Economic vitality of the world
The businesses entrepreneurs start create new products and jobs. Acquiring the necessary skills to start or expand a company is more important than ever before.
Look no further than our entrepreneurship and innovation program for a business school and faculty that will prepare you to create and sustain a successful enterprise.
Critical thinking and problem solving will be essential as you navigate everything from preparing a business plan to exploring venture financing — and you’ll have these in spades after completing our entrepreneurship and innovation minor.
You’ll also learn business terms and ideas without needing to be a business major and learn to:
- Prepare business plans
- Build marketing strategies
- Discover where to look for venture financing
- Create innovative entrepreneurial and small-business ventures
When you enroll at Susquehanna, you’ll be paired with an advisor and application tool to guide you in your course planning and scheduling. The following is an excerpt from the complete course catalog. Enrolled students follow the requirements of the course catalog for the academic year in which they declare each major and/or minor, consult with their advisor(s) and the Academic Planning Tool.
Minor in Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Entrepreneurship is important to the overall economic future of our society, as well as being a leading area of interest to students. The creation of new products, services, jobs, business, and, in fact, entire industries is more dependent upon entrepreneurship today than it ever has been in the past. The importance of entrepreneurship has become more widely acknowledged and understood, generating enormous opportunities for entrepreneurial thinking and considerable interest in the field by students and educators. To complete the minor students must have a GPA of at least 2.00 in the minor coursework and must complete the following courses with grades of C- or higher.
4 MGMT-230 Exploring Entrepreneurial Opportunities
4 MGMT-333 New Ventures: Start-Up to Exit
4 MGMT-434 Entrepreneurial Experience
4 MGMT-437 Sustainable Entrepreneurship
Luxury Brand Marketing and Management Courses
This course covers the history of luxury brands through the facets of luxury today. It explores how brand equity is created, pricing strategies, the distribution of luxury goods, and various business models for luxury goods. Prerequisite: MKTG-280 Marketing. SH.
In this course students explore communication strategies, developing brand equity and luxury brand stretching. The course also covers global trends and innovative strategies for marketing luxury to emerging markets. In addition, it introduces students to the impact of digital technology and the concepts of luxury sustainability and social entrepreneurship. Prerequisite: LBMM-216. 4 SH.
This course covers the various aspects of retail and visual merchandising operations and the role of creativity in the context of luxury industry. Students will explore concepts, theories, and research on retail and visual merchandising and apply that knowledge to real-life examples and class projects. Prerequisite: LBMM-216. 4 SH.
Management Courses
This course focuses on identifying and clarifying individual values, skills, interests, and personality type to develop suitable career objectives, placing emphasis on the connections between career preparation, academic choices, and co-curricular activities. Students learn how to construct a resume and cover letter and how to conduct an employment search. Primary theories used to teach career planning and development include trait and factor, developmental, learning, and socioeconomic theories. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing. 2 SH.
This course offers an overview of business fundamentals, functional areas of business, business careers, and opportunities provided by the Sigmund Weis School of Business. It is designed for students who did not complete Global Business Perspectives during their first semester. The course enables students to assess their interest in business, and it prepares them for their subsequent business courses and careers. A project-based approach enables the integration of critical thinking, strategic analysis, teamwork, and communication skills. The course culminates with team presentations of case analyses to invited business executives. Business majors only. 2 SH.
This course offers an overview of business fundamentals, functional areas of business, business careers and opportunities provided by the Sigmund Weis School of Business. The course enables students to assess their interest in business, and it prepares them for their subsequent business courses and careers. A project-based approach enables the integration of critical thinking, strategic analysis, teamwork, and communication skills. The course culminates with team presentations of case analyses to invited business executives. 4 SH. CC: First-Year Seminar.
Principles and methods of data collection, presentation, analysis and interpretation for business decisions. Includes statistical description, probability theory, and methods of inference; regression and correlation analysis; time-series analysis and index numbers; and chi-square. Introduces computer-based statistical packages. (Students may earn credit for only one of the introductory statistics courses offered by the management, mathematics, or psychology departments). 4 SH. CC: Analytical Thought.
This course is aimed specifically at attracting students from all disciplines to explore innovation and entrepreneurship in a cross-disciplinary setting. Students will investigate what entrepreneurial opportunities can exist within such fields as creative writing, math, engineering, languages, music and business. The aim of the course is to ignite passion in discovering how an idea can become a real company, through experiential learning using a variety of methodologies. The course will include an introduction to entrepreneurship through an exploration of developing ideas, business model creation and business feasibility analysis. 4 SH.
This course examines the essentials of management: planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. Within this structure, students will explore how managers deal with the turbulent environment of business and the increasing complexity brought on by globalization and technological innovation. 4 SH.
This is an introductory survey of the nature and function of non-profit organization, including basic legal requirements affecting non-profits, theories and practices for establishing and managing non-profit organizations, designing and assessing operational structures for non-profit organizations, and strategies for inter- organizational relationships. Pre-requisite: MGMT-240. 4 SH.
Focus on the management and flow of goods and services across national borders to enhance the competitiveness of small, medium, and large-size firms including: market research, agent selection, payment terms, government regulation, transportation, insurance, documentation and inventory management. Prerequisites: MGMT-240 and MGMT-350. 2SH.
This course will focus on multiple aspects of new venture start-up, growth and exit to include; the start-up process, the various business models, the legal foundations of a business, business operations, financial management, organizational growth and exit strategies. This course will use a variety of case studies to emphasize real world examples and lead students through core elements of the business plan. Pre-requisite: MGMT-230 or a major in the School of Business. 4 SH.
A broad exposure to the turbulent, complex and expanding nature of business in the international environment. Considers the fundamental principles and practices of multi-national enterprises with both text and case studies. Prerequisites: ECON-201, ECON-202, or instructor’s permission. 4 SH.
A study of business practice and operations in the U.K. and continental Europe. Offered in London, England, for business students in the Sigmund Weis School London Program. Emphasis is pragmatic and applications-oriented. The course features field trips to manufacturing facilities, distribution centers and financial institutions in the U.K. and on the European continent. Class often features guest lecturers knowledgeable in specific fields of international business. Prerequisite: Junior standing or instructor’s permission and participation in the London Program. 2 SH.
Examines the theories, practices and processes of management and organizational behavior. Emphasizes applications of theory to practice and learning from experiential activities. Topics include psychological contracts, motivation, perception & attribution, interpersonal communication, group processes, power & influence, conflict and negotiation, and leadership. Numerous exercises emphasize application of theories and processes to students’ personal experiences. Prerequisites: Sophomore standing. 4 SH. CC: Diversity Intensive.
Examines the activities and practices conducted by a human resource management department, as well as the relationships among them. Topics include job analysis and design, human resource planning, recruitment and selection, training and development, performance appraisal, and compensation. Numerous exercises are used to emphasize application of human resource management concepts and methods to real-world scenarios. Prerequisite: MGMT-240. 4 SH.
Explores legislation regulating wages, hours, and other conditions of employment. Topics include federal laws that regulate wages and salaries, hours of work, equal employment opportunity, health and safety, and workplace justice. Students are required to apply concepts and techniques discussed in class within several assignments and/or exercises. Prerequisite: MGMT-361 or instructor’s permission. 2 SH.
This course enables students to evaluate the economic, social and environmental performance for-profit and nonprofit organizations through the lens of sustainability concepts. Using a case method approach, students critically examine contemporary sustainability issues and evaluate their potential effects on the sustainability practices of domestic and international organizations. Prerequisite: MGMT-240 or MGMT-360. 4 SH.
This course focuses on the relationship between business and government in both market-based and social contexts. Students will examine how government policies affect businesses and how businesses influence and interact with governments. Business-government relationships will be analyzed within the contexts of the United States, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and developing countries. Prerequisites: either POLI-111 or MGMT-240. 2 SH.
Introduces areas such as product and process development, capacity planning, inventory control, product scheduling, and quality control. Emphasizes the integration of strategic long-term and analytical short-term decisions and the integration of the operations function within the firm. Uses quantitative models, spreadsheet models, and computer applications to provide a framework and support for the development of management decisions. Prerequisites: Junior standing, INFS-233, ACCT-200, and either ECON-105 or ECON-202. 4 SH.
The capstone course for business seniors that integrates much of the knowledge they gain from earlier courses. Uses a case method approach to solve problems facing top management. Emphasizes the global environment and strategic management decisions. Covers finance, management, marketing, technology, geography, leadership, and other factors in both domestic and international cases. Heavy emphasis on the development of analytical skills and both written and oral communications skills. Prerequisites: Senior standing and FINC-340, ACCT-330 and either MGMT-240 or MGMT-360. 4 SH. Capstone. CC: Writing Intensive.
Examines the concepts and applications of ethical and moral behavior that affect business decision-making and result in socially responsible policies and actions. Uses actual cases and issues to demonstrate the need for social responsibility as an integral part of business strategies and implementation. Prerequisites: Junior standing and MGMT-240. 4 SH. CC: Ethics Intensive, Diversity Intensive.
This course presents an analysis of the unique managerial problems encountered by international, multinational and global business enterprises. Emphasis is placed on the economic, technological, sociocultural and political aspects of firms doing business globally and their effects on the managerial objectives, processes, and strategic decision-making. Prerequisite: MGMT-240 or MGMT-350. 2 SH.
The purpose of this course is to acquaint students with the fundamentals of intellectual property (IP) law. Moreover, while students will be introduced to emerging IP law, it also will explore the interplay of luxury goods in the realm of intellectual property. Students will be introduced to the four primary fields within intellectual property: trademarks, copyrights, patents, and trade secrets. Prerequisite: ACCT-210. 4 SH.
Student teams will conceptualize and develop a start-up organization (by trying, failing, pivoting, and repeating). Through this process they will develop an understanding the different challenges and opportunities that an entrepreneur faces and work with active entrepreneurs to provide recommendations to specific real-time challenges. Students will also study several cases that demonstrate different aspects of the entrepreneurial company and gain confidence to use entrepreneurial thinking in future endeavors. Prerequisite: MGMT-230 and MGMT-333 4 SH
This course will focus on the exploration of entrepreneurship through an analysis of case studies within a variety of entrepreneurial contexts. It will address modern aspects of entrepreneurship such as sustainability, ethics, social innovation, gender and globalization. The context in which entrepreneurial activity is explored will include non-for-profit organizations, non-governmental organizations and for-profit ventures. The course expands on the critical role of entrepreneurs and the role that entrepreneurship plays in the local, national and global economy. Prerequisite: MGMT-230 Exploring Entrepreneurial Opportunities. 4 SH.
This course examines the personal selling component of marketing from a management perspective. The course will emphasize the selling process and managing sales personnel. Topics will include market analysis, sales strategies, sales presentations, and creating and administrating a sales program. The course is application focused and will build on the Professional Selling class by identifying elements necessary for successful sales management, including recruiting, training, motivating, and promoting sales people. We will also consider how selling over the internet has and will continue to impact selling of products and services. Prerequisites: COMM-215. 4 SH.
Explores the theory and practice of compensation structure design based on concepts of internal and external equity. Internal equity focuses on assessing the relative worth of different jobs in an organization through job evaluation. External equity involves assigning pay levels to different jobs in an organization based on data collected from wage and salary surveys of competitors. The topic of benefits is also addressed. Students are required to apply concepts and techniques in class within a group project that entails developing a compensation structure for a hypothetical company. Prerequisite: MGMT-361 or instructor’s permission. 2 SH.
Explores the theory and practice of performance appraisal and performance-based pay. Performance appraisal topics include appraisal instruments, sources of appraisal, increasing appraisal accuracy, and conducting appraisal interviews. Performance-based pay topics include traditional merit pay, as well as incentive plans, gain sharing, and profit sharing. Students are required to apply concepts and techniques discussed in class within several assignments and/or exercises. Prerequisite: MGMT-361 or permission of instructor. 2 SH.
Develops skills in negotiation, joint decision making and joint problem solving through analysis of the negotiating process, frequent negotiation exercises, case analyses and interaction with professional negotiators. Prerequisite: Junior standing or instructor’s permission. 2 SH.
Explores topics of current importance and interest in management. Prerequisite: Junior standing. 2-4 SH.
Examines the role of sex and gender in organizations. Special attention is given to topics relevant to women working in organizations, such as sex and gender differences in: career/job preferences, advancement and pay, teamwork, leadership, sexuality in the workplace and work-family balance. Other topics addressed include hostile vs. benevolent sexism as well as practices designed to increase diversity within organizations. Class is conducted in a seminar format. Prerequisite: Junior standing or permission of instructor. Same as WGST-380. 2 SH. CC: Diversity Intensive.
Individualized academic work for qualified students under faculty direction. Typically focused on topics not covered in regularly offered courses. Prerequisites: Senior standing and permission of faculty member and department head. 2-4 SH.
An original research project under faculty direction. Prerequisites: Senior standing and permission of faculty member and department head. 2-4 SH.
A learning experience that cultivates a student’s academic and professional development through valuable work experience and the integration of classroom-acquired knowledge by working at a firm, corporation, government agency, or nonprofit organization. Prerequisites: Faculty advisor’s permission, approval by the SWSB Internship Committee and acceptance by organization. Graded on an S/U basis. 1-4 SH.
Marketing Courses
The study of business activities planned and implemented to facilitate the exchange or transfer of products and services so that both parties benefit. Examines markets and segments, as well as product, price, promotion, and channel variable decisions. Considers marketing in profit and nonprofit sectors and in the international setting. 4 SH.
In this course students analyze world markets, including the perspectives of consumers throughout the world. Students will learn about the marketing management techniques required to meet the demands of world markets in a dynamic and ever-changing setting. Prerequisite: MGMT-280. 2 SH.
This course emphasizes the importance of digital marketing and the ways in which it has revolutionized the interactions and relationships between firms and consumers. Students will gain both theoretical and industry knowledge, and explore the powerful tools that companies use in digital marketing to reach their consumers. This course emphasizes topics such as online advertising, search engine optimization, conversion strategies, social media, and online privacy. Students will also learn to quantitatively and qualitatively evaluate digital tools for business purposes. Prerequisite: MKTG-280. 4 SH.
Social media marketing (SMM) allows businesses to gain a competitive advantage by creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content in social media. This course is designed to provide students with knowledge of using SMM to increase brand awareness, identify key audiences, generate leads, and build meaningful relationships with customers. Corequisite: MKTG-320 Digital Marketing. 7-week course. 2 SH.
The course material parallels the marketing research process and follows the definition of a research problem, the design of an appropriate methodology, and the collection of data. Data compilation and analysis and report preparation are covered in the data analysis portion of the course. The objective will be to provide students with the analytical skills and practical experience that will allow them to perform market research. Prerequisite: MKTG-280 Marketing and INFS-233 Data-Driven Decision Making. 4SH.
A survey of the contributions of the behavioral sciences to the understanding of buyer behavior. Emphasizes how marketers use theories regarding consumer purchasing process to make decisions at both the strategic and tactical levels. Prerequisite: MKTG-280. 4 SH.
A case method capstone course for the marketing emphasis applying marketing functions to “real world” situations. Integrates knowledge from previous courses in marketing, management, accounting and finance as applied to market planning. Prerequisites: MGMT-382 and MGMT-381.
In-depth focus on a marketing topic of current interest. Possible topics include marketing for service and non-profit organizations, new product development, and direct marketing. Prerequisite: MKTG-280. 4 SH.
This marketing course is designed to support high level decision making through the review, analysis and integration of knowledge gained while completing classes toward a degree in Marketing. Students will complete an academic project that demonstrates their mastery of marketing principles using data-driven decision making. Prerequisites: MKTG-381 Market Research. 4 SH.
Sigmund Weis School of Business London Program Courses
Offered to students participating in the London Program of the Sigmund Weis School of Business, this course provides knowledge and exposure to the art of theatre performance by utilizing the rich offerings of the theatre and other fine arts resources in London and England. 4 SH. CC: Artistic Expression.
Offered to students participating in the London Program of the Sigmund Weis School of Business, this course introduces students to the theories and principles of diversity by examining Great Britain as a case study in diversity. The course explores key aspects diversity in relation to, but not limited to, class, race, gender and sexuality. A key focus will be location-specific study of social and cultural diversity through student exploration of the role played by culture, ethnicity, class, race and gender in Britain’s past and in its contemporary life. This will involve exploring the opportunities and challenges faced by individuals, businesses and non-profit organizations in their engagement with issues of equality and social justice. Students will learn about contemporary British culture and they will be able to compare that culture with that of the United States. 4 SH. CC: Diversity.
OFFP-SWSB SWSB London Program Planning The goal of this course is to prepare study abroad students for a semester’s study in the Sigmund Weis School of Business London Program. Students begin work toward achieving the cross-cultural learning goals; examples include examining definitions and aspects of culture and learning to recognize ethnocentrism. They will be introduced to observational and reflective techniques to be used on site and will begin an investigation of the history and culture of their destination. Many differences come into play: finances, physical health and safety, cultural expectations, and world affairs differ in relevance to the SU student studying on campus versus studying in London. This course will respond to the question of how to research, plan and prepare for a study abroad experience, as well as how to prepare to return home. This course also includes some mandatory workshops provided by the GO Program office. Prerequisite: Approval by the GO Program office 1 SH
This course completes the cross-cultural requirement for students in the Sigmund Weis School of Business London Program. This course is designed to allow students to reflect on a cross-cultural experience and to integrate that experience into their social, intellectual, and academic life. They will explore the complexities of culture-both their own and that in which they have been immersed-in order to understand the possibilities and responsibilities of being a global citizen. Through short assignments, student presentations, a final paper and an opinion survey, students reflect on their learning in London coursework, company visits, consulting projects and more. Prerequisites: Completion of the SWSB London semester. 1 SH CC: Cross-Cultural Reflection.
Whether a student has a simple idea for an app, a passion for something they’d like to turn into a business or an existing and operating business, Alex is a resource on campus who is available for consulting throughout the semester.
Alex has been running his own businesses for the last 15+ years in markets as diverse as marketing/consulting, e-Books, photography, wristwatches, subscription services and online communities. He has consulted with clients in hundreds of industries such as health & wellness, industrial, healthcare, e-learning, skincare, wineries, wristwatches, financial businesses, and many more. Given his breadth of experience, he is positioned to help students with entrepreneurial ideas excel.
Alex is available to help students with any business idea – small or large. To set up a meeting, email fleckp@susqu.edu or connect with him on LinkedIn to learn more about his experiences.
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The Ultimate Guide to Small Business Loans – comprehensive and free resources about small-business loans and other types of available funding
Business.org – connecting businesses with in-depth research, product reviews and expert recommendations
Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship and Marketing
Department Head of Management and Marketing
Email Address flecke@susqu.edu
Phone Number 570-372-4463
Visiting Assistant Professor of Management
Life Program Director
Email Address smithle@susqu.edu
Phone Number 570-372-4380