University Catalog 2023-2024

Strategy, Leadership & Analytics Minor (SLAM)

Strategy, Leadership & Analytics Minor (SLAM)

SLAM 1010  Entrep Lead & Prob Solv  (3)  

This course introduces students to core leadership, analytical, and managerial competencies from a liberal arts perspective. From a programmatic belief that liberal arts students’ education is enhanced though a deeper historical and contextual understanding of the contemporary global economy and its practices, this course advances such understanding in the areas of digital innovation and properties; big data and analytics; entrepreneurship and collaboration; and creative/cultural industries. In the study of these areas, students will develop their knowledge in conjunction with personal reflection on their academic program and career goals.

SLAM 1940  Transfer Coursework  (0-20)  

Transfer Coursework at the 1000 level. Department approval may be required.

Course Limit: 99
Maximum Hours: 99

SLAM 2010  Financial Literacy  (3)  

This class will walk students through the fundamentals of financial planning with topics including but not limited to saving for the future, insurance needs, philanthropic giving, major life purchases and taxes all within the framework of creating a life that is meaningful and affordable.

SLAM 2020  Financial Analysis and and Budgets  (3)  

This course offers an accessible introduction for students who may not have a business background to the fundamentals of financial analysis and budgets within business, philanthropic, and arts organizations. Looks at the role of financial budgets in three key areas of an organization’s activities: creating financial assessment information; providing financial decision-making information for strategic organizational planning; and generating market-specific information for the purposes of managing an organization’s operations, such as product or service development, marketing, and go-to-market strategies. This course will help students better understand the central operations of an organization for which they work and the important roles played by different parts or individuals within an organization. This course can be taken in lieu of ACCN-2010 for the Liberal Arts Management Minor. No pre- or co-requisites.

SLAM 2030  Introduction to Data Analytics  (3)  

SLAM 2030 aims to teach students the introductory skills necessary to collect data, hire data scientists, analyze dashboard results, and make decisions based on the information gained. Students will learn how data analytics fits into decision-making by studying companies that use big data or predictive data. Students will run a simulation to examine datasets and draw conclusions about the information contained within the data. Students will utilize a dashboard to make business decisions based on the outputs provided.

SLAM 2600  Introduction to Creative Industries  (3)  

Creative industries is a relatively new term that encompasses visual and performing arts, graphics, broadcast media (film, TV and radio), digital arts, design, and the new media. This course aims to provide an overview of the creative industries that create and disseminate meaning. It explores the conceptual foundations, histories, and main issues as well as key regulatory and policy issues surrounding creative industries in their social, political, cultural and global contexts.

SLAM 2940  Transfer Coursework  (0-20)  


Maximum Hours: 99

SLAM 3010  Leadership  (3)  

The purpose of this course is to help develop the next generation of leaders for our country and the world. They study of leadership begins with a conceptual understanding of the genealogies and evolution of leadership theory. It follows with students gaining practical knowledge about different leadership styles, traits and characteristics through case studies and personal interactions with proven leaders. The course also creates an opportunity for students to assess their leadership capabilities and to develop a personal leadership plan for the future.

SLAM 3020  Strategic Leadership in Practice  (3)  

This three-credit hour course serves as a practical introduction to concepts of strategic, purposeful leadership and the discipline of management. The practices of leadership and management govern the daily interactions of individuals, as they move through the world working for people, working with people, and supervising people. This course is a practical approach to leadership, incorporating management strategies and organizational behavior as integral parts of the leadership journey. This course also integrates accepted theories with real world applications to provide students with the basic knowledge and skills needed for leading and managing others. The course begins with individual reflection and analysis based on a modern strengths-based approach, moves to an understanding of leadership theories, discusses the principles and current issues in management and then foregrounds how these concepts can help leaders attract investment in their businesses and organizations — all through a lens focused on engendering diverse, equitable and inclusive environments.

SLAM 3030  Marketing Strategies for Business and Creatives  (3)  

Whether you are an artist figuring out how to best promote your work or a Fortune 500 company trying to reach a younger audience, marketing plays an essential role in any business endeavor. There is a reason almost every organization (business, non-profit, rock and roll band) allocates a significant portion of its budgeting to marketing, because this is the space in which the consumer learns about, connects with, and ultimately purchases whatever that product or service may be. Developing an effective marketing strategy allows a business of any kind to create value by better understanding the needs of its target audience and, as a result, offers its customer innovation and inspiration. This course will examine the fundamentals of developing a marketing strategy—branding, storytelling, communications, research and creativity—which in turn builds a successful, customer-focused organization that sustains its value over the long-term. Working with New Orleans-based organizations that have created effective marketing strategies, and others that need help on the marketing front, we will learn through a hands-on, real-world approach.

SLAM 3050  Public Relations  (3)  

The course is an introduction to the professional practice of public relations, emphasizing its dynamic functions and processes and its relationship to society. Students will examine fundamental theories that are essential to the professional practice of public relations. Emphasis will be on how public relations practitioners work to build meaningful and sustainable relationships with various publics, including employees, customers, community partners, news media, government officials, regulators, etc.

SLAM 3060  Philanthropy and Social Change  (3)  

This course is designed to educate students to the process of philanthropy through a social justice lens that takes into account the unequal distribution of wealth and resources in the United States. It looks at the meaning and history of philanthropy in America, while also examining conceptual frameworks for envisioning the relationship between philanthropy and social change.

Corequisite(s): SLAM 3890.

SLAM 3070  Non-Profit Development  (3,4)  

This course considers the multibillion dollar sports industry. mostly in the United States but also on a global scale in the cases of soccer and the Olympic Games. We examine professional sports -ownership structure of teams. organization of leagues. revenue generation and division, player compensation, race and gender inequities. and the costs and benefits of stadium construction. We also examine the development of intercollegiate sports, their financial aspects. and the impact of Title IX.

SLAM 3080  Fundraising and Sponsorship  (3)  

This course provides a foundational understanding of fundraising and sponsorship in the changing contexts of the philanthropic sector. Topics include fundraising planning, annual funds, major gifts, capital campaigns, planned giving, individual donors / membership programs, grants, special events, and sponsorship. Students also learn about building meaningful, ethical relationships between brands and non-profit entities.

SLAM 3100  Digital Entrepreneurship  (3)  

This course surveys developments in the areas of entrepreneurship and new media/communication/digital technologies, explores and examines the cultural transformations occurring as a result, and gives students an opportunity to initiate their own, original entrepreneurial activity in a hands on way, utilizing emergent technological resources.

SLAM 3330  Algorithms, AI, and Race in Digital America  (3)  

It is challenging to escape from algorithmic automated learning machines within our digital economy. While we interact with these processes daily, we often do not question how they work or impact us as people or societies. Algorithms are now used for everything from reviewing resumes for job openings to determining if an inmate in prison gets parole. While many have accepted algorithms as a necessity in the technological world, as a society, we do not acknowledge biases within machine learning and AI that lead to suboptimal decision-making and deepen inequities along racial divides. With a critical lens focusing on race, SLAM 3330 aims to explore the uses of these technologies and challenge the status quo to explore how we can improve these processes and outcomes as a society.

Course Limit: 2

SLAM 3510  Topics in Advanced Leadership  (3)  

This course explores the roots of leadership, which stem from various disciplines, including history, philosophy, sociology, communication, psychology, and management. The course aims to extend basic leadership theory to application applying it to a particular topic, including but not limited to community engagement, ethics, diversity, equity, inclusion, digital transformation, employee experience, reskilling, the changing workplace, and non-positional leadership. In this class, students will nurture leadership skills and develop language and tools that facilitate strategic planning and decision-making to enact social change. Students may repeat courses for credit under a different topic title, such as Community Engagement and Leadership or Ethical and Inclusive Leadership. This course is one of the possible electives for the SLAM minor.


Maximum Hours: 99

SLAM 3890  Service Learning  (0-1)  

Students complete a service activity in the community in conjunction with the content of a three-credit co-requisite course. Course may be repeated up to unlimited credit hours.

Corequisite(s): SLAM 3060.


Maximum Hours: 99

SLAM 3910  Special Topics  (3)  

Specialty courses on particular topics relating to management, media and business in arts and culture. Courses may be rooted in a variety of disciplines and instructors may be permanent or visiting faculty. Courses can be repeated for credit on different topics. Courses may be repeated up to unlimited times for credit.

Course Limit: 99

SLAM 3911  Special Topics  (3-4)  

Specialty courses on particular topics relating to management, media and business in arts and culture. Courses may be rooted in a variety of disciplines and instructors may be permanent or visiting faculty. Courses can be repeated for credit on different topics. Courses may be repeated up to unlimited times for credit.

Course Limit: 99

SLAM 3912  Special Topics  (3)  

Specialty courses on particular topics relating to management, media and business in arts and culture. Courses may be rooted in a variety of disciplines and instructors may be permanent or visiting faculty. Courses can be repeated for credit on different topics. Courses may be repeated up to unlimited times for credit.

Course Limit: 99

SLAM 3913  Special Topics  (3)  

Specialty courses on particular topics relating to management, media and business in arts and culture. Courses may be rooted in a variety of disciplines and instructors may be permanent or visiting faculty. Courses can be repeated for credit on different topics. Courses may be repeated up to unlimited times for credit.

Course Limit: 99

SLAM 3914  Special Topics  (3)  

Specialty courses on particular topics relating to management, media and business in arts and culture. Courses may be rooted in a variety of disciplines and instructors may be permanent or visiting faculty. Courses can be repeated for credit on different topics. Courses may be repeated up to unlimited times for credit.

Course Limit: 99

SLAM 4010  Leadership Strategies for Creative Industries  (3)  

Designed for students and professionals, this course forges pathways for strategic, purposeful leadership within the creative industries. Based on individual reflection and analysis within a strengths-based model we will learn tools for successfully managing a creative business, inclusive hiring, and building support. Each student will emerge with a portfolio of work that applies in-class learning to the real world experiences as creative entrepreneurs. This course may be combined with an internship for 4 credits.

SLAM 4020  Branding and Storytelling for Creative Industries  (3)  

Branding and storytelling are strategies for creative entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial creatives. Students will explore and apply creative business strategies that will connect internal and external stakeholders, including audiences, to position creatives for long-term viability and success through marketing, public relations, events, and media relations. 3 credits, 4 credits with an internship. There are no prerequisites for this course. This course can be combined with a 1-credit internship (SLAM 4560 or 4570), either as service learning or professional application of the learning in the course.

SLAM 4030  Data Driven Strategies  (3)  

If creatives consider their art their most important asset, data is their second. Artists can use data to find footing and a sustainable path forward as entrepreneurs. The information gathered can then be used to trim up costs, boost revenues, and reach a larger audience. By making data collection, storage, and analysis accessible, students will learn the cycle of making art to make money to make art.

SLAM 4040  Legal Strategies for Businesses and Creatives  (3)  

Artists, individuals, and businesses in the creative industries today have greater means than ever before to develop and grow a successful operation in the marketplace. Key to this success, however, is a strategic combining of artistic and creative talents with knowledge of marketplace elements, particularly those pertaining to business legal matters. This course introduces individuals to foundations of marketplace thinking as a means for assessing the needs of their given operational model and teaches the essential legal topics necessary for maximizing the opportunities that a given industry and operational model offers. Typical topics include business entity choice and formation, intellectual property identification and protection, and contract matters such as agreements made with other businesses, employee and independent contractor agreements, commissioned work, and user licensing. Students in the course will have the opportunity to apply the course topics to their individual areas of interest and creativity, as well as to work together so as to develop a comparative understanding of the course material’s application in different creative fields. As a final project, individuals in the class will develop their own individualized “legal studio”—a business legal plan that is strategically designed and integrated into the practices of their creative operation to further drive the operation’s success.

SLAM 4560  Internship  (1-3)  

Internship in Strategy, Leadership & Analytics Minor

Course Limit: 3

SLAM 4570  Public Service Internship  (1-3)  

This seminar is designed for students completing internships for elective and public service credit. The seminar offers students an opportunity to discuss and explore issues related to their internship experience including the topics of community and civic engagement, social justice, the nonprofit sector, and service-learning in higher education. Finally, the seminar is meant to complement the public service internship experience in facilitating individual growth and career development. This seminar is worth 1 to 3 credits and satisfies the Tier 2 service-learning requirement. You must also register for SRVC 4890 with this class (0 credits) to have it on your audit. Course may be repeated up to 2 times.

Course Limit: 2

SLAM 4810  Special Topics  (1-3)  

Specialty courses on particular topics relating to management, media and business in arts and culture. Courses may be rooted in a variety of disciplines and instructors may be permanent or visiting faculty. Courses can be repeated for credit on different topics. Courses may be repeated up to unlimited times for credit.

Course Limit: 99

SLAM 4820  Special Topics  (3)  

Specialty courses on particular topics relating to management, media and business in arts and culture. Courses may be rooted in a variety of disciplines and instructors may be permanent or visiting faculty. Courses can be repeated for credit on different topics. Courses may be repeated up to unlimited times for credit.

Course Limit: 99

SLAM 4830  Special Topics  (3)  

Specialty courses on particular topics relating to management, media and business in arts and culture. Courses may be rooted in a variety of disciplines and instructors may be permanent or visiting faculty. Courses can be repeated for credit on different topics. Courses may be repeated up to unlimited times for credit.

Course Limit: 99

SLAM 4840  Special Topics  (3)  

Specialty courses on particular topics relating to management, media and business in arts and culture. Courses may be rooted in a variety of disciplines and instructors may be permanent or visiting faculty. Courses can be repeated for credit on different topics. Courses may be repeated up to unlimited times for credit.

Course Limit: 99

SLAM 4850  Special Topics  (3)  

Specialty courses on particular topics relating to management, media and business in arts and culture. Courses may be rooted in a variety of disciplines and instructors may be permanent or visiting faculty. Courses can be repeated for credit on different topics. Courses may be repeated up to unlimited times for credit.

Course Limit: 99

SLAM 4890  Service Learning  (0-1)  

Corequisite(s): SLAM 4560.


Maximum Hours: 99

SLAM 4910  Independent Study  (3)  

SLAM 4920  Independent Study  (3)  

SLAM 5380  Junior Year Abroad  (1-20)  

Courses may be repeated up to unlimited credit hours.


Maximum Hours: 99

SLAM 5390  Junior Year Abroad  (1-20)  

Courses may be repeated up to unlimited credit hours.


Maximum Hours: 99

SLAM 7010  Leadership Strategies for Creative Industries  (4)  

Designed for students and professionals, this course forges pathways for strategic, purposeful leadership within the creative industries. Based on individual reflection and analysis within a strengths-based model, we will learn tools for successfully managing a creative business, inclusive hiring, and building support. Each student will emerge with a portfolio of work that applies in-class learning to the real world experiences as creative entrepreneurs. This course is combined with an internship for 4 credits

SLAM 7020  Branding and Storytelling for Creative Industries  (4)  

Branding and storytelling are strategies for creative entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial creatives. Students will explore and apply creative business strategies that will connect internal and external stakeholders, including audiences, to position creatives for long-term viability and success through marketing, public relations, events, and media relations. This course is combined with an internship for 4 credits.

SLAM 7030  Data Driven Strategies  (4)  

If creatives consider their art their most important asset, data is their second. Creative professionals can use data to find footing and a sustainable path forward as entrepreneurs. The information gathered can then be used to trim up costs, boost revenues, and reach a larger audience. By making data collection, storage, and analysis accessible, students will learn the cycle of creative making to make money to creative making. This course is combined with an internship for 4 credits.

SLAM 7040  Legal Strategies for Creative Industries  (4)  

This course introduces the essential legal topics necessary for maximizing the opportunities in a given industry and operations. Topics include business entity choice and formation, intellectual property identification and protection, and contract matters such as agreements made with other businesses, employee and independent contractor agreements, commissioned work, and user licensing. Students will have the opportunity to apply the course topics to their individual areas of interest and creativity. This course is combined with an internship for 4 credits.

SLAM 7810  Special Topics  (1-3)  

Special Topics Course

Course Limit: 99

SLAM 7820  Special Topics  (1-4)  

Special Topics Course

Course Limit: 99