UMUC

Graduate School of Management & Technology – Programs

Course Descriptions - UCSP

UCSP 611 Introduction to Graduate Library Research Skills (0)

(Required for all new graduate students and all inactive students who reapply for admission. It must be completed within the first six credits of graduate study.)

An overview of online library and information resources material that is critical for 21st-century managers. The significant changes in how information is delivered make information retrieval and research an exciting challenge. An in-depth introduction to the library research process and the tools necessary to be effective in the Graduate School of Management and Technology are provided. Emphasis is on the efficient and effective use of a variety of electronic retrieval systems, including the online catalog of the University System of Maryland and Affiliated Institutions (USMAI), UMUC’s subscription databases, and the Web. This online faculty-mediated course is taken concurrently with an introductory course in the student’s discipline (recommended) but may also be taken alone. Discipline-specific research is conducted in order to gain experience in formulating viable research questions, selecting the most appropriate investigative methods and resources for research, locating relevant research materials, evaluating the scholarly value of sources, and effectively citing sources.

UCSP 620 Financial Accounting (0)

(Recommended for students without a background in accounting and finance, before enrolling in ADMN 630 or 631.)

Designed for students with no prior coursework in financial accounting, encompassing basic financial concepts and their use in analyzing financial statements. Financial accounting is an information system built upon a set of fundamental concepts. Its primary purpose is to help both current and potential investors value a company’s debt and equity securities, that is, its bonds and common stock. The financial statements of actual companies are analyzed and the process by which accounting principles are developed is explored. Emphasis is on a fundamental appreciation for how financial accounting information can be used to evaluate the economic performance of companies.

UCSP 621 Economics (0)

(Recommended for students without a background in accounting and finance, before enrolling in ADMN 630 or 631.)

An overview of both the microeconomic issues of supply and demand for individual companies and products and macroeconomic issues concerning inflation, unemployment, and recession for the economy as a whole. Basic economic concepts such as opportunities cost, comparative advantage, economic efficiency, and the time value of money are explored in the context of business, government, and personal situations.

UCSP 630 Introduction to Research Methods (0)

(Recommended for students without a background in statistics, before enrolling in ADMN 638.)

A presentation of basic research techniques and methodologies used in organizational research and evaluation studies. The information from these studies is used in making business decisions. Emphasis is also placed on evaluating and using research-based information developed by other individuals. The focus of the course is on applying basic research techniques to assess the performance of individuals, work groups, and organizations. Areas covered include principles of good data collection, presentation of data in tables and charts, summary and description of numerical data, basic probability and discrete estimation, the fundamentals of hypothesis testing, and the use of existing research-based materials to solve business problems. Focus is on basic approaches and beginning skills necessary to evaluate research materials and their use in decision making.