Department of Business Administration

Courses in the Business Essentials Graduate Certificate Program are available to non-business degree seeking students preparing for Missouri S&T's MBA program, or professionals who have a desire to gain a practical foundation in business.

The Business Essentials courses are offered in a condensed 1.5 credit hour format with a total of 12 credit hours available each semester. Successful completion of all 12 credit hours with a “B” or higher will meet the prerequisite requirements to enter the Missouri S&T MBA program. 

 Each course is designed as an introduction to the essentials of the specific topic area and is designed for those students or professionals with no prior academic business background. These courses are designed to be taken as “stand alone” courses to fulfill prerequisites or professional development requirements as needed.

Students seeking the Graduate Certificate will be assigned a comprehensive case study in their last course to be completed by the end of the last course taken. The case study will serve as an assessment indicating mastery of all essential course concepts.

All Business Essentials courses are offered through distance education in a short condensed format, typically 5-6 weeks in length,  and are broadcast live, through interactive internet-based video streaming.

Admission Requirements

Students may apply for the Business Essentials Graduate Certificate by completing a Graduate Application for Admission and indicating the Business Graduate Certificate option. The certificate application must be completed within the first two weeks of the student’s first course in the sequence. Successful completion with a B or better in all 8 courses is required for the certificate. These courses may be completed in one semester or over a number of semesters to accommodate the student’s schedule.

Completion of an undergraduate degree is normally required for admission to the certificate program. These courses also may be taken at the junior or senior level with special permission.

Credit for the Business Essentials courses may not be applied to any major or minor in business, information sciences and technology, or economics.

Students considering graduate studies beyond this certificate program are encouraged to contact the Business Department regarding these requirements.

The GMAT is not required for the Business Graduate Certificate but is required for admissions to the MBA program.

The Business Essentials courses are designed for students planning to enter the MBA program who need coverage in this area and for non-business students and professionals who want some additional business background.

Required Courses:

BUS 406: Accounting Essentials
This course is an introduction to accounting and its significant role in making sound business decisions. This course focuses on two branches of accounting, financial accounting and managerial accounting. Financial accounting deals with how results of organizational operations are reported in the financial statements to stakeholders. Managerial accounting deals with financial and operating information used to guide management in making decisions about the business. Emphasis is placed on how financial statements are used in the decision-making process in various organizations such as merchandising, manufacturing and service. The course introduces basic accounting concepts and terminology. Students learn how financial information is recorded and how financial statements are prepared.  

ECON 405: Economics Essentials
This course is an introduction to the essentials of micro and macro economics. Micro is an examination of how resources and products are priced and how income is distributed within various types of market structures. Macro is the study of alternative strategies for managing the U.S. economy within a global environment, to attain the goals of full employment, stability and growth.

BUS 409: Mathematics and Statistics Essentials
This course is an introduction to the essentials of mathematics and statistics. Topics covered include the mathematical and statistical techniques most useful in business and when and how to use them. Students will learn the interpretation of the results of statistical tests. We will use Excel or other statistical software for calculations. Topics that will be included are markups, margins, comparisons, means, standard deviations, medians, t-tests, analysis of variance, Chi-Square, correlation, regression, and graphing.

BUS 406 Management and Business Law Essentials
This course is an introduction to the management of organizations. The course also introduces the basic concepts of business law. This course focuses on current management practices, including values, attitudes and cultures, strategy and planning, organizational design, and leadership.

BUS 407: Marketing and Strategy Essentials
This course is an introduction to the essentials of marketing. This course examines the distribution, product, price and promotion policies that underlie the activities of marketing institutions and the managerial, economic, and societal implications of such policies. 

BUS 408: Operations Management Essentials
This course examines the concepts, processes, and institutions that are fundamental to an understanding of business operations within organizations. Emphasis is on the management and organization of manufacturing and service operations and the application of quantitative methods to the solution of strategic, tactical and operational problems.

FIN 405: Finance Essentials
This course is an introduction to the essentials of finance. Studies the need for funds in business and the techniques of analysis used to determine how effectively these funds are invested within the firm. Topics include the institutions, instruments, and markets concerned with raising funds.    

BUS 412: Management Information Systems Essentials
The purpose of this course is to provide an introduction to management information systems (MIS). In organizations today, information technology (IT) has become a key component in accomplishing strategic and operational goals. The topics that will be covered include the strategic role of IT, decision support systems, enterprise applications, mobile and ubiquitous computing and applications, and social and ethical issues related to information systems. 

Credit in the Business Essentials courses can not be applied to any major or minor in business, information sciences and technology, or economics.