Thanks for starting this discussion.  Students, please note that the sample waiver exams at the URL listed above are tools for you to gauge your readiness for passing a waiver exam or to gauge your readiness to progress to the next level in a particular functional area. 

If you have not taken an equivalent course previously but feel that you have the requisite knowledge, you may demonstrate proficiency by passing a waiver exam.  The exams are free and available in the Graduate Business Office on the 4th floor of DeVos.  The sample exam is there for you to test yourself to help ensure that you have reviewed adequately so that you pass the actual waiver exam.  There is only one version of each waiver exam; hence, you have just one attempt, so it is important that you do not take it before feeling comfortable that you will be successful.  You will need 70% to pass. 

If you have taken an equivalent course and want to ensure that the course you took prepared you adequately for the next level, you may use the sample test to ascertain your current knowledge in a particular area.  Perhaps it's been several years since you completed the foundation course equivalent, or perhaps you are not sure that you learned enough to prepare you to move to the next level. 

Seidman faculty designed the waiver exams and the sample exams to help ensure that students are both challenged by and prepared for each course they take.  Please take the time to peruse these sample tests.  If the material looks very familiar, like knowledge you have picked up in the workplace, but you have not had an equivalent course, you should consider testing out rather than spending the time in a 500-level course that will not be challenging.   If you have had an equivalent undergraduate course, but the sample test is beyond your current knowledge level, you should either review on your own to bridge the gap or take the 500-level course.  If all students took advantage of these tests, the 600-level courses would be more satisfying for everyone.  Faculty would not spend time on unnecessary review for those students who are not current; students would feel confident and not frustrated; and everyone would feel challenged and rewarded by both 500- and 600-level courses. 

I've occasionally heard students express frustration or ask what purpose the 500 level background courses serve in the Seidman graduate programs. Why do we have to take these classes? Don't these classes just prolong our overall time in the program and add to the cost? These are a couple of the more common questions that are asked on the subject.

The Seidman website states that these courses are put in place to help students from non-business background prepare themselves for the requirements of a graduate level business program. Most of the courses are designed in an accelerated, half-term format intended to move students into the 600 level courses as quickly as possible. In total, the courses represent the same knowledge and coursework that a student would have received had they taken a concentration in business at the undergraduate level.

That being said, I am interested in reading what other students in the program think.

To launch this discussion, I'd like to offer my own experiences and offer some initial thoughts. As a mechanical engineering major, I had not taken finance, accounting, or marketing courses. I suspect that if I had been allowed to take 600 level courses in these subjects, that I would have been ill prepared.

On my first day of class for the 600 level finance course, several students were upset at the pace that was set. A few of them had not taken 500 level finance courses, or had taken equivalent classes years ago. After a couple more sessions, they had dropped the course. They likely had a difficult time picking up a substitute course for the semester by the time they made the move to drop.

You may have noticed last semester that the Banner system now states that prerequisites are now being enforced. I also see that sample exams have been posted for the background courses (the URL for the page is http://www.gvsu.edu/business/index.cfm?id=000E7642-E153-1EDC-993580E715660000.)

I would like to begin a discussion regarding the possibility of instituting an honor code for the Seidman College of Business.

At the University of Michigan, the College of Engineering had such an honor code. Faculty would remind us that we would be held to this code before every exam, and we would sign a statement at the end of each exam stating that we understood the policy and had not violated it. This also allowed us some flexibility if we missed an exam to be able to take it at the library or other quiet locations.

Personally, I always took pride in this policy. I realize there are always those that might scoff at an honor code but I think many of us would feel pride to have one. Further, this would be one way to differentiate the Seidman College of Business from other schools that do not have such a policy.

If we are able to approve and implement this, I'd be the first to step in line to sign it.

Phil Rolfe