Business Administration Program

Program Student Learning Outcomes Assessment
(AY 2012-2013)

Program Student Learning Outcomes(PSLOS)

At the completion of Business Administration Program, the student will be able to:

1. Demonstrate basic knowledge of each of the functional areas of business – accounting, management, marketing, economics, and finance – by emphasizing their importance in an organization and describing their interrelationship in the organization’s attempt to achieve its objectives.
2. Demonstrate basic knowledge and skill in the use of cost and managerial accounting concepts and techniques as management tools for planning, controlling, evaluating performance and making decisions.
3. Demonstrate basic knowledge and skill in business mathematics and elementary statistics by accurately performing common business computations, statistical data presentation and analysis.
4. Demonstrate basic knowledge and skill in intercultural writing and speaking appropriate for business.
5. Demonstrate a basic understanding of the legal environment and ethical challenges confronting business in general and in the FSM, from both local and global perspectives.

Show Program Matrix

BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION PROGRAM MATRIX
Required Course:	PLO#1	PLO#2	PLO#3	PLO#4	PLO#5
BU101: Introduction to Business	I			I	I
BU 250: Principles of Finance	D,M	D,M	D,M	D
BU 260: Fundamentals of Management	I,D,M
BU 270: Principles of Marketing	I			D
BU 271: Business Law					D,M
AC131: Accounting I	I,D,M
AC 220: Accounting 2	I,D,M				I
AC250:Managerial Accounting	I,D,M				I
EC220: Microeconomics	D,M	D	D
EC230;Macroeconomics	D,M	I	D
BU/MS 110 Business Math	I	I	I,D,M

Narratives

PSLO Assessment Report Summary

What we looked at:

The Business Administration Program assessment focused on PSLO 1. Listed below is the result for the PSLO.

What we found:

• Students of Principles of Marketing (BU 270), taught by professor Marlene Mangonon, engaged in business activity of selling gift baskets on Valentine's Day to demonstrate their understanding of the Marketing Mix tool. The presentation and sale of items were coordinated with other classes such as the Fundamentals of Management (BU 260) and Managerial Accounting (AC 250). The students were evaluated using the Foundations and Skills for Lifelong Learning Value Rubric. Students of BU 260, taught by Professor Marian Medalla, obtained copies of the marketing plans submitted by BU 270 students. Then, applying their understanding of the different functional areas of management, i.e., planning, organizing, directing, and controlling, BU 260 evaluated the marketing plans to check their adequacy and viability. Students of AC 250, taught by Professor Rafael Pulmano, were supposed to review the financial statements prepared by BU 270 students for their business project. Such review did not materialize due to problem due to scheduling problems. However, financial reports turned in by students revealed a weakness in their understanding and skills in this area of accounting, and that there is a need to strengthen their foundation in this specific learning outcome. (The BU 270 project required knowledge and skills in managerial accounting. However, some Marketing students have not yet taken this course.)

What we are planning to work on:

Activity Coverage
To resolve the problem of financial reports turned in by students revealing a weakness in their understanding and skills in this area of accounting because a higher-level accounting (AC 250) was required, we plan to assign activities related to service or merchandising only (as opposed to manufacturing). Financial reports to be generated from this type of business activities will allow students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in basic accounting, i.e., AC 131.

Timing of Activities
On scheduling problems which prevented accounting students to review the financial statements produced by business majors, we plan to engage in a more coordinated set of activities by holding a conference of faculty members concerned, at the start of the semester, for planning purposes.

Recommendations for students:

Motivate all students to participate in these collaborative learning activities, especially those that involve other courses within the program, to better grasp and appreciate the relationships among the different courses. Such active engagement could help strengthen their foundations and skills for lifelong learning.

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