77 courses with the subject BUSA, each shown exactly as we captured it from the college's catalog, with every element we hold. Where the wording looks broken, that is our reading of the catalog, not the college's text.
BUSA 101Introduction to Business3
Students will be introduced to principles of contemporary business and its role in the free enterprise system. The course provides an overview of ethical and socially responsible business in a global environment, economic systems, entrepreneurship and forms of business ownership, principles of leadership and management, business operations, human resources management, marketing management, information technology and systems, accounting, finance and business law.
BUSA 121Principles & Practices of Mortgage Lending I3
This course will specialize in issues surrounding the production and origination of residential and commercial mortgages, and commercial and consumer loans. Emphasis will be placed on key topics in the mortgage industry that will include fair lending law, ethical issues and behavior, fraud detection and proper due diligence. This course is designed to deal with the usage and customs among the mortgage lending industry, involving moral and processional dueties and responsibilities toward on another, clients, lenders, and borrowers.
BUSA 122Principles & Practices of Mortgage Lending II3
This course will cover career-related activities encountered in the student's area of specialization regarding originating and processing of mortgage loans. Empasis will be placed on how to properly put a loan together to meet federal compliance under the supervision of a senior certified/licenced mortgage banker. This course is designed to develop a working knowledge of the steps of both loan originiating and processing using actual mortgage documents in preparation for gainful full-time employment in the mortgage industy/field.
This course provides instruction and methods of exploration to enable students to effectively apply for internships as part of the career building process through internship research, resume building, and LinkedIn & Handshake site creation strategies. The course requires the students to evaluate resume and internship options, to each craft their own resume and LinkedIn site, and to select internship opportunities for which to apply. The result is that each student leaves the course prepared to apply for internships and aware of how to maintain and update the necessary materials to continue this process independently in the future.
This course provides instruction and methods of exploration to enable students to effectively investigate industries, company cultures, careers, and specific jobs. The course requires the students to prepare for informational interviews, create and present elevator speeches, and update current resumes and LinkedIn sites. The result is that each student leaves the course prepared to meet with employers to investigate and pursue internships and careers and are aware of how to maintain and update the necessary materials to continue this process independently in the future.
This course provides instruction of methods of exploration to enable students to effectively transition into the workplace. The course requires the students to create realistic expectations and understand what occurs in the transition from student to career person by engaging with alumni, practicing workplace troubleshooting, and growing their financial literacy including topics such as spending habits, budgeting, and debt mangement. Students will update their current resumes, LinkedIn & Handshake sites.
This three-credit course provides students with hands-on experience using Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet applications for personal and small business use. The following skills will be addressed: edit and format spreadsheets, add visual elements and charts, use functions and create formulas, analyze data and use formula auditing in a spreadsheet, add Excel Add-In programs and customize the ribbon, create Macros and use Visual Basic Applications.
This three credit course is designed to provide students with an overview of today's business world and a working knowledge of its mathematical applications and procedures. This course provides solid preparation and foundation for going on to courses and careers in accounting, marketing, retailing, banking, finance, insurance, real estate, and business administration. Topics include: functions as mathematical models, equation-solving techniques, time-value of money and specific business math applications.
This introductory course equips students with a foundational understanding of artificial intelligence and its emerging role across core business functions. Students will learn basic AI concepts, common tools used in business settings, and practical applications such as data-driven decision making, customer insights, workflow automation, and productivity enhancement. Emphasis is placed on developing technological literacy, responsible use of AI, and an ability to evaluate when and how AI tools can support business goals. Through hands-on exercises, case studies, and guided practice, students will gain confidence in using AI to improve everyday business tasks. The course also explores how Christian faith can inform the ethical and human-centered use of AI in business contexts.
Introduction to statistical techniques used in business to include: data collection, sampling, descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, regression analysis, forecasting. Credit earned only once for BUSA 221, MATH 220, PSYC 220, or SOCI 220.
Those who participate in the business of fashion such as retailers, merchants, designers, manufacturers and stylists must evolve in order to sell to customers. Throughout their lives, students are exposed to retailing, merchandising, buying, design, sales, branding, promotions, manufacturing and other such fields. For those interested in the study of retailing, fashion and merchandising, it is essential to understand landmark research and theoretical concepts behind the influences of this field and how social change, innovations and with the evolution of a multicultural marketplace, shifts have occurred over generations, and into the 21st century. This conceptual and theoretical course will expose students to a diverse range of clients and consumers.
Global Business is an interdisciplinary and multi-dimensional course pulling from political science, economics, history, sociology, and ethics as well as culture and leadership studies. It is designed to introduce students to the wide variety of players, issues, and trends in business at the international level. Students will learn how to start and grow businesses in foreign markets, examining the political, legal, and economic systems that affect those processes as well as ways to source capital to fund market expansion. They will also consider and evaluate the role and influence of Christian faith, reason, and justice on business decision-making at a global scale. Global business will be discussed from the perspective of entrepreneurs as well as for- and non-profit enterprises. Through a variety of writing assignments in the course, students will simultaneously apply their new global business knowledge and hone their business writing skills.
A basic understanding of Information Technology is essential to anyone entering the business world today. This course will explore topics relevant to a business manager's interaction with Information Systems. Topics include IT support of business goals and strategies; organizational systems; e-commerce; data management; the role of the Internet as it relates to business; and ethical issues related to privacy and security.
Course examines the relationship between buyer behavior and marketing decision making. Students will develop an awareness of various aspects of consumer motivation and behavior, including social, cultural, psychological, business and environmental influences.
Principles underlying the sales process and practical application of these principles to selling institutions. Emphasis on essential qualities, right mental attitudes and necessary emotional control, as well as good selling skills necessary to sell self, services and products.
This course is designed to prepare students to understand issues related to international business practices. Students will examine various countries and regional trading blocks and their absolute and comparative advantages, some of their inherent competitive weaknesses, and the recruiting, hiring and training of local and expatriate managerial talent necessary for the organization to be successful. Other topics include an overview of some of the strategies necessary to develop long-term relationships within foreign business cultures, and the necessity that multinational organizations understand and adjust to some of the cultural differences of the countries in which they operate, while simultaneously maintaining consistency in their corporate culture and values. This course will use a combination of theory, guiding principles and best practices, simulations and personal experiences to communicate lessons in global management.
This course invites students to explore contemporary issues in business ethics in the broader context of Christian faith and justice. Students will examine the moral foundations of ethical business practice and decision-making in complex corporate environments, with special attention to the influence of Christian ethics. Key topics include moral reasoning, corporate governance, stakeholder relationships, and social responsibility. Through case studies and ethical frameworks, participants will develop critical thinking skills to analyze and address ethical challenges faced by businesses today and contribute to the development of responsible and sustainable corporate practices.
This writing-intensive course explores contemporary ethical dilemmas facing business persons for the purpose of developing analytical skills and discernment in ethical decision making and policy formation. Following a consideration of various theories of morality, the course utilizes the case method to highlight the relationship between specific normative decisions and broader philosophical/theological issues relating to moral theory. Specific topics to be discussed include corporate social responsibility, governmental regulation of the private sector, the use of cost-benefit analysis in policy formation, consumer protection, ethical issues in personnel management, discrimination, whistle-blowing, hostile corporate takeovers, ethical issues in advertising, and socially responsible investing. Special attention will be devoted to ways in which the Christian faith informs the motivation and structure of ethical decisions.
Survey of the functions and problems of service and production operations. Course includes analysis of the problems and practice of production systems design, production planning and scheduling, materials planning and procurement, capacity and quality control.
BUSA 330ISpTop: Fundamentals of Real Estate Investment3
This course is designed to introduce the fundamentals of using real estate as an investment vehicle. Students will understand the basics of buying, selling, and holding real estate. Different investment strategies will be investigated. The student will work with a financial calculator to help analyze real estate purchases, as well as to navigate different financing options. Forms necessary to consummate real estate transactions will be examined. Tax advantages to owning investment properties will also be explored.
Policies and methods of obtaining and developing an efficient work force, including human resourcesplanning, recruitment, selection, placement,development, performance evaluation, compensation practices and safety, benefits administration.
Review of the major legal issues governing business law. Covers federal, state, and local laws; regulatory systems; business organizations; contract, tort, and employment law issues; and the impact of legal structures on business practices.
This course is designed to address contemporary issues and interests in Marketing. Such topics as supply chain management, branding, customer relationship management, retailing, and others will be offered in various semesters. Prerequisite: Minimum grade of C in BUSA 202 and 302.
This course analyzes the numerous methods used to communicate with customers. Organizations in the private as well as the public sectors understand that the ability to communicate effectively and efficiently with their targeted audiences is critical to the long-term success of the organization. Topics such as public relations, selling, and advertising and promotion will be explored. Students will complete the design and implementation of an integrated marketing communication plan.
An exploration of strategic planning through an intensive use of case studies and computer simulations. The course requires the graduating business major to analyze specific organizations and their environments and to develop logical alternative strategies. The result is that each student integrates the material from all other business and related courses in preparing rigorous written and verbal analyses and arguments. This course satisfies the College of Business and Leadership Culminating Senior Experience (CSE) requirement.
These courses are designed to serve as a senior level capstone experience for business majors that incorporates all of the learning that has taken place over the student's tenure at Eastern University and applies that knowledge to actual work situations. Students join Enactus a national organization committed to igniting business innovation with integrity and passion in students. Students will collaborate with academic and business leaders in a variety of community outreach programs with social impact that sparks free enterprise to create a better world. Enrollment is reserved for those business students demonstrating impressive accomplishments and exhibiting motivation to explore the business world more deeply. A maximum of 18 credits of Integrative Practices course work may be earned. Prerequisite: The student must maintain a grade point average of at least 3.25 and be recommended by a faculty member.
These courses are designed to serve as a senior level capstone experience for business majors that incorporates all of the learning that has taken place over the student's tenure at Eastern University and applies that knowledge to actual work situations. Students join Enactus a national organization committed to igniting business innovation with integrity and passion in students. Students will collaborate with academic and business leaders in a variety of community outreach programs with social impact that sparks free enterprise to create a better world. Enrollment is reserved for those business students demonstrating impressive accomplishments and exhibiting motivation to explore the business world more deeply. A maximum of 18 credits of Integrative Practices course work may be earned. Prerequisite: The student must maintain a grade point average of at least 3.25 and be recommended by a faculty member.
This course is supervised experience and training in an organization of the student's choosing with approval from both the sponsoring organization and the supervising faculty. The internship will be designed to demonstrate the application of the principles learned in the classroom to actual business situations. Assignments will cover various aspects of a business firm, including where feasible: the general organization of the business, accounting, use of information technology, flow of orders, and methods of marketing. The student must spend 40 hours on-the-job for every credit hour earned.
This course introduces students to key leadership theories and the evolution of leadership practice, while examining how leadership functions within today's complex organizational environments. Students will analyze how leadership is shaped by identity, culture, and power, and how leaders influence organizational behavior and culture, decision-making, and performance. Particular emphasis is placed on ethical leadership, trust-based relationships, and the responsibility leaders have to promote human flourishing within and beyond their organizations. The course invites students to reflect on how faith-informed values, such as integrity, humility, justice, and service, can shape their approach to leadership and guide their influence toward the common good.
Ogranizations of every size utililze core business functions and concepts such as marketing, human resources, accounting, financial management, economics, information systems, and operations management. Managers must understand these functional areas and the relationship between them in order to competently lead their team within the organization. This foundational course in the MBA program provides this necessary context and sets the stage for students to delve deeper into these concepts throughout their program.
This course examines the culture required to build innovation within teams and organizations as well as equipping students with the mindsets and processes employed by innovative problem-solvers. The course provides a learning atmosphere that emphasizes creativity and innovation and has a distinct emphasis on skill development through dynamic engagement in real world problems using an entrepreneurial and design thinking mindset.
People are the most valuable asset of any organization. Demographic developments in the workforce and trends in the business environment are requiring organizations to focus on strange talent management practices to turn human resources into a competitive advantage. Institutions face a myriad of challenges associated with recruiting, training and managing the modern workforce including remove workforce management, diversity, preparation for a challenging business environment, as well as heavy competition for tip-tier talent. This course provides strategies for addressing these challenges, unlocking the potential of an organization's workforce, and cultivating a corporate culture that promotes effective strategy execution.
A survey of the nuanced management skills required to lead in nonprofit organizations, B-Corps, or businesses looking to improve their social impact. Students leave this course with a deep understanding of the leadership challenges present in socially-minded organizations and the specific skills required to manage in this context.
This course examines the culture required to build innovation within teams and organizations as well as equipping students with the mindsets and processes employed by innovative problem-solvers. The course provides a learning atmosphere that emphasizes creativity and innovation and has a distinct emphasis on skill development through dynamic engagement in real world problems using an entrepreneurial and design thinking mindset.
Develop the skills to move an idea to being a viable product by learning the best practices of product development. Students learn tools and concepts such as defining consumer needs, design thinking, and prototyping. Students are given the opportunity to design and conceptually launch a product during the course.
This course will expose students to strategic issues that fundamentally shape the customer-marketer relationship as well as the disruptive social and technical forces that are shifting it in new directions. The course focuses on the strategic responsibilities and best practices that a mid-to-senior level leader should understand about the marketing discipline, including how to plan, execute and measure marketing to demonstrate ROI. Core principles such as customer segmentation; consumer behavior and related data; branding and positioning; the marketing mix (traditional, digital, and alternative channels); product marketing; and distribution, among other topics, will be explored. In addition, the class provides practical hands-on experience through simulations, case studies, and interviews with successful marketers to add real-world flavor to these critical strategic concepts. Finally, the course introduces some of the Web 3.0 and 4.0 developments such as AI, connected data, the metaverse, and marketing automation that students will undoubtedly be facing in current and future business leadership roles.
With the proliferation of the internet, businesses are collecting incalculable amounts of data and are seeking new insights from it in order to improve performance and maintain an edge in the market. This course provides an introduction to the collection, cleaning, storage, statistical analysis, and management implications of business data. Students will gain the basic skills and managerial knowledge required to manage data-competent teams and organizations. NOTE: Students in the MBA Business Analytics concentration are not required to take this course.
This course overviews the processes of financial reporting, summation, and analysis. Students will learn how to prepare and interpret financial statements, evaluate an organization's financial health, and forecast future financial decisions. The emphasis of this course will be on the managerial insights of financial accounting rather than day-to-day accounting practices. Students will be equipped with the skills and knowledge to effectively and responsibly manage the financial aspects of their teams, departments, and organizations.
This course equips students to manage AI capabilities in their organization to accelerate customer-centric growth. Students will examine AI-driven tools and martech techniques that enable businesses to identify market gaps, personalize experiences, understand customer behavior, and foster innovation through growth loops, data flywheels, value creation networks, and ROI frameworks. Marketing tasks such as customer segmentation, predictive analytics, content creation, and product development will be explored through case studies, hands-on experiences, and other practical exercises culminating in a final AI-enabled growth plan. Students will learn to leverage AI for strategic growth while maintaining ethical standards and data privacy.
Managerial Economics utilizes microeconomic principles, econometrics, and game theory to analyze business decision making. Major topics include firm and consumer behavior, market structures, and industrial organization. Students will use a combination of theory and empirical techniques to critically analyze contemporary, real-world issues in economics and business.
This course provides students with the tools to manage a high-functioning operational unit. Particular attention will be given to operational efficiencies, quality management, supply chain management, data infrastructure, and performance measurement. Students will learn the activities involved in the delivery of an organization's value proposition.
This course empowers students to manage AI initiatives in their organization to transform business processes and supply chain operations using cutting-edge AI technologies. Students will explore how AI technologies such as predictive analytics, robotic process automation (RPA) and generative AI can be applied to enhance efficiency, optimize workflows, reduce costs, streamline logistics, and strengthen competitive positioning. Through case studies and experiential projects, participants develop practical AI strategies tailored to real-world business contexts such as automated inventory and demand forecasting, HR and finance processes, predictive maintenance, and logistics optimization, among others. A final AI-enabled business efficiency plan will demonstrate strategic AI business competency.
Develop the skills to craft and execute a strategic framework that builds competitive advantage and steward resources, talent, customer loyalty, and brand reputation. Students learn to develop and evaluate strategic plans that account for organizational mission and goals in addition to the external environment including economic, political, technological, social, and global factors they must confront.
Behind every successful organization is a well-crafted, well-executed strategy aimed at achieving the organization's goals. In this course, students will develop competencies to prepare and assess strategic plans. Tools will be provided to evaluate the organization's external and internal environments to build competitive advantage and improve company performance. Students will recommend strategic approaches to strengthen the company's competitive position in the market. The course culminates by examining the leadership challenges of strategic management and offering best practices for leading organizational change.
This course prepares students to examine the ethical, legal, and policy challenges associated with the deployment of artificial intelligence within organizations. Students will explore issues such as algorithmic bias, accuracy limits and related liabilities, data privacy, intellectual property rights, and regulatory compliance. The curriculum blends accountability and ethical AI frameworks, stakeholder analysis, AI and data governance models, and regulatory impact assessments. Through case studies and hands-on exercises, students will learn to strategically navigate the complex landscape of AI and build strategies for accountable AI implementation in various industries across stakeholders and various ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) scenarios.
This course equips students with the tools and understanding for mobilizing enterprise resources to advance a mission driven venture. Students will evaluate strategic plans that account for social impact goals and the organizational, economic, political, technological, and global factors they must confront. Emphasis is on fostering a culture of innovation across the enterprise, integrating business logic models and theories of change; capacity planning, prototype development, and the implementation of management protocols that drive bottom line performance and deliver on mission.
A student-directed applied learning project completed under faculty advisement designed to allow students to demonstrate their management competency. Adopting the persona of a researcher, consultant, or founder of a new venture, students select a topic, problem, or opportunity to explore as a culminating project in the course. Students demonstrate mastery of their program's material by incorporating critical analysis, sound business principles, ethical standards, and best practices into a research paper or business plan.
This culminating course enables students to integrate and apply the strategic, ethical, and organizational dimensions of artificial intelligence explored throughout the program. Guided by faculty mentorship, students identify a real-world business challenge or opportunity and develop an AI-enabled solution that advances organizational goals and measurable outcomes. The capstone emphasizes the translation of AI concepts into actionable strategies through applied research, analysis, and implementation planning. Students produce a professional deliverable that demonstrates their ability to lead AI-driven innovation with attention to both performance and ethical impact.
This course offers an integrated examination of the theoretical foundations, methodologies, and strategic application of Business Analytics and Artificial Intelligence to address complex, real-world organizational problems. The curriculum empowers students to transcend descriptive reporting to leverage analytical tools that drive organizational foresight, innovation, and evidence-based decision-making. Students will explore the strategic management frameworks required to integrate AI and data governance into organizational strategy. Students will also examine how to use AI tools to contribute to actionable business strategies.
This course provides an introduction to the philosophies, structural designs, and methods of applied research. The curriculum explores the methods of analyzing existing research, the relationship between theory and practice, and ways to design research projects aimed at solving complex, real-world problems. Students will examine qualitative, case study, quantitative, and mixed research methods used for applied research. Students will use statistics to develop data literacy and learn how to critically interpret quantitative findings in published research. Students will analyze and evaluate a range of research designs, while gaining expertise in the foundational principles of sampling, validity, and reliability. This course provides training on the initial stages of the research lifecycle and academic writing.
This course provides an in-depth analysis of the ethical responsibilities of leaders within both the academic research process and complex industry environments. This curriculum prepares students to move beyond compliance and cultivate moral leadership and ethical vision essential for driving change, fostering organizational integrity, and conducting responsible research. Students will examine philosophical, historical, and contemporary theories of justice, moral reasoning, and ethical decision-making from a Christian faith perspective in diverse cultural and organizational contexts. Students will explore their personal ethical frameworks for value clarification and responsible leadership practice. The curriculum analyzes contemporary ethical dilemmas in industry, as well as strategies for leading organizational change, building an ethical culture, and managing power, influence, and trust across organizational boundaries. Students will examine responsible conduct in research and academic writing.
Guided by the unique purpose of the non-profit sector, this course will develop students' ability to manage organizational resources and practices strategically. Strategic management entails monitoring the effectiveness of the organization to ensure that is is healthy and aligned with its mission and strategic goals. This helps ensure that effective and efficient execution of these goals is taking place. The course will review strategic organizational issues that assist the executive leadership to align activities with goals, thus enhancing the organization's long-term sustainability and impact.
As governments make public policies that have significant impacts on human relationships of all types, those who desire God's justice and peace for the world make understanding and influencing policy a priority. Thus, this course prepares leaders to analyze public policy and assess and deploy appropriate strategies to engage the public and governments at all levels. First, students will evaluate historic models of public engagement to assess the roles and strategies of groups engaged in civil society. Students will also become familiar with the range of government policy instruments and strategies used in various national and political contexts. Second, coursework will emphasize developing critical analyses of the broad range of conceptual and strategic approaches to advocacy and utilizing and evaluating policy analysis tools. Students will compare critical policy needs in various countries and appraise the policy analysis tools and advocacy strategies surveyed. In order to approach advocacy from a uniquely Christian perspective, participants will examine the Christian witness to the state (at all levels) and evaluate the role followers of Jesus have in walking with the oppressed to seek justice for them. Case studies from a variety of Christian and secular organizations will highlight the various approaches used to influence policy and levels at which advocacy can occur.
BUSA 770Advancement, Fundraising and Philanthrophy for the Nonprofit3
This course will examine the timeless subject of philanthropy, beginningwith its Judeo-Christian roots, tracing its development through history, and culminating with research findings in contemporary philanthropy. Historical analysis of the role of money and giving in society will be balanced with a view of modern philanthropic developments. Challenges to voluntarism and philanthropy will also merit our attention. The aim of our study, debate, interaction, and reflection will be to engage the hearts, minds and souls of those on whom our institutions depend-the philanthropists-in order to find a commonality of vision that extends shared wishes and dreams. The domains, structure, and competencies of the modern development office will be explored and practiced.
Examining the link between theory and practice, this course delves deeper into the philosophical and methodological foundations of applied qualitative research. Students critically evaluate major qualitative designs to determine their appropriateness for specific applied problems. The curriculum emphasizes the methods for managing and analyzing non-numeric data through various data collection methods, thematic analysis, qualitative software, and strategies for ensuring rigor and trustworthiness in research. Students analyze practical techniques to establish rigor, such as triangulation, researcher reflexivity, member checking, peer debriefing, negative case analysis, and prolonged engagement. The curriculum explores the importance of trustworthiness in qualitative research, emphasizing credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability.
BUSA 820Organizational Innovation and Leading Change3
This course offers an examination of the links among organizational design, culture, innovation, and change. Students will examine the analytical frameworks and applied methodologies that drive creative problem-solving and strategic transformations, including entrepreneurial mindsets, power dynamics, cognitive processes, and learning mechanisms. The course will explore how organizational design fosters fluidity and how incentives and reward measurement systems must align to support innovation and exploration.
This course equips students with the foundational quantitative principles and techniques essential for beginning to develop a rigorous research plan that applies inferential statistics to real-world organizational problems. Students evaluate the use of descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing, and regression analysis in research design and evaluation. This course explores the use of statistical software to conduct and interpret data analyses. The curriculum emphasizes quantitative data integrity and research ethics, addressing topics like data privacy, IRB procedures, error screening, and outlier treatment.
This course equips students to anticipate, analyze, and strategically respond to disruptive trends and emerging issues shaping the global cross-sectoral business environment. The curriculum moves beyond traditional strategy, focusing on developing organizational foresight and agility in the face of rapid change. In this course, students will begin the process of identifying viable topics and problems to address in their dissertations. Students will explore strategic innovations and data-driven recommendations for emerging issues in business. Beyond analysis, this course challenges participants to embrace their roles as change agents, leading conversations and driving organizational adaptation related to these issues.
This course provides a rigorous exploration of specialized and complex qualitative methodologies, moving beyond foundational designs to contemporary and theoretically-driven approaches. The curriculum emphasizes the application of advanced data analysis techniques, including sophisticated coding paradigms, software-assisted analysis of large qualitative datasets, and the integration of analytic findings with theory. Students will examine the most effective methods for applying and integrating findings from qualitative research into scholarly content for the dissertation document. Students will analyze strategies for maximizing research quality, including advanced rigor techniques and ethical considerations for research.
This course provides an analysis of advanced statistical modeling and quantitative methodologies, equipping students with the theoretical depth and technical skills necessary for complex organizational research. The curriculum moves beyond standard regression to focus on more advanced techniques including factor analysis and structural equation modeling. Emphasis is placed on the philosophical underpinnings of causal inference, model specification, and hypothesis testing. This course explores the interpretation of complex model output using statistical software. Students will critically evaluate research designs to ensure maximum internal and external validity. The curriculum will investigate the best practices for articulating quantitative study results within the context of a dissertation. This course includes an examination of advanced data integrity issues.
This course will cover the development of a philosophy of partnership and collaboration for the organization tying it to the concepts of servant leadership and organizational stewardship. Practical implications will be the conceptual and practical questions in the design, implementation and ongoing management of partnerships both with the internal stake holders and external organizations. Collaborative competencies and models of partnership between nonprofits and government, nonprofits and the church, and nonprofits and nonprofits will be examined.
This foundational course is the essential entry point into the dissertation process, designed to facilitate the full development and articulation of the student's dissertation ideas. The course guides candidates through a rigorous, systematic process of intellectual inquiry to establish a comprehensive and defensible project foundation. Students will focus intensively on the critical first steps of doctoral research: formulating a precise and compelling problem statement that clearly defines the research gap and organizational significance. Students will develop a preliminary research design that outlines the proposed methodological approach, ensuring alignment between the problem statement and data collection strategies. This course culminates in a well-defined Concepts Document, preparing students for the formal proposal stage.
This course is designed to guide doctoral candidates through the process of developing a comprehensive and defensible dissertation proposal, composed of the first three chapters of the dissertation, that is ready for submission to the Institutional Review Board (IRB). Students, with guidance from their advisors, will develop the core components of their proposal in a systematic and iterative manner that meets all academic and methodological requirements of the program. The second chapter of the proposal is a literature review synthesizing scholarly sources and positioning the proposed study within relevant theoretical and conceptual frameworks. Successful completion of this course is required for students to proceed to the data collection and analysis stage.
This course consists of the students' integrated, hands-on experience of conducting the empirical component of a doctoral dissertation. Moving beyond theoretical concepts, students will execute the full research data lifecycle, encompassing rigorous data collection, professional management protocols, data analysis, and interpretation. Emphasis is placed on accurately analyzing data and interpreting results, critically evaluating underlying assumptions, and strictly adhering to ethical and regulatory standards, including data privacy and Institutional Review Board (IRB) compliance. Students will synthesize the findings from the data analysis, formulating clear interpretations and drawing defensible conclusions to serve as the foundation for drafting the final dissertation chapters.
As the culminating academic experience of the doctoral program, this course is designed to provide intensive, structured support for the completion, refinement, and successful defense of the dissertation. Students will defend their dissertation by presenting their research, articulating their contributions, and presenting their findings in a formal defense for the committee examination. Successful completion of this course requires the submission of the Final Dissertation Manuscript, as approved by the student's advisor and committee, and the successful completion of the formal Dissertation Defense.
Students who have not successfully defended their thesis/dissertation by the end of BUSA 925: Dissertation and Defense must register for BUSA 930: Dissertation Continuation until the project is completed.
