Winter 02/Spring 03 Course Descriptions

All courses below are approved to be taught in Winter 2002 and Spring 2003; however, some (or all) may not be offered in either term.  The courses that are offered in Spring link to the Schedule of Classes.  Winter offerings are on the Winter Session site.  Classes with alternative delivery modes (Web based, cable TV, correspondence, etc) are noted in the Schedule at the section level.  The complete list below is a good indicator of what may be offered over the next few years (contact department about offerings).  For explanations of course elements see the Key to Course Descriptions.

Retailing and Consumer Sciences (RCSC)  Department Info

RCSC 114 -- Introduction to Retailing  (3 units)
Description:  Introduction to processes used for distributing consumer goods from manufacturers through wholesale and retail channels.
Usually offered:  Fall, Spring.

RCSC 115 -- Retail Design  (3 units)
Description:  Study of store planning, design, architecture, fixtures, merchandising, lighting, color, and materials.
Prerequisite(s):  open only to majors or by consent of the department.
Usually offered:  Fall, Spring, Summer.

RCSC 193 -- Internship  (1-12 units)
Description:  Specialized work on an individual basis, consisting of training and practice in actual service in a technical, business, or governmental establishment.
May be repeated:  an unlimited number of times, consult your department for details and possible restrictions.
Usually offered:  Fall, Spring, Summer.

RCSC 197A -- Leadership and Retail Entrepreneurship  (1 unit)
Description:  This program offers high school students the opportunity to experience college life and learn about entrepreneurship and careers in the retailing industry. Develop the professional skills in interviewing, networking and resume development needed for any successful job search and earn one unit of elective credit through a residence program held on the University of Arizona campus in Tucson.
Usually offered:  Summer.

RCSC 199 -- Independent Study  (1-3 units)
Description:  Qualified students working on an individual basis with professors who have agreed to supervise such work.
Usually offered:  Fall, Spring, Summer.

RCSC 215 -- Retail Advertising and Promotion  (3 units)
Description:  Activities used to influence sale of merchandise and services to promote trends and ideas; promotional plans including advertising, visual display, special events and publicity.
Usually offered:  Spring.

RCSC 255 -- Visual Merchandising and Store Design  (3 units)
Description:  Study of the retail environment, the physical and psychological effects that initiate and motivate customer activity through visual merchandising and store design.
Usually offered:  Fall, Spring.

RCSC 284 -- Product Development and Brand Strategies  (3 units)
Description:  Survey of soft and hard goods including product development and brand strategy. Topics include materials, manufacturing, design, specifications, performance, private branding strategies, brand management and marketing.
Usually offered:  Fall, Spring.

RCSC 293 -- Internship  (1-3 units)
Description:  Specialized work on an individual basis, consisting of training and practice in actual service in a technical, business, or governmental establishment.
Usually offered:  Fall, Spring, Summer.

RCSC 294 -- Practicum  (1-8 units)
Description:  The practical application, on an individual basis, of previously studied theory and the collection of data for future theoretical interpretation.
May be repeated:  an unlimited number of times, consult your department for details and possible restrictions.
Usually offered:  Fall, Spring, Summer.

RCSC 299 -- Independent Study  (1-3 units)
Description:  Qualified students working on an individual basis with professors who have agreed to supervise such work.
May be repeated:  an unlimited number of times, consult your department for details and possible restrictions.
Usually offered:  Fall, Spring, Summer.

RCSC 304 -- Merchandising Planning and Control  (3 units)
Description:  Study of retail planning and control procedures with emphasis on retail mathematics and computer applications.
Usually offered:  Fall.

RCSC 330 -- Food Retailing Principles  (3 units)
Description:  Study of food retailing principles and promotional techniques unique to food retail establishments; inventory planning and control, buying, pricing, operation, human resources; current global issues affecting the food industry including production agriculture, manufacturing and wholesale distribution; strategic management and food consumption behavior.
Prerequisite(s):  or Concurrent registration, MKTG 361, B AD 303.
Usually offered:  Fall.

RCSC 340 -- Consumer Concepts and Theory  (3 units)
Description:  Study of consumer behavior and the decision making processes involved when individuals or groups select, purchase, use or dispose of products and services to satisfy needs and desires; analysis of quantitative data using SPSS program.
Prerequisite(s):  PSYC 230, PSYC 290 or SOC 274, SOC 275.
Usually offered:  Fall.

RCSC 350 -- Supply Chain Management  (3 units)
Description:  A study of the supply side of retailing, focusing on purchasing, inventory management, physical distribution and the retail and supplier institutions in the retail channel. There is also focus on the selection, design, and management of effective channels.
Prerequisite(s):  B AD 303; MKTG 361 or, Concurrent registration, MKTG 361.
Usually offered:  Fall.

RCSC 360 -- E-Commerce Technology  (3 units)
Description:  The computer classroom exercises will play an important role in providing knowledge regarding e-commerce technology related to webpage design, security, credit authorization, inventory and shipment, and consumer database concerns. Technology issues are discussed as well as strategy issues.
Usually offered:  Fall, Spring.

RCSC 376 -- Consumer Rights and Regulations  (3 units)
Description:  Legal and ethical aspects of consumer and business rights and responsibilities in retailing and services. Roles of federal, state, local agencies and safeguards for consumer and business professionals are examined.  This is a Writing Emphasis Course.
Prerequisite(s):  satisfaction of the Mid-Career Writing Assessment (MCWA) or the former upper-division writing.
Usually offered:  Spring.

RCSC 384 -- Leadership, Ethics, and Practice  (3 units)
Description:  Theories and applications of leadership and communication in the workplace. Examination of personal and professional qualities essential for successful internship and career planning. Roles, responsibilities and ethical standards for professionals will be examined.
Prerequisite(s):  or Concurrent registration, ENGL 307.
Usually offered:  Fall, Spring.

RCSC 393 -- Internship  (1-3 units)
Description:  Specialized work on an individual basis, consisting of training and practice in actual service in a technical, business, or governmental establishment.
May be repeated:  an unlimited number of times, consult your department for details and possible restrictions.
Usually offered:  Fall, Spring, Summer.

RCSC 394 -- Practicum  (1-8 units)
Description:  The practical application, on an individual basis, of previously studied theory and the collection of data for future theoretical interpretation.
May be repeated:  an unlimited number of times, consult your department for details and possible restrictions.
Usually offered:  Fall, Spring, Summer.

RCSC 399 -- Independent Study  (1-3 units)
Description:  Qualified students working on an individual basis with professors who have agreed to supervise such work.
May be repeated:  an unlimited number of times, consult your department for details and possible restrictions.
Usually offered:  Fall, Spring, Summer.

RCSC 400 -- Retail Strategy  (3 units)
Description:  Development, organization, implementation, and control of retail strategies in the context of the retail mix of product, price, promotion, and distribution. Case studies used to apply the concepts.
Prerequisite(s):  ACCT 200; B AD 303 or MKTG 361.
Identical to:  MKTG 400.
Usually offered:  Fall, Spring, Summer.

RCSC 424 -- Services Retailing  (3 units)
Description:  An in-depth exploration of the marketing of profit-centered services to consumers, highlighting the distinct characteristics of services as compared to physical goods, and the special challenges posed by those characteristics. Strategies employed by service firms to effectively address these special conditions will be studied.
Prerequisite(s):  B AD 303 or MKTG 361.
Identical to:  MKTG 424.
May be convened with:  RCSC 524.
Usually offered:  Fall.

RCSC 434 -- Non-store and Interactive Retailing  (3 units)
Description:  An examination of direct retail distribution methods via mail order house, direct selling establishment, vending machine operators, and varied types of electronic retailers.
Prerequisite(s):  or Concurrent registration, B AD 303 or MKTG 361.
Usually offered:  Spring.

RCSC 446 -- Global Retailing  (3 units)
Description:  Analysis of international market environment and retailing structure, system, issues and trends in the global market, understanding global consumers and developing retail strategies.
Prerequisite(s):  RCSC 114; B AD 303 or MKTG 361 or Concurrent registration, B AD 303 or MKTG 361.
May be convened with:  RCSC 546.
Usually offered:  Spring.

RCSC 450 -- Financial Management for Agribusiness  (3 units)
Description:  Application of financial management principals and tools to challenges and opportunities facing agribusiness firms. Emphasis is placed on the acquisition, allocation, control and transfer of capital resources.
Prerequisite(s):  ECON 300 or ECON 361; 3 units of accounting.
Identical to:  AREC 450; AREC is home department.
May be convened with:  RCSC 550.
Usually offered:  Spring.

RCSC 451 -- Marketing Strategy  (3 units)
Description:  Marketing experience that examines the marketing mix in the context of the multidimensional external environment relying substantially on the case study approach. The phases of analysis, planning, implementation, and control of the marketing function are covered.
Prerequisite(s):  B AD 303 or MKTG 361.
Identical to:  AREC 451.
Usually offered:  Fall.

RCSC 452 -- Business Policy  (3 units)
Description:  Course integrates the functional areas of business and covers topics such as the strategic planning process, decision making under uncertainty, external environmental analysis, organizational analysis, competitive analysis, and social responsibility.
Prerequisite(s):  B AD 302.
Identical to:  AREC 452.
Usually offered:  Spring.

RCSC 493 -- Internship  (1-12 units)
Description:  Specialized work on an individual basis, consisting of training and practice in actual service in a technical, business, or governmental establishment.
May be repeated:  an unlimited number of times, consult your department for details and possible restrictions.
Usually offered:  Fall, Spring, Summer.

RCSC 493B -- Retailing and Consumer Sciences  (3-12 units)
Description:  Specialized work on an individual basis, consisting of training and practice in actual service in a technical, business, or governmental establishment.
Prerequisite(s):  RCSC 304. Open to majors only.
May be repeated:  for a total of 12 units of credit.
Usually offered:  Fall.

RCSC 493L -- Legislative Internship  (1-12 units)
Description:  Working experience at the Arizona State Legislature; responsibilities draw upon student's area of major expertise and include preparing written and oral reports, summarizing legislative proposals, and providing information to legislators and legislative committees. Participating programs include but are not limited to: architecture, economics, English, geography and regional development, history, hydrology, journalism, management, management information systems, marketing, political science, psychology, public administration, secondary education, sociology, statistics, and urban planning. Students in other programs are eligible and should consult the department head or, in the case of the James E. Roger's College of Law, the dean, for appropriate arrangements.
May be repeated:  an unlimited number of times, consult your department for details and possible restrictions.
Usually offered:  Spring.

RCSC 494 -- Practicum  (1-8 units)
Description:  The practical application, on an individual basis, of previously studied theory and the collection of data for future theoretical interpretation.
May be repeated:  an unlimited number of times, consult your department for details and possible restrictions.
Usually offered:  Fall, Spring, Summer.

RCSC 494R -- Research  (3 units)
Description:  The practical application, on an individual basis, of previously studied theory and the collection of data for future theoretical interpretation.
May be repeated:  for credit 1 time (maximum 2 enrollments).
Usually offered:  Fall, Spring.

RCSC 496A -- Topics in Retailing and Consumer Sciences  (3 units)
Description:  The development and exchange of scholarly information, usually in a small group setting. The scope of work shall consist of research by course registrants, with the exchange of the results of such research through discussion, reports, and/or papers.
May be repeated:  for a total of 19 units of credit.
Usually offered:  Fall.

RCSC 498 -- Senior Capstone  (1-3 units)
Description:  A culminating experience for majors involving a substantive project that demonstrates a synthesis of learning accumulated in the major, including broadly comprehensive knowledge of the discipline and its methodologies. Senior standing required.
Usually offered:  Fall, Spring.

RCSC 498H -- Honors Thesis  (3 units)
Description:  An honors thesis is required of all the students graduating with honors. Students ordinarily sign up for this course as a two-semester sequence. The first semester the student performs research under the supervision of a faculty member; the second semester the student writes an honors thesis.
May be repeated:  for a total of 9 units of credit.
Usually offered:  Fall, Spring.

RCSC 499 -- Independent Study  (1-3 units)
Description:  Qualified students working on an individual basis with professors who have agreed to supervise such work.
May be repeated:  an unlimited number of times, consult your department for details and possible restrictions.
Usually offered:  Fall, Spring, Summer.

RCSC 499H -- Honors Independent Study  (1-3 units)
Description:  Qualified students working on an individual basis with professors who have agreed to supervise such work.
May be repeated:  an unlimited number of times, consult your department for details and possible restrictions.
Usually offered:  Fall, Spring, Summer.

RCSC 524 -- Services Retailing  (3 units)
Description:  An in-depth exploration of the marketing of profit-centered services to consumers, highlighting the distinct characteristics of services as compared to physical goods, and the special challenges posed by those characteristics. Strategies employed by service firms to effectively address these special conditions will be studied. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research paper or project.
May be convened with:  RCSC 424.
Usually offered:  Fall.

RCSC 534 -- Non-store and Interactive Retailing  (3 units)
Description:  contact department. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research paper or project.
Usually offered:  Spring.

RCSC 546 -- Global Retailing  (3 units)
Description:  Analysis of international market environment and retailing structure, system, issues and trends in the global market, understanding global consumers and developing retail strategies. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research paper or project.
May be convened with:  RCSC 446.
Usually offered:  Spring.

RCSC 550 -- Financial Management for Agribusiness  (3 units)
Description:  Application of financial management principals and tools to challenges and opportunities facing agribusiness firms. Emphasis is placed on the acquisition, allocation, control and transfer of capital resources. Graduate-level requirements include a research paper of publishable quality which analyzes a current financial issue or problem in the agricultural sector and selected readings in professional journals.
Identical to:  AREC 550; AREC is home department.
May be convened with:  RCSC 450.
Usually offered:  Spring.

RCSC 593 -- Internship  (1-3 units)
Description:  Specialized work on an individual basis, consisting of training and practice in actual service in a technical, business, or governmental establishment.
Usually offered:  Fall, Spring.

RCSC 594 -- Practicum  (1-3 units)
Description:  The practical application, on an individual basis, of previously studied theory and the collection of data for future theoretical interpretation.
Usually offered:  Fall, Spring, Summer.

RCSC 599 -- Independent Study  (1-5 units)
Description:  Qualified students working on an individual basis with professors who have agreed to supervise such work. Graduate students doing independent work which cannot be classified as actual research will register for credit under course number 599, 699, or 799.
May be repeated:  an unlimited number of times, consult your department for details and possible restrictions.
Usually offered:  Fall, Spring, Summer.

RCSC 607 -- Topics in Retailing and Consumer Sciences  (3 units)
Description:  Analysis of current major research topics and/or issues facing retail industries.
May be repeated:  for credit 4 times (maximum 5 enrollments).
Usually offered:  Spring.

RCSC 634 -- Current Research in Retail Management  (3 units)
Description:  Analysis of research concerning topics related to retail management and planning. Examines theories of institutional change and consumer patronage behavior as well as current research on selected retailer marketing and management strategies.
Prerequisite(s):  or Concurrent registration, RCSC 400; MKTG 361 or B AD 303.
Usually offered:  Fall.

RCSC 676 -- Theories in Retailing and Consumer Behavior  (3 units)
Description:  Analysis of major theories and conceptual models guiding research and development of knowledge in the field.
Usually offered:  Fall.

RCSC 693 -- Internship  (1-12 units)
Description:  Specialized work on an individual basis, consisting of training and practice in actual service in a technical, business, or governmental establishment.
May be repeated:  an unlimited number of times, consult your department for details and possible restrictions.
Usually offered:  Fall, Spring, Summer.

RCSC 694 -- Practicum  (1-8 units)
Description:  The practical application, on an individual basis, of previously studied theory and the collection of data for future theoretical interpretation.
May be repeated:  an unlimited number of times, consult your department for details and possible restrictions.
Usually offered:  Fall, Spring, Summer.

RCSC 695A -- Advanced Professional Teaching Development  (1 unit)
Description:  contact department.
Usually offered:  Fall, Spring.

RCSC 695B -- Advanced Professional Research Development  (1 unit)
Description:  contact department.
Usually offered:  Fall, Spring.

RCSC 695C -- Advanced Professional Leadership Development  (1 unit)
Description:  contact department.
Usually offered:  Fall, Spring.

RCSC 696A -- Theoretical Perspectives of Global Consumption and Retailing  (3 units)
Description:  Advanced study of theory and research on global consumption, emphasizing cross-cultural consumer decision-making processes, and their relationship to retailers' strategy development in the international environment.
Prerequisite(s):  RCSC 446 or equivalent; MKTG 361 or B AD 303.
Usually offered:  Fall.

RCSC 696B -- Theory and Research in Non-Store Retailing  (3 units)
Description:  An investigation of retailing that does not involve conventional store facilities including catalog retailing and Internet retailing. The course focuses on theories and concepts that have been used in the investigation of non-store retailing.
Prerequisite(s):  MKTG 361 or B AD 303.
Usually offered:  Spring.

RCSC 696C -- Theory and Research in Services Retailing  (3 units)
Description:  Comprehensive investigation of major theoretical perspectives and empirical research on the marketing of profit-centered services to the end consumer.
Prerequisite(s):  MKTG 361 or B AD 303.
Usually offered:  Fall.

RCSC 696D -- Interorganizational Issues  (3 units)
Description:  Current theoretical underpinnings of interorganizational exchange relationships are examined. Discussion will focus on the literature pertaining to conflict, communication, power, transaction cost analysis, the political-economy paradigm, and relationship marketing.
Usually offered:  Fall.

RCSC 699 -- Independent Study  (1-5 units)
Description:  Qualified students working on an individual basis with professors who have agreed to supervise such work. Graduate students doing independent work which cannot be classified as actual research will register for credit under course number 599, 699, or 799.
May be repeated:  an unlimited number of times, consult your department for details and possible restrictions.
Usually offered:  Fall, Spring, Summer.

RCSC 900 -- Research  (2-8 units)
Description:  Individual research, not related to thesis or dissertation preparation, by graduate students.
May be repeated:  an unlimited number of times, consult your department for details and possible restrictions.
Usually offered:  Fall, Spring, Summer.

RCSC 909 -- Master's Report  (1-6 units)
Description:  Individual study or special project or formal report thereof submitted in lieu of thesis for certain master's degrees.
May be repeated:  an unlimited number of times, consult your department for details and possible restrictions.
Usually offered:  Fall, Spring, Summer.

RCSC 910 -- Thesis  (2-6 units)
Description:  Research for the master's thesis (whether library research, laboratory or field observation or research, artistic creation, or thesis writing). Maximum total credit permitted varies with the major department.
May be repeated:  an unlimited number of times, consult your department for details and possible restrictions.
Usually offered:  Fall, Spring, Summer.

RCSC 920 -- Dissertation  (1-5 units)
Description:  Research for the doctoral dissertation (whether library research, laboratory or field observation or research, artistic creation, or dissertation writing).
Usually offered:  Fall, Spring, Summer.

RCSC 930 -- Supplementary Registration  (1-9 units)
Description:  For students who have completed all course requirements for their advanced degree programs. May be used concurrently with other enrollments to bring to total number of units to the required minimum.
May be repeated:  an unlimited number of times, consult your department for details and possible restrictions.
Usually offered:  Fall, Spring, Summer.