Finance In An Integrated Undergraduate Business Curriculum

This paper reports on an integrated, cross-disciplinary, undergraduate program known as the Integrated Business Curriculum (IBC) and the role of finance in the curriculum. Developed and implemented at the University of Idaho College of Business and Economics, the IBC reconfigured the entire junior-level common body of knowledge into six, team-taught modules, each based upon a key business process (e.g., product and process planning). This approach parallels the current business reengineering trend where tasks are grouped around processes. We compare topical finance coverage in the IBC and the traditional finance class. We also raise several issues that institutions must address should they attempt to implement an integrated business curriculum.