future professional employment. In order to receive academic credit, students must work 12-14 weeks at an organization suitable for the individual student's field learning experience, and complete specific requirements during the internship, demonstrating the ability to apply and integrate business ethics strategies and concepts.
ETH750 Managing Ethics in Organizations
Most major American corporations today have developed ethics and compliance programs, not only to meet regulatory requirements, but also to strengthen the ethical culture of the organization and the values upon which the organization is based. Perhaps the newest American business profession is the corporate ethics officer, the new CEO on the block. These ethics officers manage the corporate ethics and compliance programs which will be the highlight of discussions in this course. The course will be taught by a team of faculty made up of corporate ethics officers from major American companies, nationally known consultants and leading academics in the field of business ethics. The course will contain some theory, especially related to ethical decision-making, but will emphasize practical experiences and lessons in how to successfully set up and manage ethics programs in organizations which recognize that business without ethics is business at risk.
ETH810 Research in Business Ethics
Allows students to develop specialized knowledge in business ethics by structuring and completing a faculty-supervised research project. This area of investigation is proposed in writing to a faculty supervisor by the student and must be approved by the supervisor and the program director. Students demonstrate research skills and technical competence through the presentation of a written report outlining the nature and significance of the project chosen and the resulting conclusions. The project may be completed in conjunction with an internship in a sponsoring company that has an ethics program.
IPM723 Information Security, Controls and Ethics
This course presents an overview of information security issues that must be addressed by organizations in today's ubiquitously networked environments. Specific coverage will include information security risks and related protection of data, networks and application software. While the primary focus is on how to protect organizational information assets, other topics will include strategic uses of security in business, the impact of security risk on various industries as well as the security and privacy rights and responsibilities of end users and home computer operators. The course is designed to help students think critically about the local, national and global information security issues in our highly networked society.
LA720 Law and Ethics
Today managers are expected to make decisions that comply with legal principles and ethical theories. This course is designed to increase manager awareness of legal and regulatory controls that impact their business dealings with government agencies, consumers, employees, competitors, investors, and the general public. Using a review of court cases, business case examples, and ethical readings, the course will help managers to identify and deal with major legal issues, to avoid potential legal liability, and to maintain ethical integrity in a competitive global marketplace. Topics will include applied ethics, business torts and crimes, consumer protection, product liability, equal employment opportunity, securities regulation, and antitrust law.
MG630 Interpersonal Behavior in Management
Develops a conceptual foundation in the theory of interpersonal dynamics. Considers such topics as perception, personality, attitudes and interpersonal communication. Applies these models of interpersonal behavior to managerial and organizational issues. Enhances interpersonal competence, especially listening and assertiveness skills.
MG645 Managing Organizational Change
Views change as an adaptive process that can affect organizational structure, design and technology, as well as group and interpersonal processes. Devotes attention to such consulting skills as assessing the need for change, developing intervention strategies, understanding and managing resistance, and assessing the impact of various changes on the organization.
MG656 Managing Human Resources in a Customer-Focused Environment
Every organization, be it private or public, for profit or not-for-profit, spends considerable time, effort, and money training supervisors and managers how to be effective managers of employees in a customer-focused environment where the emphasis is on understanding and satisfying the needs of the customer. While each organization has some unique practices, requirements, and contexts to learn, most of the basic management theories and practices are applicable to all organizations. As all organizations have customers in one form or another, they can all be considered to need a customer focused environment. Basic principles of interpersonal relations, legal compliance, financial accountability and customer focused organizational culture and behaviors are the foundation for how managers do their work. This course provides and understanding of assessing, managing, motivating and rewarding employees so that managers can be more effective in a customer-focused culture.
MG661 International Management Behavior
This course contributes to the development of knowledge and skills needed to manage effectively in international environments and/or to work effectively with people from other cultures. Students will develop an awareness of the pervasive and hidden influence of culture on behavior, particularly with respect to management and management practices; become familiar with the types of situations and issues which managers often confront when working internationally; and gain an appreciation for the impact on personal behavior of living and working in another culture. This course is concerned with understanding differences in behavior which stem from diverse national cultures and developing tools for effectively managing those differences. The readings, cases and exercises have been chosen to focus students' attention on effective international behavior - their own as well as that of others.
MG670 Managing in a Diverse Workplace
Addresses the knowledge, skills and attitudes managers need to fully employ all the resources of the increasingly diverse work force emerging in the United States today. Examines in depth the dynamics of gender and race in the workplace, in the context of exploring how people who are different from each other can work together effectively. Investigates the impact of diversity on individuals, groups and the organization as a whole.
MG671 Management of the Transnational Corporation
This course focuses on the management challenges associated with developing strategies and managing the operations of companies whose activities encompass more than one nation. The course analyzes the internationalization process in small, medium and large corporations, compares and contrasts different internationalization strategies, examines managing political risk and ethical issues in international business, and studies functional management of the transnational corporation (e.g., financial management, marketing management and human resource management).
Fraud and Forensic Accounting
This five course certificate is intended for individuals who have an undergraduate business degree and are interested in this emerging area of the accounting profession. Students in this certificate build on basic accounting knowledge to develop skills in fraud investigation and forensic accounting procedures, enabling them to serve as an investigator, expert witness or litigation consultant. Prerequisites must be satisfied for all courses. The GMAT requirement is waived for certificate applicants who have passed the CPA exam, or received an MBA from an institution that required the GMAT for admission. Students must complete all requirements within five years.
Foundation Work
Students with a limited accounting background may be required to take the following course:
AC611 Financial Accounting Problems I
Deals with the measurement and reporting problems of various asset and liability accounts, revenues and expenses, and the preparation and interpretation of financial statements at the intermediate financial accounting level. Pronouncements of the AICPA, FASB and other authoritative sources are used in instruction.
Required Courses
AC730 Business Processes and Systems Assessment
Examines typical organizational business processes and the information technology that enables those processes. Reviews qualities of information, including those established by authoritative bodies, to assess the ability of information systems to support the business processes and an organization's management. Focuses on financial and accounting information systems (AIS) and explores several typical AIS application areas. Issues addressed include the effect of emerging technologies on business processes and their related information systems; control issues pertaining to these systems; and the implications of technology-enabled organizational changes on systems design, implementation and management. Students will be introduced to state-of-the-art tools and techniques for examining business processes and information systems and will engage in a project at a company site.
AC741 Financial Statement Auditing
This course is designed to provide a foundation in financial statement auditing. Class sessions cover the economic and social justifications for auditing; the connections between enterprise strategy, business processes, business risks, financial measures, and the audit; the role of internal control in auditing; the technical details of audit planning, testing, and reporting; and the social responsibility of the auditor. Investors, analysts, and the public face a significant problem in assessing the quality of the financial information that an enterprise reports as it goes about its activities. Arguably, these parties can make better decisions if they can trust the executives and management of the enterprise and if they are reasonably sure that the information they encounter is of high quality. One way to gain both that trust and that assurance is by examining the quality of the information through the process of financial statement auditing.
AC772 Principles of Fraud Investigation
Exposes students to the environment of financial fraud, with a focus on asset misappropriation and fraud perpetrated against the organization. Explores the prevailing theories of criminal behavior related to white collar crime, as well as the basics of the regulatory, criminal justice and civil justice systems, relevant federal and state statutes and regulations, and common law related to fraud. Covers fraud prevention, and detection and investigation tools related to asset misappropriation. Also introduces the digital environment of fraud, including identity theft, cyber crimes and internet forensics.
AC773 Fraud and Forensic Accounting
Focuses on complex frauds (including financial statement fraud, tax fraud and money laundering), and on non-fraud forensic accounting engagements (including cases of patent infringement, commercial damages, and anti-trust.) Covers related investigation methods and legal issues, valuation models, reporting and communicating findings, testifying as an expert witness, and other litigation advisory services.
Elective Courses (choose one)
AC701 Internship in Accounting Practice
Affords students the opportunity to enhance self-realization and direction by integrating prior classroom study with experience in professional employment. Each student is required to prepare a research paper addressing a contemporary accounting issue and a paper on the work experience, under the supervision of a faculty adviser.
AC742 IT Auditing
Introduces three typical aspects of information technology (IT) audits: the audits of computerized information systems, the computer facility, and the process of developing and implementing information systems. Through readings, case studies, exercises, and discussion, students will learn to plan, conduct, and report on these three types of IT audits. Additional topics may include challenges posed by emerging information technologies, advanced audit software, business continuity planning, and the role of the IT auditor as an advisor to management.
AC744 Internal Auditing
Explores in detail the duties and responsibilities of the internal auditor. Topics covered include the organization of the internal audit department, staff qualifications and development, long- and short-range audit plans, and the elements of internal auditing (i.e., preliminary survey, audit programs, fieldwork activities, reporting and management review).
IPM723 Information Security, Controls and Ethics
This course presents an overview of information security issues that must be addressed by organizations in today's ubiquitously networked environments. Specific coverage will include information security risks and related protection of data, networks and application software. While the primary focus is on how to protect organizational information assets, other topics will include strategic uses of security in business, the impact of security risk on various industries as well as the security and privacy rights and responsibilities of end users and home computer operators. The course is designed to help students think critically about the local, national and global information security issues in our highly networked society.
LA701 Business Law
Deals with the laws pertaining to business associations, such as partnerships (limited and general), corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships, and limited partnerships, franchises and joint ventures. Topics include the law of contracts and agency as they relate to business associations. Discussion also focuses on the international applications of these laws. Students develop a comprehensive working knowledge of the Uniform Commercial Code as it relates to the law of sales, commercial paper (including the impact on the law of banking) and secured transactions. Leading case decisions as well as statutory law such as the Uniform Partnership Act, Uniform Limited Partnership Act, and the Uniform Commercial Code are examined.
LA725 Cyberlaw
Electronic commerce has changed the laws relative to doing business in the online environment. This course will discuss and explain the latest cyberlaws that have developed by court decision, federal statutes and administrative rulings. Its major focus will be on such legal topics as online privacy policies relative to company e-mail, database information, and business computer use. Trademarks and copyright online protection will be discussed, including the new Federal Trademark Dilution Act and its protection against domain name infringements. Taxation on online sales and transactions and the Internet Tax Freedom Act will be explained and discussed. Defamation of character on a company bulletin board service will be discussed as well as other legal issues relative to a commercial web site. The course will analyze a number of web sites from a legal perspective to include the liability of the Internet service provider, the web site vendor, third-party subscribers, and end-user consumers
Marketing Analytics
This certificate allows students with an undergraduate degree to gain essential marketing and IT skills. Students complete five required courses — four in marketing and one quantitative — as well as foundation courses as needed. Prerequisites must be satisfied for all courses. The GMAT requirement is waived for certificate applicants who have received an MBA from an institution that required the GMAT for admission. Students must complete all requirements within five years.
Foundation Work
Students with a limited marketing or quantitative background may be required to take the following courses:
PPF501 Statistics
This course develops methods of structuring managerial problems for analysis and decision-making. It emphasizes critical judgment and the use of technology as a decision and communication tool. Topics include descriptive statistics, probability, decision theory, random sampling, estimation, hypothesis testing, and correlation and regression analysis, as well as linear programming. These methods are developed using cases and problems typically faced by decision-makers in the functional areas of business. Students will use Excel and a statistics package such as SPSS or SAS for data analysis.
PPF502 Economic Environment of the Firm
This course serves as an introduction to micro- and macroeconomics. The first half of the course (microeconomics) explores decision-making in manufacturing, service, and information age businesses. It examines the determination of prices, wages and profits in market economies; the advantages and disadvantages of unfettered competition; and the impact of government intervention on market outcomes. The second half (macroeconomics) investigates the factors influencing gross domestic product, interest rates, unemployment, inflation and growth; the causes of the business cycle; the role of the federal government and the Federal Reserve in stabilizing the economy; the impact of information technology on productivity and growth; and the influence of international trade and finance on economic activity.
Required Courses
MK612 Strategic Marketing
Advanced applications course dealing with formulation of marketing strategies, evaluation of alternatives and implementation of marketing programs. Examines segmentation, positioning and marketing mix issues as a part of strategic marketing planning. Also includes discussion of specific marketing management problems in a variety of situations involving consumer and industrial products and services in profit and nonprofit institutions.
MK711 Marketing Research and Analysis
Focuses on the development of questionnaires and other vehicles for collecting marketing data, the methodology for analyzing these data (with the use of sophisticated statistical software), and reaching conclusions based on the analyses. Real-world questionnaires and real-world data are utilized.
MK726 Customer Data Analysis and Relationship Marketing
Focuses on the analysis of customer data as the primary input to developing strategies for relationship marketing. Examines customer acquisition and retention, segmentation, customer loyalty, lifetime-value analysis of the customer, and direct-response modeling - all as part of customer relationship marketing strategy. Hands-on experience in data analysis receives heavy emphasis.
Required Quantitative Courses (choose one)
ST625 Quantitative Analysis for Business and Finance
This course provides students with an in depth coverage of regression methods and an introduction to the anaylsis of time series data. Topics include simple and multiple linear regression techniques, the use of transformations such as squares and logarithms, interactions, heteroscedasticity and multicollinearity. Issues with outlying and influential observations are also covered.The art and science of model building are demonstrated with the help of practical applications from business and finance. An introduction to autocorrelation and the modeling of time series is provided. The course utilizes statistical packages such as SAS and SPSS.
ST635 Intermediate Statistical Modeling for Business
The course focuses on modeling situations dependent on multiple variables, as commonly found in many business applications. The issues addressed include: How do we predict who is more likely to respond to a direct mail offer? How can we identify important segments in our customer base? How do we summarize large sets of variables? A central objective of the course is for participants to be able to determine the appropriate multivariate methodology based on the anaylsis objectives and available data, carry out the analysis and interpret the results. Typical topics include logistic regression, cluster analysis, factor analysis, decision trees and other multivariate topics as time permits. The course utilizes statistical packages such as SPS and SPSS.
Required Marketing Elective Courses (choose one)
MK712 Consumer and Buyer Behavior
Studies the purchase decision for individual consumers and industrial users. Examines various models of buyer behavior. Explores motivations, influences and roles played in purchasing products and services.
MK713 Marketing Promotion and Communication
Examines marketing promotions from a communication standpoint. Discusses advertising, sales promotion, personal selling and publicity as components of the promotional program of an enterprise, including profit and nonprofit institutions marketing products and/or services. Emphasizes the planning, design and implementation of advertising campaigns.
MK714 Marketing Channels and Logistics
Examines the institutions involved in the marketing of products and services and the physical distribution systems for delivery of these products. Explores the interrelationships between manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers, and focuses on issues of cooperation, conflict, coordination and control, and power relationships in channels. Overall, the course looks at distribution systems from a managerial viewpoint. It employs systems and behavioral approaches to study strategic distribution choices and management of interorganizational relationships.
MK715 New Products: Planning, Developing and Marketing
Considers the role of new products in the survival and growth strategies of organizations. Focuses on the major problems firms encounter in directing and managing their product development and marketing activities. Examines the development process from conception of ideas to commercial introduction, and the marketing life cycle from introduction to deletion of products.
MK716 International Marketing
Focuses on the decision-making process in marketing products and services across national boundaries. Examines the design and modification of marketing strategies; identifies potential markets; and considers product, promotion, price and distribution decisions within the constraints of a particular cultural, economic and political setting. Studies challenges facing multinational enterprises as well as smaller firms marketing internationally.
MK718 Marketing of Services
Emphasis is placed on developing an understanding of marketing principles that are generic to the entire service sector rather than just to selected service industries. New marketing approaches uniquely applicable to services are considered as well as the reformulation of traditional marketing principles from consumer and industrial goods marketing. Marketing strategies of a variety of service firms from many service industries are evaluated.
MK725 E-Marketing
Builds critical skills for individuals who will practice the art and science of Internet marketing in the future. Covers the important frameworks, principles and contexts in this domain that are likely to endure, for example, auctions, customer relationship management, privacy, the communication e-mix, and channel adaptation and coordination.
MK758 Enhancing Creativity
This class will focus on the nature of creativity and the creative process. We will discuss several definitions and theories of creativity, and apply these theories to enhance your own creativity. Several techniques will help you to recognize and remove barriers to creative thinking. We will apply these techniques to develop creative approaches to business and marketing cases and your own business and academic problems. While the focus of the class is on individual creativity, we will also discuss the pros and cons of team creativity and apply techniques to improve team efforts. Organizational creativity and implementing creative solutions will also be covered.
Master Personal Financial Planner
This certificate enables students who have earned a bachelor's degree to gain essential knowledge in the foundation of financial planning. Students develop a firm grasp of the concepts, tools and techniques essential to helping individuals meet life goals through proper management of their financial resources. The program comprises four courses: three required and one elective. Prerequisites must be satisfied for all courses. The GMAT requirement is waived for certificate applicants who have passed the CPA exam, Certified Financial Planner (CFP) exam, or bar examination, as well as for those who received an MBA from an institution that required the GMAT for admission. Certificate recipients may choose to pursue the full MSFP degree without having to meet any additional admission requirements. Students must complete all requirements within four years.
Required Courses
FP600 Professional Financial Planning Practice
Addresses complex issues involved in financial planning for individuals. Students learn financial planning strategies, research techniques, and methods of analysis. Topics include ethical responsibilities, economic considerations, risk management, quantitative methods, cash-flow analysis, and investment strategies. Covers risk management and insurance-related concepts and practices as well as the tools and techniques necessary to minimize dissipation that results from unforeseen circumstances, retirement and death. Students use the college's specialized information technology resources, such as the Trading Room and the Accounting Center for Electronic Learning and Business Measurement. Emphasizes teamwork and collaboration along with critical thinking and analysis. Written and oral presentations are important parts of the course.
FP601 Investments and Capital Accumulation
Explores tools and techniques central to personal investment planning. Students concentrate on developing the skills that guide financial planners in developing and monitoring client investment plans. Covers the investment decision process and its underlying concepts; financial markets; and the characteristics, analysis, valuation, taxation, and trading of various domestic and offshore investment alternatives. Introduces portfolio management and performance measures. In conducting relevant research and analysis, students use specialized information technology resources such as the college's Trading Room as well as public domain databases.
FP620 Trusts, Gifts and Estates
Focuses on the planning, administration and taxation of trusts, gifts and estates. Covers the principles of trusts, including simple and complex trusts; irrevocable and charitable trusts; life insurance, annuities, and powers of appointment; gifting strategies and techniques; probate avoidance; wills and other legal vehicles of estate planning; tax minimization and asset protection; lifetime gifting; marital deduction planning; charitable gifting planning; the use of life insurance in estate planning; planning for generation-skipping transfers; advising elderly clients; postmortem planning; and the responsibilities of executors, administrators and trustees.
It is strongly recommended that students take FP 600 as one of the first courses in the program.
Elective Courses (choose one)
FP610 Benefits, Compensation and Retirement
Considers the current state of compensation, benefits and retirement planning. To gain a comprehensive understanding of these evolving topics, students examine the key types of benefits, compensation and retirement programs, including a complete survey of the rules that govern the principal areas of each program and the history of each. The course addresses the impact of these programs on both the employer and the employee. Explores which compensation and benefits plans are best, depending on an individual's financial position. Covers the basic rules of the Internal Revenue Code, ERISA, and the effects of other areas such as securities, family and bankruptcy law.
FP700 Investment Vehicles
Explores a variety of investment vehicles, including exchange-traded funds, exchange funds, variable annuities, variable life insurance, unit investment trusts and separately managed accounts. Builds on knowledge developed in FP 601 Investments and Capital Accumulation. Emphasizes mutual funds, including open-end vs. closed-end, index vs. actively managed, load vs. no-load, socially responsible, and international. Highlights the use of rating services to screen funds. Focuses on matching vehicles with client goals, risk management, portfolio realignment and tax efficiency. Students construct portfolios for hypothetical clients.
FP701 Portfolio Management
Addresses the management of a client's assets, building on the knowledge base developed in FP 601 Investments and Capital Accumulation. Topics include determining long-term "target" percentages, determining asset categories for the client portfolio, specifying allocation ranges, and selecting assets for each category. Examines the optimal asset allocation mix, which is one of the most critical aspects of investing. Provides the tools and techniques necessary to ensure diversification. Covers management of client expectations, portfolio design, strategy implementation, and report preparation. Emphasizes tax considerations, sensitivity analysis and portfolio simulations. Students use technology for making optimal portfolio decisions.
FP703 Marriage, Separation and Divorce
Covers marriage history and background, ante-nuptial agreements, and successive marriages. Explores the special concerns of support obligations, the battered wife problem, and criminal remedies. Topics include the legal disabilities of minors as well as the care, education and supervision of children. Examines financial planning cases to improve understanding of marriage breakdown, division of property, alimony and child support. Places special emphasis on the federal tax aspects of separation and divorce.
FP704 Financial Planning for Non-Traditional Families
Examines why some of the basic rules and assumptions for financial planning do not apply to non-traditional families, and develops alternative financial planning solutions. Topics include employee benefits, retirement and elder planning, income tax planning, asset ownership, and gift and estate planning. Students analyze a variety of non-traditional family scenarios.
FP705 Elder-Planning Techniques
Encompasses legal and financial planning for the aging or incapacitated client. Examines elder-law issues, challenges and planning strategies. Discusses Social Security disability, supplemental security income, railroad retirement programs, and veterans' benefits. Analyzes insurance and other means for funding long-term care either in a nursing home or at home. Explores Medicaid requirements and strategies for resource planning, as well as the tax implications of Medicaid planning. Discusses use of durable powers of attorney, guardianship, and health-care proxies. Examines relevant federal and state laws, such as the age discrimination in Employment Act and the Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987.
FP706 Psychology in Financial Planning
The course is designed to assist students in understanding issues related to the psychology of money and wealth to enhance their client interaction and management skills during the process of personal financial planning. It provides an understanding of the money beliefs and skills possessed by clients requesting financial planning or wealth advising; clarifies the nature of different subgroups of clients based upon class, gender, age, wealth history in the family, and medical and psychological characteristics; provides an overview of behavioral finance; teaches communication skills in the advising relationship; explains characteristics of the professional mental health field; and, explains how to access mental health, philanthropic, and other resources to assist clients' relationship with their personal wealth.
FP710 Insurance and Wealth Preservation Planning Techniques
Offers a comprehensive understanding of insurance, including risks to be insured, levels of insurance, best products available, and key policy provisions. Covers types of insurance that include workers' compensation, life, health, disability, personal liability, professional liability, and long-term care. Emphasizes protection and preservation of client assets, with additional focus on annuities, tax planning with life insurance, irrevocable life insurance trusts, estate liquidity and life insurance as an employee benefit. The course integrates case studies to bridge the gap between technical knowledge and a variety of real-world client situations.
Taxation
This certificate enables individuals who have earned an undergraduate degree to gain essential knowledge in the foundation of taxation principles. Students complete three required courses and one elective course. The GMAT requirement is waived for certificate applicants who have passed the CPA exam, Certified Financial Planner (CFP) exam, or bar examination, as well as for those who received an MBA from an institution that required the GMAT for admission. Certificate recipients may choose to pursue the full MST degree without having to meet any additional admission requirements. Students must complete all requirements within four years.
Required Courses
TX600 Professional Tax Practice
Covers the development and implementation of tax strategies. Encompasses the application of alternative tax laws to a variety of fact situations. Applies an integrated approach to develop solutions that consider the numerous aspects of wealth maximization. Emphasizing the use of case studies, the course introduces theories and methods of tax research and analysis that include research tools, techniques, and quantitative methods. Students use the college's specialized information technology resources, such as the Accounting Center for Electronic Learning and Business Measurement and the Trading Room as well as public domain and proprietary tax databases. Examines the role and regulation of the tax practitioner and representation of taxpayers before the IRS. Other topics include ethical responsibilities, IRS examination of returns, statutes of limitations, and tax practice strategies and techniques. Promotes teamwork, and emphasizes written and oral presentations.
TX601 Federal Taxation of Income
Studies federal tax law as it applies to individuals. Emphasizes the determination of gross income, deductions and credits as well as identity of the taxable person, tax accounting and timing principles. Introduces the tax treatment of individuals as owners of pass-through entities. Involves an in-depth analysis of the applicable tax statutes, regulations, rulings and leading court cases. Students gain an awareness of the history and tax policy considerations behind various Internal Revenue Code provisions.
TX604 Multi-Jurisdictional Taxation
Addresses the increased importance of international, multistate, and e-business taxation in today's global environment. Introduces students to the principles guiding nexus, geographic allocation of income, and avoidance of double taxation. Develops an understanding of the U.S. tax rules that may apply to income involving the U.S. and another country, and compares these with the multistate tax rules. Deals with the tax implications of business conducted electronically. Students use specialized information technology resources and public domain databases to conduct relevant research. Applies multi-jurisdictional tax principles and rules to real-world case studies.
It is strongly recommended that students take TX 600 as one of the first courses in the program.
Elective Courses (choose one)
TX602 Transactions
Deals with property transactions (tangible and intangible) and the ultimate tax consequences. Analyzes transactions to explore the significance of realization and recognition concepts and the characterization of gains and losses. Covers dispositions of property used in a trade or business, and held for personal use or investment, as well as deferred payment transactions. Introduces structuring the reorganization or sale of entire business units in mergers and acquisitions. Examines Internal Revenue Code provisions and selected issues that relate to determining basis, holding period, loss (active and passive) and attribute carryovers. Reviews transactions with the goal of conducting a thorough analysis, exploration of alternatives, and ultimate structuring to assure the desired result.
TX603 Corporations and Shareholders
Focuses on tax treatment of events in the life of a corporation, with special emphasis on problems at both the corporate and shareholder levels. Topics include the taxability of associations, partnerships and trusts as corporations; tax considerations in the organization and reorganization of the corporation; dividend distributions; stock redemptions; and complete and partial liquidations.
TX704 Federal Taxation of Income from Trusts and Estates
Analyzes taxation of trusts and estates, and their creators and beneficiaries. Examines taxation of simple and complex trusts, for example, grantor trusts, irrevocable trusts and revocable trusts. Topics include trusts distinguished from corporations, distributable net income, fiduciary accounting income, the tier system, capital gains in estates and trusts, termination of estates and trusts, and administrative powers. Considers charitable remainder trusts, pooled income funds and charitable beneficiaries, as well as planning for estate administration. Students also study income in respect of a decedent (IRD), including structural relationships, basis of IRD, relationship of IRD to distribution rules, character of IRD, and deductions.
TX707 Pass-Through Entities and Closely Held Businesses
Provides an in-depth study of pass-through entities and problems peculiar to closely held businesses. Emphasizes students' understanding of the tax statutes, court cases and practice techniques related to the concept of "choice of entity," and creates an awareness of the potential consequences of choosing a particular form of entity. Focuses on the practical (and tax practice) aspects of working with and advising clients on such decisions.
TX711 Mergers and Acquisitions
Focuses on the formation, acquisition, merger, reorganization, recapitalization and divestiture transactions of business entities. Addresses the topic of planning for transactions with a view toward identifying the approaches that are most efficient and tax free. Examines Internal Revenue Code and judicial requirements that must be satisfied for successful execution of these transactions. Reviews transaction elements (taxable and non-taxable), acceptable consideration, basis, entity attributes and carryovers.
TX731 Investment Companies
Explores the tax treatment of investment companies and financial products. Introduces the major types of investment and their classification for tax purposes. Focuses on mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, unit investment trusts, separately managed accounts, and offshore funds. Analyzes the applicable special tax provisions in light of the economic function and operation of these entities. Also examines the taxation of financial products such as mutual fund shares.
TX732 Intellectual Properties
Devotes attention to the tax treatment of the development, purchase, sale and licensing of intellectual properties. Specific areas of interest include computer software, research and development, the research credit, valuation of intellectual properties, amortization of intangibles, licensing, multi-jurisdictional issues, and related-party transactions. Includes an introduction to computer software, patents, trade secrets, know-how, trademarks, trade names and copyrights.
TX733 Tax Aspects of Buying and Selling a Business
This course will provide a comprehensive review of the tax issues that arise in merger and acquisition transactions. It will explore all the popular mechanisms for transferring a business - from a taxable sale of assets or corporate stock, to tax-free reorganizations, to contingent "earn out" transactions, to transactions involving an employee stock ownership plan ("ESOP"). The course will examine and
prepare the optimal strategies for selling a C or S corporation, an LLC (partnership), and a sole proprietorship. It will examine tax strategies such as purchase price allocations under Code 1060; elections under Code 338(g) and §338(h)(10); the complicated planning strategies for an S corporation subject to the Code §1374 "Sting Tax"; the opportunities and risks of a contingent earn-out structure; the circumstances for a tax-free merger; structuring an investment by and/or sale to private equity investors; and creating a market for a company by selling shares through an ESOP.
TX741 Tax Accounting Problems
Considers the intricacies of the tax accounting rules and their contrast to financial accounting. Covers a range of topics that include the cash and accrual methods of accounting and the tax consequences of changing from one method to another, inventory identification and valuation, and tax depreciation with a focus on tax accounting and the major differences from financial accounting. Deals with forgiveness of debt, passive loss rules, interest expense and the alternative minimum tax.
TX761 State and Local Tax Practice
Addresses the sources of state and local revenues derived from taxation, including multi-jurisdictional business excise taxes, personal income tax, consumer and transaction taxes, property taxes, and death taxes. Builds on the knowledge base developed in TX 604 Multi-Jurisdictional Taxation. Students examine constitutional restrictions on the jurisdiction to tax; allocation and apportionment of multistate income; state taxation of e-commerce; domicile concepts; and detailed review of administrative provisions related to the audit, assessment, collection and appeal of state and local taxes.
TX771 International Tax Practice
Explores international taxation with comprehensive coverage of inbound and outbound U.S. tax issues. Expands the knowledge base developed in TX 604 Multi-Jurisdictional Taxation. Considers the federal government's jurisdiction to tax on the basis of both residence and source of income. Topics covered include taxation of U.S. citizens abroad, individuals and corporations with resident and nonresident alien status, the concept of income effectively connected with U.S. trade or business, taxation of domestic entities doing business abroad, controlled foreign corporations, foreign tax credits, intercompany pricing, and allocation and apportionment of domestic expense. Includes discussion of export incentives such as the Extraterritorial Income Exclusion (successor to Foreign Sales Corporations).
TX791 Practicum in Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic
Provides an opportunity for involvement in clinical fieldwork under the supervision of a faculty member. The student prepares and delivers educational workshops to taxpayers, and serves as the primary taxpayer contact in resolving tax controversies. Includes responsibilities to identify, research, resolve and communicate complex tax issues. An additional academic requirement is a tax research paper on a mutually agreed upon topic.