A Look at the Liberal Arts Core and Business Administration Courses: How the New University Requirement's Have Facilitated Changes

Cynthia Knott Eck, PhD

Associate Professor, School of Business Administration,

Marymount University, 2807 North Glebe Road, Arlington, VA 22207

Cynthia.knott@marymount.edu

Donna M. Schaeffer, PhD

Associate Professor, School of Business Administration,

Marymount University, 2807 North Glebe Road, Arlington, VA 22207

Donna.schaeffer@marymount.edu

According to recent data from the National Center for Educational Statistics, 21% of all undergraduate degrees are awarded in the discipline of business.

By the way, half of those are to women.

· The Department of Labor identified critical thinking as the raw material that underlies fundamental workplace competencies, such as problem solving, decision making, planning, and risk management.

· Critical thinking is rated the #1 skill of increasing importance over the next five years based on a 2009 national survey of employers.

“Whatever the answer to essential questions of society and individual human beings may be, education is surely its major component. But what would education be without its ethical dimension? Many of us believe them to be inseparable.”

Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity

"A billion hours ago, human life appeared on earth.
A billion minutes ago, Christianity emerged.
A billion seconds ago, the Beatles changed music.
A billion Coca-Colas ago was yesterday morning."

Robert Goizueta, Late President of Coca-Cola, 2001.

Liberal Arts Core

· On average, current students are expected to have 10-plus jobs by age 38.

· Many of these jobs do not yet exist.

· These jobs will involve seeking solutions to problems that aren’t currently known.

· The employment work force is constantly changing: One in four workers has been with their current employer less than one year; one in two has been with their current employer less than five years.

(Information taken from Did You Know? 2.0, Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod)

“Teachers have known for centuries that studying different subjects trains the mind to work in different ways: analytically, synthetically, creatively, logically, metaphorically.

And now, scientists know that studying different subjects actually changes the biochemical structure of the brain, forming new connections that make it more limber and agile.”

Why Study the Liberal Arts?

Susan M. Di Biase, University of North Carolina, Greensboro

Core Requirements

Humanities (12 credits)

Mathematics and Sciences (19 credits)

Social Science

SS-1 ECO 210 Principles of Microeconomics
SS-1 ECO 211 Principles of Macroeconomics
SS-1 Introductory Politics, Psychology, or Sociology

Students also select an advanced Social Science course or a second Natural Science course (lab optional):
SS-2 Advanced Social Science with a prerequisite
NS Natural Science (lab optional)

Philosophy, Theology, and Religious Studies (12 credits)

Written Communication (6 credits)

Ethics
ETH — One designated course is required, in addition to the Liberal Arts Core requirement of a moral principles course.

Global Perspective
GP — One designated course, study abroad, or foreign language course is required.

Experiential Learning
EXP — An internship or research experience is required. Most students meet this requirement through the internship in their majors.

Applied Ethics

PH 305 Business Ethics

Examines the ethical foundations of business and the role of ethical judgment in business decisions. The course reviews theoretical foundations and examines case study applications.

Prerequisites: EN 102 and PH 200.

Liberal Arts Core/ UniversityRequirements Designation: ETH, PH-2. (3)

Global Perspective

IT 110 Information Technology in a Global Age

Introduces students to the role of information technology in today’s global business, political, and government environments, and in society in general. It examines the role of

technology globally, particularly as it is used for cultural awareness, business development, political change, and social improvement. The negative aspects of technology (e.g., dumping of end-of-life hardware in developing countries) are

also discussed. The course studies infrastructure (hardware and software, networks, the Internet), communications, software

and website development, databases, and information security and privacy.

Liberal Arts Core/ University Requirements Designation: GP. (3)

Experiential Learning

MGT 490 Internship

Senior students register for field experience with cooperating business firms in the Washington metropolitan area. The internship is monitored by the director of internships for the

School of Business Administration and a representative of the cooperating company. Application should be made 3 to 6 months prior to registration to permit exploration of internship opportunities.

Prerequisites: permission of director of

internships for the School of Business Administration, senior status, minimum of 90 credit hours with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better, and a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better in all Business courses.

Liberal Arts Core/University Requirements Designation: EXP. (3-6)

Teaching Applications

2011 - 2012 Ethics Fellow:

Where Did You Get Your Cell Phone?