Pamplin College of Business

Management

Overview of the Management Major

Students choosing the Management Major are guided by world-class faculty to prepare for careers in the worlds' most successful organizations. Our courses build strong foundations in the fundamental management processes of planning, organizing, leading and controlling. To this we add advanced skill building in critical thinking, innovative problem solving, data analytics, ethical reasoning, persuasive communication, and interpersonal and team effectiveness. These skills position Management graduates for future success in a wide variety of high paying careers or as entrepreneurs.

Management majors add considerable value to the organizations that employ them. Great managers in any business act as force multipliers, increasing the output generated by the people they work with and the resources available to them. Management majors, their teams and their organizations do this by finding ways to help organizations work smarter. Our core curriculum helps students develop the awareness needed to identify new entrepreneurial opportunities, improve organizational processes, use analytics to support evidence-based decisions, and effectively manage projects in support of organizational change, but more importantly improvement.

Management majors take courses in one of three career centered options: Management Consulting and Analytics (MCA), Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Technology Management (EIT) or Human Resources Management (HRM). In addition, many Management majors choose to minor in Entrepreneurship, Leadership or International Business. They also participate in paid and for-credit internships, career-focused clubs and student-led extracurricular activities. An emphasis on developing employable skills is further supported by course-based and one-on-one strategic career planning.

Degree Requirements:

The graduation requirements in effect at the time of graduation apply. When choosing the degree requirements information, always choose the year of your expected date of graduation. Requirements for graduation are referred to via university publications as “Checksheets”. The number of credit hours required for degree completion varies among curricula. Students must satisfactorily complete all requirements and university obligations for degree completion.

The university reserves the right to modify requirements in a degree program. However, the university will not alter degree requirements less than two years from the expected graduation year unless there is a transition plan for students already in the degree program.

Please visit the University Registrar website at http://www.registrar.vt.edu/graduation/checksheets/index.html for degree requirements.

Management Options

Each Management major is required to select and complete at least one 9 credit hour management option. These options are designed to provide students critical skills targeted toward potential future career paths.

Option I: Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Technology Management
This option prepares students to take an entrepreneurial approach to managing in any organizational context, ranging from large organizations to new startups. This option is suitable for students who intend to run their own businesses or who want to play a role in making existing businesses more entrepreneurial. Three additional courses are required for those students selecting this option.

Option II: Human Resource Management
This option prepares general managers or individuals interested in a career in the human resources field with the knowledge and skills necessary to systematically manage people in order to achieve group and organizational objectives and to sustain organizational effectiveness. Three additional courses are required for those students selecting this option.

Option III: Management Consulting and Analysis
The purpose of this option is to provide students the foundational skills necessary to succeed in careers in management consulting. Three additional courses are required for those students selecting this option.

Minors Offered Through the Department of Management

Students from majors across the university (including Management majors) may also earn any of three minors offered through the Department of Management. These minors are the Business Leadership minor, the Entrepreneurship-New Venture Growth minor and the Multicultural Diversity Management minor.

Business Leadership Minor

The Leadership minor provides a multi-disciplinary, experiential background in the history, values, skills and theory of leadership. It provides the student with the opportunity to tailor his/her leadership education and experience to personal and career needs.

The curriculum consists of eighteen (18) credit hours of study, including six (6) hours of electives and three (3) hours of experiential activity.

Entrepreneurship-New Venture Growth Minor

The Entrepreneurship-New Venture Growth minor is intended to focus on the knowledge and skills to create new ventures and lead their early growth. The objective is to provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to convert ideas into business successes, particularly in the context of engineering and science-based technology commercialization.

The curriculum consists of eighteen (18) credit hours of study, including six(6) hours of business restricted electives, and six (6) hours of restricted electives.

Multicultural Diversity Management Minor

The Multicultural Diversity Management minor helps students to be effective managers in the more global and diverse organizations in which they will work. Students completing this minor will develop awareness, knowledge and skills related to managing workplace multicultural diversity.

The curriculum consists of eighteen (18) credit hours of study, including six (6) hours of electives and three (3) hours of experiential activity.

Undergraduate Course Descriptions (MGT)

1004: INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS
Introduction to the role of the free enterprise system in society and economy. Study of the various business functions such as economic trends, accounting, finance, management, marketing, and production and operations. Analysis of these functions for programs of study and for career opportunities. Restricted to freshmen and sophomores. (2H,2C)

1935-1936: FUNDAMENTALS OF CADET PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP
1935: Foundational course of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets Citizen-Leader Program. Explores basic business etiquette and introduces the cadet to concepts of online professional identity, basic career preparation, resume writing, basic interviewing techniques and ways to create a healthy nutrition and physical fitness program. Includes a comprehensive physical fitness laboratory. Membership in the Corps of Cadets is required. (1H,2L,2C)

1945-1946: FUNDAMENTALS OF CADET LEADERSHIP
Foundational course of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadet Leader Development Program. Explores self-understanding, personality types, active and passive followership, leadership and ethical theories. A laboratory introduces freshmen cadets to academic success strategies. Membership in the Corps of Cadets is required. (1H,2L,2C)

1984: SPECIAL STUDY
Variable credit course.

2935-2936: CAREER PLANNING FOR CADETS
2935: Cadets in this class learn the basic of business networking, developing presentations, professional mentorship, personal finance, and investments, advanced nutrition and living a healthy lifestyle. A physical fitness laboratory complements the lecture. Membership in the Corps of Cadets is required. (1H,2L,2C)

2944: MILITARY LEADERSHIP PRACTICUM
Progressive leadership education, training and development through readings, lectures, exercises and leadership positions within the Corps of Cadets. Emphasis of this course is on the day-to-day implementation of leadership strategies and tactics in a military environment. Topics include leadership theory and practice, honor and ethics education, and professional integrity. Exercises include small group discussion, leadership scenarios, and role-playing. Each cadet will perform at least one leadership position to include team leader, cadre, squad leader, platoon leader, company commander, or primary/special staff positions. May be taken up to 8 times. Pass/Fail only. (1H,1C)

2945-2946: SMALL UNIT LEADERSHIP FOR CADETS
Prepares cadets for responsibilities as small unit leaders. Builds on the previous year's knowledge to focus on skills and knowledge necessary to lead small units. Introduces cadets to the importance of communication, includes basic counseling techniques, disciplinary actions, conflict resolution, cadet regulations and leadership case studies. Membership in the Corps of Cadets is required. (1H,1C)

2954: BUSINESS STUDY ABROAD
This course provides students with an international business experience. It is only offered as part of a program outside of the United States. Students will learn from the structured educational experience developed by the faculty leader. This course is intended for students who want to take management-related free electives. Pre: Instructor's consent and the completion of 24 semester hours with a minimum GPA of 3.0 or departmental consent. Variable credit course.

2964: FIELD STUDY
Variable credit course.

2984: SPECIAL STUDY
Variable credit course.

3064: CORNERSTONES OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION
Provides a cornerstone foundation for the understanding of entrepreneurship and the business innovation process exposing students to fundamental business concepts applied and integrated in these arenas. An examination of value creation through entrepreneurship and the rudiments of new ventures are provided helping students develop an entrepreneurial frame of mind and perspective. (3H,3C)

3074: SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Provides a foundation for how social entrepreneurs use and combine resources to pursue opportunities that lead to social change and/or address social needs. An examination of the nature of social entrepreneurship and its various practices is provided, helping students develop an entrepreneurial frame of mind and prepare them to act as effective leaders of social change. Pre: 3064. (3H,3C)

3304: MANAGEMENT THEORY AND LEADERSHIP PRACTICE
This survey course introduces the student to a broad range of concepts, theories and practices important for a basic understanding of management. Topics also focus on the environment in which today's managers must effectively operate. (3H,3C)

3314: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
The course provides a framework to show how a firm's international business operations can be analyzed, understood, and managed, including discussion of cultural, social, political, and economic aspects of doing business abroad. The main learning experience in the course is oriented toward effective decision-making in the face of unique challenges faced by managers in the international business environment, with the goal of improving critical, analytical and creative thinking skills in international business operations. Junior Standing Required. (3H,3C)

3324: ORGANIZATION BEHAVIOR
This course examines the determinants and consequences of human behavior in formal organizations. Specific focus is on the individual, interpersonal, and group processes which underlie all the human dynamics. Co: 3304. (3H,3C)

3334: MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES
Examines the strategies, policies, and practices associated with effectively managing human resources. Designed to provide future managers with tools and techniques to acquire, develop, reward, and retain employees within the legal and social context of today's organizations. Emphasizes how managing human resources can contribute to organizational effectiveness in a variety of industrial and organizational settings. Pre: 3304. (3H,3C)

3344: EMPLOYEE & LABOR RELATIONS
Examines employee and labor relations policies and practices from a legal, behavioral, social, and economic viewpoint. Covers the content and application of labor and employment laws. A focus on skills and knowledge associated with responding to employee organizing, negotiating employment contracts, and resolving employment disputes in private and public organizations. Union and non-union work settings in the United States and selected other countries. Pre: 3304. (3H,3C)

3424: HUMAN RESOURCE STAFFING AND DEVELOPMENT
Concentrates on the acquisition, deployment, and development of human resources within organizations. This course emphasizes the design and implementation of staffing, training, and development processes to achieve organizational objectives within social and economic constraints. Pre: 3304. (3H,3C)

3444: MULTICULTURAL DIVERSITY IN ORGANIZATIONS
Examines the impact of multicultural diversity on the employee’s work experience and on organizational processes/ performance. Shows how the ability to relate to people on every level is critical to business success. Discusses how gender, race, religion, age, social class, sexual orientation, culture, tradition, education, economic structure, and organizational philosophy interact to create a set of rules for acceptable behaviors in complex organizations. Pre: Junior standing. (3H,3C)

3464: DIVERSITY-RELATED INTERNSHIPS AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Guided experience in a diverse work environment. Through a paid or unpaid internship, students will have the opportunity to experience diversity within an organization first hand while working on organizationally meaningful assignments in the classroom. Pass/Fail only. Pre: 3444. (1H,6L,3C)

3604: MANAGERIAL ANALYTICS
Digital tools to analyze managerial data ranging from productivity data to large scale, organizational databases. Three themes: (1) analyzing and improving productivity using digital tools; (2) applying exploratory data tools; (3) improving organizational collaboration, analysis, and knowledge sharing using relational databases. Pre: ACIS 2504. Co: 3304. (3H,3C)

3614: STRATEGY COMPETITION ANALYTICS
Develops concepts and techniques for analyzing and formulating strategy in a variety of business environments. Focuses on research, data, and analysis related to the key players in the environment from both a competitive and cooperative perspective. Basic frameworks for analysis include mapping the objectives and constraints of the players, and modeling the pattern of interaction among the players. Provides an in-depth exposure to the theory and tools of strategy analysis and practice in their management consulting application. Pre: ECON 2005, ACIS 2115, ACIS 2116, FIN 3104. Co: 3604. (3H,3C)

3754: MANAGEMENT INTERNSHIP AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT
Guided experience in work environments and job search. Through unpaid internships, students have the opportunity to view the inner workings of businesses first hand while working on organizationally meaningful assignments. Class activities prepare students for conducting effective job searches. Pass/Fail only. Pre: 3304. (1H,6L,3C)

3935-3936: ADVANCED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR CADETS
3935: Cadets in this learn about the mentor-protégé relationship; resolving team conflicts; diversity in the workplace; standards of business conduct, dining etiquette; and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. A physical fitness laboratory compliments the lecture. Membership in the Corps of Cadets is required. (1H,2L,2C)

3945-3946: CADET ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP
Prepares junior class cadets for responsibilities as senior sergeants. Builds on the previous year's knowledge of small unit leadership. Introduces cadets to decision making, writing decision papers/executive summaries, project management, public speaking, and refinement of their personal leadership philosophy. Membership in the Corps of Cadets is required. (1H,1C)

3954: STUDY ABROAD
Variable credit course.

3964: FIELD STUDY
Variable credit course.

4064: DEVELOPING ENTREPRENEURIAL VENTURES
Takes a cross-functional perspective on identifying and evaluating entrepreneurial opportunities, developing new ventures, and pursuing new venture strategies to compete in the marketplace. Explores business potentials of new venture ideas, examines new venture's feasibility, and develops business planning tools for the venture. Pre: Senior Standing. Pre: 3064, (BIT 3414, FIN 3104) or (BIT 3414, MGT 3304) or (BIT 3414, MKTG 3104) or (FIN 3104, MGT 3304) or (FIN 3104, MKTG 3104) or (MGT 3304, MKTG 3104). (3H,3C)

4074 (MKTG 4074): APPLIED SMALL BUSINESS CONSULTING
Application of accounting, finance, marketing, management, information technology, and management science concepts to small business cases. On-site consultation with existing firms. Through the experiential studies, students will explore the role of 'pro bono' work in the management field. Pre: Pamplin College of Business senior or graduate standing. Permission of instructor is required for students outside the Pamplin College of Business. Pre: 3304. (3H,3C)

4084: MANAGEMENT CONSULTING
Hands-on application of accounting, finance, marketing, management, information technology, and project management to actual business clients through on-site consultation with start-up and existing businesses and non-profits. Through classroom instruction, instructor coaching, and experiential studies, students will use the skills they have learned over several semesters to explore the field of management consulting. For the Management major with senior standing in the Management Consulting Option. Pre: 3304, 3614. (3H,3C)

4094: MANAGING TECHNOLOGY COMMERCIALIZATION
How technology-based innovations, innovations developed through science or engineering expertise, are leveraged from the innovative idea or concept to successful commercial products. Examines the frames that guide the technology commercialization process and applies these frames by using cross-functional teams to investigate a commercialization project from opportunity scanning to exploitation. (3H,3C)

4234: ETHICAL ISSUES IN BUSINESS DIVERSITY
This course examines underlying ethical issues involved with operating in a diverse business environment with respect to gender, race, religion, age, social class, sexual orientation, culture, tradition, and education. Ethical decision making frameworks including rights-based ethics, duty-based-ethics, utilitarianism, justice, and virtue ethics as well as the concepts of corporate social responsibility and corporate citizenship are introduced and applied to issues of diversity. Competence in the application of these frameworks to diversity issues is developed through analysis of cases and experiential activities. Pre: 3304, 3434. (3H,3C)

4314: INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT
The course is designed to provide the student with familiarity concerning the unique problems, characteristics, and demands that face multinational managers and the international business community. Junior standing required. (3H,3C)

4324 (PHIL 4324): BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL ETHICS
An inquiry into the fundamental norms of conduct in business and other professions and their justification in relation to the most important ethical theories. Special attention will be given to moral problems such as the ethics of hiring and firing, bribery, and professional responsibility to society. (3H,3C)

4334: ETHICAL LEADERSHIP AND CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
The leadership role of managers in promoting ethics and corporate social responsibility in business today. Consideration of business-society issues such as environmental pollution, employee rights and responsibilities, discrimination/affirmative action, and the activities of multinational corporations. These issues will be examined through the conceptual frameworks of business ethics and corporate social responsibility. Pre: 3304. (3H,3C)

4344: PRODUCTIVITY AND QUALITY LEADERSHIP
This course provides an introduction to leadership in the context of productivity and quality improvement. It focuses on understanding the concepts and skills associated with contemporary management strategies and systems. This course requires active student involvement and emphasizes participative leadership skills, data collection, qualitative problem solving, and communication processes. For Management majors only. Senior standing required. Pre: 3304, 3324, 3604, BIT 3414. (3H,3C)

4354: LEADERSHIP: ADVANCES IN SKILLS AND CONCEPTS
This cornerstone course provides cutting-edge experiences, skills, and knowledge in leadership for students in the leadership minor. Within an historical context that balances military, political, and business perspectives, four types of leadership will be examined: self-leadership, dyadic leadership, team leadership, and enterprise leadership. Special emphasis will be placed on the specific skills, such as computer literacy and project management, required for leaders to succeed in modern, technologically oriented organizations. Pre: senior standing. Pre: 3304. (3H,3C)

4394: STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
Senior-level capstone course to formulate and implement strategies to create and sustain competitive advantage. Emphasis on developing pragmatic and action-oriented general management skills that integrate across functional areas of the organization. Utilize various tools, concepts, and analytical framework to define and analyze strategic problems. Revisits business principles and practices covered in basic business courses. Pre: Senior standing. Pre: 3304, (MKTG 3104 or MKTG 3104H), FIN 3104, BIT 3414. Co: FIN 3054. (3H,3C)

4414: COMPENSATION AND PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
This course provides the knowledge and skills required by managers to design and implement comprehensive compensation and performance management systems in public and private organizations. Topics include development of compensation strategy, internal pay structure, determination of pay level through wage surveys, evaluating job performance, rewarding individuals and groups, and administering employee benefits. Pre: 3304. (3H,3C)

4864: WI UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
Variable credit course.

4874: WI INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.

4935-4936: CADET CITIZEN LEADER PRACTICUM
4935: Students in the class learn practical strategies for leading teams to plan execute a project; project writing; applied dining etiquette; being a mentor to others, leadership through service learning and living a healthy lifestyle. A physical fitness laboratory compliments the lecture. Membership in the Corps of Cadets is required. (1H,2L,2C)

4944: LEADING IN YOUR PROFESSION
Examines the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in a responsible role of leadership when beginning one's career. It is a capstone course that draws on the leadership training and experience cadets have accumulated during their first three years in the Corps of Cadets. Senior standing in the Corps of Cadets required. Course may be taken twice for credit. The pre-requisite requirement is such that a student must take the pre-requisite twice before enrolling in this course. Pre: 2944. (1H,1C)

4945-4946: EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP FOR CADETS
Examines executive level leadership. It explores executive decision making, constraint theory and problem solving in both the military and civilian career fields. Senior standing in the Corps of Cadets is required. (1H,1C)

4964: FIELD STUDY
Variable credit course.

4974: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.

4984: SPECIAL STUDY
Variable credit course.

4994: UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
Variable credit course.

4994H: UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
Honors section
Variable credit course.

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