VISION OF THE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS;
To be the leader among universities in Michigan¹s Upper Peninsula and
its surrounding region in bridging the gap between the business and
technology functions of organizations.
MISSION OF THE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS;
The mission of the School of Business and Economics (SBE) is to educate
undergraduate students in business administration and economics. The SBE
will draw students primarily from Michigan¹s Upper Peninsula and its
surrounding region or from transfers within MTU. The educational
experience will be distinguished by personal attention and guidance to
students, a commitment to quality education and continuous improvement, and
an emphasis on teamwork, information resources, and the link between the
business and technology functions of organizations. Faculty are expected
to emphasize quality teaching and the development of excellence in teaching
methods and still have a strong commitment to research and service.
NOTE ON PROGRAM AND CURRICULUM REVISIONS;
The SBE has implemented several program and curriculum changes as part of
its current effort to achieve accreditation from the American Assembly of
Collegiate Schools of Business by the 2000-2001 academic year. During the
fall of 1996, MTU¹s Board of Control approved a name change to the SBE
from ³School of Business and Engineering Administration², and
termination of the Bachelor of Science in Engineering Management and the
Master of Science in Operations Management degree programs. New curricula
for the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and the Bachelor of
Science in Economics degree programs were approved earlier for
implementation during fall, 1997. This Outcomes Assessment Plan will focus
on the three degree programs which will continue: the B.S. in Business
Administration, the B.S. in Economics, and the M.S. in Mineral Economics.
THE B.S. IN BUSINESS ADMINSITRATION DEGREE
;Mission of the B.S. in Business Administration (BSBA) Program.
The BSBA program provides a quality educational program which will enable
students to succeed in meeting the changing needs of industry and society
as they move into the 21st century. It will prepare graduates to interface
with advanced technologies and to recognize and develop strategic and
entrepreneurial capabilities. It will provide students with an
understanding of the role of engineering and science in creating
competitive advantages and the use of information technology to manage
businesses of the future.
Outcome Number 1.
Graduates will develop a mastery of a broad core of knowledge of business
with knowledge of a specialized field. Students will possess fundamental
knowledge (concepts, tools, techniques, principles, and procedures) of the
following disciplines: accounting, business law, economics, finance,
management information systems, marketing, operations management,
organizational behavior, quality control and management, and statistics.
The primary measure of this outcome will be use of the Major Field Test in
Business Administration (Item K-3MMF) from Educational Testing Service
during the student¹s senior year. This test will be administered as
part of BA466, Business Policy, the capstone course taken during the senior
year. Subscores are reported for Accounting, Economics, Management,
Quantitative Business Analysis, Finance, Marketing, Legal and Social
Environment, and International Issues, with national norms, and subgroup
reports are reported for students in each of the SBE¹s specialized
fields (Accounting, Industrial Marketing and Management, Finance and
Financial Economics, and Management Information Systems). The Outcomes
Assessment Committee will review score reports and prepare recommendations
for the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee and for the Dean annually.
Additional primary measures of this outcome will involve panel assessments
of individual student case analyses and group presentations of case
analyses in BA466, Business Policy, as described below.
Secondary measures of this outcome include review of data by the Outcomes
Assessment Committee of pass rates on the Uniform Certified Public
Accountant Examination, graduate school acceptances of our graduates,
placement of graduates, exit interviews, and alumni surveys.
Outcome Number 2.
Graduates will possess values which reflect an understanding of people and
their cultural, racial and geographical diversity.
The primary measure of this outcome will be the panel evaluation of student
project reports in the capstone senior course BA466, Business Policy. A
panel of three faculty from different areas will independently assess
copies of reports bearing code numbers instead of student names. The
reports will involve analysis of business policy case situations and the
development of recommendations. Students individually select cases from a
pool of approximately one dozen based on career interests and backgrounds.
Faculty on the panel will complete an assessment form which addresses
several outcomes, one of which is Outcome Number 2. The panel will also
write comments assessing student values as reflected in the implementation
section of the case. The Outcomes Assessment Committee will review the
forms and develop an overall assessment of this outcome, and make a report
to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee and the Dean.
A secondary measure of this outcome will come from anecdotal comments from
the faculty elicited by the Outcomes Assessment Committee pertaining to the
performance of student teams in other courses made up of students with
diverse characteristics.
Outcome Number 3.
Graduates will manifest behavior compatible with productive participation
in group processes.
The primary measure of this outcome will be the panel evaluation of group
presentations made in the senior capstone course, BA466, Business Policy.
A panel of three faculty members from different areas will evaluate student
presentations of cases in the class, and complete an assessment form. The
Outcomes Assessment Committee will review these forms annually, and make a
report to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee and to the Dean.
Secondary measures of this outcome will come from anecdotal comments from
the faculty elicited by the Outcomes Assessment Committee pertaining to the
performance of student teams in other courses, and from review of graduate
exit interview forms completed by the Associate Dean.
Outcome Number 4.
Graduates will possess the analytical skills necessary to identify,
formulate, and solve business problems. Students who possess these skills
should, individually, and in groups, be able to identify, formulate, and
solve business problems contained in case studies in the students¹
capstone Business Policy course.
The primary measure of this outcome will be the panel evaluation of student
project reports in the capstone senior course BA466, Business Policy. A
panel of three faculty from different areas will independently assess
copies of reports bearing code numbers instead of student names. The
reports will involve analysis of business policy case situations and the
development of recommendations. Students individually select cases from a
pool of approximately one dozen based on career interests and backgrounds.
Faculty on the panel will complete an assessment form which addresses
several outcomes, one of which is Outcome Number 4. The Outcomes
Assessment Committee will review the forms and develop an overall
assessment of this outcome, and make a report to the Undergraduate
Curriculum Committee and the Dean.
Outcome Number 5.
Graduates will be well prepared for entry-level positions within
organizations as well as for productive careers in business.
The primary assessment of this outcome will be the monitoring of placement
outcomes in the light of national trends and feedback from employers. Exit
interviews with each graduate conducted by the Associate Dean, and survey
of recent graduates and alumni will help develop this information, and
provide feedback. The Outcomes Assessment Committee will review this data
annually. The SBE has a National Advisory Council of Business executives
which will also review placement data and survey information. The SBE
attempts to maintain a record of the placement outcome of all of tis
graduates.
Indirect measures of this outcome will be developed over time from
monitoring of career progression through personal contacts and Alumni
Association biographical records. Feedback on performance of recent
graduates on-the-job will only be sought directly from organizations which
maintain close contacts with the SBE.
THE B.S. IN ECONOMICS DEGREE
;The Mission of the B.S. in Economics (BSE) Degree.
The BSE program provides students with an understanding of how economies
function, strong quantitative skills, and the option to emphasize finance
or business curricula or a broader curriculum mixing engineering, science,
mathematics or social science with their study of economics.
Outcome Number 1.
Graduates will achieve a mastery of the fundamentals of economics that
prepare them for entry positions and graduate education.
The primary measure of this outcome will be use of the Major Field Test in
Economics (Item K-3KMFS) from Educational Testing Service during the
student¹s senior year. This test will be administered as part of
capstone seminar taken during the senior year. Subscores are reported for
Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, and Data Analysis. with national norms.
The Outcomes Assessment Committee will review score reports and prepare
recommendations for the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee and for the Dean
annually.
A secondary measure will include review of data by the Outcomes Assessment
Committee on placement, graduate school acceptance, and exit interviews
conducted by the Associate Dean.
Outcome Number 2.
Graduates will learn the methods and techniques of economic
problem-solving.
The primary measure of this outcome will be review of each student¹s
senior thesis by a panel of Economics faculty. A form will be completed
which scores the thesis on a list of primary traits. These forms will be
reviewed annually by the Outcomes Assessment Committee and a report will be
made to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee and to the Dean.
Outcome Number 3.
Graduates will be able to apply economic problem-solving to ³real
world² questions.
The primary measure of this outcome will be review of each student¹s
senior thesis by a panel of Economics faculty. A form will be completed
which scores the thesis on a list of primary traits. These forms will be
reviewed annually by the Outcomes Assessment Committee and a report will be
made to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee and to the Dean.
THE M.S. IN MINERAL ECONOMICS DEGREE
;The Mission of the M.S. in Mineral Economics (MSME) Degree.
The MSME program delivers graduate education to students with undergraduate
technical or business degrees who desire careers which combine
business/economic skills with technology in resource and/or
environmental-related private of public sector activities.
Outcome Number 1.
Graduates will develop specialized knowledge in the economics of natural
resources and the environment.
The primary assessment of this outcome will be review of the required
thesis. A panel of four faculty members will complete a form which lists
primary traits. Each year, the Outcomes Assessment Committee will review
these forms and make a recommendation to the Graduate Curriculum Committee
and to the Dean.
Outcome Number 2.
Graduates will develop an ability to apply engineering economy and project
evaluation.
The primary assessment of this outcome will be review of the required
thesis. A panel of four faculty members will complete a form which lists
primary traits. Each year, the Outcomes Assessment Committee will review
these forms and make a recommendation to the Graduate Curriculum Committee
and to the Dean.
Outcome Number 3.
Graduates will be capable of independent analysis using the appropriate
research tools and will be able to communicate effectively the results of
this analysis.
The primary assessment of this outcome will be evaluation of the
student¹s thesis defense. A Committee of four graduate faculty
members, including one from outside the SBE, will participate in
questioning the student during the oral defense of the thesis, and complete
a form which lists primary traits. Each year, the Outcomes Assessment
Committee will review these forms and make a recommendation to the Graduate
Curriculum Committee and to the Dean.