Business

Contemporary Business Practice

A.A.S.

The 60-credit Contemporary Business Practice A.A.S. program is ideal if your objective is earning your associate degree and making your way directly into the business world. The program prepares you for increased responsibilities in management, supervision, marketing, sales, and small business operation.

The Contemporary Business Practice A.A.S. degree is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs. As such, the business department has adopted a continuous improvement process centered on offering coursework that meets the demands of today’s business environment. The program provides for electives in business that allow students to customize their program to meet individual learning objectives as well as fulfill various requirements for four-year bachelor’s degree programs at selected colleges and universities. Because there are fewer liberal arts credits, the A.A.S. degree is not typically recommended for students who plan to earn a bachelor’s degree. Students planning to earn a bachelor’s degree typically consider the Business Transfer Pathway A.S. degree as well as meet with an Inver Hills counselor or advisor early in the program to determine the most appropriate course of action based on educational and career goals.

As a student in this A.A.S. degree program, you will complete the Business Curriculum (38 credits) and the General Education Curriculum (22 credits) for a credit total of 60.

The Business department at Inver Hills is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).

Business Program Planning Guide

2024-2025 Required Courses

Business Curriculum

Course #	Course Name	Credit(s)
BUS 1100	Introduction to Business Applications and Computing	4
Course Outline Credits: 4 Introduces software applications designed to increase personal and organizational productivity. Applications include Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Other topics include a survey of open-source content management systems, relational databases, web analytic tools, computer security, safety, ethics, and privacy concerns. Prerequisites: None Corequisites: None Future Offering: Spring 2025
BUS 1101	Introduction to Business in Society	3
Course Outline Credits: 3 Presents an overview of the role of business in society. Topics include the historical perspective, the economy, global dimensions of business, ethics and social responsibility, and the various forms of business organizations. Various disciplines of business (accounting, finance, information systems, marketing, operations, etc.) are also introduced in the overall context of the enterprise. Prerequisites: None Corequisites: None Future Offering: Spring 2025
BUS 1112	Business Math	3
Course Outline Credits: 3 Presents students with basic mathematics that can be applied to business situations. Course includes brief review of basic arithmetic as a foundation for course concepts including the application of interest rates, discounts, depreciation, consumer loans, mortgages, insurance, stocks and bonds, financial statements, annuities, present and future value, and the concept of sinking funds. Prerequisites: MATH 0740. Prerequisites: None Corequisites: None Future Offering: None
BUS 1131	Legal Environment of Business	3
Course Outline Credits: 3 Introduces business students to legal topics that impact business. This course addresses legal reasoning, legal procedures, constitutional law, torts, contracts, the sale of goods under the uniform Commercial Code, business organizations, unfair competition, consumer protection, bankruptcy and employment law. Prerequisites: None Corequisites: None Future Offering: Spring 2025
BUS 2004	Principles of Marketing	3
Course Outline Credits: 3 Provides an overview of the marketing process and examines the role of government, the marketing environment, consumer behavior, and the marketing function within an enterprise. Students will learn how to develop and implement an effective marketing plan which includes identification of target markets and the utilization of the appropriate marketing mix (product, price, promotion, and distribution). The course also covers essential marketing concepts and terminology such as positioning, segmentation, relationship marketing, marketing information systems, etc. Prerequisites: None Corequisites: None Future Offering: Spring 2025
BUS 2021 BUS 1119	Principles of Management OR Human Relations in Business	3
Principles of Management Course Outline Credits: 3 Studies management's role in helping organizations establish and achieve their mission and goals. Assists individuals in developing the skills needed to become successful practicing managers in today's society. Major areas of focus include the historical functions of management (planning, organizing, leading and controlling) as well as emerging ideas and practices that are transforming management and leadership in modern organizations. Prerequisites: None Corequisites: None Future Offering: Spring 2025 Human Relations in Business Course Outline Credits: 3 Examines human behavior and interaction in the organization. Emphasis is placed on developing more productive working relationships, and achieving desired results. Topics include: employer/employee relations, communication techniques, conflict management, work force diversity, and developing and managing effective teams, motivation, training, and development, talent management, developing leaders, and performance management. Prerequisites: None Corequisites: None Future Offering: None
ACCT 2101	Financial Accounting	4
Course Outline Credits: 4 Focuses on basic accounting concepts with emphasis on how financial information is used in decision-making, primarily by creditors and investors. It focuses on what the financial statements reveal about the credit worthiness and financial performance of companies organized as corporations. Topics covered include preparation, analysis and interpretation of financial statements including income statements, balance sheet, statement of owner's equity, and cash flow statement. Additional topics include processing accounting information, end of period adjustments, closing entries, cash versus accrual accounting, receivables, inventory, income measurement, current and fixed assets and liabilities, stockholders? equity, ratio analysis, cash flow, merchandising operations, and internal control. Meets lower-division transfer requirements for accounting and business administration majors at most 4-year institutions. Require completion of Math 0840 or assessment into Math 0940 or higher; recommended concurrent enrollment in BUS 1100. Prerequisites: Please go to e-Services to see Pre-requisites for this course Corequisites: BUS 1100 Introduction to Business Applications and Computing Future Offering: Spring 2025
	Business Elective(s) *Electives may be chosen from any business course. Students may also choose to focus electives within the certificate areas of human resource management, marketing and sales, project management, small business development, supervision, office technology, or customer service in an effort to qualify for a certificate in conjunction with the degree.	15
Business Elective(s) Prerequisites: None Corequisites: None Future Offering: None Course Outline Prerequisites: None Corequisites: None Future Offering: None
Total Credits in Business Curriculum		38

General Education Curriculum

Course #	Course Name	Credit(s)
ENG 1108	Writing And Research Skills	4
Course Outline Credits: 4 MNTC Goal Areas: 01, 02 Provides instruction and practice in reading, researching, and writing for college. Prerequisites: Please go to e-Services to see Pre-requisites for this course Corequisites: ENG 0108 Workshop for Writing and Research Skills Future Offering: Spring 2025
ENG 1130	Writing and Research For the Professions	3
Course Outline Credits: 3 MNTC Goal Areas: 01, 02 Emphasizes critical audience analysis of professional texts across the disciplines, at least one book length, resulting in a professional research proposal, feasibility study, or report that reflects analysis and synthesis of multiple sources, persuasion, and students' mastery of professional and audience analysis, business writing, researching, and evaluative skills. Prerequisites: ENG 1108 or equivalent, with grade of C or better. Prerequisites: ENG 1108 Writing And Research Skills Corequisites: None Future Offering: Spring 2025
COMM 1110	Public Speaking	3
Course Outline Credits: 3 MNTC Goal Areas: 01, 02 Is the introductory study of the theory and practice of public speaking. Public presentation skills are required for individuals to be successful in our workplaces, communities and many other contexts in today's society. Students will learn about the different types of public speeches commonly encountered and learn how to research, organize and write their ideas into clear and understandable forms of public communication. Students will also practice the delivery skills needed to present ideas effectively. Students will be required to speak and participate often and will also be required to present their speeches in a classroom setting with an audience of their peers and an instructor. Prerequisites: None Corequisites: None Future Offering: Spring 2025
ECON 1105 ECON 1106	Principles of Macroeconomics OR Principles of Microeconomics	3
Principles of Macroeconomics Course Outline Credits: 3 MNTC Goal Areas: 05, 08 Examines the performance of the U.S. economy in the early 21st century (national income accounting) as measured against historical performance, including an analysis of U.S. economic institutions and government macroeconomic policies. Prerequisites: Recommended READ 0093/0094 or placement into READ 1100. Prerequisites: READ 0093 Reading College Texts READ 0094 Reading Workshop Corequisites: None Future Offering: Spring 2025 Principles of Microeconomics Course Outline Credits: 3 MNTC Goal Areas: 05, 08 Introduces students to the supply and demand analysis of prices and production under different market structures, the role of government in a market economy, international trade and exchange rates, and income distribution and the pricing of economic resources. Prereq: Recommended READ 0093/94 and MATH 0840 or higher. Prerequisites: MATH 0840 Introductory Algebra READ 0093 Reading College Texts READ 0094 Reading Workshop Corequisites: None Future Offering: Spring 2025
	General Education Credits (MnTC Goal 3) ‡ OR General Education Credits (MnTC Goal 4) Recommend: MATH 1103 or MATH 1118 ‡	3
General Education Credits (MnTC Goal 3) Prerequisites: None Corequisites: None Future Offering: None General Education Credits (MnTC Goal 4) Prerequisites: None Corequisites: None Future Offering: None
	General Education Credits (MnTC Goal 6) ‡	3
Prerequisites: None Corequisites: None Future Offering: None
	General Education Credits (Any MnTC Goal Area) ‡	3
Prerequisites: None Corequisites: None Future Offering: None
Total Credits in General Education Curriculum		22

Total Credits:

‡ Select General Education electives from specified MnTC goal area or from any MnTC goals if none specified.