Interdisciplinary Business Knowledge and Skills for Non-Business Majors is designed to provide broad coverage of major business concepts in finance, marketing, accounting, and management and deep coverage of specific skills and knowledge needed as a foundation for applying that knowledge to opportunities in existing or new businesses. Students will learn how to research data within the Metropolitan State library databases to augment their knowledge and skills to evaluate opportunities and existing organizations. The students will be asked to enhance their analytical thinking by asking pertinent questions, determining relevant information, and systematically developing and applying the business processes to make decisions.
Full course description for Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Business for Non-Business Majors
The focus and topic of this course change from semester to semester. The topics presented are focused on timely learning opportunities or are designed to take advantage of the availability of community resources in management and/or business administration. Topics are listed in the Class Schedule.
Full course description for Management Topics
Students obtain internships in selected areas of study to gain deeper understand of knowledge, skills and the context of a given field. Site supervisors give guidance and direction to customized internship projects. Faculty members serve as liaisons between the internship sites and the university, providing information to students and potential supervisors and supervising the learning experience.
Students should contact the Institute for Community Engagement and Scholarship (ICES) at Metropolitan State University for more information.
Full course description for Management Individual Internship
What is leadership? What skills and qualities make a good leader? What is the relationship between leadership, civic participation and the common good? Open to both experienced leaders and those who are just starting out, this course will explore a variety of leadership principles and approaches as well as the relationship between civic engagement and social justice. Students will investigate a variety of community participation strategies including: volunteer service, citizen organizing, electoral politics, public and non-profit boards and commissions, and community development. On-line and community resources and assignments will supplement class-room based learning. Students will be able to apply previous community experience to completion of course requirements.
Full course description for Community Leadership: Principles and Approaches
This course examines the theories, current trends and practical dimensions of how people organize to effect change. Topics include the nature of community organizing, cultural and historical models, issue identification, leadership development, approaches to social power, campaign planning and implementation, and the relationship of community organizing to other forms of social action. The class is participatory and includes intense interpersonal and reflective exercises designed to increase students organizing skills. Students will supplement classroom learning with a case study of a Metro area community organization.
Full course description for Community Organizing and Social Action
Democratic governments are assumed to be more legitimate than and preferable to other forms of government due to their openness and responsiveness to citizen influence. Yet many citizens and residents in the United States express feelings of powerlessness when it comes to influencing legislators and engaging in politics. In this course, students will learn about the state legislative process in Minnesota and develop a wide range of democratic skills necessary for becoming citizen advocates and influencing elected officials. Over the course of the semester, students will identify an issue area they want to work in; choose legislation related to that issue area to advocate for; identify and build relationships with community organizations working in the issue area; work in coalition with at least one community organization; develop a range of political communication materials for influencing legislators; and meet with state legislators to advocate for their preferred policies. The…
Full course description for Advocating and Making Change
This course surveys the principles and applications of community psychology, emphasizing person-environment interactions and societal/cultural impacts upon individual and community functioning. Attention is given to community-based interventions that facilitate individual and community competence and empowerment, prevent disorder, and promote health and social change. Students select and research an issue of their choice (such as, mental illness, violence, alcohol or substance abuse, HIV/AIDS, discrimination) utilizing a community psychology lens.
Full course description for Community Psychology
This course examines topics including the instruments, techniques, and institutions of real estate finance; sources of funds; mortgage risk analysis; emphasis on typical policies and procedures used in financing of residential, industrial, and commercial properties. The goal of this course is to prepare students for future careers in real estate and finance.
Full course description for Real Estate Finance and Investment
Students interesting in pursuing a business focus for this certificate should consider the following electives: ENTR 300: Interdisciplinary Business Knowledge and Skills for Non-Business Majors – 4 credits and REST 495: Real Estate Finance and Investment - 4 credits.
Students interested in pursuing a community development/organizing focus for this certificate should consider the following electives: SOC 381: Community Leadership: Principles and Approaches - 4 credits; SOC 311: Community Organizing and Social Action - 4 credits; POL 312: Advocacy for Policy Change - 4 credits; and, PSYC 363: Community Psychology – 4 credits.
Depending on student interest and the availability of opportunities and leadership, the following electives may be available: MGMT 350: Management Topics: University Real Estate Challenge – 2 credits and MGMT 350I: Management Individual Internship – 1-8 credits.
