Business Administration

The Business Administration Department offers programs at the undergraduate and graduate level.

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Undergraduate Business Administration Information
Graduate Business Administration Information

Undergraduate Business Administration Information

Dr. Suzanne Erickson, associate dean and undergraduate chair

Mission The College of Business & Mass Communications aspires to prepare students to be successful professionally by grounding them in contemporary knowledge. Building on this foundation, with an emphasis on critical thinking and well developed communication skills the successful student will manifest global awareness, sensitivity to cultural diversity, strong professional ethics and demeanor.

Disciplines and Degrees Offered Undergraduate programs available are: Accounting (B.B.A.) ; Business (B.B.A.) ; Human Resources Management (B.S.) ; Marketing (B.B.A.) ; Organizational Leadership (B.A.) . In addition, minors in Business and Sport Management are available.

Students should consult the General Academic Plan section of this Catalog to determine which majors are available in the day, evening/weekend or online at Brenau University. Not all majors are offered at all Brenau locations. It may be necessary for Women’s College students to take evening/weekend/or online courses to complete the B.B.A. degree.

Graduation Requirements In addition to the requirements listed below, students are reminded that all majors will demonstrate oral and written communication competency within the context of writing and/or speech intensive courses in the major. Undergraduate students for all majors within the Department of Business Administration must maintain a 2.5 grade point average in the major and earn a grade of “C” or better in all common business core and major classes.

BA 480 Internships It is the objective of the Department of Business Administration to complement each student’s academic experience with practical field experience. Internships of one to six credit hours are available. Students may complete more than one internship, but the total internship hours of credit may not exceed six hours.

Department of Business Administration Outcomes Statement The department’s program of study is premised on the philosophy that the best preparation for students to lead extraordinary lives is a firm grounding in the liberal arts combined with a strong professional education. In addition to technical and managerial training students must master ethical reasoning and sensitivity to global issues. The course requirements for the undergraduate program are intended to implement this philosophy. A variety of assessment methods are used to measure the learning outcomes for each course and program.

Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) All business students are encouraged to participate in this student group and academic course. It is designed to introduce students to practical realities of the business world and to provide opportunities for community service. The Brenau chapter is part of a national organization which promotes knowledge about sound business practices and connects students with those of other colleges and universities. Local chapters compete annually for national recognition.

ACBSP Accreditation The programs offered by the Business Department of Brenau University are fully currently in candidacy with the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). This nationally recognized international accrediting body awards specialized accreditation for business programs only. Accreditation of the Business Department at Brenau University provides program validity conducted by an external accrediting body and helps the Department establish relationships with fellow institutions around the world who are also accredited through ACBSP.

International Studies Program
The business department follows the mission of Brenau University and thereby seeks to enhance the educational experiences of its students by offering study opportunities in foreign countries. These study opportunities will be in concert with classes that are offered each year, usually during the spring break period and/or summer semester. If a student wishes to participate in the International Studies Program, that student will be responsible for attending any and all classes before, during and after the actual trip. Assignments, papers, lectures, class presentations, guest lecturers and other classroom events will be held to compliment the classes offered. For more information, contact your adviser about the next trip. Students interested in Study Abroad should review the options available through Brenau’s partnership with Central College. Visit www.central.edu/ abroad, then meet with your adviser to determine which programs will work best for you.

Standardized Testing
Assessing student outcomes in higher education has received increasing emphasis and attention in recent years. Outcomes assessment is defined in a variety of ways. These include measuring student progress in liberal education programs, assessing learning at graduation, evaluating postgraduate activities and trying to relate success in career goals and objectives of a college or university. No matter how broad the definition of outcomes assessment, a key element for most institutions is that it provides a way to evaluate student academic achievement and growth. The business department of Brenau University has chosen to use Peregrine Common Professional Component Comprehensive Exams to help assess outcomes on the undergraduate level. Scores on these tests provide useful information for the department in evaluating their curriculum and for faculty in measuring the progress of their students and considering curriculum changes.

All B.B.A. candidates are required to take this test and it will be administered during their capstone experience, BA 499 (Business Capstone). Students will be billed a special resource fee for the test. The fee will be billed to their student accounts and it will appear on their student account after registering for BA 499.

Graduate Business Administration Information

Dr. Jeannie Gaines, graduate chair

Admissions Requirements In addition to the general requirements for admissions stated in the Graduate Admissions section of this Catalog, all applicants for admission to any of the graduate business administration programs (M.B.A.) must have an undergraduate G.P.A. of 2.5 or above and submit a current resume. If the student does not meet admission requirements, the student’s file will be forwarded to the Graduate Business Chair for review. After analyzing the students information and with the consultation of appropriate faculty, one of the following will occur:

Student will be required to take the GMAT for possible admission.
Student will be admitted based on undergraduate major, work experience or other extraordinary events.
Student will be declined admission.

Generally applicants for the graduate business programs are expected to meet the stated admissions requirements. However, Brenau may consider an applicant who does not meet [all] stated requirements, but who, in the opinion of the appropriate department, may be a good candidate for admission to the University. In such cases an applicant’s credentials will be reviewed by the graduate admissions committee, (based on departmental referral), to determine if the applicant is qualified for admission.

The Department of Business offers the M.B.A. degree with majors in accounting , healthcare management , human resources management , insurance management , international business , management and project management . In addition, Brenau offers the M.S. degree in organizational leadership . Foundation level courses provide necessary background for M.B.A. students whose undergraduate degree is not in business.

M.B.A. Program

Purpose The purpose of the M.B.A. program is to provide men and women with the key management, financial, marketing and operational principles needed for effective management of an organization. Students can expect a strong theoretical foundation with practical applications. M.B.A. students can choose a major of accounting , healthcare management , human resources management , insurance management , international business , management and project management to enhance their professional qualifications.

These are the four overarching objective of the M.B.A. program:

Graduates of the Brenau M.B.A. program will:

Be prepared to hold positions that entail or lead to managerial responsibility in organizations.
Be prepared to make significant contributions to organizational problem-solving and decision-making.
Encourage an ethical business environment.
Be prepared to lead in a global marketplace.

Outcome Statements

Upon completion of the M.B.A. program, students should be able to:
Conceptualize, organize and resolve complex business problems using technology and people resources;
Use financial information to make decisions and evaluate alternatives;
Communicate (written and oral) effectively in an organizational setting
Develop an awareness of the major challenges facing contemporary global business. The challenges include the need for innovation, integrity, ability to manage change, globalization and effective management of technology.

Comprehensive Testing All students in the M.B.A. program are required to take a compressive exam (Peregrine Common Professional Component Comprehensive Exam) as part of the capstone course. Please note that there is a resource fee charged for this exam. (See special fees in the Financial Information section of the catalog for fee information.)

M.B.A. Curriculum All majors will require that students take a capstone class toward the end of the program. Students must be aware of the necessary prerequisite courses needed in order to enroll in the capstone course. Students have seven (7) years to complete all coursework for their degree.