Department of General Business and Finance

This is an archived copy of the 2022-2023 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.shsu.edu.

Chair: Dr. Joey Robertson     (936) 294-1278

Website: Department of General Business and Finance

Vision

To deliver outstanding Banking, Finance, Entrepreneurship, and General Business Administration programs with faculty that is recognized for excellence in instruction, research, and service.

Mission

The mission of the Department of General Business and Finance is to assist in fulfilling the mission of the University and the College of Business Administration by providing students with an academic foundation to become productive citizens, to develop successful careers, and to provide interested students with the background to pursue graduate or professional studies. The academic foundation leading to a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Banking and Financial Institutions, Entrepreneurship, Finance, or General Business Administration is designed to arouse intellectual curiosity, develop analytical reason, and provide historical and current information relative to the global environment.

Graduate Programs

The Department of General Business and Finance, through the Smith-Hutson Chair of Banking, provides the leadership for the Executive MBA in Banking and Financial Institutions. It also provides a large portion of the curriculum for the Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree program.

Student Organizations and Activities

  • Beta Alpha Psi
  • Banking and Finance Club
  • Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization
  • MBA Student Association
  • The Investment Club

Scholarships

Scholarships are available on a competitive basis. Students are encouraged to apply for scholarships using the Scholarship4Kats program at Financial Aid. The Scholarships4Kats program is a single application that will allow the student to apply for most scholarships available on campus whether at the departmental, college, or university-level. The deadline for applying for scholarships is February 15.

Finance

FINC 5080. Independent Study. 1-3 Hours.

This course is designed for the directed study of individual students who wish for intensive supervision in some vital aspect of Finance. Variable Credit (1 to 3).
Prerequisite: BUAD 5310, FINC 5300, and approval of Department Chair and Graduate Coordinator.

FINC 5085. Special Topic. 1-3 Hours.

This course of faculty-led study is designed to provide graduate students exposure to new Finance topics and concepts in a course setting. Variable Credit (1 to 3).

FINC 5300. Business Finance Environment. 3 Hours.

Students examine business financial decision methods, the financial sector, and the economic and legal environment. Students are introduced to financial principles and decision techniques as well as analytical models and software tools. This course does not apply to the 36-hour graduate credit hour requirement of the MBA degree program.

FINC 5310. Financial Management. 3 Hours.

Students examine financial management in today’s interdependent and integrated global environment. Topics may include managerial applications, including the use of current techniques for financial analysis, capital allocation, and capital structure.

FINC 5320. Seminar in Commercial Banking. 3 Hours.

Students study the current developments within commercial banking and examine the specific aspects of the banking industry. Both student research and case studies that emphasize managerial application of the literature reviewed are utilized.

FINC 5333. Financial Statement Analysis. 3 Hours.

Students examine how financing, investing, and operating decisions affect financial statements as well as how creditors and investors use financial statements to assess the results of managers’ decisions and the effect of alternative accounting methods on the quality of financial reporting.
Prerequisite: FINC 5310 or FINC 5370.

FINC 5338. Sel Top Money Cap Sec Markets. 3 Hours.

Students engage in an in-depth topical exploration of various aspects of money, capital, and security markets. Topics are explored via analysis of current events and case studies, through examination of the intricacies of financial innovation and adaptation, and/or via individual research projects.
Prerequisite: FINC 5310 or FINC 5370.

FINC 5340. International Finance. 3 Hours.

Student apply theories of managerial and international finance to the problems of financial management in a global business environment. Topics may include investment analysis, financing choices, identification, measurement and management of foreign exchange risks, trade financing, and financial control of international operations.
Prerequisite: FINC 5310 or FINC 5370.

FINC 5345. Seminar in Investments. 3 Hours.

Student study financial securities, their valuation techniques, and the markets in which they are traded. In addition, students are provided an overview of portfolio theory and the analytical tools of portfolio management as well as the relationship between risk and return. Includes a survey of current research in investments.
Prerequisite: FINC 5310.

FINC 5370. Admin Problems in Finance. 3 Hours.

Students review advanced finance topics in business administration and their direct application to administrative challenges. Coverage includes financial modeling with spreadsheets, advanced time value of money, analysis of the financial performance and condition of a business firm, determination of marginal cost of capital, advanced capital budgeting, cash flow analysis, working capital management, and financial policies.
Prerequisite: FINC 5310.

FINC 5390. Seminar in Business Finance. 3 Hours.

Students study theory and practice of assembling, investing, and managing capital. Major topics may include estimating a firm’s cost of funds; basic and advanced capital budgeting techniques, including payback period, NPV, IRR, and MIRR; capital structure analysis; dividend policy and practice; risk management; and portfolio diversification. Cases, current developments and readings in business finance are used as appropriate.
Prerequisite: FINC 5310 or FINC 5370.

FINC 5395. Seminar in Commercial Lending. 3 Hours.

Student engage in an in-depth coverage of the current lending and regulatory issues and techniques appropriate for management of commercial lending activities in modern financial institutions. Research, readings, and case studies are employed to provide students the opportunity to apply the literature in the dynamic financial institutions industry.
Prerequisite: FINC 5310 or FINC 5370.

General Business Administration

BUAD 5080. Independent Study. 1-3 Hours.

This course is designed for the directed study of individual students who wish for intensive supervision in some vital aspect of Business Administration. Variable Credit (1 to 3). .
Prerequisite: BUAD 5310 and Approval of Department Chair and Graduate Coordinator.

BUAD 5085. Special Topic. 1-3 Hours.

This course of faculty-led study is designed to provide graduate students exposure to new General Business topics and concepts in a course setting. Variable Credit (1 to 3).

BUAD 5310. Managerial Communication. 3 Hours.

This course is designed to expand students' understanding of management and corporate communications and enhance managerial writing and speaking skills. Research projects and case studies prepare students to conduct business research and to report results.

BUAD 5348. Entrepreneurship:Theory/Practc. 3 Hours.

Students engage in an intensive examination of the theories of entrepreneurship, innovation, and intellectual entrepreneurship. Students research the major steps of starting a business, including developing their own Personal Entrepreneurship Plan. An emphasis is placed on converting intellectual capital into financial capital. Topics for extensive research may include self-assessment, opportunity screening, developing a marketing system, growth strategies, and financial strategies.

BUAD 5355. Managerial Law. 3 Hours.

Students are prepared, as managers, to be cognizant of the legal implications of their decisions regardless of their specific area of responsibility with a focus on researching legal issues and developing strategies from the standpoint of management - from supervisory level to Board of Directors. Emphasis is placed on research strategies that executives can use to generate pragmatic legal strategies to minimize legal expenses and legal liabilities. The research strategies are oriented toward sources that can quickly be analyzed and implemented rather than traditional legal research for law firms. Assignments result in real world business research memos.

Director/Chair: Tommy J Robertson

Traci Leigh Austin, PHD, Associate Professor of Business Administration, Department of General Business & Finance, PHD, Univ of Nebraska-Lincoln; MA, Ohio State University; BA, Univ of Nebraska-Lincoln; BA, Univ of Nebraska-Lincoln

Jonathan P Breazeale, PHD, Associate Professor of Finance, Department of General Business & Finance, PHD, Texas A&M University; MBA, Millsaps College; BS, United States Military Academy

Diana Michelle Brown, JD, Associate Professor of Business Administration, Department of General Business & Finance, JD, South Texas College of Law; BA, Rice University

Lindsay Camille Clark, PHD, Assistant Professor of Business Administration, Department of General Business & Finance, PHD, Oklahoma State University; MA, Midwestern State University; BA, Midwestern State University

Mary C Funck, PHD, Associate Professor of Finance, Department of General Business & Finance, PHD, Univ of Mississippi; MBA, Western Illinois University; MS, Western Illinois University; BS, Western Illinois University

Jose Antonio Gutierrez, PHD, Associate Professor of Finance, Department of General Business & Finance, PHD, Univ of Texas-San Antonio; MS, Univ of Texas-San Antonio; BBA, Univ of Texas-San Antonio

Kurt R Jesswein, PHD, Associate Professor of Finance; Associate Dean of COBA, Department of General Business & Finance, PHD, Univ of S Carolina-Columbia; MIB, Univ of S Carolina-Columbia; BBA, Univ of Wisconsin-Whitewater

Steve J Johnson, PHD, Associate Professor of Finance, Department of General Business & Finance, PHD, Univ of Utah; MS, Univ of Nebraska-Lincoln; BA, Union College

William Hadley Leavell, DBA, Professor of Finance, Department of General Business & Finance, DBA, Louisiana Tech University; MBA, LSU & A&M College; BS, Louisiana Tech University

Balasundram Maniam, PHD, Distinguished Professor of Finance, Department of General Business & Finance, PHD, Univ of Mississippi; MBA, Arkansas State University; BS, Arkansas State University

Steve A Nenninger, PHD, Associate Professor of Finance, Department of General Business & Finance, PHD, Southern Illinois U-Carbondale; MBA, Southeast Missouri State Univ; BSBA, Southeast Missouri State Univ

Tommy J Robertson, JD, Professor of Business Administration;Chair, General Business & Finance, Department of General Business & Finance, JD, South Texas College of Law; BS, Texas A&M University

Robert H Stretcher, PHD, Professor of Finance, Department of General Business & Finance, PHD, Univ of Tennessee-Knoxville; MBA, Univ of North Alabama; BA, Univ of Tennessee-Knoxville

Laura Louise Sullivan, JD, Professor of Business Administration, Department of General Business & Finance, JD, South Texas College of Law; MBA, Sam Houston State University; BBA, Univ of Houston-Main