B EC 201. Theology of Business. (2 Credits)
A traditional view holds that business exists to maximize shareholder value within legal and ethical boundaries—essentially, make as much money as possible without breaking laws or violating moral standards. But is there more? This course will explore God's purpose for business by asking three sets of questions. First, can we envision a business purpose that aligns with God's Kingdom? How does this theological vision address the various components and constraints businesses face? Second, beyond articulating a biblical theology of business, we must ask if such principles work in our broken world, implemented by imperfect people. Lastly, from a practical point of view, how do we embody Kingdom values in secular or Christian workplaces when we're not decision-makers? These three question sets—theological foundation, real-world application, and practical implications—will guide our exploration of Scripture, theory, and practical wisdom for your professional journey.
B EC 225. Personal Finance. (2 Credits)
Discover biblical principles for managing finances wisely. This course covers budgeting, saving, debt management, and investing with a focus on stewardship and generosity. It will also explore retirement planning and tax strategies rooted in Christian values. Students will explore the relationship between faith and finances, develop practical money management skills, and learn to use wealth as a tool for kingdom purposes and blessing others.
B EC 226. Financial Accounting. (4 Credits)
An introduction to basic accounting theory, principles, and financial information systems. This first of a two-course sequence covers the double entry accrual system of accounting and addresses financial reporting issues related to accounting for current assets, liabilities, and long-lived assets.
B EC 227. Managerial Accounting. (4 Credits)
This second of a two-course sequence covers financial accounting issues related to business organization, accounting for long-term debt and owner's equity, and financial analysis. Students are also introduced to an array of managerial accounting topics including cost-volume-profit analysis, job order, and process costing, budgeting, relevant costs and decision making. Prerequisite: B EC 226.
B EC 228. Markets, Money, and Morality. (4 Credits)
The 21st century has witnessed the monetization of every facet of human life. Yet, as unquestioned consumption and the unbridled pursuit of wealth become the norm, scripture’s warnings about the dangers of wealth and the love of money seem simultaneously radical to believe and impossible to carry out. To equip students to navigate this landscape, this course offers a theological, philosophical, and ethical introduction to the foundational concepts in business, markets, and morality.
Tags: PI
B EC 229. Management Information Systems. (2 Credits)
Provides an overview of current business office software and its application and implementation within a business framework. The use of spreadsheets, databases and presentation graphics are explored as students develop their own business. The creation of a financial business plan, an inventory tracking system, and a business promotional presentation are used to develop the student's understanding of the software as it relates to everyday business practices.
B EC 301. The Innovator’s Vocation: Faith-Centered Design and Agile Management. (4 Credits)
In this interdisciplinary, applied course, students engage real-world innovation challenges while examining the intersection of faith, science, work, and creativity. Mentored teams address complex problems across a range of industries using established innovation and project management frameworks informed by behavioral and cognitive science. Through practical experience and guided reflection, students develop the tools and mindsets of effective innovators while deepening their understanding of how Christian commitments can shape professional life and vocation. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Tags: SIP
B EC 311. Principles of Financial Planning, Professional Conduct and Regulation. (4 Credits)
This course introduces students to the financial planning profession through a Christian stewardship perspective. Students examine professional conduct, fiduciary duty, and regulatory frameworks governing financial planners. Emphasis is placed on CFP Board ethical standards alongside biblical principles of stewardship, integrity, and care for clients. Through cases and applied exercises, students develop skills in data gathering, goal setting, and comprehensive financial analysis while understanding their role as ethical professionals honoring God and serving clients responsibly. Prerequisites: B EC 226, ECON 211.
B EC 312. Risk Management and Insurance Planning. (2 Credits)
This course surveys the principles of risk, including identification, assessment, and mitigation of personal and family financial risks. Students also study major insurance products—life, health, disability, long-term care, property, and liability—and evaluate policy features and suitability. Emphasis is placed on aligning coverage recommendations with client goals, values, and constraints. Biblical perspectives on provision, prudence, and care for dependents inform discussions of responsible risk management. Prerequisite: B EC 226, ECON 211. Pre or Corequisite: B EC 311.
B EC 313. Investments and Tax Planning. (4 Credits)
This course provides an overview of capital markets, risk and return, portfolio construction, and investment vehicles including stocks, bonds, funds, and alternative investments. Students also learn to analyze tax strategies, including income taxation, deductions, credits, capital gains, retirement accounts, and tax-efficient planning techniques. The courses integrates biblical perspectives on stewardship and generosity in developing ethical and responsible investment and tax strategies. Case studies support developing skills in creating diversified portfolios and implementing tax strategies that align with clients' goals, values, and biblical financial principles. Prerequisite: B EC 226, ECON 211. Pre or Corequisites: B EC 311.
B EC 314. Retirement and Estate Planning. (4 Credits)
This course examines retirement planning strategies and estate planning techniques to help clients achieve financial security and legacy goals. Topics include Social Security, pension plans, IRAs, 401(k)s, retirement income strategies, wills, trusts, probate, estate taxes, and wealth transfer methods. Christian views of legacy, generosity, and intergenerational responsibility frame discussions of wealth transfer. Students develop competency in retirement needs analysis, distribution planning, and estate document preparation aligned with clients’ legacy principles in the light of biblical generosity and stewardship. Prerequisite: B EC 226, ECON 211. Pre or Corequisite: B EC 311.
B EC 319. Faith & Market Mentorship. (2 Credits)
This course will introduce you to personal accounts of how Christian faith has affected the careers of successful business persons from a variety of areas—entrepreneurs, large corporations, small companies, non-governmental organizations, non-profits, public service, small investment companies and other related fields. Students will read first person accounts and interact with guest lecturers from a variety of backgrounds who have been successful in the business world and can share how their Christian faith helped them in trials, success, failure, challenges and setbacks. By the end of the course, students should be able to provide examples of how the Biblically based faith of Christian business persons from a variety of fields affected ethical challenges, mission formation, and how best to determine a vocation.
B EC 328. Business Ethics. (2 Credits)
Corporations and the economy in the US and elsewhere are reeling from the effects of an unprecedented series of moral scandals. What ethical guidelines must be put in place to reestablish confidence in the integrity of business? Some of the questions are: is it ethical to pay bribes in foreign countries, or to go along with their treatment of people when those ways are seen as unjust in our society? What are the ethical obligations of truth telling in the context of business negotiations or advertising? What rights do employees have, and how can businesses best respect these rights? What is the proper place of capitalistic institutions in a just society? What is 'fair treatment' for women and minorities in business? In this course, we will have a brief survey of basic ethical concepts and general moral theory, and then discuss a variety of ethical issues that arise in the areas of business and work. The general orientation will be towards an integration of the theoretical with the practical. Taught jointly with the Business Economics and Philosophy Departments. Prerequisite: ECON 211.
B EC 329. Mediation Competition Team. (0.5 Credits)
A hands-on exploration of the theory and practice of mediation through participation in intercollegiate mock mediation competitions. This intensive course prepares students to compete effectively in intercollegiate mediation competitions. Students will develop advanced mediation skills, learn competition-specific strategies, and participate in extensive practical training through role-plays, mock competitions, and peer feedback sessions. The course culminates in participation in a regional or national intercollegiate mediation competition. Graded pass/fail. This course may be repeated up to four times for 0.5 credits each, to a maximum of 2 credits total. Prerequisite: Permission from instructor.
B EC 331. International Business. (4 Credits)
Examines international trade issues, investment flows, and foreign exchange concerns as they relate to the firm. The impact of legal, political, and cultural forces on the multination enterprise are examined in the context of the strategic management process. Case studies are heavily used.
Tags: GP
B EC 336. Entrepreneurship. (4 Credits)
This course uses a multi-disciplined approach to examine the qualities of a new business venture. Students will gain knowledge of how to identify potential business opportunities, conduct market analysis and feasibility studies, write a business plan, and access their entrepreneurial acumen in the context of social responsibility.
B EC 341. Principles of Marketing. (4 Credits)
Role of marketing within an enterprise. Includes a survey of the impact of product, price, promotion, advertising, distribution channels, consumer behavior, and market segmentation on marketing decisions.
B EC 342. Principles of Management. (4 Credits)
Introduction to the effective management of organizations, including principles of strategizing, organizing, controlling, and leading. Special emphasis on the human side of management and the social responsibility of enterprise.
B EC 343. Consumer Behavior. (4 Credits)
This course explores the psychology of consumer thought and rationale, with a focus on theory and research, for the purpose of examining the social, cognitive, and cultural factors that influence individual consumer behavior. Prerequisite: B EC 341.
B EC 347. Introduction to Industrial/Organizational Psychology. (4 Credits)
This course is about how human beings behave within organizations. We will cover research within organizations and their structure, culture, and development; organizational processes like recruitment, selection, and training; organizational behavior topics like motivation and attitudes; and important factors like communication, group dynamics, power, influence, and leadership. Students will apply this knowledge by designing an organizational development proposal in a team with other students.
B EC 352. Business Law. (2 Credits)
An introduction to basic legal concepts and principles that apply to business transactions. The course will focus on the laws related to contracts, commercial transactions, and agency relationships. Ethical and other issues in business law are examined from a Christian perspective.
B EC 355. Cost Accounting. (4 Credits)
A study of accounting information for managerial reporting and decision making, including cost analysis, performance measurement, variance analysis, activity based/job order/process costing, allocation issues, information for decision making, and capital budgeting. Prerequisite: B EC 226 and B EC 227.
B EC 362. Topics in Business Analytics. (2 Credits)
Selected topics designed to give added breadth and depth to the understanding of Business Analytics. Prerequisite: Various depending on the topic.
B EC 364. Topics in Business Analytics. (4 Credits)
Selected topics designed to give added breadth and depth to the understanding of Business Analytics. Prerequisite: Various depending on the topic.
B EC 367. Principles of Finance. (4 Credits)
This course is a study of basic financial concepts underlying valuation of financial assets and managing the firm. Financial management issues covered in the course include financial analysis, capital budgeting, capital structure, long-term financing, financial planning, dividend policy, working capital management, and international finance. Prerequisite: B EC 226 and ECON 321 (or MATH 263 or MATH 363 or MATH 163 (AP Statistics credit)).
B EC 377. Marketing & Supply Chain Strategy. (4 Credits)
The importance of logistics and supply chain management is receiving top management attention in major firms on a global basis. While supply chain management has captured the attention and interest of higher-level executives, successful companies still realize that it is the logistics of an enterprise that manages order fulfillment to their customers effectively and efficiently to build and sustain competitive advantage and profitability. The logistics process affects almost every aspect of human activity, directly or indirectly. Few areas of business have as significant an impact as logistics. The primary function of this course is to provide students with a strong background in marketing, logistics and transportation within the context of supply chain management processes. Marketing and Supply Chain Strategy is a course designed to enable future business leaders to utilize business theories to analytically assess decisions and develop effective strategies through demand and supply integration. The objective of demand and supply integration (DSI) is to align sales, marketing, operations, logistics, procurement, and finance in a strategy that balances supply and demand. Prerequisite: B EC 341. Corequisite: B EC 342.
B EC 381. Community Economic Development & Enterprise. (4 Credits)
This experiential course teaches concepts and frameworks of community economic development with special focus on the role of private enterprise and its relationship to other key actors, such as non-profit institutions and government agencies. Students will study ways in which community development practices, entrepreneurship, and business development can be leveraged to promote economic opportunity in urban neighborhoods. The course includes case studies, fields, and guest lectures, and students will also take advantage of proximity to various institutions of community economic development and enterprise, including the University of Chicago's Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation.
Tags: SI
B EC 382. Topics in Business. (2 Credits)
Selected topics designed to give added breadth and depth to the understanding of business. Prerequisite: Various depending on the topic.
B EC 384. Topics in Business. (4 Credits)
Selected topics designed to give added breadth and depth to the understanding of business. Prerequisite: Various depending on the topic.
B EC 421. Organizational Behavior. (2 Credits)
Examination of human behavior in work organizations. Focuses on enhancing individual and organizational performance by understanding motivation, job attitudes, leadership, group dynamics, organizational culture, and organizational development. This highly interactive class is run as a self-managed work team. Course is offered occasionally.
B EC 431. Investment Analysis and Capital Markets. (4 Credits)
This course analyzes the markets for investment of funds with special emphasis on debt and equity instruments, and the determination of asset prices. The theory and practices underlying investment portfolio management also are studied as they relate to these markets. Prerequisite: ECON 211, ECON 212, ECON 321 (or MATH 263 or MATH 363 or MATH 163 - AP Statistics credit), and B EC 367.
B EC 433. New Venture Strategy. (2 Credits)
The course is designed to provide tools that will help students develop and evaluate new business ideas. The course will discuss frameworks for understanding the entrepreneurial process, decision and behavioral sciences as they relate to business strategy, Biblical underpinnings of entrepreneurship, and financing and starting the new venture. Course is offered occasionally. Prerequisite: B EC 226, 341, 367, and ECON 211.
B EC 491. Financial Plan Development Capstone. (4 Credits)
In this integrative capstone, students synthesize prior coursework to develop and present comprehensive financial plans that meet Certified Financial Planner Board expectations. Working with detailed client scenarios, they gather data, define goals, analyze alternatives, and recommend coordinated strategies across insurance, investments, taxes, retirement, and estate planning. Emphasis is placed on written and oral communication, professional judgment, and ethical reasoning informed by biblical principles. Students receive feedback on technical accuracy, clarity, and character as they prepare for professional practice. Prerequisite: B EC 226, B EC 311, ECON 211. Pre or Corequisite: B EC 312, B EC 313, B EC 314.
B EC 493. Business Strategy. (2 Credits)
A required course for Business Economics majors that highlights key principles and ideas from the business disciplines of accounting, finance, management, and marketing. A major goal of the course is to develop insights into the interrelatedness of business principles as they apply to business strategy and solving problems in the context of a competitive business environment. Case analysis and/or simulations will be used to develop the conceptual material. Prerequisite: Majors only; B EC 226, 341, 367, and ECON 321 (or MATH 263 or MATH 363 or MATH 163 - AP Stats credit). Pre or Corequisite: B EC 341 and B EC 367.
B EC 494. Senior Seminar. (2 Credits)
An integrative capstone course examining the liberal arts, normative aspects of business and economics, the role of Christians at work and in the marketplace. Prerequisite: Majors only and senior standing.
General Education: SHAR
B EC 495. Independent Study. (1 to 4 Credits)
Individual study on major issues for the advanced student with approval of the department chair. See Department guidelines.
B EC 496. Internship. (1 to 4 Credits)
Credit given for pre-approved faculty-supervised involvement in the private or public sector of the economy. Open only to juniors and seniors who have completed ECON 211, 212 and any other courses deemed appropriate for the particular internship. Graded pass/fail.
B EC 499. Honors Thesis. (4 Credits)
An independent research project requiring original research, developed into a scholarly paper and culminating in an oral exam. By application to the department only. The honors thesis may not be counted toward the total hours required to complete the major. Prerequisite: ECON 375