College of Business

N. Leroy Kauffman, dean

Debasish Banerjee, associate dean

Vision. The College of Business will enhance its regional reputation for distinctive competencies in management education for the information age.

Mission. The College of Business mission is to facilitate student learning for a global business environment through teaching, our primary responsibility. Our curricula, which include a focused set of undergraduate degrees and graduate professional programs, provide students with technological expertise, discipline-based knowledge, and career-enhancing skills.

We engage primarily in applied and instructional development research, and we provide service to our campus, professional, and regional constituencies.

A set of shared values and the guiding principles of pursuing excellence with a personal touch govern our actions.

Programs of study include: Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Bachelor of Science in International Business, Master of Accountancy, Master of Business Administration, Master of Entrepreneurship, and Master of Project Management. The Master of Business Administration is offered in Cullowhee and Asheville; the Master of Accountancy is offered in Asheville; the Master of Entrepreneurship is offered in the Asheville/Hendersonville areas; and the Master of Project Management is Web-based, available internationally.

Admission to B.S.B.A. programs. Acceptance and registration in business administration courses or the declaration of intent to complete a business major do not guarantee admission to the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration programs. A student is not officially in the college until admitted as a candidate for the degree in a major program.

A student may be admitted to degree programs other than accounting after completing a minimum of 30 hours at Western Carolina University with a 2.0 GPA on hours attempted. Applicants transferring directly from another accredited institution must have a 2.0 GPA on all work attempted at the previous institution. Transfer students who complete courses at the university before applying for admission to the College of Business must have a 2.0 GPA on hours attempted. If less than 30 hours have been attempted at Western, a 2.0 GPA on hours attempted both at Western and at the other institutions is required. For admissions requirements to the accounting program, see the Department of Accountancy, Finance, and Entrepreneurship on the next page.

Consistent with the policy on transfer of course work, at least 30 semester hours of courses must be taken in the College of Business at Western Carolina University toward the BSBA or BS degrees.

Application for graduation may be filed with the dean upon completion of 90 hours and must be filed no later than one month before the final semester of enrollment.

The Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree. This degree program requires the following:

Liberal Studies 42 hours

Foundation of Knowledge for Business 36 hours

Major program of study in business 30 hours

Elective courses 12 hours

Minimum requirements for BSBA Degree 120 hours

A minimum GPA of 2.0 is required in the major for graduation. The major comprises 36 hours in foundation of knowledge and 30 hours in the major program of study for a total of 66 hours.

Foundation of Knowledge in Business courses are:

ACCT 251, 252 Accounting Principles I, II, 6 hours

CIS 251 Management Information Systems, 3 hours

ECON 231, 232 Microeconomics and Macroeconomics, 6 hours

FIN 305 Financial Management, 3 hours

LAW 230 Legal Environment of Business, 3 hours

MATH 135 Statistics, Functions, and Rates of Change, 3 hours

MGT 235 Statistics, 3 hours

MGT 300 Introduction to Management, 3 hours

MGT 305 Quantitative Business Analysis, 3 hours

MKT 301 Principles of Marketing, 3 hours

Appropriate prerequisites must be completed and at least 56 hours are required for enrollment in all courses numbered 300 or above in the College of Business.

The B.S. degree program in international business requires125 hours because of multiple college instructional agreements.

Students with majors outside the College of Business are prohibited from taking in excess of 25 percent of the hours required for their degree from College of Business courses.

Second Major in Business Administration. The requirements for a second major in business administration are identical with the Foundation of Knowledge for Business courses previously identified. Substitutions may be made only with the approval of the dean of the College of Business.