Major in General Business at Missouri State University
Career Preparation
The concept of general business describes a wide range of career opportunities available in the business world. Some students prefer to specialize in a particular field of business while others prepare themselves more broadly. Specialization may be an advantage in gaining an entry-level position in some fields, such as accounting and computer information systems, where managers expect new employees to become productive soon after employment. On the other hand, some employers may prefer to hire students with a broad preparation and then provide specific training within the company. Therefore, when comparing a general preparation with a specialization, we cannot say that one is always better than the other. We can say that the business world is looking for people who have demonstrated their willingness to discipline themselves in loyal service to an employer in return for appropriate recognition.
Academic Program
All persons majoring in a degree program offered within the College of Business Administration (COBA) – Accounting, Finance, Computer Information Systems, Management, Marketing – take a common core of courses that includes one or more classes in accounting, business law, communications, computer information systems, economics, finance, management, marketing and statistics. Also, to encourage students to broaden their academic preparation, COBA recommends all its majors complete at least 63 hours outside COBA of the 125 hours necessary for a degree.
After choosing a Business program, a student meets requirements for a selected major. For the General Business major, the student’s program continues on a broad path without specialization – an elective communications course, an additional business law course, and an introductory insurance course. Finally, the student completes 24 semester hours of business courses selected from a list that must include classes from at least five of the degree program areas offered in COBA. Students may select minors from several areas of study. All Business majors must have a 2.50 or higher GPA at the time of graduation for all upper division COBA courses attempted at Missouri State.
Admission to COBA is limited to a total of 2,000 majors at the combined junior and senior levels. Admission decisions will be determined by each applicant’s combined GPA (Missouri State plus transfer). However, all applicants whose combined GPA is 2.50 or higher will be admitted to COBA. (See the Missouri State Catalog.)
Courses
Students majoring in General Business will choose from the following courses. Please consult the Missouri State Catalog online at www.missouristate.edu/catalog for specific course descriptions.
Finance and General Business
FGB 135: Introduction to Business
FGB 150: Personal Finance
FGB 200: Topics in General Business
FGB 303: History of Business
FGB 305: Service Learning in Business
FGB 307: Business in the Community
FGB 350: Entrepreneurial Finance
FGB 380: Financial Management
FGB 381: Personal Financial Planning
FGB 384: Introduction to Financial Institutions and Markets
FGB 386: Financial Analysis
FGB 390: Intermediate Financial Management
FGB 394: Cooperative Education in FGB
FGB 397: Topics in Business
FGB 480: Financial Decision Making
FGB 484: Management of Banking
FGB 485: Investments
FGB 487: Security Analysis and Portfolio Management
FGB 494: Internship in Finance
FGB0495: Financial Markets Study Tour
FGB 496: Readings in Business Finance
FGB 500: Managerial Finance
FGB0510: E-Business and Online Entrepreneurship
FGB 581: Professional Financial Planning
FGB 584: International Financial Management
FGB 596: Research Issues and Problems: FGB
FGB 599: Directed Study for CFA Level I Exam
Real Estate, Insurance and Law
RIL 211: Insurance
RIL 231: Legal Environment of Business
RIL 266: Principles of Real Estate
RIL 312: Life Insurance
RIL 313: Property and Liability Insurance
RIL 314: Employee Benefits and Social Insurance
RIL 332: Debtor and Creditor Rights and Remedies
RIL 335: Business Enterprises, Rights/Liabilities
RIL 341: Legal Research and Writing
RIL 350: Business Applications of Alternative Dispute Resolution
RIL 367: Principles of Real Estate Appraisal
RIL 368: Real Estate Law
RIL 369: Real Estate Development
RIL 397: Insurance Topics
RIL 415: Risk Management
RIL 500: Legal Environment for Business Managers
RIL 531: Labor Law and Employment Discrimination
RIL 533: Legal Environment of Business Organizations for Professionals
RIL 537: Environmental Regulation
RIL 538: Introduction to Estate Planning
RIL 539: Legal Regulation of International Commerce
Faculty
Because of the various options available to General Business majors, the classes for General Business majors are taught by several of the more than 120-member faculty within COBA. The FGB faculty bring diverse industry and educational experiences to the classroom. Several have received special recognition for their teaching, research and service activities. Students majoring in General Business are assigned advisors in the Business Advisement Center who have expertise in the students’ particular areas of interest.
Facilities
The Department of Finance and General Business is housed in Glass Hall, the university’s state-of-the-art business facility.
Opportunities
Students are invited to become members of the local student chapter of the Financial Management Association – a program unrestricted in membership for those who would like closer contact with the business world while developing their social and leadership abilities. Students also find the projects and competitions of the local chapter of Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) rewarding and enjoyable.
Tags: academic program, business courses, career preparation, coba students, college of business administration, common core, computer information systems, insurance course, loyal service, program areas, semester hours, specific training