Business Finance Academy

The Business/Finance Academy at Golden West High School is an academic program designed to integrate the core curriculum (English, math, science, and social science), with a focus on business/finance careers. Career speakers, job shadowing, college visits, industry tours and project-based learning reinforce academic instruction. Ultimately, internship opportunities will be provided to students. Teachers and business/finance supervisors monitor the progress of the students through on-site evaluations, journals, integrated projects as well as traditional academic assessment methods.

Course Title: Course Title: Integrated Business

Course Number: 0149/0150

Grade Level: 9

Elective Required: Elective

Length/Credits: Year/10 credits

Course Description:

This is a year-long course that introduces students to the basics of Business: Organization and Management, Influences on Business, Marketing, Personal Finance, and Entrepreneurship. Additional topics include: Stock Market, types of Business Ownership and Operations, Business Ethics, and Social Responsibility. Individual and group projects will be used throughout this course to assess student understanding of concepts. Students will have the opportunity to interact with the Business world through guest speakers and industry tours throughout the year. Students will complete a culminating project of writing a business plan at the end of the year.

Course Title: Business Technology

Course Number: 0113/0114

Grade Level: 10

Elective/Required: Elective

Length/Credits: One Year/ 10 Credits

Course Description:

This course introduces students to the objectives, strategies, and tools that are important to marketing. Students become familiar with each phase of marketing and with strategies to build business and brand equity for large-scale and small-scale operations. They will learn how to assess marketing niches, understand customer and consumer needs, and conduct basic market research and develop an integrated marketing campaign that uses a range of appropriate marketing channels. Another feature of this course will be graphic design through the use of Adobe Photoshop and Microsoft Publisher as they relate to the field of marketing.

Course Title: Accounting

Course Number: 0146/0147

Grade Level: 11

Elective/Required: Elective

Length/Credits: One year, 10 credits

Course Description:

This one-year course gives a thorough background in the basic accounting procedures used to operate service businesses progressing to the operation of corporations organized as merchandising businesses. The complete accounting cycle is covered utilizing the general journal approach, including specialized journals. Course content includes automated accounting applications, Excel training, and QuickBooks. Text covers many contemporary special features including accounting in the real world, internet research activities, accounting careers, character counts/ethics, business structures, cultural diversity, financial literacy, and a global perspective.

Course Title: Virtual Enterprise

Course Number: 8933/8934

Grade Level: 12

Elective/Required: Elective

Length/Credits: One Year/2 periods per day/10 credits per semester

Course Description:

Virtual Enterprise is a two-hour simulated business, set up and run by students to prepare them for working in an authentic business environment. Students determine the nature of their business, its products or services, its management and structure, and learn/experience the daily operations of a business under the guidance of a consultant. Enterprises are linked together in regional, national, and global networks so that the firms have each other as trading/business partners. As the firms begin to interact with other virtual enterprises worldwide, the students/employees receive first-hand knowledge about conducting business in the global economy. Students/employees will prepare for and compete in individual and trade show competitions throughout the year in different areas of California.