Davis College reframes BBA core classes to align with industry needs

In response to feedback from industry partners, the Davis College of Business is adapting the way it frames its core courses in its bachelor of arts in business programs. 

Required core courses will be categorized in four areas – Quantitative Knowledge, Societal Impact, Professional and Interpersonal Skills, and Technological Agility. Those areas have been identified as the most important for business graduates through conversations with the Davis College advisory board, alumni and Jacksonville business leaders.

“The Davis College prides itself on our relationships with industry leaders,” said Dean Dr. Barbara Ritter. “We’ve taken their feedback through curriculum consults and reorganized our curriculum to meet the competencies desired by employers.”

The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business’ 2020 Standards also put a strong emphasis on teaching societal impact and technological ability. 

Courses in the societal impact category, for example, would include Ethics, Competing in the Global Environment and Business Strategy and Venture Development.

But the four competencies aren’t just ways to categorize classes. Ritter said the goal is to teach those competencies seamlessly throughout the curriculum. 

“It shows clear alignment from our mission to our competencies to our curriculum,” Ritter said. “It helps us organize and innovate around these competencies and advance the practice of teaching and learning in a way that is consistent with industry needs.”

Four other competencies – business knowledge, critical thinking, communication and teamwork – have not lost their important place in the education of business students. 

“The undergraduate business curriculum in the Davis College is unique in that our curriculum is structured around important competencies so that they become a fundamental part of the student’s educational journey in addition to the basic knowledge and skills expected of our graduates,” she said.

The addition of these competencies can open up the opportunity to create new course offerings as well, Ritter said. 

See a list of the reframed core competencies below: 

Quantitative Knowledge

MATH 112: Modern Applications of Mathematics

ECON 201: Principles of Macro

ECON 202: Principles of Micro

ACCT 201: Principles of Accounting I

ACCT 202: Principles of Accounting II

FIN 301/SPO 301: Corporate Finance

Societal Impact

PHIL 212: Ethics

INB 303: Competing in the Global Enviro

MGT 321: Legal, ethical environment

MGT 432: Business Strategy and Venture Development

Professional and Interpersonal Skills

MKG 301: Principles of Marketing

MGT 308: Business Communication

MGMT 310: OB and Leadership Skills

MGT 320: Leadership

Technological Agility

DSIM 201: Business Stats

DSIM 203: Applied Analysis

DSIM 305: Quant Bus Methods

DSIM 350: Project/Operations Management

ACCT 370/DSIM 370/SPO 370: MIS