Woven throughout your Business School curriculum will be six integrated themes:

Globalization

Globalization emphasizes the connections of business with nearly everything else you’ll study. Your globalization requirement can be fulfilled by a course on globalization per se or by a history course in this area. Both examine worldwide events that have contributed to the globalization of business. A second requirement focuses on how social movements around the world affect business. The Business Ethics and Law course incorporates discussion of ethics across various cultures, and both Micro and Macro Economics incorporate global issues. The Strategic Management “capstone” course provides an opportunity in your senior year to link global issues with learning in your field. Most exciting of all, you’ll have the opportunity to travel abroad to see how business is conducted in other countries.

Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility

The Social Change in the US and Abroad requirement is also linked to the second theme, Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility. Business Ethics and Law will give you the foundation for identifying ethical dilemmas, applying varying models of decision making, understanding organizational and cultural influences on decisions, and analyzing the impact leaders have on ethical decision making and corporate social responsibility. In the Leadership Seminar, you’ll work in teams to research socially responsible behavior of local organizations. Organizational Behavior examines ethical concepts, as does the Principles of Business Law, Information Technology & Productivity Tools, Management Information Systems as well as major courses.  

Diversity and Diverse Culture

Diversity and Diverse Culture begins with the one-credit freshman course SU 101 The Freshman Experience, an introduction to life at Suffolk and the Boston area. SU 101 includes an assignment and discussion based on community service by student teams. Two other freshman requirements, on globalization and business ethics in a global environment, further emphasize understanding diverse cultures. The humanities/social sciences requirement will look at culture through literature, philosophy, and sociology. In the sophomore year,  students in Professional Communications cover cross-cultural communication in a business setting, and in Organizational Behavior you’ll develop an understanding of diversity as it relates to leadership, motivation, and group dynamics.

Leadership

The Business School emphasizes leadership to advance you to reach your goals, and because employers rank people skills high in their expectations for new hires. The concept is introduced in Business Foundations as well as part of the SU 101 course. Leadership also forms part of the content of Organizational Behavior, Social Change in the US and Abroad, Business Ethics and Law, and the Leadership Seminar. In the senior year, you’ll have more opportunities to develop your own leadership style, including being a teaching assistant for the SU 101 course, leading group projects, and being nominated for Suffolk’s Leadership Institute. Seniors can also apply to facilitate the Sophomore year cohort experience. 

Networking, Careers and Life-long Learning

Networking, Careers and Life-long Learning will be introduced in your first year through speakers and activities in the SU 101 class. In the Business Foundations course, your final presentation to local executives will emphasize professional speaking and appropriate business conduct. You’ll also develop these skills through the introductory Information Technology course, Professional Communication, the Leadership Seminar, and several third year projects. In your senior year, you’ll take part in a series of workshops focusing on the value of networking throughout your career. 

Teamwork

Teamwork will be emphasized in many of your BSBA courses. Team case analyses, projects and presentations will be highlights of courses throughout your four years at Suffolk because working in teams is such an essential skill in today’s business environment.