The Georgetown McDonough Ignite Summer Institute is a 10-week, 12-credit, in-person undergraduate program. The institute will take place from Monday, June 2, to Friday, August 8, 2025.
Course Schedule
ACCT 1101-10: Intro to Financial Accounting (3 credits)
Prof. Patricia Fairfield
Course meets June 2–July 3, Mon. and Wed., 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. and 2:00-4:00 p.m., Hariri 130
This course is an introduction to financial accounting as the “language of business.” Financial accounting provides information to stakeholders of the firm, including customers, suppliers, managers, investors, creditors, regulatory agencies, and local communities. The course covers fundamental financial accounting concepts, the structure of financial statements, and the analysis of significant business transactions. Most of the skills acquired in the class will be taught through real-world examples from company financial statements to understand how accounting information is presented to and used by stakeholders. The skills acquired in the course are foundational for various careers, including general management, financial services, consulting, and those thinking of starting their own business or joining nonprofit or government entities.
In this course, you will:
- Master the fundamental principles of financial accounting, including the preparation and analysis of financial statements.
- Identify and critically assess ethical issues in financial reporting and decision-making.
- Understand the impact of accounting on business decisions and stakeholder relationships.
- Evaluate real-world financial cases to explore ethical dilemmas and their resolution.
MGMT 1101-20: Management and Organizational Behavior (3 credits)
Prof. Renee Rinehart Kathawalla
Course meets June 2–July 3, Tue. and Thurs., 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m., Hariri 130
This course is a comprehensive overview of the management process and organizational behavior from a behavioral and social science perspective. Topics include: management across cultures; managing with ethics and social responsibility; fundamentals of organizing; organizational culture and design; leadership; motivation; communication; interpersonal skills; teamwork and group dynamics; goal-setting; alternative work arrangements; power and politics; conflict and negotiation; managing change; and management development. Emphasis is on the analysis and understanding of human behavior in organizations.
In this course, you will:
- Gain a foundational understanding of classic and contemporary management theories and their application in organizational settings.
- Explore the dynamics of individual and group behavior within organizations, including motivation, leadership, teamwork, and communication.
- Understand the impact of organizational culture on employee behavior, performance, and overall effectiveness.
- Analyze how globalization and cultural diversity influence management practices and organizational structures.
- Utilize case studies and experiential learning opportunities to apply management and organizational theories with experiential partners (KPMG, EY, PwC, Deloitte) for practical insights.
FINC 2101-20: Business Financial Management (3 credits)
Prof. Anthony Annan
Course meets July 7–August 8, Mon.-Thurs., 10:45 a.m.-12:40 p.m., Hariri 130
This foundational course in finance covers the functions of financial managers, financial markets, financial analysis tools, and corporate financial decision-making. It provides an introduction to the cost of capital, investment analysis, capital budgeting, and the valuation of securities.
In this course, you will:
- Grasp key concepts of financial management, including capital budgeting, financial analysis, and working capital management.
- Evaluate ethical dimensions of financial decision-making, focusing on risk management and investment strategies.
- Analyze financial data to make informed and ethical business decisions.
- Gain practical experience with experiential partners to understand financial management in real-world settings.
MARK 1101-10: Principles of Marketing (3 credits)
Prof. Karthikeya Easwar
Course meets July 7–August 8, Mon.-Thurs., 3:15 p.m.-5:10 p.m., Hariri 130
A first course on tools and approaches for making marketing decisions. Marketing is viewed as a broad technology for influencing behavior, beyond functions like selling and advertising. Topics covered include consumer behavior, marketing research, and marketing planning, with emphasis on marketing mix decisions: product strategy, communications, pricing, and distribution.
In this course, you will:
- Learn fundamental marketing concepts, including market research, consumer behavior, and the marketing mix.
- Develop and implement effective marketing strategies.
- Explore ethical considerations in marketing practices, including advertising ethics and consumer rights in finance.
- Apply marketing principles to real-world scenarios through experiential learning with partners like Capital One, CFPB, and JPMorgan Chase.
Program Participation
To gain credit for the Institute, you must participate in all scheduled institute programming. Any outside commitments you may have—including but not limited to summer internships—cannot conflict with either class meetings or experiential components.