FRN2200 Elementary French for Business Professionals
4 Free Elective Credits

FRN 2200 is a fast-paced beginner course that emphasizes real-world applications of the French language. Through a variety of authentic materials and in-class activities, students develop their reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. Students will explore aspects of French society, such as the fashion industry, the stock exchange, and the country's beloved soccer culture. A project-based class, students will develop business skills in French related to networking, interviewing, marketing, and trading through creating a portfolio that will grow in sequential semesters.

No previous experience with French is needed. This course is not open to native speakers of French.

Prerequisites: None

LIB3603 Encounters with the BRIC
2 Advanced Liberal Arts CreditsOffered to students in the BRIC Program

NST1020 Energy and the Environment
4 CreditsAs the world's current energy demand continues to rise, it is critical to understand the causes, impacts, and possible solutions to our current global energy crisis. This course will focus on the technologies associated with renewable forms of energy and their potential for future success.

Prerequisites: None

OIM3525 Enterprise 2.0: Building Social Networks to Improve Business Performance
(Formerly MIS3525)
4 Advanced Management Credits

Students who took this as MIS3525 cannot take this course

Enterprise 2.0 is the term to describe organizations that use social media technologies (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, YouTube), strategies, and business practices that enable emergent collaboration. Many organizations are now interested in capturing, distributing and applying the knowledge of their employees for business benefit. Also, companies need to keep track of knowledge outside of their corporate walls, for example, understanding market trends and being aware of what customers are saying about their products. Ultimately, the goal of Enterprise 2.0 is to break down traditional information silos and allow employees and managers to tap into the right people and expertise when they need it.

In this course we will discuss the current state of the Enterprise 2.0 movement. We will also explore how social collaboration tools (often referred to as social media and Web 2.0) are being used by organizations to leverage the "wisdom of the crowds." Organizations are increasingly using tools such as blogs, wikis, social tagging, and social networking tools to achieve emergent collaboration and to break down information silos. Knowledge workers are also using social technologies to build their personal brand and personal network.

Student projects will emphasize a "hands-on" approach to understanding the latest social technologies. We will use social network analysis (SNA) software, a methodology to analyze the structure of social networks, or the people-to-people connections in organizations. SNA is an increasingly popular application used by both management consultants and internal organizational practices (e.g., knowledge management, IS, HR, R&D) to understand information flows and "influencers" inside and outside a company. Another project will have students create a social media campaign for an organization, including providing metrics on how to evaluate the success of the campaign. We will also experiment with mobile applications, such as location-based services (e.g., Foursquare, SCVNGR) on smartphones.

Prerequisites: FME1000 & FME1001

EPS3551 Entrepreneurial Families
(Formerly Family Entrepreneurship Amplifier)
4 General Elective Credits

If you come from a family business or have an interest in starting a business with a family member or members, this course is designed for you. The course is like no other offered at Babson or elsewhere in the world. In this course, students will work directly with their family as part of the process of learning to be a family entrepreneurial leader. Students (and their families) will learn about how and why families are responsible for over 75% of global entrepreneurial activity and how your family can be more successful in its entrepreneurial efforts. Students will learn to think critically about key issues that affect their family enterprise such as succession and governance, allowing them to effectively engage in conversation with family members on these topics. Students will strengthen their ability to work with their family, build their confidence and increase their family's understanding of the value they can bring to the business. Students will also learn from their peers and families -- establishing relationships that will endure long after you graduate. If you know that you want to lead the family business, this course will provide a foundation for your future. If you are uncertain about joining the family business, this course will help provide clarity for your decision. If you have no desire to join the family business and prefer creating your own venture or opportunity, this course will help you to leverage the knowledge and resources within your family in order to increase the likelihood of your success.

The course time slot was strategically chosen to accommodate time zones from around the world, allowing the Bertarelli Institute for Family Entrepreneurship to offer students exposure to global family thought leaders, while enabling parents of students to attend select class sessions.

This course satisfies Babson's "Advanced Experiential" designation.

Prerequisites: FME or equivalent

EPS3553 Entrepreneurial Families Project
(Formerly Family Entrepreneurship Amplifier)
2 Free Elective Credits

This is a practice-oriented course that has two primary foci: 1) helping students from family businesses integrate their learning at Babson with specific needs of the family and to facilitate entrepreneurial activity, dialogue and relationship building between the student and their families as part of their experience at Babson. 2) creating hands on learning opportunities for these students that will better prepare them for their future with the family business including engaging with guest speakers, mentors, company visits etc.

Prerequisites: EPS3552

EPS3552 Entrepreneurial Families Project
(Formerly Family Entrepreneurship Amplifier Class)
2 Free Elective Credits

This class is designed for seniors who have completed the sophomore/junior Family Entrepreneurship Amplifier course EPS 1215/1216 (focused on understanding your family) and Peer Forum (focused on understanding yourself through sharing with and learning from peers).

In this full year class, you will work directly with your family to launch a new entrepreneurial opportunity that creates economic and/or social value. Projects can include opportunities within your current family business or a new venture / social impact initiative. Students will meet as a class three times a semester. The majority of the work will be done outside of the classroom, working with your family, getting input from peers, and in monthly meetings with your faculty advisor. This action-oriented class is a culmination of your Amplifier experience, where you take what you have learned, and put it into practice to launch your entrepreneurship opportunity with your family.

EPS1217 runs in the fall and the companion part of the course, EPS1218 is in the spring semesters, 2 credits per semester, for a total of 4 credits.

Prerequisites: Junior or Senior status

EPS4510 Entrepreneurial Finance

(Formerly EPS3511)
4 General CreditsHow much money should I raise? Who should I raise it from and how? What do I do with the money once I have it? This course focuses on the various aspects of funding and managing entrepreneurial ventures through the various stages of business growth. The class will utilize videos, cases, simulation and experiential learning techniques to explain how to finance the entrepreneurial firm, investment analysis and decision making, and managing company finances through growth, crisis and harvesting. Frequent guests ranging from entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, banking and legal professionals will bring the entrepreneurial experience to life in this course which utilizes the "flipped classroom" methodology of teaching.

Prerequisites: (SME2001 and SME2002 and SME2011 and SME2012 and SME2021 and SME2031) or (ACC2002 and OIM2001 and MKT2000 and OIM2000 and FIN2000 and ECN2002)

EPS1220 Entrepreneurial Leadership Field Studies
4 Free Elective Credits

This course is designed specifically for Arthur M. Blank School of Entrepreneurial Leadership Scholars (AMBSEL Scholars) and for other Scholars (e.g., Weisman, Presidential, Posse, etc.) by instructor consent.

Entrepreneurial leadership theories and frameworks, considered to be distinct from other forms of leadership, are still at the nascent stage of development. Babson Professor Scott Taylor and his colleagues are currently developing an entrepreneurial leadership model that includes the following constructs: "leader internal clarity", "leader opportunity seeking behavior", "leader outward focus", "follower motivation effect", and "recognizing and exploiting entrepreneurial opportunities". Each of these constructs will be explored by students through discussions of assigned readings and qualitative research in the form of entrepreneur interviews and a case research project which includes a written case and teaching note. Students will develop qualitative research skills (e.g., interview techniques) through in class lectures and asynchronous videos that have already been produced by Professor Shay. The learning-focused activities and assignments, especially the field-based entrepreneur interview and case research project, are designed to enhance student (and the field's) understanding of the unique nature of entrepreneurial leadership and to develop the student's own entrepreneurial leadership skills. Student course deliverables (entrepreneur interview and case study) will provide insights to advance our understanding of entrepreneurial leadership as well as teaching materials for classroom use. The entrepreneur interviews and case studies will be submitted for inclusion in Babson's case resources and possibly for publication in peer-reviewed journals such as Case Research Journal.

EPS3543: Entrepreneurial Opportunities in AI

4 advanced managements credits

This experiential seminar explores the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential for creating new business opportunities. Students will learn about cutting-edge technologies in AI, such as machine learning, computer vision, neural networks, and natural language processing. We will also cover recent developments in the AI industry and the impact of venture capital investment on AI startups. Throughout the course, students will have the opportunity to experiment with AI technologies and develop their own innovative projects. By the end of the course, students will have a deep understanding of the current state of AI and the potential for new business opportunities in this field. This course is ideal for students interested in the intersection of entrepreneurship and technology.