General Studies
Bachelor of Science (BS)
Online Degree Program

Principles of Economics demonstrates the relevance of economics through real-world business examples. The first part of the course presents microeconomic analysis such as consumer behavior, market structure, firm strategy, and corporate governance. The latter part of the course provides a comprehensive coverage of macroeconomic models, theory and policy issues including GDP, payroll employment, long-run growth, and business cycles.

Course Objectives:

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Identify and define the study of economics including commonly used terms and key principles.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the basics of economics including microeconomic and macroeconomic foundations.
• Discuss the economic analysis, the function of the stock market, measuring GDP, market structure, and firm strategy.
• Analyze long-run economic growth, short-run economic fluctuations, and the importance of economic trends on the local, national, and global levels.
• Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to economics.

Principles of Marketing examines the various functions of modern marketing including the market, product and price systems, distribution structure, and promotional activities. The course covers services, nonprofit and for-profit organization marketing including the planning, implementation, evaluation, and control of the marketing effort. Ethics in marketing and socially responsible global marketing are also explored.

Course Objectives:

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Define and describe the multiple factors related to the field of marketing.
• Analyze the various types of market opportunities.
• Examine concepts related to product, pricing, and distribution decisions.
• Demonstrate an understanding of promotion and communication strategies.
• Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to marketing.

Introduction to Financial Management introduces students to the elementary principles and motives of financial management and covers basic fundamental principles of short-term financing, time value of money, risk, value, and cost. Students will be able to understand the interrelationships underlying the various data and techniques in which financial decisions are based, analyze financial data, and apply basic concepts to make confident financial decisions in their respective business futures.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Define financial management, key terms, theories, and its importance to business.
• Demonstrate an understanding of financial management processes including valuation of financial assets and capital budgeting.
• Analyze capital structure and dividend policy related to the field of financial management.
• Demonstrate an understanding of financial management policies related to liquidity management and international business.
• Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to financial management.

Business Law takes an interdisciplinary approach to law, using elements of law, political economy, international business, ethics, social responsibility, and management. This course examines law in a business context rather than in the abstract, employing the practical approach that using the law makes it easier to reach business objectives.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Describe the various types of economic systems and discuss the role of the government in the American economy.
• Examine the legal and ethical issues related to business law in the U.S. and internationally.
• Demonstrate an understanding of torts, product liability, contracts, and antitrust law.
• Analyze future trends for America’s economic future.
• Examine the laws that protect consumers and the environment.
• Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to business law.

International Business reviews the key concepts of international trade and the way it affects the nature of global economic activity. Concepts such as globalization, cultural and political environments, world financial environments, and global strategies are all explored to help students gain a global perspective and to be confident and familiar with international business operations.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Explain the value of international business and assess why it is important.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the world financial environment, and identify the major forces driving globalization.
• Understand the role of comparative environmental frameworks in international business.
• Illustrate the major theories and institutions relating to international business.
• Analyze the management of international operations including marketing and human resource management.
• Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to international business.

Human Resource Management explores the fundamentals of human resource management and its significance to a company’s success. Examined, in detail, are HR functions such as recruitment, retention, appraisal, compensation, labor relations, development, and current trends in the field. Practical skills-oriented concepts and techniques are highlighted throughout the course, as is the emphasis on building and maintaining an engaged and productive workforce.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Identify and define human resource management, and describe major trends and best practices related to the field.
• Demonstrate an understanding of staffing and training issues related to human resource management.
• Develop an understanding of compensation plans and total rewards.
• Recognize the importance of employee and labor relations, social responsibility, ethics, and risk management as they relate to the field.
• Identify the issues of managing human resources on a global scale.
• Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to human resource management.

Small Business Management presents an overview of entrepreneurship, including launching a new venture, managing an ongoing venture, financial planning, taxation, and other topics specific to entrepreneurs. Students will learn the necessary elements to successfully start, run, and manage a small business and be able to apply those concepts and ideas within their business careers, even if they do not choose the entrepreneurial route.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the basics and challenges of small business management including its role in the U.S. economy.
• Recognize the importance of strategic planning and early decisions in small business management.
• Describe key principles of financial and legal management.
• Explain aspects of marketing in small business in relation to products and services.
• Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to small business management.

Juvenile Justice explores the history of juvenile justice, the juvenile justice system, and special populations. It focuses on the system itself, the processes within it, and the young people who become involved in it. A historical view of the juvenile justice system and how it relates to the entire criminal justice system is also presented.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Identify and define the study of juvenile justice and discuss its history as well as the origins of juvenile court.
• Examine the various theories and research of juvenile crime and delinquency.
• Demonstrate an understanding of processes related to juvenile justice including intake and processing, prosecutorial decision making, classification and preliminary treatment, and adjudication.
• Discuss the practice of juvenile probation and juvenile corrections.
• Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to juvenile justice.

Criminal Investigation aims to provide students with an overview of the criminal investigation field. Course topics include the fundamentals of criminal investigation, follow-up investigative processes, methods for obtaining information, and how to approach the investigation of different types of crimes.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Identify and define the study of criminal investigation and discuss the foundations of criminal investigation.
• Demonstrate an understanding of follow-up investigative processes and analyze the legal issues involved.
• Discuss best practices for obtaining information through interviews, interrogations, criminal intelligence and surveillance operations.
• Examine the various types of crimes related to people, property and national security.
• Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to criminal investigation.

Criminal Behavior provides a detailed look at the field of criminal behavior and forensic psychology. Research, theories, and the varying factors impacting criminal behavior, forensic psychology, the criminal justice system, victimology, and correctional settings are explored from a psychological and cultural perspective.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Discuss the history and definition of forensic psychology.
• Demonstrate an understanding of policing and investigative processes used in forensic psychology.
• Describe the legal and ethical processes related to forensic psychology.
• Examine the theoretical perspectives of criminal behavior.
• Explain the different types of victimization, and discuss the services available to victims.
• Analyze the processes related to correctional psychology including assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation.
• Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to criminal behavior.

Forensic Science provides an introduction to the field of forensic science as it relates to crime and terrorism. Students will examine best practices within the field including evidence collection, preservation, and analysis. The methods and science used to analyze physical evidence is presented. This course will also introduce students to the role of forensic science related to terrorism and homeland security.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Define forensic science and criminalistics including commonly used terms and key concepts.
• Examine the concept of trace evidence and pattern evidence related to fingerprints, shoeprints, document analysis, and firearms.
• Explore the concept of chemical evidence related to metals, gunshot residue, arson, and drugs of abuse.
• Explore the concept of biological evidence related to toxicology, biological fluids, and DNA typing.
• Assess the role of forensic science as it relates to terrorism investigation.
• Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to forensic science.

Domestic Violence serves as an introduction to the field of family and intimate partner violence. It focuses on the criminal justice perspective, bringing together the causes and consequences, along with an in-depth examination, of this type of violence.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Examine global domestic violence against women.
• Discuss the history of violence in the family and the value of research to understanding family violence.
• Examine the research on domestic violence including methods of research, theories, and perspectives.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the various types of abuse including children, adolescents, adults, LGBTI partners, and abuse in later life.
• Analyze the police and court response to intimate partner violence.
• Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to domestic violence.

Essentials of Managed Health Care focuses on health insurance as it impacts the management of healthcare organizations. This course provides a systematic overview of the history of managed healthcare and health insurance in the United States, types of health plans and available payers, the provider network, utilization management, quality management, accreditation, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid managed care, and laws and regulations in health insurance and managed care.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Discuss the major forces shaping health insurance and managed care today.
• Examine the basic elements of health benefits coverage and provider payment options.
• Describe the basic components of utilization management for medical services.
• Explain the Medicare and Medicaid benefit structures.
• Identify key state and federal laws and regulations governing managed care.
• Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to the essentials of managed care.

Cultural Diversity in Health and Illness promotes an awareness of the dimensions and complexities involved in interactions between health professionals and patients from diverse socio-cultural backgrounds. It examines different cultural perspectives regarding health, illness and health care that exists within American society by demonstrating traditional health beliefs and practices among selected populations. Emphasis is placed on the importance of having culturally competent health care professionals to better serve an increasingly diverse population.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Define and describe the importance of cultural and linguistic competence in healthcare.
• Examine the various health domains including health, healing, and familial traditions.
• Analyze trends in healthcare and describe current issues and barriers to healthcare.
• Discuss health care problems in various demographic groups.
• Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to cultural diversity in health and illness.

Medical Law and Ethics explores the study of medical ethics, or applied ethics, for healthcare professionals who often face dilemmas that are not experienced by the general population. The fast-paced growth of medical technology has made the study of ethics even more relevant. The study of bioethics, or biomedical ethics, refers to moral dilemmas due to advances in medicine and medical research. Since medical law and ethics are often interrelated, students need to have a clear understanding of both in order to protect themselves, their employer, and the patient. The study of ethics includes many questions for which there is no one answer.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Define medical law, ethics, and bioethics and examine why it is important to study them.
• Examine the legal environment of healthcare including the legal and court systems and essential laws for healthcare professionals.
• Describe issues related to the healthcare environment regarding liability, confidentiality, and the physician-patient relationship.
• Demonstrate an understanding of medical ethics and describe future trends in healthcare.
• Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to medical law and ethics.

Social Media Marketing explores the growing popularity of using digital technologies to reach consumers. This course aims to further students’ working knowledge on the four zones of social media (community, publishing, entertainment, and commerce). The course explores how social media can be employed to build brands, conduct business, support causes, rally the masses, and forge and maintain relationships.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Summarize the process of social media marketing strategies, and describe key concepts related to this process.
• Examine social media consumers and the dynamics of online communities.
• Analyze the four zones of social media including social community, publishing, entertainment, and commerce.
• Examine social media data management and measurement.
• Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to social media marketing.

Psychology of Gender examines the biological, cultural, and historical factors that influence the development of gender roles and identities. Stereotypes of masculinity and femininity are examined, and the impact that these ideas have on our lives at the personal, social, and institutional levels are explored.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Define sex, gender and gender identity, and discuss how gender movements have shaped history.
• Examine biological, social, cognitive, emotional, and communicative factors related to gender development.
• Evaluate issues related to gender stereotyping, discrimination, and power.
• Describe the factors related to gender that affect health and wellbeing.
• Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to the psychology of gender.

Health Psychology examines the correlation between health, illness, and optimal health care from a behavioral science approach. The relationship between health and behavior is explored through an integration of foundational theories, relevant research, and “real-world profiles.”

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Describe and discuss the meaning and foundations of health psychology including the psychological and ethical aspects related to the field.
• Analyze issues in behavioral health including the affects and impact of drugs and alcohol, eating, and exercise.
• Describe the relationship between behavioral factors and strategies related to chronic disease, stress, pain, and illness.
• Examine future trends and challenges in health psychology.
• Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to health psychology.

Marriage and Family presents a representative summary of the literature of family therapy and the complex and changing social unit known as the family. Contemporary theories and issues in marriage and family therapy including communication, gender identity, love, choosing a partner, parenting, divorce, remarriage, and stepfamilies are all covered to help students become familiar with the ever-changing context of the American family.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Define family. Describe the functions of families and discuss the theoretical perspectives on family.
• Discuss considerations when deciding about forming relationships, parenthood, and raising children in a diverse and changing society.
• Understand the various roles, stereotypes, and power dynamics in marriages, families, and intimate relationships.
• Examine how communication, gender, culture, religion, class, stress, power and sexuality affect marriages and intimate relationships.
• Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to marriage and family.

Personality Theories presents an in-depth look at a number of classical and current personality theories, providing an explanation and interpretation of personality development from several different theoretical approaches. Classic theory is integrated with the latest research and current topics, preparing students to apply theoretical approaches to better understand the particular individuals and personalities they may encounter in their professional and personal lives.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Define personality and examine perspectives in theories of personality.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the major psychodynamic personality theories.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the major humanistic/existential personality theories.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the major biological/evolutionary, and learning-cognitive personality theories.
• Describe and examine the research methods used in personality research.
• Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to theories of personality.