2015-2016 Undergraduate Course Catalog 
    
    Nov 28, 2024  
2015-2016 Undergraduate Course Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Martin J. Whitman School of Management


Image of Ken Kavajecz

Ken Kavajecz, Dean
721 University Avenue Suite 415
whitman.syr.edu

About the School

Welcome to the Whitman School of Management, a top-ranked business school with a diverse faculty and strong focus on leadership building and community engagement. At the Whitman School, students develop a strong business sense across all aspects of management, providing them with the skills, opportunities, and motivation necessary to compete in a global environment.

The Whitman School is a state-of-the-art business school in both programming and facility, reflecting both Syracuse University’s commitment and history of innovative business education and the Whitman School’s role as a cutting-edge, experiential learning environment. The Whitman School continues to expand its technological resources to provide services exclusive to our students, in the form of equipment loans, device repair services (including warranty repairs for Dell and Apple computers), discounted printing, discounted and/or free software, remote access to specially licensed software, and lab environments that are updated regularly to reflect the technology that supports the Whitman curriculum. In addition, Whitman is a certified Certiport/Microsoft testing facility and encourages its students to become Microsoft Office Specialist: Excel Certified. Students enrolled at Whitman get the best of both worlds, enjoying the intimate and interconnected community of the Whitman School with all the resources and opportunities of a world-class research university.

The Whitman School of Management continues to be ranked among the nation’s top business programs. U.S. News and World Report ranked both Whitman’s undergraduate and graduate programs among the best in the nation. The Whitman part-time MBA program, the iMBA, was identified among the top AACSB-accredited online graduate programs by the U.S. News and by the Financial Times. Whitman’s entrepreneurship program has been ranked nationwide by the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship; Entrepreneur Magazine/The Princeton Review; Fortune Small Business; and U.S. News & World Report. Many of Whitman’s specialty programs have been highly ranked by Bloomberg BusinessWeek, including accounting, corporate strategy, entrepreneurship, operations management, sustainability, business law, marketing management, and ethics.

Accreditation Information

The Whitman School has been accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International) since 1920.

Educational Mission

The Whitman School of Management is dedicated to:

  • Fostering a diverse, supportive learning community focused on developing entrepreneurial managers who will become leaders in an era of global competitiveness and technological advancements;
  • Advancing the theory and practice of management by discovering and disseminating relevant knowledge and contributing perspectives on frontline business issues;
  • Providing students and faculty select educational experiences that promote intellectual engagement, personal and professional growth, and lifelong scholarship.

Undergraduate Education

The Martin J. Whitman School of Management offers nine programs leading to the B.S. degree. They are in accounting, entrepreneurship and emerging enterprises, finance, general management studies, management, marketing management, real estate, retailing, and supply chain management. Each of these programs can be completed within four years. The school also offers dual programs with information studies and public communications.

Each student is assigned an advisor for the first two years of his or her program. Students select a major any time before the end of the second semester of the sophomore year and are then assigned a major advisor, who helps them choose specific courses in the major as well as management electives.

General Regulations

For academic rules and regulations that apply to all University students, see the Academic Rules  section of this catalog. This annual publication also contains special regulations that apply to all students matriculated in the Whitman School.

The students, instructional staff, and administrators of the Whitman School recognize that honesty, integrity, and respect for others are fundamental expectations in the academic and business communities. The Whitman School follows the Syracuse University Academic Integrity Policy and Procedures.

Additionally, all students who take courses in the Whitman School are required to certify in writing that they have read, understand, and agree to comply with this policy.

Whitman Bachelor of Science Degree Requirements


The B.S. degree, in any of the 9 areas available, requires at least 122 credits, distributed as indicated below. In addition, all students must complete global diversity, community engagement, and internship requirements before graduating.

Quantitative Skills


Total Credits: 13


Total Credits: 9


Required Arts & Sciences Courses


Total Credits: 9


Arts & Science Electives


  • 27 credits taken through any subject offered by the College of Arts & Sciences

Total Credits: 27


Introductory Core


In addition to management coursework taken within other skills areas, students are required to complete the following coursework in the management core:

Major Field Specialization


  • All students, except those majoring in CPA accounting, take 15 credits in the major area beyond core requirements. Students must contact an academic advisor in the chosen major field to discuss specific requirements.

Total Credits: 15


Business Elective


  • A business elective is any upper-division course in the Whitman School that gives credit but is not used to fill requirements in other groups. This course cannot be from the student’s major area.

Total Credits: 3


Free Electives


  • Students complete additional credits from any credit-bearing course with the following conditions: no more than 3 credits of physical education, health, or music ensemble may be used; and students may not take courses considered to have content that duplicates courses already taken.

Total Credits: 12


 

Global Diversity

Whitman students must have some form of global experience. For many students, this is achieved through study abroad. Students may also fulfill the requirement with the completion of two courses from the Global Diversity Electives list (which may fulfill other course requirements for the degree).

Community Engagement

Students are required to apply their management skills and knowledge to community problems. This is realized through a Community Service Learning Agreement in which 75 hours are completed throughout the undergraduate experience.

Internship

Students must have at least one experience, after they acquire junior standing, consisting of substantive and supervised work that complements their academic program (120 internship hour). This is accomplished through completing a course that requires internship participation, an independent study for experience credit with a professor, or an Internship Learning Agreement.

Grading Policy

The faculty at the Whitman School developed a uniform grading policy for the undergraduate program. The policy has three goals: (1) to ensure that grading is fair and consistent across courses, (2) to encourage students to take their coursework seriously, and (3) to ensure faculty deliver a challenging academic experience.

The policy is as follows: For all undergraduate courses taken at the Whitman School with 15 or more students enrolled, the mean grade shall be no higher than 3.3 and the maximum percentage of A/A- is 33%.

Multiple sections taught by the same professor will be aggregated together to calculate the mean grade and percentage of A/A- awarded. Deviations to the above policy may occur depending on individual class performance.

Other Programs and Services

Dual Programs

The Whitman School, in cooperation with other schools and colleges within the University, offers dual programs that make it possible for students to pursue two programs of study concurrently. Students in these programs are assigned an advisor in each college.

Students enrolled in dual programs fulfill degree requirements in each school and receive one degree (one diploma) jointly conferred by both schools. Dual programs require more than 123 credits, normally required for graduation, but can often be completed within four years. The Whitman School offers dual programs with the School of Information Studies and the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. The Whitman/Newhouse dual degree program requires a minimum of 151 credits. The Information Studies/Whitman dual degree program requires a minimum of 142 credits.

Further information about dual programs can be obtained from the Office of Undergraduate Programs, Whitman Suite 215.

Study Abroad

The Whitman School, in cooperation with Syracuse University Abroad (SU Abroad), offers students the opportunity to participate in a program of study abroad in London, England; Santiago, Chile; Madrid, Spain; Strasbourg, France; Florence, Italy; Istanbul, Turkey; Hong Kong, China; or Beijing, China during the fall or spring semester. Management courses and internships are generally offered in a variety of areas. In addition, students may choose from a variety of courses in arts and sciences and public communications.

During the summer, students may participate in management internship programs in South Africa, Madrid, London, Dublin, or Singapore; take courses in international business in Shanghai; or participate in a travelling seminar that studies globalization in Italy, Switzerland, France, Germany, Holland, Belgium, and England.

SU Abroad also sponsors study opportunities in a variety of locations throughout the world, such as Ireland, Japan, Australia, East/Central Europe, Germany, Russia, and South Korea. Although no management courses are available in some of these programs, students in these programs can satisfy other degree requirements while developing sensitivity to cultural differences.

It is essential that students planning to study abroad contact the Office of Undergraduate Programs, 215 School of Management Building, during their freshman or sophomore year.

For further information about study abroad, contact SU Abroad, 106 Walnut Place.

IIntra-University Transfer

Syracuse University students interested in an intra-University transfer into the Whitman School must meet the intra-University transfer requirements. To be considered eligible for transfer, students must have completed at least 30 credits at Syracuse University (two academic semesters), including two of the following or their equivalents: MAT 221 , MAT 284 , and ECN 203 . These students are admitted as space becomes available and considered based on the following criteria: cumulative GPA, rigor of academic coursework taken at SU, engagement on and off campus, and an optional professor recommendation. Whitman only admits students for the fall semester - admissions decisions are made over the summer. Students interested in transferring are required to attend an Information Session and meet with an advisor in the Whitman School’s Office of Undergraduate Programs.  All application requirements must be completed by the last day of the semester of their freshmen year, no summer coursework will be considered.  Decisions will be made by a committee over the summer and communicated to all applicants.  

Transfer Credit into the Whitman Program

The Whitman School limits the total number of credits that can be accepted after matriculation into the Whitman School.  Once a student matriculates into Whitman, only 12 additional credits can be taken outside Syracuse University (with prior approval by an academic advisor) and transferred back to count towards degree requirements.  Additionally, all transfer coursework must be taken through a US domestic institution.  Coursework taken through an International Institution will not be accepted after matriculation into the Whitman Program.

Minors Available to Management Students

Students in the Whitman School are encouraged to pursue a minor offered by other schools or colleges, and should seek assistance from their academic advisor in choosing a minor that will enhance their academic program. With careful and early planning, many minors can fit into the undergraduate curriculum without a need for extra coursework. While management students are allowed to pursue most minors offered outside the Whitman School, provided that they have the appropriate prerequisites, they most often choose a minor in economics, global enterprise technology, information management and technology, political science, psychology, public communication studies, or a foreign language.

Minors in Management

Minor Coordinator: Rachel DuBois
215 Whitman School of Management
315-443-2361

The Whitman School offers several minors, allowing students to pursue either general management studies or a more specialized program that provides in-depth study in one area of management. A minor in management can help students learn about subjects that contribute to success in business, not-for-profit, and government organizations. Knowledge in management is seen as beneficial by many prospective employers.

The minors in Whitman are available to matriculated undergraduate students from all Syracuse University schools and colleges other than the Whitman School, provided that they have the permission of their home school or college, a cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 at the time of application, and a minimum of four semesters to complete the requirements. 3.0 is the minimum GPA required for the minor, however decisions are made on a space available basis.  A student may declare a minor in: Accounting , Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises , Finance , Management Studies Minor , International Business , Marketing , Real Estate , Retail Management , and Strategic Management . The details of each of the minor programs can be found under Academic Offerings.

There are two deadlines for submitting applications for management minors: November 1 and April 1 of each academic year. Due to course sequencing and enrollment limitations, students must have a minimum four semesters to complete the minor requirements. Any student wishing to apply for a management minor after the spring of the sophomore year must have one or more courses completed or in progress (please see an advisor in the Whitman Undergraduate Office for more information).

To Declare a Minor in Management

  1. Check with your home school or college office to make sure you have room in your program for the required courses. Also check that you have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0.
  2. Pick up a minor declaration form in SOM Suite 215 (keep in mind the April 1 and November 1 deadlines).
  3. Bring the minor declaration form to SOM Suite 215 before the deadline. If you are approved, you will be notified via e-mail and asked to pick up the form.
  4. Take the signed form to your home school or college office. They will approve the declaration and give you instructions about how to get the minor officially posted on your SU record.

Transferring Courses into Minors in Management

All 18 credits must be taken through Syracuse University for a letter grade.  No transfer credit will be considered for the Management minor.

Programs

Major

Minor

Facilities

The Whitman School of Management’s 160,000-square-foot sustainable building opened in 2005, with a central focus on students and creating an environment that promotes a culture of collegiality and a high-tech, world-class learning experience. To provide that experience, the Whitman School creates an open community atmosphere with advanced resources and team-oriented learning spaces, including:

  • 22 classrooms
  • 200-seat auditorium
  • 20 team meeting rooms each for graduate and undergraduate students
  • three-story, 4000-square-foot Grand Hall
  • undergraduate and graduate computer clusters
  • 74 faculty offices
  • a faculty research center
  • an Investment Research Center
  • a center for entrepreneurial start-ups
  • a 100-seat cafe
  • a special-events room with outdoor terrace

The Whitman School of Management’s building is dedicated to sustainability, providing environmentally friendly resources and features for an enhanced “green” experience.

Research Centers & Institutes

The Whitman School building boasts many spaces for innovative and collaborative research that provide experiential learning and prepare students for careers across a broad range of business areas. Sophisticated software and integrated technology coupled with advanced workshops and seminars create an ideal learning atmosphere. Whitman’s diverse research centers and institutes include: