UFP Business School Course Descriptions
Explore the sequence of classes and their descriptions.
FALL YEAR 1
Foundations of Business Communication creates the blueprint for effective interpersonal communication in the workplace. This course introduces essential communication skills to deliver presentations in a variety of professional situations, converse and collaborate effectively, and build strong professional and interpersonal relationships. You will develop a business communication toolbox for a variety of real-world scenarios and grow your ability to communicate with confidence and authority, actively engage the target audience, and reduce “noise” in personal and professional communication.
Intro to Business Systems maps out the “what, why, and how” of a business system: what it is, what makes it up, why it exists, and how we use it effectively. This course covers the individual pieces and overall functions of business systems within a company, from how to use basic Microsoft Office applications to how to solve and avoid complex problems. You will learn how to use a business system and its programs to work smarter, solve faster, and innovate better.
Business Math builds the fundamental math skills required to complete the degree program. This course refreshes and reinforces the basic calculations and math concepts you need to succeed but may have forgotten. You will master the basic math skills needed for accounting, statistics, finance, and marketing areas of the program and learn to choose the best approach to solve problems and make informed decisions.
Business Writing lays the “what, why, and how” foundations for effective writing in the workplace: what is business writing, why does it matter, and how do you do it well. This course helps you master concepts in grammar, usage, and mechanics and analyze how they affect your writing. You will develop your ability to write and edit accurate, persuasive, and engaging messages for any business purpose with tools and tricks to maximize the structure, word choice, clarity, and impact of your written work.
Personal Finance targets financial planning and economic decision making at the personal level, exploring personal financial decisions from early career through retirement. This course introduces new ways of thinking about personal financial decisions in a market economy and frameworks to maximize how you manage your personal assets. You will analyze and refine your own financial behaviors, learn survive and thrive alongside economic changes, and develop a comprehensive personal finance management plan.
WINTER YEAR 1
Financial Accounting Part One outlines the essential function of a financial accounting department to measure the business activities of a company and to communicate those measurements to decision makers. This course takes you on an experiential journey into the complex world of financial accounting, the “language of business.” A comprehensive study of company financial statements and each component will give key insights into concepts such as revenue, expenses, assets, liabilities, equity, cash flow, receivables, and inventory. Students will complete a real-world application project called “Great Adventures” which cohesively relates each area of study in the course to one company and its financial performance.
Operations Management introduces the building blocks of business operations and how to maximize Return on Investment (ROI) management. This course maps out the moving parts of plant operations, the relationships and processes that power them, and the tools and tricks earn the biggest return. You will analyze key components, processes, and management methods to maintain effective and profitable operations management.
Microeconomics studies how individuals and business make choices about how to best use limited resources. This course introduces you to the fundamentals of microeconomics and then stages real-world practice across economic and financial transactions. You will pick apart each phase of the economic lifecycle to see the connections among concepts like markets, consumer behaviors, and changing cost structures, to current social issues like the environment, education, and poverty.
Project Management constructs a framework to define, plan, complete, and close out work projects and introduces tools and best practices for effective business project management. This course intersects business goals, resource management, and time/task management to efficiently and successfully complete and close out a project lifecycle. You will experience the full project management lifecycle and all its components to establish a best-practices project management framework.
Customer Service nails down the psychology, communication skills, and strategies that create exceptional customer service in today’s business environment. This course highlights the factors that make up a customer relationship management framework. You will learn to interact effectively in different customer relationships, set smart goals for a customer service strategy, and improve customer service efforts.
SUMMER YEAR 1
Financial Accounting Part Two will build upon the foundational knowledge gained in part one to delve deeper into the principles and practices of financial accounting. Students will continue to measure business activities and use the accounting cycle to communicate transactional impact on the company financial package. Continuing a comprehensive study of each component of company financial statements will give key insights into concepts such as long-term assets and depreciation, current and long term liabilities and stockholders’ equity. Students will embark on a semi-independent simulation of an example start-up business, making key business decisions and tracing the impact of those decisions on the company’s financial package.
Organizational Behavior studies human behavior in groups and organizational settings and offers strategies to improve performance and effectiveness. This course differentiates among individual, group, and organizational levels and illustrates the how each can influence behavior, performance, and decision making. You will use psychology, communication, and leadership philosophies to inspire, influence, and improve human behavior for a high-performance workplace.
Organizational Leadership intersects organizational management with business leadership to highlight the impacts of leadership on organizational performance and productivity. This course maps out the elements of effective business leadership, outlines the functions and factors that affect it, and creates a complex model for management success. You will create a personal leadership matrix of attitudes, behaviors, and best practices to influence others, form stronger relationships, build better teams, drive better performance, and increase your overall organizational impact.
Macroeconomics builds upon the concepts introduced in Microeconomics and studies similar relationships on a larger scale. This course analyzes factors that influence market behavior, economic growth, and business cycles and how to respond to them effectively. You will explore the connections that social factors, GDP, banking, and the Fed have to new business development and produce a strategic, large-scale economic plan.
Business Law explores the legal principles affecting a company’s operations and how to navigate the legal landscape confidently and competently. This course highlights the legal principles that influence business strategy, operations, and strategic planning. You will learn to write about, act on, and take advantage of business law principles like contracts, warranties and product liabilities, employment law, intellectual property, and more.
FALL YEAR 2
Managerial Finance intersects key pieces of corporate finance and business management to create a strategic plan that maximizes profit and performance. This course will map out relationships among functions like cash management, financial planning, and capital allocation to illuminate the critical components of a well-developed managerial finance strategic plan. You will appraise and assess the impacts and implications of a financial statement and its components to master the art and science of managing finances at the business level.
New Product Development lays the foundations of consumer-centered product development and establishes the role of market research in new product ideation, validation, and design planning. This course equips you to leverage market research and consumer insights to shape product design and development across the early stages of the new product lifecycle. You will develop the skills to conduct market research, translate consumer insights into product design features, and create product portfolio growth opportunities.
Professional Writing and Communication expands upon Business Writing and Business Communication to build more effective and persuasive message strategy, development, and delivery skills. This course incudes advanced communication skills and strategies for personal brand, professional growth, effective business relationships, and persuasive messaging and how to use them in real-time interactions. You will build up your ability to communicate with strategic, adaptive, and persuasive messages in a variety of business situations.
Risk Management addresses the risks businesses face and explores methods to identify, mitigate, and manage those risks. This course teaches how to create and use an effective risk management plan to make strategic and profitable decisions. You will calculate and manage risks across all phases, from identification to corrective action, and build a framework make strategic decisions at the intersections of risk management, business management, and profitability.
Purchasing develops a framework to link the essential components of purchasing and optimize each phase of the lifecycle. This course defines each phase of the purchasing lifecycle from raw materials to finished goods and highlights important considerations, best practices, and avoidable mistakes. You will build a roadmap to move through each stage of purchasing while refining strategies to have the best materials, smoothest operation, and strongest relationships.
WINTER YEAR 2
Managerial Accounting focuses on the role of cost accounting in making important business decisions. This course brings financial accounting to the managerial level and identifies the processes, metrics, and systems used to make strategic business decisions. You will learn to use cost accounting to build cost structures for products, analyze cost behavior patterns and profit ratios, and make informed accounting decisions.
New Product Launch builds on the foundations of Marketing and E-commerce and the product design work from New Product Development course, expanding into new product prototyping, testing and verification, pre-launch planning, and brand strategy. This course gives best practices for the late stages of the new product lifecycle, go-to-market strategic planning, and brand strategy. You will learn how to develop a product that meets consumer needs, fits the target market, and aligns with brand strategy.
Organizational Management lays the foundation to effectively manage both the technical and human sides of a business. This course highlights best practices in organizational management across diverse organizational structures, operations, and scenarios. You will analyze relationships among the people, processes, problems in an organization and make strategic decisions to solve problems, resolve conflicts, and influence change at the management level.
Professional Selling is an advanced strategy course focused on trust-based selling. This course breaks down the sales lifecycle into distinct processes and segments and identifies best practices and common pitfalls for building valuable buyer-seller relationships for each stage. You will assemble a sales strategies toolbox that equips you to better collaborate, communicate, negotiate, and build trust in sales relationships.
Advanced Operations Management exposes the obstacles and opportunities of operations and supply chain management when business operations change in scale, integrate new components, and expand across national borders. This course introduces advanced strategies to manage growing, multinational supply chains across areas including pipeline, procurement and purchasing, strategic and tactical planning, and more. You will develop strategies to interpret, adapt to, and overcome challenges in managing the people, processes, pipelines, and partnerships of operations and supply chain management at a growing business.
SUMMER YEAR 2
Entrepreneurship is the capstone class for the business degree; it bridges all your coursework into a comprehensive business development model and new product development sequence. This course immerses you in the process of starting a new business from ideation through market launch. You experience first-hand the life of an entrepreneur as you identify, assess, and develop a new product business plan to present in a competitive venture capital arena.
Digital Marketing and E-Commerce introduces the essential components of integrated marketing and e-commerce strategy. This course blends components of persuasion, customer service, sales and advertising, communication, and business planning to create a customer-centered, integrated marketing strategy. You will learn tools, tricks, and best practices to promote products, build customer relationships, drive traffic to your products, and increase product sales across channels.
Business Ethics presents practical, decision-making frameworks to effectively respond to and resolve ethical dilemmas in the workplace. This course builds a framework for the critical components, stakeholders, processes, considerations, and impacts of ethical decision making. You will interpret real-world ethical dilemmas, analyze decision models, evaluate the implications of ethics decisions, and resolve ethical dilemmas in the workplace to become a champion of ethical decision making.
Employment Law & Employee Relations offers a window into the “people management” side of Human Resources. This class makes a timeline for the evolution of U.S. employment laws and shows the importance of open communication between management and employees to maintaining effective employee relations, work environments, and corporate cultures. You will explore real-world scenarios surrounding major employment and labor laws, workplace rules and decision making, and employee communication strategies.
Career Evolution prepares students to seize new opportunities and advance their careers. This course demonstrates how to showcase your experience in engaging and adaptable ways, interview effectively for career growth, build out your professional network, and continuously evolve your professional skillset and career trajectory. You will learn to polish your professional self, represent yourself effectively and impressively, keep up on industry knowledge and trends, and grow a meaningful professional network to keep your career moving forward.
ARE YOU UP FOR THE CHALLENGE? APPLY TODAY.
If you are self-motivated and hard-working, and seek a path to a successful career, then apply today.