Business Curriculum Outline
Bachelor of Science Degree
General Education
Piedmont College Requirement
| PDMT 1101 | Intro to College Life and Liberal Arts Tradition | 1 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 1 |
Students who have not completed a minimum of 24 semester credit hours of college-level coursework upon admission to Piedmont College must meet this college requirement.
Business Core Requirement
Business Core Notes: As an advising guideline, courses should be taken in the sequence shown above. BUSA 1210 (Intro. to Microeconomics), BUSA 2000 (Business Communication), and MATH 1113 (Precalculus) or MATH 2450 (Calculus I) should be taken within the College general education core; otherwise they should be taken within the general electives area. Three semester hours earned from BUSA 4990 (Business Directed “Maymester”) may be substituted for BUSA 4000. MATH 2100 may be substituted for BUSA 2100. For Data Science students, MATH 2450 (Calculus 1) should be taken as a part of the general education core. Students in the Hospitality and Tourism concentration will take BUSA 4882 (Technology in the Hospitality Industry) in place of BUSA 4030 (Management Information Systems) and they will also take BUSA 4892 (Hospitality Practicum) in place of BUSA 4400 (Strategic Mgmt).
Concentration Requirements
General Electives
Total Credit Hours: 120
Concentrations
For the major in business administration, each student must select a concentration in a specific field. Concentrations are available in Accounting, Data Science, Finance, General Business, Hospitality and Tourism Management, Management, and Marketing.
Accounting Concentration
A major in business administration with a concentration in accounting provides a doorway to many career opportunities both within and outside of accounting. The degree may lead one to become a certified public accountant or certified management accountant and will prepare one for employment in the manufacturing and service industries as well as for government service. A background in accounting is also an excellent foundation for graduate school in business or law.
Accounting, often called the language of business, provides essential information about the economic activities of an entity. It plays an important role in our economic and social system. The decisions made by individuals, businesses, governments and other entities determine the use of the nation’s scarce resources. The goal of accounting is to record, report and interpret economic and financial data for use by decision makers.
Concentration Requirements (21 semester hours)
Electives - Choose one from
Note: Students interested in becoming a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) need to earn 30 semester hours in ACCT courses beyond Principles of Accounting (
ACCT 2010 and 2020), and total at least 150 semester hours. Interested students should work closely with their academic advisor in planning the courses selected which can include
ACCT 3306,
ACCT 4700,
ACCT 4200,
ACCT 4990,
ACCT 6430 (International Financial Management),
ACCT 6500 (Corporate Financial Analysis), and
ACCT 6530 (Managerial Accounting).
Data Science Concentration (Demorest Campus Only)
For many years it has been axiomatic that the purpose of business strategy is the creation and sustainment of competitive advantage and that the basis for competitive advantage is knowledge. Data driven decision making is a term that has been around for over a decade, but recent changes in both data collection and data analytics has transformed decision making methodologies in organizational settings. Consider for a moment just how much data has been collected and stored in all of history; next consider that two years from now that amount will have doubled. Next, consider the idea that the ability to create knowledge from big data sets through the use of data analytics will be a critical element in sustaining competitive advantage. Within organizations, as planners craft strategy, as decision makers select alternatives, the data analyst becomes an integral part of the modern organizational structure and accordingly, the data analyst position will be the fastest growing new job opportunity in business for the next ten years. For these reasons, we have modernized every concentration in our business program to reflect this new reality and we have added data science for business as a new concentration.
Concentration Requirements (21 semester hours)
*MATH 2450 must be taken to meet the mathematical reasoning general education requirement.
Finance Concentration
The finance concentration helps students develop the solid foundation in financial principles and practices valued by successful business professionals. Students develop their analytical skills, study the role of financial institutions and markets in the global economy, and explore the use of financial management tools and techniques in the overall strategic management of the firm. The study of finance prepares students for careers in commercial and investment banking, corporation finance, investment analysis and management, and financial analysis. This concentration also provides sound preparation for graduate study.
Concentration Requirements (21 semester hours)
Electives - Choose one from:
General Business Concentration
The general business concentration is designed for students wishing to obtain a broad exposure to several functional areas of modern business. Electives should be chosen with the student’s specific career goals in mind. This concentration also prepares students for graduate study.
Any courses appearing in any concentration can be selected as one of the seven courses in the general business track. Collectively, these seven courses must represent a plan devised in consultation with an academic advisor and approved by the Director of Operations in Athens or the Assoc. Dean in Demorest.
Hospitality and Tourism Concentration (Athens Campus Only)
The Hospitality and Tourism Management Concentration creates an opportunity for an in-depth understanding of hospitality and tourism, not only locally but with a worldwide perspective in a growing industry. Students from concentration are prepared for any segment of the industry, ranging from hotels and resort management to event management to international hotel organizations.
Due to the program’s requirements for both an internship and a practicum, students receive real world experience before graduating from the program. Both the internship and the practicum are supported by local businesses in the Athens, Georgia area as part of the development of the concentration and its corresponding endowed chair.
Concentration Requirements (21 semester hours)
| BUSA 3602 | The Hospitality and Tourism Services Industry | 3 |
| BUSA 3802 | The Hotel Development Process | 3 |
| BUSA 3842 | Cost Control in the Hospitality and Tourism Industry | 3 |
| BUSA 4700 | Business Internship | 3 |
| BUSA 4842 | The Marketing and Management of Tourism and Special Events | 3 |
| BUSA 4852 | Club Management | 3 |
Notes:
- BUSA 4892 replaces BUSA 4400 in the core business classes.
- BUSA 4882 replaces BUSA 4030 in the core business classes. If a student has already completed BUSA 4030, they should take BUSA 4882 as a general elective, if their schedule permits.
Electives - Choose one from
Management Concentration
The management concentration provides students with a broad set of skills, knowledge, and perspectives so they can pursue careers in a variety of organizations and industries and deal with the realities of numerous job and career changes following graduation. Also, the management concentration provides a solid foundation for graduate study in MBA programs or law school. The management concentration focuses on topics fundamental to the success of leaders and organizations.
Management, where the student focuses on acquiring decision-making and implementation skills, is designed to provide ethical strategic direction to businesses in a global setting. The management concentrations differ from other business concentrations in that it focuses on between-function issues whereas other concentrations focus primarily on within-functional issues.
Concentration Requirements (21 semester hours)
Electives - Choose two from:
Marketing Concentration
The study of marketing explores the dynamic processes in which persons and organizations strive to anticipate and satisfy the needs and wants of consumers. Students develop an understanding of the concepts and functions of marketing, including the appreciation of consumer orientation and the refinement of the skills and abilities needed to analyze and formulate marketing strategies. This concentration is particularly relevant to the student planning a career in sales, advertising, consumer relations, brand management, and marketing research. This concentration also prepares students for graduate study.
Concentration Requirements (21 semester hours)
Electives - Choose two from:
Note: Students interested in the area of Sports Marketing should consider BUSA 3340 and BUSA 4120 as electives above.