The Business Academy courses would include the following:
FOUNDATIONS OF BUSINESS
This course introduces business concepts to develop a business from the ground up. Foundations
of Business concepts streamline developing an idea, good, or service, establishing a business
plan, seeking business funding, establishing employment guidelines, hiring personnel,
establishing product longevity and hosting a group-project Grand Opening event.
DIGITAL MEDIA APPLICATIONS
This course introduces students to the design, development and maintenance of websites. It
involves the creation of additional forms of digital media through the use of Adobe Creative
Cloud and Microsoft Office applications.
PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION AND LEADERSHIP
This course focuses on gaining skills related to professional communication. The course
offerings afford students experiences in preparing professional documents and presentations.
Through this process, students gain insight into essential components of leadership utilization
within various business roles.
OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
This course focuses on the continued success of the Pack Shack School Store. It involves the
day-to-day operations of the student-run business, where students’ focus on designing
merchandise, budgeting, purchasing, completing sales transactions, business banking and the
fortitude needed to ensure business longevity.
PRINCIPLES OF MARKETING
This course introduces foundational marketing concepts and prepares students to gain an
understanding of marketing activities such as creating effective promotional programs,
innovating and developing new products, and distributing products and services in a global
marketplace by studying and applying quantitative methods and the behavioral sciences
necessary to address contemporary marketing challenges. The curriculum is built on active,
experiential learning. Students explore a wide variety of foundational marketing topics including
advertising, communications, digital media, customer data analytics, market research, sales and
strategy.
ACCOUNTING I
This course exposes students to a business accounting cycle model through the application of
accounting concepts and completion of a business simulation.
ACCOUNTING II
This course focuses on the financial accounting concepts and procedures of a merchandising
corporation. Students complete an accounting simulation and apply the concepts and procedures
learned to properly log corporate finances.
*After the successful completion of Accounting I & II, students will have an opportunity to
partake in the King’s College Young Scholars program as outlined below.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
This course guides students through the steps it takes to initiate, manage, and sustain a business
idea. It helps students recognize entrepreneurial traits and progresses to complex ideas. Students
immerse themselves in topics of financial accounting, business ethics, marketing, and product
planning. Students focus on theoretical and practical issues of acquiring a business, such as
locating a business, due diligence, reviewing and analyzing data, valuation, raising
capital/financing the deal, structuring the acquisition, and integrating the target. In this project-
based course, student teams create one or more real businesses. Students learn key tools and
fundamentals useful in innovation, problem solving, and design. This advanced course centers on
writing a comprehensive business plan. Students learn about creating and sustaining a
competitive advantage. The course covers topics like the creation of competitive advantage
through commitment, competitor analysis, different organizational responses to environmental
changes, real options, modularity, and increasing returns. Students learn concepts and
frameworks to help them understand the interaction among firm strategies, technologies and
markets.
FINANCE
Finance focuses on how individuals and business organizations raise money and capital, and how
those resources are allocated among competing investment and consumption opportunities. The
field focuses on domestic and international financial economies and the role of financial markets
and institutions key in the movement of savings and investment capital from lenders to
borrowers. It also deals with how individuals and corporate managers evaluate alternative
investment and savings opportunities and how they choose among various financial instruments.
BUSINESS LAW
This course is designed to offer an introductory view of our legal system and its laws. It examines our court systems and trial procedures as well as other aspects of legal activities which influences the operation of a business and personal life activities. Emphasis is also placed on the following topics: internet law, ethics, product warranties, consumer protection, employment conditions, family law, and contracts. This class includes a field trip to the Luzerne County Courthouse to view a trial in progress.
12th GRADE INTERNSHIPS
*WBA Business Academy and King’s College Academic Partnership
Business Academy students will have the opportunity to engage in educational experiences on
the King’s College campus during the spring semester of their senior year. At that time, students
will be granted admission to King’s College, William G. McGowan School of Business Young
Scholars Program. Through the Young Scholars Program, students will have the opportunity to
complete and earn 7 college credits from King’s. Coursework will consist of MBS 100,
Introduction to Business, MBS 120, Introduction to Management, and MBS 110, Introduction to
Financial Accounting and Reporting. If a student chooses to not continue their collegiate career
at King’s College, the credits will be transferable.