Business & Marketing

Business & Marketing Courses

Our foundational courses in business and marketing provide students with the necessary knowledge for further study in business, marketing, and finance. Hands-on courses in sales, merchandising and buying, marketing and operations management provide students with the opportunity to learn in a collaborative and real-world environment. A practical course in Microsoft Applications allows students to gain the skills necessary for college or the workplace. Courses designed to prepare students for credentialing are indicated as such. Please note: Pickerington Central and Pickerington North course offerings differ and not all courses are available at both schools.

Pickerington Central Campus

Business Foundations

This hands-on course is designed as an introduction to business. The purpose is to give students a broad overview of the different disciplines within businesses that will impact their personal and professional lives. Students will gain a better understanding of the American business world and its place in our social, economic, and global environment.

Business career exploration, types of business, marketing in today’s world, buying goods and services, and various types of money management will be discussed. Practical business applications and projects will be a part of this class. Students can expect projects, presentations, and guest speakers in various subjects related to business.

Course Number: 709

Duration: Semester

Credits: .5

Grade: 12

Fees: None

Finance Foundations

This course introduces students to the specializations offered in the finance career field. Students will obtain fundamental knowledge and skills in accounting, banking services, corporate finance, insurance, and securities and investments. They will acquire knowledge of financial analysis and application, business law and ethics, economics, international business and business relationships. Knowledge management and information technology will be emphasized. Employability skills, leadership and communication will be incorporated in classroom activities. Personal financial management is taught and includes balancing a checkbook, living debt-free, and planning (investments, insurance, taxes and credit).

Course Number: 717

Duration: Semester

Credits: 0.5

Grade: 9-12

Fees: None

Additional: This course is offered as an elective credit, not to fulfill the state requirement for graduation

Sports and Entertainment Marketing

Explore the intriguing world of sports and entertainment from the perspective of marketing. Sports and entertainment topics are used to learn foundational marketing concepts. Emphasis is on sports and entertainment as a business, marketing strategies, communication, sales, promotion, advertising, international business, and e-commerce. Marketing functions are incorporated throughout the sports and entertainment industries and are the perfect vehicles to highlight how marketing plays out in our everyday lives.

Course Number: 931

Duration: Semester

Credits: .5

Grade: 10-12

Fees: None

Marketing Principles

Students will obtain fundamental knowledge and skills in marketing communications (including social media), marketing management, marketing research, visual merchandising and professional selling. They will acquire knowledge of marketing strategies, market identification techniques, employability skills, business ethics and law, economic principles and international business.

Technology, leadership and communications will be incorporated in classroom activities. Students can expect project-based learning in groups, presentations, guest speakers, and opportunities to participate in a student organization, DECA, and participate in networking and leadership experiences.

Course Number: 949

Duration: Semester

Credits: 0.5

Grade: 10-12

Fees: None

Additional: Completion of either Business Foundations or Finance Foundations required

Marketing Research

Students will conduct qualitative and quantitative marketing research using primary and secondary data. They will gather, synthesize, evaluate, and disseminate marketing information for use in business decision-making or to address a specific marketing problem or issue. Students will apply project management techniques to guide and control marketing research activities. They will use statistical techniques to evaluate marketing data. Technology, employability skills, leadership and communications will be incorporated in classroom activities.

Course Number: 947

Duration: Semester

Credits: 0.5

Grade: 11-12

Fees: None

Additional: Completion of either Business Foundations or Finance Foundations required

Merchandising & Buying: The Central School Store

Students will be trained to operate and manage their respective school store as a school-based-enterprise. They will learn purchasing, development of a product mix, apply display and visual merchandising techniques. Implementation of sales activities that support school and community efforts, process sales, track products, and plan merchandise flow. Opportunities for learning in establishing of positive customer and employee relationships.

Technology, employability skills, leadership and communications will be incorporated in seminars held on Mondays in E/I period each week throughout the semester. Course is offered P/F and can be scheduled during the school day from 7:45 AM through 3:30 PM. Students must adhere to a store policies manual, use and clock-in using time-clock.

Course Number: 951

Duration: Semester

Credits: 0.5

Grade: 10-12

Fees: None

Microsoft Applications

This course is designed for students to establish their ability to perform tasks within the Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. High-utility skill sets will be grown, such as creating and managing documents, formatting text, creating tables and lists, applying references and inserting and formatting objects, developing integrated formulas for calculations and charting, compiling business-quality reporting, and the encompassing of all into presentations. These functions serve as the basis for understanding the fundamentals of business-oriented communication and etiquette in a professional environment through a full range of media.

Students will become proficient in the proper business use of collaboration, the merger of information from a database to a document, the use of software in a paperless business environment, and the importance of accountability in generating business documentation. Responsible use of technology and electronic media will be emphasized and practiced throughout the course.

Course Number: 715

Duration: Semester

Credits: 0.5

Grade: 9-12

Fees: None

Additional: Course prepares students for Microsoft Office Specialist certifications in associated programs.

Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship is a semester course offering authentic experience as students build a business. This course will introduce the fundamentals of planning and executing a new business venture, opportunities and rewards of a small business, and entrepreneurship characteristics and competencies. Topics will include choosing a business idea, defining the product/service including features/benefits and pricing, identifying the competition, developing a marketing and advertising plan, identifying a business location and start-up expenses and financing a business. At the completion of the course the student will be able to prepare a business plan proposal, with the goal of presenting to possible stakeholders in the business.

Course Number: 729

Duration: Semester

Credits: 0.5

Grade: 10-12

Fees: None

Additional: Credit in Business Foundations required.

Pickerington North Campus

Leadership, Ethics and Finance

This foundational course will allow students to gain an understanding of how a sustainable business operates in the modern world. Learning in this course will include principles of business literacy and processes, including financial management, economics, international impacts, as well as customer relationships and employability in this field. The structure of the course includes collaboration, presentations, and hands-on activities that allow students to gain the skills necessary for college and a career.

Students will learn about the tools for understanding and implementing social media communications as organizational support. Students will compare and contrast how personal and business content differ in various social media platforms.

This course is a foundational course for the Career and Technical pathway in Business and Administrative. An opportunity to prepare for and pass an industry-recognized credential will be offered to every student. A required end-of-course exam, WebXam, will be proctored for students.

Course Number: 953

Duration: Semester

Credits: 0.5

Grade: 9-12

Fees: None

Additional: Course is weighted through articulation with colleges; career and technical end-of-course exam required.

Lean Business Essentials

This course provides students with a broad understanding of the problem-solving process that is critical to operating businesses and organizations in a cost-effective manner. Emphasis will be placed in supply chain management, safety, compliance, marketing, and management. Delivery for learning will be hands-on projects, including the use of technology to understand how it is used in business. The operations for the North Market (school-based enterprise) will be introduced in this course.

Course Number: 954

Duration: Semester

Credits: 0.5

Grade: 9-12

Fees: None

Additional: Course is weighted through articulation with colleges; career and technical end-of-course exam required

Strategic Entrepreneurship

Students will develop innovation skills to generate ideas for new products, services and organizations. They will evaluate the feasibility of those ideas and develop a strategy for commercialization through an organized “Market Day.” Technology will be used to select target markets, profile target customers, define the venture’s mission, and create business plans.

Students will manage and operate the North Market in the class time scheduled and throughout the school day as owner/operators. Based on their operation of the business, students will calculate and forecast costs, break-even, and sales. Projects are delivered to establish brand, price-setting, promotion and management of customer relationships. Students will complete training and test for an industry credential through NRF Rise Up in Customer Service and Sales. Students shall be members of DECA (professional student organization that is co-curricular) and participate in professional, learning and networking activities.

This course is an upper-level course in the Business and Administrative Services Career Pathway, a Career Technical Education (CTE) program, and is available to those who have completed the appropriate foundational level courses.

Course Number: 726

Duration: Year

Credits: 1

Grade: 10-11

Fees: $16

Additional: Required prerequisite Business and/or Finance Foundations; students required to participate in outside of school activities; course designed to secure industry credentials in Customer Service and Sales credential; passage of course and WebXam results in college credit through Ohio CTAG program; course is weighted through articulation with Ohio colleges.

Professional and Technical Sales

Students will apply tools, strategies and processes to communicate with targeted customers. They will create, implement, and critique online advertising, email marketing, websites, social media, mobile marketing, search-engine optimization, video or images and podcasts/webcasts. Students will develop, grow, and maintain positive business relationships. Learners in this course will monitor trends and the business environment to determine the impact of sales, customers, and competitors. Additional skills will include effective negotiations, price adjusting, and effective follow-up.

Students will apply project management techniques to guide and control communication efforts in digital and traditional environments. They will also create and repurpose content for use. Technology, employability skills, and leadership will be incorporated in classroom activities. Students have an opportunity to earn an industry-recognized credential in Customer Service and Sales.

A professional student organization, DECA, will include all enrollees and students will participate in DECA events such as professional conferences, competitions and community service. This course is for experienced students in the Business and Administrative Services Career Pathway, a Career Technical Education (CTE) program, and is available to those who have completed the appropriate foundational level courses.

Course Number: 948

Duration: Year

Credits: 1

Grade: 11-12

Fees: $16

Additional: Credit or concurrent enrollment in another business course; course is weighted through articulation with colleges; WebXam required.

Operations Management

Students learn to plan, organize and monitor day-to-day business activities for the Panther Spirit Box Vending Machine Business. They will use technology to plan production activities, forecast inventory needs, and negotiate vendor contracts.

Students will also calculate break-even, set cost volume-profit goals and develop policies and procedures to promote workplace safety and security. They will design sustainability plans and use Lean Six Sigma principles to plan for quality improvement. Corporate social responsibility, ethics, risk management, and compliance will be emphasized. Students are members of DECA, a professional student organization and responsible for meeting standards of a Gold Level School-Based Enterprise. DECA involves all enrollees that includes activities such as professional conference attendance, competitions and community service.

Course Number: 952

Duration: Year

Credits: 1

Grade: 11-12

Fees: $16

Additional: Credit from two other business courses or concurrent enrollment in two other business courses recommended; DECA competitions at the district level, and projects for community service, vocational understanding, social intelligence and leadership development; course is weighted through articulation agreement; WebXam required. This course requires that students actively engage in the two school businesses.

Business & Administrative Services Capstone

Learn communication techniques to help you land the job, the sale, and the goal(s) you set for yourself. Students will complete either the NRF Retail Fundamentals and the Customer Service and Sales industry credential curriculum and assessment to prepare for alternative graduation requirements or advance their business concepts, skills, and knowledge. Students will develop a professional résumé, cover letter and pitch ideas and concepts with success. Recommendation by the principal, business instructor, or counseling staff may be required for acceptance into this course.

Course Number: 728

Duration: Year

Credit: 1

Grade: 12

Fees: None