This course introduces students to human-centered design approaches for innovative problem solving. Human-centered design (also known as design thinking) focuses on people and social contexts to solve ambiguous problems. Students will utilize fundamental concepts in design thinking, interactive design methods and processes, and hands-on projects and will learn how user research, synthesis, idea generation, and …
The structure and history of financial sector and credit union regulation, and the role for political advocacy. Major themes include the role of regulation in public policy, the interplay between regulation and market structure, and the role of political action in shaping regulation. Examples from credit union regulation, including compliance, political advocacy and strategies to …
The course explores the evaluation of risks and uncertainty when making decisions and identifying mitigation strategies. In addition to exploring frameworks for risk management, the course also explores the consequences of inaction—decisions still need to be made even under uncertainty. Examples are drawn from credit union case studies to help students estimate risks and design …
This course provides an overview of the key functions carried out at credit unions, including: operations, finance, human resources, marketing, and information technology. Students will explore the interplay between functional areas and assess the strengths and weaknesses of credit unions’ operational strategies. Particular emphasis will be placed on application of course tools on the student’s …
This course builds upon the Financial Management course from the first year by exploring further into: strategic financial concepts, peer credit union analysis, financial projections and management of strategic financial scenarios. The tools gained in this course will prepare students for the financial analysis required in the second year project which requires using data from …
This course explores money creation and monetary policy. Students will explore the causes of inflation and recessions and analyzes the role of the Federal Reserve System and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in conducting monetary policy in the US economy. Particular attention will be placed on the interaction between monetary policy and credit union strategy.
This course prepares students to use the skills from their first two years of WCMS to create a strategic plan for their credit union. The project requires students to explore historical trends and forecast future financial conditions in order to create and analyze a business plan for their credit union.
This course explores how to effectively, authentically and consistently influence others. Provides practical skills and techniques to improve day-to-day communication and build a personal brand and persuasive influence.
This course examines enterprise risk management in legal decision making, focusing on fiduciary duties and human resources. Students will explore decision-making frameworks for evaluating mitigation strategies for legal risks. Examples drawn from credit union experiences will allow students to practice making strategic decisions under legal risk.
This course provides an overview of the tools and techniques of human resource management. How do organizations attract, retain and empower their employee talent. Students will also analyze how their credit union is organized, and the practices used for people management within the organization.