This is an online course designed to be a general guide to an actual business startup and to the managing of a small enterprise.  You will learn about the fundamental elements to the development of a business plan, review the business functions of marketing and financing as applied to the small business situation, as well as the management functions of planning, organizing, staffing, directing and controlling.  You will also learn about the legal and government relationships specific to small business.  

Prerequisite : There is no course prerequisite for BUS 165.  However, you should have basic computer skills (e.g., email, Internet), the ability to read a college text, organize information, analyze information and write essays.  Knowledge of accounting and business math and terminology is helpful.

If you successfully complete this course, you will be able to:

• Understand the principal reasons for failure and success of small business firms.
• Understand your role as entrepreneur.
• Plan to start a new business, buy a going concern, or acquire a franchise.
• Finance, organize, and staff a small business.
• Locate and layout the business.
• Market your product or service.
• Control the business.
• Develop the elements of a business plan using a computer application purchased with textbook.

The required textbook for this course is:

• Small Business Management,14th Ed.
  by Justin G. Longnecker, Carlos Moore, William J. Petty, Leslie E. Palich
  Published by Thomson/Southwestern Publishing Co.

Additional Technologies: In addition to the textbook(s), this course includes a series of video programs that are optional.. You may access these programs in several ways.

The course grading criteria are listed below:

Final grades will be based on the following scale:

NOTE: For BUS 165, you must pass two of the four exams in order to pass this course, regardless of how well you do on the other assignments. Please keep a personal record of all your grades so that you can compute your own course grade.

There are four (4) online proctored exams in this course. You are expected to take your examinations at one of the NVCC campus testing centers. Be sure to allow enough time to complete your exam before the Testing Center closes; Testing Centers have specific policies relating to the administration of ELI exams. You will need to take a photo ID, your NovaConnect Empl ID Number, and the appropriate Exam Pass when you go to the Testing Center.  

For Testing Center locations, hours of operation and policies, click here.

For information on taking exams outside of the metropolitan area, click here.

I am here to help you succeed in this course. Occasionally questions or problems may arise. Here is how to contact me when they do:

BY EMAIL: fmcdonald@nvcc.edu
BY TELEPHONE: (703) 323-3394

1.  Use your web browser to connect to http://www.nvcc.edu/bbstart. Follow the directions to determine your email, Blackboard and VIVA account user names and passwords.
2.  Access your email account and make sure you know how to use it; you will be required to use this account for all course-related email.
3.  Log on to Blackboard at http://learn.vccs.edu.
4.  Click on this course under "My Courses." Review the entire course to make sure you understand what will be required of you. Then start completing the assignments.

Please note that account generation takes approximately one week from the time of your paid registration. If you cannot log on after one week, contact the IT Help Desk. If you can log on to Blackboard, but your course isn't listed, please contact ELI or your instructor.