Commerce, Organizations and Entrepreneurship

Introduction

The undergraduate concentration in Commerce, Organizations and Entrepreneurship ("COE") engages undergraduate students in the theories and methods of a variety of disciplines applied in the context of national and international commerce, organizations, and entrepreneurship. Sponsored by the departments of Economics and Sociology and the Division of Engineering, this concentration offers students a coordinated, integrated and synergistic approach to these disciplines. Students have the opportunity to learn the methodological approaches of economics, sociology, engineering and entrepreneurship to study for profit and non-profit enterprises in the national and global economic context with specific emphasis on the formation, growth, and organization of new ventures, innovation in commercial applications, financial markets and the marketplace, and management and organizational theory.

Through a series of foundation courses, students are first introduced to the basic principles and approaches of organizational theory, economics, engineering and technological innovation, and entrepreneurship and management. The curriculum also offers students several choices to learn statistical analysis, while requiring mastery of appropriate levels of mathematics. Building on this multidisciplinary base, students then focus their course of study on one of the following tracks:

1) business economics,
2) organizational studies, or
3) entrepreneurship and technology management.

The Curriculum

I. Foundation Courses

Students will be required to complete all of the following courses that form the foundation of the COE concentration:

• MA 9, or MA 7, or MA 5 and 6 (MA 19 for Technology Track)
• Statistics (PS 160, or SO 110, or PY 9, or ED 111; Business Econ Track must be met by Economics 162)
• EC 11 Principles of Economics
• EC 111 Intermediate Microeconomics
• SO 103 Organizational Theories of Public and Private Sectors
• SO 109 Theories of Organizational Dynamics and Decision Making
• EN 2 Transforming Society - Technology and Choices for the Future (if pursuing the Business Economics or Organizations Studies tracks)
• EN 3 Introduction to Engineering (if pursuing the Entrepreneurship and Technology Management track)
• EN 101 The Entrepreneurial Process: Innovation in Practice

II. The Tracks

1. Business Economics Track

Each of the following:

• EC 71 Financial Accounting
• EC 121 Intermediate Macroeconomics
• EC 171 Investments I
• EC 172 Corporate Finance

Three additional courses from a list comprising:

• EC 116 Managerial Economics;
• EC 131 Labor Economics;
• EC 136 Health Economics;
• EC 144 Economic Theories of Firms;
• EC 145 Economics of Regulation;
• EC 146 Industrial Organization;
• EC 150 Current Global Economic Challenges;
• EC 152 The Economic Analysis of Institutions;
• EC 154 International Trade;
• EC 155 International Finance;
• EC 160 Economics of the Middle East;
• EC 175 Investments II;
• EC 176 Financial Institutions;
• EC 177 Fixed Income Securities;
• EC 178 Corporate Strategy;
• EC 179 Corporate Governance and Management;
• EC 180 Politics and Finance.

2. Organizational Studies Track

• SO 105 Methods of Research in Organizations AND
• One advanced course in research methods; options include:
• SO 112 Sample Surveys in Social Research
• SO 126 Market Research in Public and Private Sectors
• SO 187, sec. 33 Principles and Methods of Geographic Information Systems
• SO 221 Qualitative Methods & Field Research
• PP 120 Policy Analysis & Program Evaluation
• ED 116 Evaluating the Impact of Social Programs

Two courses on Organizational Behavior:

• SO 106 Leadership in Organizations
• SO 107 Money and Society: An Introduction to Economic Sociology
• SO 154 Human Needs and Social Services
• SO 187, Sec 23 Business Networks in Asia
• SO 187, Sec 28 Groups in Organizations
• SO 187, Sec 31 Management and Organizations
• SO 220 Social Capital and Social Networks
• PP 170, Sec 18 Social Welfare Policy in the United States
• PS 124 Politics, Markets and States in Developing Countries
• ED 115 Education, the Economy, and School Reform

Elective: One course taken in any one of the following areas (approved by the COE undergraduate advisor in Sociology): Economics, Sociology, Education, Political Science, Philosophy, Ethics, Public Policy, International Relations, History and American Civilization.

Senior Seminar: One senior- or graduate-level seminar approved by track advisor and taken during the senior year; options include:

• EN 193/194, Entrepreneurship I and II (Capstone Project)
• ED 102 History of American Education
• ED 120 History of American School Reform
• ED 121 Public Education and People of Color in U.S. History
• ED 164 Public Schools and Politics
• ED 173 American Higher Education in Historical Context
• ED 176 Education and Public Policy
• PP 170, Sec 03 Urban Revitalization: Lessons from the Providence Plan
• PP 170, Sec 08 Health Policy Challenges
• PP 170, Sec 14 Legal Policy Challenges
• SO 187, Sec 28 Groups in Organizations
• SO 231 Health Institutions and Professions

3. Entrepreneurship and Technology Management Track

Each of the Following

• Math equivalent to MA20 or AM33*
• EN190 The Construction of the Entrepreneurial Entreprise
• One 100-level economics course
• EN193/194 - Entrepreneurship I and II - Capstone Project
• Independent Practicum

And:

• Four course track in Technology Specialization as approved by the COE advisor in Engineering

Example Entrepreneurship and Technology Management Specializations

Biotechnology

BI20 The Foundation of Living Systems
BI17 Biotechnology in Medicine
EN41 Materials Science
EN149 Biomaterials

Nanotechnology

EN41 Materials Science
EN193S01 Biophotonics
EN149 Biomaterials
EN194 MEMS Devices (Breuer Course)

Information Technology

CS15 Introduction to Object Oriented Programming and Computer Science
EN52 Electrical Circuits and Signals
EN163 Digital Electronics Systems Design
EN164 Design of Computing Systems

Manufacturing and Design

EN31 Mechanics of Solids and Structures
EN174 Computer Aided Visualization and Design
EN193 Industrial Design
AM121 Operations Research

Energy and Environment

EN72 Thermodynamics
ES11 Environmental Issues: Policy and Science
EN113 Phase and Chemical Equilibria
EN112 Chemical Reactor Design

Photonoics and Device Technology

EN51 Electricity and Magnetism
EN159 Introduction to Semiconductors and Semiconductor Electronics
EN193 Biophotonics
EN168 Design of Semiconductor Devices

Functional Materials

EN41 Materials Science
EN149 Biomaterials
EN148 Metallic Materials
EN147 Structure and Properties of Non-Metallic Materials

Page last updated in April, 2007.

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