When you enroll at Susquehanna, you’ll be paired with an advisor and application tool to guide you in your course planning and scheduling. The following is an excerpt from the complete course catalog. Enrolled students follow the requirements of the course catalog for the academic year in which they declare each major and/or minor, consult with their advisor(s) and the Academic Planning Tool.

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Degree Programs in Professional Sales

Professional Sales is an interdisciplinary program that draws on the strength of the Communications Department and the Sigmund Weis School of Business and provides students the opportunity to earn either a major or a minor in professional sales. The Professional Sales program prepares students for successful careers in sales by providing a comprehensive understanding of the sales process, effective communication and the ability to navigate the competitive and dynamic business landscape.

Susquehanna University has two degree programs in professional sales. The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree is a liberal arts degree earned in the university’s School of Humanities, incorporating a solid communication foundation into professional sales studies. The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree is earned in the Sigmund Weis School of Business. It integrates extensive business administration coursework into the study of professional sales.

Learning Goals

• Gain a solid understanding of sales principles, including prospecting, qualifying leads, presenting solutions, negotiating and closing deals, with a focus on practical application in simulated and real-world scenarios.
• Learn effective negotiation tactics and strategies to effectively handle objections and secure successful outcomes.
• Develop polished presentation skills for delivering sales pitches across various platforms.
• Cultivate networking skills to build and maintain relationships with customers, colleagues and industry professionals, which can be invaluable for career growth and success in sales.
• Understand sales management fundamentals, including leadership, training and performance evaluation.
• Develop skills related to effective communication in the sales process, enabling students to build strong relationships with clients, understand their needs and convey value propositions persuasively.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Science Degree in Professional Sales

Combining a professional sales degree with a business foundation will equip students to excel in the competitive field of sales and contribute effectively to any organization. Candidates for the Bachelor of Science with a major in professional sales successfully complete the business foundation courses as follows and 22-26 semester hours of professional sales courses listed below. No grade below a C- will be accepted toward graduation for foundation courses; upon earning a grade below C- in a foundation course, the student must retake the course the next semester in which it is offered. The course descriptions listed later in the catalog identify prerequisites, and these suggest a certain degree of order in completing the foundation. In addition to the foundation, first-semester SWSB students enroll in MGMT-196 Global Business Perspectives (four semester hours), which provides an introduction to liberal studies and college life, as well as an overview of business functional areas, career opportunities and the Sigmund Weis School curriculum. This course satisfies the First-Year Seminar requirement of the Central Curriculum.

Business Foundation Courses

Complete one of the following Introduction to Business classes:

4   MGMT-196 Global Business Perspectives

2   MGMT-138 Fundamentals of Business

Complete one of the following statistics classes:

4   MATH-108 Introduction to Statistics

4   MATH-180 Statistical Methods

4   MGMT-202 Business Statistics

4   PSYC-123 Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences

Required courses:

4   ACCT-200 Financial Accounting

4   ACCT-210 Legal Environment

4   ACCT-230 Managerial Accounting

4   ECON-201 Principles of Macroeconomics

4   ECON-202 Principles of Microeconomics

4   FINC-340 Corporate Financial Management

4   INFS-174 Data Collection and Modeling

4   INFS-472 Data Insight and Visualization

2   MGMT-105 Introduction to Professional Development

4   MGMT-240 Principles of Management

4   MGMT-400 Business Policy and Strategy

4   MKTG-280 Marketing

Professional Sales Sequence Courses (22–26 SH)

14–18 Required (14–18)

4   COMM-215 Professional Selling

4   COMM-315 Advanced Professional Selling

4   MGMT-438 Sales Management

2   MGMT-466 Negotiations

0, 2 or 4   MGMT-504 Professional Sales Internship

8 Choose from the following electives

4   COMM-194 Intercultural Communications

4   COMM-211 Introduction to Advertising and Public Relations

4   COMM-391 Team Communications

1   COMM-501 Practicum (may complete multiple practica)

Double-counting Restriction

A student can declare two majors within the Sigmund Weis School of Business, but they may not declare a double major in both 1) Marketing, and 2) Luxury Brand Marketing & Management. Students must complete all the requirements for both declared majors. Students may only double-count the courses included in the Business Foundation requirements. Therefore, if a course is used to satisfy a requirement of one major, that same course may not be used to fulfill a requirement of the second major within the School of Business.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts Degree

Combining a professional sales degree with a communications foundation can lead to a powerful skill set for success in various industries. Candidates for the Bachelor of Arts with a major in professional sales successfully complete the 24 semester hours of communications foundation courses as follows, and 28–32 semester hours of professional sales courses listed below. A grade of C- or better is required for any course to apply to the major.

Communication Foundation Courses

24   Department Requirements

4   COMM-101 Essentials of Digital Media

2   COMM-102 Methods of Adobe Creative Suite

2   COMM-190 Introduction to Communications/Media Theory

4   COMM-192 Public Speaking

4   COMM-201 Ethics and Leadership

4   COMM-202 Digital Media Analytics

4   COMM-481 Media Law

Professional Sales Sequence Courses (28–32 SH)

Required

4   COMM-215 Professional Selling

4   COMM-315 Advanced Professional Selling

4   MGMT-438 Sales Management

2   MGMT-466 Negotiations

4   MKTG-280 Marketing

2   COMM-415 Professional Sales Capstone Portfolio

0–4   COMM-505 Professional Sales Internship

8   Choose from the following electives (8 SH minimum)

2   PRDV-106 Career Readiness

4   COMM-194 Intercultural Communications

4   COMM-211 Introduction to Advertising and Public Relations

4   COMM-391 Team Communications

1   COMM-501 Practicum (may complete multiple practica)

Double-counting Restriction

Students double majoring in Communications and Professional Sales, or minoring in Communications and majoring in Professional Sales, may only double count the courses included in the Communications foundation requirements.

When you enroll at Susquehanna, you’ll be paired with an advisor and application tool to guide you in your course planning and scheduling. The following is an excerpt from the complete course catalog. Enrolled students follow the requirements of the course catalog for the academic year in which they declare each major and/or minor, consult with their advisor(s) and the Academic Planning Tool.

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Minor in Professional Sales

The Professional Sales minor provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the sales function in an organization, and prepares them for a career in sales through a mix of business and communication classes. The sales function is vitally important as it is the only revenue generating function in an organization. Upon meeting the requirements of the sales minor, the student will understand the selling process, customer relationship management (CRM), creating and executing successful presentations and sales strategies, and managing the sales function.

The minor in Professional Sales requires a total of 16 credit hours: 12 credit hours of required courses and 4 credit hours of elective classes. To complete the minor, students must have a GPA of at least 2.00 and no grade below C- in courses outlined below:

Required:

4   COMM-215 Professional Selling

4   COMM-315 Advanced Professional Selling

4   MGMT-438 Sales Management

A minimum of 4 semester hours from the following:

4   ECON-105, ECON-201 or ECON-202

4   COMM-211 Intro to Advertising and Public Relations

4   MKTG-280 Principles of Marketing

2   MGMT-466 Negotiations

2-4  COMM-505 or MGMT-504 Internship

Double-counting restriction

No credits from this minor can double count towards a student’s major. If a student completes one of the aforementioned classes from this program as part of their major, they should choose from the alternative electives provided. Note: SWSB students cannot take ECON-105 Elements of Economics.