Semester 1
Basic Skills Assessment
All degree applicants are required to complete two Basic Skills Assessments, one in reading and one in math, to determine their level of readiness for beginning their selected program. Additional studies may be required.
Business Orientation (1 credit)
Succeed by learning how to use your Penn Foster program, and learn how to effectively manage your time, talents, and resources in your personal life, academics, and in your career.
Objectives:
- Understand how to use your Student Portal.
- Access the Penn Foster Community and use it to find answers.
- Connect with Penn Foster on various social media sites.
- Examine your individual life goals and the steps needed to fulfill them.
- Recognize how your personal financial goals mirror that of most businesses.
- Use time management skills to make the most of your day.
- Determine personal financial goals.
- Set up a typical budget.
- Explain why creative thinking, research, planning, gathering resources, and production and marketing are vital for the start-up and maintenance of a business.
Information Literacy (1 credit)
Get better at finding and using information!
Objectives:
- Search the Internet more effectively.
- Get tips about search engines and reliable websites.
- Learn how to search libraries and other information centers for important, useful information.
Graded Project
Introduction to Business (3 credits)
This course outlines the elements of business and the challenges businesses face in a global environment, such as competition and economic factors. You'll learn why accounting, technology and information systems, marketing, and management are essential to starting and growing a business. You'll also learn the basics of managing financial and human resources and the ethical and social responsibilities required of a successful manager.
Objectives:
- Identify different elements that distinguish capitalism, socialism, communism, and mixed economies
- Define the role of small business in the free enterprise system
- Assess elements of the global economy, such as labor, capital, trade, and natural resources, and how they influence business
- Analyze the functions of business, such as management, organization, human relations, marketing, financing, and ethics
- Identify the purpose of business policy and strategy
Textbook: Introduction to Business
Principles of Management (3 credits)
This course familiarizes the student with both the business environment and the manager’s role within it. It covers decision making, planning, organizing, leading, and controlling, as well as developing an ethical perspective.
Objectives:
- Summarize the functions of management and the basic steps in various planning processes
- Explain how to make effective decisions as a manager and a leader
- Describe the fundamental elements of an organization’s structure and the components of an organization’s competitive environment
- Explain principles for setting goals that motivate employees, why companies develop control systems, and why teamwork is beneficial
- Analyze why diversity is a critical organizational and managerial issue, and describe the criteria for technology decisions and managing change
Textbook: M: Management, 6th edition
Art Appreciation (3 credits)
In this course, you will gain an understanding of artistic media, historical periods and artistic movements, the roles of the artist and the viewer, and the principles of art criticism.
Objectives:
- Define the language, visual elements, and principles of design of art
- Identify two-dimensional media
- Identify three-dimensional media
- Explain the evolution of art from ancient Mediterranean cultures through eighteenth century Europe
- Identify features and popular examples of art throughout the history of African, Asian, Pacific, and American cultures
- Compare the genres of the Modern and Postmodern eras of art from around the world
Textbook: Living with Art, 11th Edition
Human Resources Management (3 credits)
This course provides an overview of Human Resources Management (HRM) as it's understood today. It illustrates the dynamic interaction of the personnel functions with each other and with the objectives of an organization.
Objectives:
- Describe the elements of human resource management, including labor considerations, regulation, and management of workflow
- Explain how companies should prepare for and implement HRM to hire new employees and create training programs
- Identify the aspects of employee, career, and turnover management
- Summarize how employees are paid, including legal requirements, performance-based pay, commissions, salaries, and benefits
- Describe other HRM functions including collective bargaining, labor relations, global HRM, and building a high-performance organization
Textbook: Fundamentals of Human Resource Management
Mathematics for Business and Finance (3 credits)
This course will provide you with a foundation in basic mathematical operations, including percentages, discounts, interest, present worth, sinking funds, installment buying, pricing, depreciation, investments, insurance, symbols, and statistics.
Objectives:
- Analyze functions of whole numbers, fractions, decimals, and percents
- Show calculations involved in simple interest, compound interest, and time value of money
- Prepare various business math applications involving financial reports, installment buying, and depreciation
- Analyze various financial concepts related to taxes, insurance, financial investments, and basic business statistics
Textbook: Practical Business Math Procedures
Proctored Examination
You will be required to complete a proctored exam on selected courses each semester. These assessments will evaluate the knowledge and skills that you learned during the semester. You choose the time, the location, and the qualified exam supervisor.
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