University of Southern California

Marshall School of Business

Courses of Instruction

The terms indicated are expected but are not guaranteed. For the courses offered during any given term, consult the Schedule of Classes.

Major Restrictions

Enrollment in most 500-level business courses by non-business graduate students requires special permission. For information about the registration application process for non-business students, visit the Schedule of Classes.

Business Entrepreneurship (BAEP)

BAEP 423 Management of Small Businesses (4, FaSp) Strategic, organizational and human issues facing the small business; influence of the founder’s personality, managing growth, competitive strengths and weaknesses are covered.

BAEP 450x Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship (4, FaSp) Starting and managing one’s own business: developing a viable concept, organizing the enterprise, market and financial planning, and controlling the organization. Not available for credit to Entrepreneur Program majors, undergraduate or graduate.

BAEP 451 The Management of New Enterprises (4, FaSp) Development of analytical and conceptual skills in entrepreneurship and venture management.

BAEP 452 Feasibility Analysis (4, FaSpSm) Students develop (including marketing, operating and financial consequences) analyze and validate entrepreneurial concepts using customer feedback and risk assessment to conclude worthiness to pursue. Prerequisite: one from BAEP 450 or BAEP 451 or BUAD 301.

BAEP 453 Venture Management (4, Sp) Design and application of organization structures and systems in management of new ventures. Prerequisite: BAEP 451.

BAEP 454 The Entrepreneurial Business Plan (4, Sp) Development of a detailed plan for starting and owning an enterprise. Prerequisite: BAEP 452.

BAEP 460 Seminar in Entrepreneurship (2, FaSpSm) The intimate issues of entrepreneurship. Internalization of the key decisions that an individual needs for creating and building the entrepreneurial organization.

BAEP 470 The Entrepreneurial Mindset — Taking the Leap (2, FaSp) A deeper insight into the entrepreneurial mind, how it approaches opportunities and challenges and gives leadership to an organization.

BAEP 480 Entrepreneurial Family Business (4, FaSpSm) Explores the dynamics of family and privately held businesses. Exploring generational and extended family issues, opportunities and obstacles faced in today’s environment. Not open to freshmen.

BAEP 491 Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship (4, FaSpSm) Analysis of social enterprise models from micro-finance to job development. Analysis of basic issues regarding the difference between socially responsible companies, for-profit, and non-profit-run enterprises.

BAEP 495 Practicum in Business Issues (Internship) (1, FaSpSm) Combined classroom discussion and field application of business theories and practices; part-time internship employment. Project to be jointly defined by student, employer and professor. Graded CR/NC.

BAEP 496 The Digital Startup Launchpad (2, FaSpSm) Real-life challenge of imagining, prototyping, testing and iterating, building, pricing, marketing, distributing and selling a digital product or service. Prerequisite: BAEP 451 and BAEP 452 and ITP 466 and ITP 476; Corequisite: ITP 496.

BAEP 497 Field Project in Entrepreneurship (2, max 4, FaSpSm) Individual or team projects solving real problems for an enterprise. Situation analyses; research proposal composition; field research techniques; statistical analysis; oral and written presentations. Open only to juniors and seniors. Graded CR/NC.

BAEP 499 Special Topics (2-4, max 8, Irregular) Current developments in the field of entrepreneurship: topics to be selected each semester.

BAEP 549 Initiating New Ventures (2-3, FaSpSm) Moving beyond the business plan; identifying individual and organizational leadership skills needed to move a venture forward; “how-to” portion of establishing an enterprise.

BAEP 551 Introduction to New Ventures (3, FaSp) Study and development of analytical and conceptual skills in the management of new enterprises and new ventures within large organizations. (Duplicates credit in former BAEP 550x and GSBA 586.)

BAEP 552 Cases in Feasibility Analysis (3, FaSpSm) Study of analytical techniques used to evaluate business concepts and new business development. Corequisite: BAEP 551 or GSBA 586.

BAEP 553 Cases in New Venture Management (3, FaSp) Cases and readings expose students to the challenges of developing long-range strategies for entrepreneurial ventures. Emphasis is on developing new industries, growth through strategic alliances, and issues involved in the long-range strategic positioning of emerging companies.

BAEP 554 The New Venture Business Plan (3, Sp) Creation of an operating plan for starting or managing fast-growing ventures. Prerequisite: BAEP 552 or BAEP 556.

BAEP 555 Management of Rapidly Growing Ventures (3, Sp) Exploration and analysis of the operational and financial issues entrepreneurs confront when managing a rapidly growing venture.

BAEP 556 Technology Feasibility (3, Fa) Gives students the critical thinking and analytical skills they need to evaluate, value and manage technology as intellectual property. Students will learn the technology commercialization process, use data mining and assessment techniques for patent databases, and study the unique business issues facing high technology start-ups.

BAEP 557 Technology Commercialization (3, Sp) Focus of the course is on the identification, evaluation and commercialization of new technologies. Emphasis will be placed on the legal, financial and marketing aspects of technology transfer and development.

BAEP 558 The Entrepreneurial Advisor (3, Irregular) Site visits to five middle market firms and meeting their CEOs. Papers based on the problem or opportunity posed by the entrepreneur will be required.

BAEP 559 Investing in New Ventures (3, Fa) Focus on the entrepreneurial skill set applied to new venture opportunities. Taught from the business plan reader’s point of view; focus on selecting opportunities, structuring the relationship, adding value and realizing the value of that investment.

BAEP 560 Acquiring Your Own Business or Opportunity (3, Sp) Issues faced by the entrepreneur who wishes to acquire an enterprise; appropriateness of an enterprise, understanding funding sources and valuation methods, developing a plan for due diligence, negotiating and consummating the transaction. The acquisition process, approaches to valuation, and the roles of the various parties in negotiating and consummating an acquisition of an existing business.

BAEP 561 Entrepreneurship in Innovative Industries: Life Sciences (1.5) The challenges of new venture creation in the biotechnology, medical device, and healthcare areas; experience, evaluate, and analyze profits of current impact in the life sciences.

BAEP 590 Directed Research (1-12, FaSpSm) Research leading to the master’s degree. Maximum units which may be applied to the degree to be determined by the department. Graded CR/NC.

BAEP 591 Social Entrepreneurship (3, Sp) Lead and manage with entrepreneurial methodology for charities, non-government organizations, social oriented enterprises and not for profit organizations.

BAEP 592 Field Research in Business Entrepreneurship (.5-4, max 12, FaSpSm) Individual or team projects studying the business practices of an entrepreneurial industry, company, government agency, country, etc. Proposal, data collection, analyses, and written report. Open only to master’s and doctoral students. Graded CR/NC. Recommended preparation: Completion of required MBA, M.Acc. or MBT course work.

BAEP 593 Independent Research in Business Entrepreneurship (.5-4, max 12, FaSpSm) Independent research beyond normal course offerings. Proposal, research and written report/paper required. Open only to master’s students. Graded CR/NC.

BAEP 595 Internship in Business Entrepreneurship (.5-2, max 9, FaSpSm) Supervised on-the-job business experience in the student’s area of interest. (Curricular Practical Training.) Open only to graduate business and accounting majors. Graded CR/NC. Recommended preparation: Completion of required MBA, M.Acc., or MBT course work.

BAEP 596 Research Practicum in Business Entrepreneurship (.5-2, max 8, FaSpSm) Hands-on practical experience working with a faculty member in the Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies on an ongoing research project. Open only to master’s and doctoral students. Graded CR/NC.

BAEP 597 Consulting Project in Business Entrepreneurship (.5-5, max 12, FaSpSm) Individual or team project solving real business problems for an existing business entity, domestic and/or international. Proposal, field research, analyses and oral and written presentations. Open only to master’s and doctoral students. Graded CR/NC.

BAEP 599 Special Topics (1.5-3, max 9, Irregular) Current developments in the field of entrepreneurship: topics to be selected each semester.