Welcome to BUS101: Introduction to Business

Specific information about this course and its requirements can be found below. For more general information about taking Saylor Academy courses, including information about Community and Academic Codes of Conduct, please read the Student Handbook.

Course Description

Introduce yourself to business concepts and current business issues while expanding your vocabulary, improving your critical and analytical thinking skills, and refining your business decision-making in this introductory course.

Course Introduction

Have you ever wondered what qualities Warren Buffet, Steve Jobs, or Jeff Bezos have in common? After studying business practices in this course, you may discover you have similar qualities to other successful entrepreneurs. This course serves as a survey of business terminology, concepts, and issues.

The intent is to develop a viable business vocabulary, foster critical thinking, and enhance decision-making skills through readings, exercises, and research assignments. This course covers five units to help you fine-tune your career direction:

  • Unit 1: The Context of Business
  • Unit 2: Entrepreneurship and Legal Forms of Business
  • Unit 3: Marketing
  • Unit 4: Accounting, Finance, and Banking
  • Unit 5: Management

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, you will be able to:

  • Explain how economic indicators shape business decisions.
  • Analyze business cycles.
  • Identify and describe legal forms of business, including their advantages and disadvantages.
  • Describe components of the marketing mix and explain how segmentation fosters an understanding of consumer behavior.
  • Interpret a balance sheet and income statement.
  • Formulate financial ratios and communicate their implications for company performance.
  • Identify leadership and management skills essential for business success.
  • Explain the significance of studying business.

Course Materials

The primary learning materials include articles, lectures, and videos, all accessible for free within the course. Pay close attention to accompanying notes that provide context and focus areas.

You can view a complete list of resources by clicking Resources in the course navigation bar.

Evaluation and Minimum Passing Score

The final exam is the only graded component for this course. To pass, you need a score of 70% or higher. Your score is available immediately upon completion. If you do not pass, you may retake the exam after a 7-day waiting period, with unlimited attempts allowed.

End-of-unit assessments and quizzes are available to help you study but do not impact your final grade. These assessments can be retaken as needed. View them via the Quizzes link in the navigation bar.

Earning College Credit

This course is eligible for credit through the Direct Credit Program. To earn credit, you must pass a proctored exam. This exam is password-protected and requires identity verification.

The Direct Credit exam has a 14-day waiting period between attempts and allows a maximum of three attempts.

Tips for Success

This self-paced course allows you to start and complete it at your convenience. While we estimate it will take approximately 62 hours to complete, you should set a study schedule that fits your needs.

  • Take notes as you progress through the course to contextualize concepts and review them later.
  • Regularly test yourself on key concepts to enhance long-term retention.

Technical Requirements

This course is fully online, requiring a computer or web-capable mobile device with internet access.

  • Log into your Saylor Academy account to access the full course, including assessments and progress tracking. Create a free account here if needed.
  • A webcam is required for proctoring if you plan to take the Direct Credit exam.

For more details, see the FAQ.

Fees

The course is free to enroll in and access. All materials and activities are available at no cost, including the final exam and certificate.

The optional proctored exam, required for earning college credit, incurs a $5 fee per session.

Last modified: Sunday, 13 October 2024, 9:39 AM