School of Business

Henderson Learning Center,
Room 114
(785) 231 - 1010 ext. 1308
Fax: (785) 231-1063
Bachelor Degree Seeking: bba@washburn.edu
Master Degree Seeking: mba@washburn.edu
www.washburn.edu/sobu

 

 

The Faculty
The Major
The Minor
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Source: 2005-2006 Catalog

Mission: The School of Business was established on July 1, 1973, by action of the Board of Regents. In 1946, the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree was created. The Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree program was implemented in 1982.
The Washburn University School of Business provides a high quality business education, supported by research and service activities, that enhances the economic vitality of the region. The School:

  • offers current, student-centered degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate level for students drawn primarily from the Northeast Kansas region that will prepare them for career success and life-long learning;
  • creates and applies research that enhances our classroom teaching, assists practitioners, and advances knowledge in the business disciplines;
  • serves as a catalyst for economic development of the region through our Small Business Development Center, the Washburn Entrepreneurship Program, and other collaborative partnerships;
  • provides faculty, staff, and student services to professional and civic organizations.

Undergraduate Program Core Competencies

To implement the mission of the School, the faculty has adopted the following undergraduate program core competencies as instructional objectives of the BBA program:

  • Written and Oral Communication Abilities: Students will be able to read with comprehension, write with clarity, verbalize concisely, and clearly present ideas in both formal and informal settings.
  • Teamwork and Interpersonal Abilities: Students will understand group dynamics and have the ability to work with others to set priorities, and organize and delegate tasks in order to meet goals.
  • Problem Solving Abilities: Students will be able to recognize, define, and analyze diverse problems, view problems from an original perspective, and organize and interpret information in order to draw and support conclusions.
  • Ethical Decision-Making Abilities: Students will be able to differentiate between ethical and unethical behavior and integrate ethical understanding and societal responsibility into decision making.
  • Global Awareness: Students will understand the impact of participation in the global economy on business conduct and performance as well as the effects of business actions on that economy.
  • Technological Abilities: Students will understand information technology as it affects the structure and processes of organizations and economies, and how the use of technology manifests itself in the establishment and accomplishment of strategic goals of the organization.
  • Entrepreneurship: Students will understand the roles entrepreneurs play in dynamic organizations and economies.

Degree, Minor, and Certificate Programs
Undergraduate students may earn the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree with a major in Accounting, Economics, Finance, Management, Marketing, and General Business, the Minor in International Business, and the Certificate in Entrepreneurship. Undergraduate students outside of the School of Business may earn the Minor in Business or the Minor in International Business, and the Certificate in Entrepreneurship. At the graduate level, the School of Business offers the Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree.

Scholarships
In recognition of the quality of School of Business programs, many alumni, individuals, and organizations have given generously to support worthy students with financial aid. For information and applications, please contact the Director of Financial Aid or the Office of the Dean, School of Business, Washburn University. To be considered for the scholarships administered by the School of Business, either as new or continuing recipients, students must make direct application to the School of Business each year; the normal deadline is March 1.

School of Business Honors
Candidates for the Bachelor of Business Administration degree may qualify for School of Business Honors provided the following criteria are met:
· accumulate a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.50 in all accounting, business, and economics courses applied to the BBA degree and/or
· demonstrate superior research and/or independent study skills while enrolled in Business 405 and
· be approved for honors designation by a two-thirds vote of the School of Business faculty.

In fulfilling conditions (2) and (3), the student will be expected to provide any academic data requested and to provide the School with an extra copy of written work prepared for credit in Business 405. Written notice of intent to graduate with honors must be submitted by the student to the Office of the Dean, School of Business early in the semester in which the student expects to graduate.

School of Business Scholars
Students graduating with the Bachelor of Business
Administration degree will be awarded the designation of School of Business Scholar provided they have accumulated a GPA of at least 3.50 in all accounting, business, and economics courses and rank in the upper quartile of the Washburn University graduating class.
Dean’s and President’s Honor Rolls for Undergraduates
In order to be included on the Dean’s Honor Roll, School of Business, a student must:

  • have been admitted to, and be in good standing with, the School of Business, and
  • have completed at least twelve graded semester hours with a GPA of at least 3.40 during the immediately preceding semester.

Students who have completed at least 12 graded semester hours with a GPA of 4.00 during the immediately preceding semester will be included on the President’s Honor Roll.

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) program at Washburn University
For information about the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program, see Graduate Programs in the catalog index.

Internships
The School of Business has developed an internship program that is constantly in demand by successful area businesses. School of Business students have the opportunity to select from internships in many industries. Starting in their junior year, students may earn credit toward their degree and also acquire job market skills for employment. Both the student intern and the employer are required to file progress reports with the internship coordinators on a regular basis. Internship credit hours are graded on a pass/fail basis only and do not count as electives to meet requirements for the majors. For further information, interested students should consult with the Director of Student Affairs in the School of Business. Descriptions of the programs are provided in the course listings of this catalog under Accounting 499 -Internship in Accounting, Business 499 -Internship in Business, and Economics 499-Internship in Economics. The total number of credits for a School of Business internship may not exceed six (6) semester hours; not more than three hours may be taken during any semester.

Study Abroad
Juniors or seniors may satisfy part of their degree requirements while spending one or two semesters in approved study abroad programs that place special emphasis on international business and economics. Washburn participates in the Magellan Exchange, a business school oriented program with about ten universities in Western Europe, and in the Consortium of North American Higher Education Collaboration (CONAHEC), a consortium of almost 50 schools in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Washburn also has a number of other international partnerships, including exchange agreements with:

  • Denmark International Studies (DIS), Copenhagen
  • Fukuoka University, Japan
  • Orebro University, Sweden
  • SNSPA, Romania
  • Tongji University, Shanghai
  • University of Claremont-Ferrand, France
  • University of Cambridge, England
  • University of Klagenfurt, Austria

Programs of study in many other countries can be arranged. For further information contact the Office of the Dean, School of Business or the Study Abroad Advisor, Washburn University.

Student Organizations
The School of Business feels that in order for our students to succeed they must develop communication and networking skills. To cultivate these skills the School of Business has several student organizations that students can join for both camaraderie and learning. For a full listing, description, and contact information, please consult the School’s web site at www.washburn.edu/sobu.

Small Business Development Center
The Washburn University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) provides free, confidential, and one-on-one counseling for small business owners or potential owners in the Northeast Kansas counties of Brown, Geary, Jackson, Marshall, Nemaha, Pottawatomie, Riley, Shawnee, and Wabaunsee. The SBDC also offers low-cost seminars and training programs and utilizes a wide variety of resources including online and Internet databases to help small businesses obtain the timely, detailed, and relevant information necessary to make sound business decisions. The services of the Small Business Development Center are available to all start-up or existing small businesses. The Washburn SBDC is co-located with the Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce in downtown Topeka at 120 S.E. 6th, Suite 100, Topeka, KS and can be contacted at 785-234-3235. In Manhattan, the Washburn SBDC is co-located with the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce at 501 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, KS 66502 and can be contacted at 785-587-9917. The web site is www.washburn.edu/sbdc.

Academic Advising and Admission Requirements
There are three steps in a student’s progress to the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), apart from the course work and the separate applications for scholarships and financial aid, which need to be initiated by the student. These steps include 1) declaration of major, 2) admission to the School of Business, and 3) application for the degree.

1. Declaration of Major / Degree / Catalog Year
Early in their program of study, all students interested in earning the Bachelor of Business Administration degree should declare their degree goal and major. This is done by submitting a declaration of major form to the School of Business. The six majors available within the BBA degree are accounting, economics, finance, management, marketing, and general business. Students interested in the BBA degree but who have not yet decided on a major initially can declare a major in general business and then later change their declaration of major in line with their final decision.

2. Application for Admission to the School of Business
Upon completion of 54 semester hours of college credit and the six required lower-division School of Business courses, students should apply for admission to the School of Business. A grade of “C” or better must be earned in each course. Mathematics 343 Applied Statistics may be substituted for Economics 211. A minimum of 30 semester hours must be earned after being admitted to the School of Business. Admission to the School of Business is a requirement for enrolling in BU 449 Strategic Management, the capstone course of the BBA degree.
The School of Business reserves the right to evaluate any credit hours offered for transfer relative to the current standards before accepting or rejecting such hours. Students should file an application for admission with the Office of the Dean of the School of Business as soon as the student becomes eligible to apply.

3. Application for Degree
Early in the semester of graduation, students planning to graduate must file an Application for Degree form in the Office of the University Registrar in order to initiate a graduation check. The form should be filed in September for the Fall semester and in February for the Spring semester and the Summer term. A student is not a Candidate for Degree until the University Registrar’s Office has the form on file and the candidacy has been approved.

Advising
It is important that any student who intends to work toward the Bachelor of Business Administration degree be advised by a member of the School of Business faculty or by an academic advisor in the School of Business. Faculty will assist students in selecting a major and in planning their academic schedules. Freshman, sophomore, and transfer students will need to consult initially with an academic advisor in the School of Business office, especially with regard to transfer credit. The School of Business reserves the right to evaluate any credit hours offered for transfer relative to the current standards before accepting or rejecting such hours. Once established in the program, these students may pursue advising from School of Business faculty.

Students should have reviewed their academic transcript and processed a degree audit through MyWashburn before visiting with their advisor. The purpose of the degree audit is to provide students with the remaining requirements left to complete their degree. While the degree audits are unofficial, they should be an accurate reflection of the student’s academic progress. If the student believes his or her audit or transcript is incorrect, the question should be brought promptly to the attention of an advisor in the Dean’s office. All transfer course should be evaluated no later than the first semester of enrollment at Washburn.

The School of Business provides advising literature and materials explaining program requirements and requires the student to consult with an advisor during the enrollment process. The student, however, has the ultimate responsibility for understanding the requirements of his/her degree program and for ensuring that the program requirements, including course prerequisites, are met in order and on a timely basis. Program and advising information is available through this catalog, the School’s web site, and separate information sheets.

Prerequisite Policy for Students in School of Business Courses
It is the responsibility of all students enrolled in School of Business courses, regardless of major or degree program, to observe the published prerequisites for the course. For a prerequisite requirement to be met, the prerequisite course must be successfully completed with a grade of “C” or better. A student not meeting course prerequisite requirements is subject to administrative withdrawal from the course at any time. Any questions should be directed to an advisor in the School of Business office.

Preparation for Further Study at the Graduate Level
Students considering graduate study in accounting, business, or economics are encouraged to take mathematics beyond the current minimum requirement, including MA 142 Applied Calculus II or appropriate higher level mathematics courses, such as MA151, MA152, or MA153.

Outcome Assessment and Assurance of Learning
The Washburn University School of Business, as part of its continuous improvement efforts and consistent with the requirements of Washburn University, the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, and the Association for the Advancement of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International, at intervals administers surveys and tests to its students, graduates, staff, and external constituents. We encourage all of those contacted to support our continuous improvement efforts by participating in these surveys and tests. For currently enrolled students, the tests and surveys may be required as part of coursework, or as program and degree graduation requirements separate from coursework, and independently of the catalog under which the student intends to graduate. Tests may be administered during regularly scheduled classes, or at other times separate from class meeting times, including on Saturdays; an assessment fee may be charged.

 


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