Courses & Thematic Tracks

An introductory course covering the federal government in the United States. This course may not count toward a major or minor in Political Science or Political Economy.

Sociology is the study of human groups, organizations, and societies and the patterns of similarity and difference among them. It includes but is not limited to the study of culture, inequality, gender, race, religion, the economy, sexuality, and family life. This course will explore sociological ways of seeing the world, provide you with tools for understanding your own social position and the context in which you live, and fuel your passion for a just, peaceful, and diverse society.

This course introduces students to social entrepreneurship through case studies, key readings, and primary information resources. Students will become familiar with organizations and social entrepreneurs through service-learning projects, and will begin to develop skills demonstrated by successful social entrepreneurs, including team building and leadership, negotiation, and working in complex social and cultural environments. They will explore the sources of funding for social enterprises, including philanthropy, governmental funding, and income generating, self-sustaining social enterprises. Students will also plan their course of study in the major, including the identification of a track and an initial proposal for a project.

Students will complete a 225-hour nonpaid internship with a nonprofit, social enterprise, a social  entrepreneur or for-profit organization that is of interest to the student. Students will be required to attend seminars for reflection on the internship and to complete their agreed upon internship goals.

To lead Social Change, leaders must understand the complexities of institutions, society and culture, individual and group behavior, and develop a collaborative planned approach to transform systems and the social structure This course examines the concepts, methods, and practices of leadership within communities and organizations through the lens of service, servant leadership, and the Social Change Model of Leadership development. It examines the theoretical and practical approaches leaders can use to help organizations, companies, and communities navigate the challenges and barriers to social improvement and impact.

This course will draw together the experiential, curricular, and individual components of the social entrepreneurship that includes a group/individual project worth 50% of the final grade. These projects have included recommending the accreditation for a dental services’ social enterprise; serving as part of an impact team for organizations participating in the I-CAP (social innovation catalyst) program offered by the Center for Nonprofit Management; and conducting an organizational assessment of a social enterprise to determine if it was adhering to their mission.  Students will complete a study of the background and context of their proposed social entrepreneurship venture, reflect on the civic, vocational, spiritual, and personal dimensions of their roles as social entrepreneurs, and complete the BELL Core capstone requirements, including reflection on their educational experience and transition from the university.

The course is open to any major on campus and provides the practical skills of preparing competitive grant proposals for submission to private foundations and possibly other funding sources such as corporations, and  Local Education Associations. Students will apply skills learned by working directly with a local nonprofit to develop a template based on the Middle Tennessee Common Grant Application. Identification of five potential funding sources, and a template for letter of inquiry for submission to funding source, as needed.

This course is an introduction to financial and managerial accounting concepts. The course emphasizes the role of accounting in a business organization.

This course will provide a basic understanding of the entrepreneurial process. Students will examine entrepreneurship as a career. A comprehensive self-assessment will help the students to better understand their own personal aspirations, and assess their unique skills and competencies. Students will learn about opportunity assessment for new venture ideas. An overview of business plans will be presented.

This course examines the process of financial forecasting for a new venture, effective financial management of an emerging business, sources of financing, bootstrapping, and exit planning.

This course will serve as the culminating experience for Entrepreneurship majors and minors and for Social Entrepreneurship majors. Students will participate in the development of a business plan for an actual venture they intend to start. If they do not intend to start a venture, students will be teamed up with those that have a legitimate idea for a new business. Students will examine the growth process and learn how to effectively manage the growth phase of a business.

This course presents a practical approach that examines ethical issues faced in the contemporary business environment. A comprehensive body of information about business and managerial ethics is presented. This course uses real-world case studies to enable students to make responsible business ethics decisions.