College of Business
Dean Hugh Sherman
Copeland Hall
Athens, Ohio 45701-2979
740.593.2000 or 800.833.0484
Ohio University has offered business courses since 1893. Today the College of Business offers 10 undergraduate majors and a master of business administration (M.B.A.), and enrolls about 1,800 undergraduate and 90 full-time resident graduate students annually.
Learning to Solve Authentic Business Challenges
In the Colleges innovative action-learning environment, faculty break down the barriers between traditional functional areas of business. Students take core business disciplines in integrated class clusters so they graduate with a clear understanding of just how these disciplines interact in the business world. Students are challenged to learn individually and in groups to solve authentic business problems. They learn not only the concepts related to each course, but also develop vital skills such as time management, teamwork, problem solving, and analytical thinking.
With its emphasis on communication, information technology, global awareness, and leadership skills, the College of Business promotes market-oriented programs that move graduates into high-demand professional jobs. A number of advisory boards and an active Society of Alumni and Friends provide many opportunities for students to interact with and learn from top corporate executives, and to gain insight into effective strategies for success.
Undergraduate Programs
Undergraduate enrollment to the College is limited, providing more time for meaningful student/professor interaction. This year when the College raised the standards for admission, the quantity of admitted students actually went up as the yield (the number of students who accepted admission) increased to 405 freshmen. They have an average ACT of 24.7. Another measure of the quality of applicants is their class ranking, which this year went up by over two full percentage points, meaning incoming freshmen were in the top 19.8% of their class.
The College is organized into five units: the departments of Finance, Management Information Systems, Management Systems, and Marketing and the School of Accountancy. Majors are available in:
- Accounting
- Business Economics
- Business Prelaw
- Finance
- General Business
- Human Resource Management
- International Business
- Management
- Management Information Systems
- Marketing
Graduate Programs
The College of Business offers one graduate degree, the M.B.A. (Masters in Business Administration) which students can earn through one of two programs:
- The Integrated MBA (IMBA) is the College’s flagship M.B.A. program. The IMBA - our full-time, residential MBA program - is a rigorous and intense 13-month program of study. An innovative alliance with the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs provides the venue for IMBA students to gain exposure to over 300 businesses and entrepreneurs. The action-learning format pf the program challenges students to develop skills in communication, collaboration and teamwork, and the personal characteristics of initiative, diligence, creativity, and personal responsibility, while gaining an understanding of how traditional academic content adds value to business. The IMBA culminates in an international consulting experience where students gain an understanding of the complexities of international business.
- The Professional MBA (PMBA) is the College’s part-time M.B.A. program. Designed to meet the needs of emerging business leaders, the program makes it possible for individuals living and working in central and southeastern Ohio and along the Ohio River valley to earn an M.B.A. degree while fully employed. This unique program blends traditional classroom instruction with the creative use of technology to help students derive the maximum educational benefit with minimal interruption to professional and personal obligations.
The College has extensive experience with internationally-based MBA programs and currently offers a full-time MBA program in India, as well as joint study programs with schools in Brazil and China.
The College also offers customized executive education programs for businesses in Ohio, the U.S., and abroad.
Innovative Programs
The College of Business is home to a number of innovative centers and institutes that broaden students educational experiences.
- The Center for International Business Education and Development (CIBED) provides students the opportunity to earn class credit while working on real business projects in foreign countries.
- The Global Learning Community (GLC) prepares students for leadership opportunities in a rapidly changing world. Open to all majors, the GLC brings together the resources of four of the university's top-performing colleges -- Business, Communication, Arts and Sciences, and Engineering -- in an interdisciplinary 30 quarter-hour undergraduate certificate program on global issues, with a strong emphasis on real-world projects and problem solving skills.
- The Sales Centre provides a focal point for leadership in entrepreneurial thinking and sales education. It offers the Sales Certificate, a creative 28-hour cross-disciplinary undergraduate sales curriculum, featuring a dynamic interface with many sales professionals, including the executive members of the Colleges Professional Sales Advisory Board (PSAB).
The College of Business offers a many clubs and organizations that help students develop professional skills and establish networks of friends and potential employers. Many clubs are open to students with an interest in a specific major or professional field and others are honorary, recognizing scholastic and professional excellence.
Faculty
The faculty of the College of Business includes more than 60 highly qualified professionals. More than 80 percent of the Colleges faculty hold terminal degrees (such as a Ph.D., D.B.A., or J.D.). Many have experience in business and maintain consulting relationships with well-known firms. All are actively involved in either professional organizations, research, or writing to keep in touch with the world of business and industry.
Accreditation
The College holds accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) for its School of Accountancy, undergraduate, and graduate programs. Of the more than 1,200 colleges and universities in the United States offering business degrees, only 261 of them are accredited at both the master's and bachelor's degree levels. The AACSB recognized the College of Business action-learning program in 1996 when they awarded it first-place honors for Innovation and Leadership in Business Education, which resulted in a large grant from Procter & Gamble for further curriculum development.