Inside Management: General Management Track
VCU School of Business

Inside Management:General Management Track is part of a series of brochures relating VCU majors to occupational fields. The information in this pamphlet can help you with planning your education and career.

The need for effective management has never been greater than it is today. The world community in which we live can quickly affect the management of an organization. Management is the process of planning, organizing, leading, and controlling the activities of an organization in a systematic way in order to achieve an organizational goal. The ability to perform these functions is needed by skilled managers. Issues of productivity, organizational adaptability, innovation, corporate ethics and total quality management all fall within the domain of management. The General Management track provides a strong management orientation. Students receive an in-depth education in the principles of management, from organizational theory to international management.

Through the courses in the business foundation program, taken in the freshman and sophomore years, students typically gain these skills:

• effective written and oral communications skills, including public speaking.
• familiarity with computer concepts and applications.
• quantitative skills, including mathematics and accounting.
• fundamental knowledge of economics and social sciences.

Some of the skills developed by students in this major include the following:

• problem diagnosis and solving skills
• group/team building skills
• managerial and interpersonal skills
• leadership skills
• motivational skills
• communications skills

plus:

• knowledge of business organizational structures
• understanding of international aspects of management

Some representative courses students in management take include the following:

• Human Resource Management
• Compensation Management
• Labor and Employment Relations Law
• Strategic Human Resource Management
• International Human Resource Management

To become more marketable:

• Enroll in the Cooperative Education program to gain valuable work experience.
• Participate in, and accept leadership roles in, extracurricular activities such as the Society for Advancement of Management.
• Take electives in areas related to your career goals, such as small business management or production/operations management, or minor in a supporting area (e.g. psychology).
• Arrange for an internship or part-time job in a field that interests you.

Graduates of this track qualify for many different positions in the functional areas of businesses. Sample job titles in organizations might include the following:

• Administrative Manager
• Facilities Manager
• Line Manager
• Operations Manager
• Production Manager
• Project Manager
• Supervisor

Graduate study is not a requirement for entry level positions in businesses. However, many students pursue a Master of Business Administration or Master of Science degree in human resource management/industrial relations.

Further information is available at the Career Center (Commons, first floor) or through the department:

Virginia Commonwealth University
School of Business
Department of Management
Business Building, 1015 Floyd Ave., Room 4124
PO Box 844000
Richmond VA 23284-4000

804-828-6468

This brochure is published by the VCU Career Development Council in cooperation with academic departments.

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