The Norm Brodsky College of Business Core Requirements

Core Requirements Overview

Students in the Norm Brodsky College of Business are required to take a core of business courses, providing them with a solid foundation in business, global perspective, and professional, technological, and data analytical skills that are essential for career success. In addition, business students are required to take general education courses in written and oral communications and courses that provide liberal arts perspectives.

Business core courses provide students with:

  • An integrative application of fundamental concepts of essential business disciplines in a business practice through an Introduction to Business course;

  • A background of the concepts, processes, and institutions in the production and marketing of goods and/or services, and the financing of business enterprises or other forms of organization.  This perspective is covered in such courses as Marketing Principles, Introduction to Finance, and Operations Management;

  • A background of the economic and legal environment as it pertains to profit or nonprofit organizations, along with ethical considerations and social and political influences as they affect such organizations. Courses that satisfy this requirement are Principles of Macroeconomics, Principles of Microeconomics, The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business, as well as several elective courses;

  • A basic understanding of the concepts and applications of accounting, quantitative methods, and management information systems, including computer applications. This area is covered through such courses as Introduction to Accounting, Managerial Uses of Accounting, Business Statistics, Information Systems Essentials, and Management Information Systems;

  • A fundamental skill set to discover new insights from analyzing big data to inform an organization's operational and strategic decisions through the Introduction of Business Analytics course;

  • A study of organizational theory and behavior and interpersonal communications. Course work in Fundamentals of Management and Organizational Behavior cover this area, as well as courses in composition and speech;

  • A skill set of effective business written and oral communications for both individual and group workplace settings in a Business Communications course; 

  • A study of decision processes under conditions of uncertainty, including integrating analysis and policy determination at the overall management level. The course, Strategic Management and Policy, which serves as the capstone course, provides the necessary coverage in this area;

  • An understanding of international business, necessary to engage effectively in the global economy. This area is covered by two required international business electives;

  • A study of professional, development, and career management focused on individual career goals and strategies for a successful job search. A course in Career Planning covers this area; 

  • A study of leadership and interpersonal skills reinforced with participation in a team environment. This area is covered by a required leadership elective.

In addition to the core requirements, all students in the Norm Brodsky College of Business are required to complete a program of study prescribed by the major or program in which they are enrolled. This phase of study typically begins in the junior year. Courses in the major are designed to provide the student with a general competence in one of the principal areas of business.

Intensive Course Requirements

All business students must successfully complete one writing-intensive, one oral presentation-intensive, and one data analytic-intensive course with at least one of their three intensive courses within their major or minor field of study. The courses that have been approved for intensive course designations are:

Students are required to have 54 semester hours completed before enrolling in most 300- or 400-level business courses. 

Fifty percent of all business credits must be taken through Rider. Transfer students may bring in 30 credits from business courses plus Quantitative Methods, Business Statistics, Macroeconomics, and Microeconomics. At least half of the required credits in the area of a student’s major must be taken at Rider.

All business students must have a 2.0 GPA in their major and overall to graduate.

Program-Level Learning Competencies

  • Communicate effectively in writing about business topics in a concise, informative, and well-researched manner;
  • Communicate effectively orally about business topics using appropriate media in a manner that is informative as well as persuasive;
  • Apply ethical understanding and reasoning to address ethical issues that arise in business contexts in a socially responsible manner ;
  • Work effectively with others in a team environment, in person, and/or virtually;
  • Use current technologies in the business environment;
  • Apply analytical skills in the business environment;
  • Integrate knowledge of business theories, concepts, and principles to conduct a critical analysis of business practice.

Business Subjects

Business Foundations
CBA 110Business in Action3
MSD 105Quantitative Methods for Business3
MSD 205Business Statistics3
ACC 210Introduction to Accounting3
ACC 220Managerial Uses of Accounting3
ECO 200Principles of Macroeconomics3
ECO 201Principles of Microeconomics3
MGT 201Fund Management & Org Behavior3
MKT 200Marketing Principles3
FIN 220Introduction to Finance3
BUS 300The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business3
BUS 400Strategic Mgmt and Policy3
CBA 212Business Communications3
Business Technology and Analytics
CIS 185Information Systems Essentials3
CIS 385Management Information Systems3
or GSC 385 Management Information Systems for Global Supply Chain Management
BDA 201Introduction to Business Analytics3
MSD 301Operations Management3
Professional Development3
Career Planning
Leadership Elective3
Select one of the following:
Case Analysis & Presentation
Foundations of Leadership
Service Learning Through Minding Our Bus
The Co-op Experience Seminar
Team Management
Management Skills
International Business Electives 16
Select two of the following:
International Business Law
International Business Tour
Nature's Business
Emerging Nations Study Tour
Business Process Design for a Global Economy
Internatl Trade and Investment
Comparative Economic Systems
International Entrepreneurship
International Finance
Introduction to Global Supply Chain Mgt.
International Business Tour
International Management
International Marketing
International Advertising
Business of Global Sport
Major Requirements 2
Additional credits are required for majors as described in the footnote below.
Total Credits63

Non-business Subjects

In addition to the business subjects, the student must acquire at least 21 credits in arts and sciences courses.

Communications:
CMP 120Seminar in Writing and Rhetoric3
CMP 125Seminar in Writing and Research3
or CMP 203 Literature and Composition
COM 290Professional/Strategic Speech3
Arts and Sciences:
Natural Science Elective3
Select one course from the following subject areas:
Behavioral Neuroscience (BNS)
Biochemistry (BCH)
Biology (BIO)
Chemistry (CHE)
Discovery Science
Environmental Science (ENV)
Geosciences (GEO)
Integrated Science and Math
Marine Sciences (MAR)
Physics (PHY)
Sustainability Studies (SUS)
Social Science Elective3
Select one course from the following subject areas:
American Studies (AMS)
Communication and Journalism (COM)
Gender Studies (GSS)
Health Care Policy (HCP)
History (HIS)
Homeland Security Policy (HSP)
Law and Justice (LAW)
Multicultural Studies (MCS)
Political Science (POL)
Psychology (PSY)
Social Work (SOW)
Sociology (SOC)
Humanities Elective3
Select one course from the following subject areas:
English (ENG)
Literature (LIT)
Fine Arts (ART, DAN, MUS, THE)
Foreign Languages and Literature (CHI, FRE, SPA)
Philosophy (PHL)
Liberal Arts Elective3
Select one course offered by the College of Arts & Sciences. See the note below.
Total Credits21

Free Electives

The minimum requirements in business and non-business subjects normally leave a student needing an additional 24 credits that must be completed to satisfy the 120 required for graduation.

Accounting, Actuarial Science, Business Analytics, Global Supply Chain Management, Health Care Management, Human Resource Management, Information Systems, Marketing, and Organizational Psychology majors have a reduced number of free elective credits due to the additional major requirements.

Free elective credits may be used to fulfill the International Business Elective requirement. Courses from a second major or a minor may also be used to fill free elective credits.

Free elective credits may be taken in any discipline at Rider, provided the student meets the requirements imposed by the department or program offering the course.

Engaged Learning Graduation Requirement

In addition to completing all the course requirements, all Rider University students are required to complete an Engaged Learning Graduation requirement.