Business Education

Jennifer Knuth, Department Chairperson - NVHS
Luke Wigtil, Department Chairperson - WVHS

• Business Department's User Guide

The Business Department offers a variety of courses to prepare students for continued education and for development of personal and business skills. A modest materials fee will be assessed in those classes requiring extensive computer usage.

Business Course Listings

Articulated Credit With College Of DuPage

Students attending College of DuPage may receive college credit when the following courses are completed with a grade of B or better in high school. Students must be taking at least one course at COD (be in their system) and apply for the credit within 2 years of graduation from High School.

Business Course Descriptions

All Business courses are one semester and open to any student unless noted.

4100 Business Orientation - Grade 9-10. This course introduces the student to the world of business. Instructional units include types of business organization, marketing, advertising, accounting, human relations, management decision making, investment, finance, international business and economics.

4102 Notetaking & Study Skills - Grade 9-10. This course is designed for students desiring to learn a more efficient way of taking notes. Techniques are provided to develop listening skills, study skills, test taking skills, improve memory and correct use of spelling and grammar rules. Organizational skills and time management techniques are discussed and applied throughout the course (such skills can be used by all students whether they are career or college bound).

4103 College Test Prep - Grade 11-12. This course is designed for junior and senior students desiring improvement in reading, vocabulary, grammar, math, and science skills. Emphasis is placed on improving test-taking skills and learning techniques to improve success on standardized tests such as the ACT and the SAT.

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4104 Business Mathematics - Grade 10-12. This course develops and strengthens mathematical skills needed for business careers and business financial management. Units of work include problem-solving procedures involving purchasing, sales, marketing, banking services, investments, taxes, and data analysis. The importance of proper accounting procedures is stressed.

4106 Desktop Publishing with Graphics - Grade 9-12. Prerequisite is Computer Applications II. Students will use the PC and Pagemaker and Photoshop to develop proficiency in practical applications. Product layout and design, use of scanners and digital cameras and advanced computer literacy will be stressed. A materials fee will be charged.

4108 Fundamental Consumer Economics - Grade 12. Placement by department. This course will fulfill the graduation requirement for Consumer Economics. It is designed for students who need a practical, concrete view of their role in our economy. Most of the semester is spent covering units on consumer skills such as decision-making, money management, banking, credit, and consumers' problems, rights, and responsibilities. The consumer's role in market economy as well as how business and government interact with each other and the consumer to form our economic structure will be covered.

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4110 Consumer Economics - Grade 12. Consumer Economics, a required course, involves the students with those economic concepts and skills necessary for added satisfaction in the use of their resources. This course will integrate the economic concepts with the consumer skills. Instruction will center around the student's role in the economy as a citizen, consumer and worker. Topics will include: money management, buying goods and services, housing, banking and the Federal Reserve System, financial institutions and the use of credit and loans, consumer protection, insurance, savings and investing, pricing of products, supply and demand, taxation, inflation, government, labor unions, and the free enterprise system.

4111 Online Consumer Economics - Grade 12. Guidance office approval required. This course offers students an alternative to the traditional classroom consumer course, while still meeting the graduation requirement. The course is completely online (easily accessed on the Internet) and consists of units, a written midterm and final, and a group project. Succeeding in an online environment will require students to be responsible for managing their time, and to communicate with classmates and the instructor on a regular basis, in order to make consistent progress and meet deadlines. Strong technology skills are not a requirement, but some comfort with using Internet sources will be helpful. See counselor for details.

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4112 AP (Advanced Placement) Microeconomics - Grade 12. Prerequisite is AP History. This course is a college-level course dealing with topics pertaining to microeconomics. Topics include the principles of economics that apply to the functions of individual decision-making for both the consumer and the producer within the larger economic system and the role of government in the economic system. Studies include consumer topics to satisfy the state requirement for Consumer Economics. Students may also receive college credit in microeconomics by qualifying on the advanced placement exam at the end of the school year. For transcript evaluation purposes by other schools and colleges, this course may also be considered as a semester credit of social studies. Weighted grade.

4114 Accounting I - Grade 10-12. Two semesters. Accounting I tracks the flow of money into and out of a business. It is the most vital of all business information systems. It is the study of recording business records for the purposes of making business management decisions and the preparation of tax reports. Accounting principles are learned for service and merchandising businesses. It is an in-depth study of the principles of accounting as applied to the financial data that is needed to understand business operations. Procedures used with proprietorships, partnerships and corporate merchandising are studied. The microcomputer is used for the study of automated accounting throughout the course.

4116 Accounting II - Grade 11-12. Two semesters. Prerequisite is Accounting I. This is an advanced course of study offered to the student who has decided on a career in accounting or related business occupation. Study includes partnership and corporate accounting, cost accounting for merchandising and manufacturing businesses. Budgetary planning and control, information for management decisions, and financial statement analysis are also studied. Automated accounting using the microcomputer is integrated throughout the course. Students enrolled in this course qualify for the Internship option. See Internship Program for more details. Weighted grade.

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4120 Computer Applications I - Grade 9-12. This course is designed for the student who does not know proper keyboarding and formatting techniques. Major emphasis will be placed on developing proper techniques for speed and accuracy, and formatting both personal and business documents (memos, letters, and reports) in Word 2000. Computer literacy topics will be introduced. Students who wish to continue in the computer sequence may go on to Computer Applications II. A materials fee will be charged.

4122 Word Processing - Grade 9-12. Prerequisite is Computer Applications II. Students will continue to build proficiency in Microsoft Word software. Advanced techniques and projects include mail merge, reports with index and table of contents, on-line form macros using Visual Basic for applications and integrating all MS Office features. This course prepares students for MOSC certification in Word 2000 (expert level). A materials fee will be charged.

4124 Data Management - Grade 10-12. Prerequisite is Computer Applications II. This course increases a student's knowledge and skills by using advanced integrated capabilities of Microsoft Excel for spreadsheet management and Microsoft Access for database management. Advanced computer literacy topics will be introduced and discussed. A materials fee will be charged. This course prepares students for MOSC certification in Excel and Access.

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4126 Computer Applications II - Grade 9-12. Prerequisite is Computer Applications I or Instructor placement. This course is designed for the student who already has demonstrated proper keyboarding and formatting techniques in Word 2000. Students will gain speed and increase accuracy while formatting letters, newsletters and reports. The internet is used for research and graphic design. Computer literacy will be emphasized and there is exposure to Power Point, Excel, and Paint. A materials fee will be charged. This course prepares students for MOSC certification in Word (core level).

4130 Management - Grade 11-12. Prior completion of Business Orientation 4100 recommended. This course is designed to give the student an understanding of management principles and practices. Topics explored include forms of business, product planning, marketing functions, personnel management, finance, labor relations ethics and the functions of planning, organizing, controlling, and design-making. Students will be made aware of current business events and community and social responsibilities.

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4140 Business Law - Grade 11-12. This course emphasizes business and personal law. Topics studied include: ethics, criminal and civil law, the court system, contracts, law and the minor, law and the consumer, and career exploration.

4142 Advertising - Grade 10-12. Prior completion of Business Orientation 4100 recommended. This course will focus on advertising principles and practices. The student will learn how to plan advertising in business. Topics of this course will include the value and purpose of advertising, basic planning, advertising design and layout, uses of a variety of techniques to advertise, coordinating display with advertising, and proper visual merchandising techniques. A materials fee will be charged.

4144 Entrepreneurship - Grade 11-12. Prerequisite is Business Orientation. Prior completion of Management 4130 and Accounting I 4114 is recommended. This course is designed to give students an opportunity to learn through hands-on experience how to write an individual workable business plan which could be used in opening and running a small business. Areas covered include: financing, market analysis, site location, pricing, promotion, staffing and training. A panel of business advisors will assist students in designing their written plan. This is a capstone class recommended for both the gifted student and the vocational student considering a career running a small business. Students enrolled in this course qualify for the Internship option.

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4148 Finance - Grade 11-12. Accounting I 4114 is highly recommended. This course is designed to be a capstone course in the business curriculum pertaining to the financial sequence. The course will focus on four areas of finance: financial institutions, the Federal Reserve System, international markets, and the US stock and commodities markets. The course will emphasize "real-world" business and investment situations for student analysis and decision-making strategies.

4152 AP (Advanced Placement) Macroeconomics - Grade 12. Prerequiste is AP Microeconomics; may be taken concurrently. This course is a college-level course with topics pertaining to macroeconomics. Topics include the principles of economics that apply to the functions of the whole economic system such as the money supply, GDP, banking and the global economy. Students may also receive college credit in macroeconomics by qualifying on the advanced placement exam at the end of the school year. For transcript evaluation purposes by other schools and colleges, this course may also be considered as a semester credit of social studies. Weighted grade.

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4164 Web Page Design - Grade 11-12. Prerequisite is Desktop Publishing 4106. Previous completion of Data Management 4124 is recommended. Students will discover how the Internet is used, organized and developed. Students will create and design a variety of Web pages using HTML, Microsoft Front Page, Dreamweaver, Flash, and other software applications. A materials fee will be charged.

4192 Marketing - Grade 11-12. Two semesters. Prerequisite is either Management 4130 or Advertising 4142. This is an introductory course in marketing fundamentals. Topics include: the marketing concept, product development, product placement, pricing, promotion, supervisory skills and careers. Business world examples will be used allowing concepts to be applied. Students enrolled in this course qualify for the Internship option. See Internship Program for more details.

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4194 Multimedia Presentations - Grade 11-12. Prerequisite is Desktop Publishing 4106; prior completion of Word Processing 4122 recommended. This course will allow students to develop a broader base of knowledge in information processing and multimedia presentations by using Power Point, and other presentation software applications. Scanning techniques, digital camera, and sound techniques will be incorporated. This course prepares students for MOSC certification in Power Point. A materials fee will be charged.

4197 Business Internship - Grade 11-12. Two credits, all year. Prerequisite is that you have previously taken or are currently enrolled in a Capstone Course (Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Accounting II, Finance, Web Page, or Multimedia) or the approval of internship instructor. This is a cooperative work program between the school and the employers. Students work outside of school and also attend class on a daily basis. Topics discussed in class pertain to work related and career issues. A student will receive one credit for classroom instruction and one credit for on-the-job training. The Internship instructor will assist with job placement and monitor students' progress throughout the year. Early dismissal is NOT a requirement for this program.

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