The College of Business is ACBSP accredited and offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with seven concentrations: Accounting, Banking and Finance, Economics, Business Information Systems, General Business, Management and Marketing. In addition, the Management Concentration offers two specialty tracks: Small Business/Entrepreneurship and Industrial Relations.

The Departments:

Commitment to Improvement and Assurance of Learning

The College of Business performs numerous activities to ensure continuous improvement including revisions to the mission and identification and assessment of learning goals. The College has continuously assessed its academic programs since 2001 using course embedded assessment as well as feedback from students, faculty, and other stakeholders. The external assessment of programs is carried out during the MSCHE and ACBSP accreditation process and through the preparation of various reports which are submitted to the University, USM, and MHEC.

The undergraduate program has identified the following learning goals:

  • To write effectively
  • To communicate orally effectively
  • To solve business problems using critical thinking skill
  • Demonstrate awareness of globalization and diversity
  • Demonstrate mastery of business knowledge and skills in the following areas:
    • accounting, economics, management, finance, quantitative analysis, marketing, legal environment, international and information systems.

Results of the Assessment of Learning Goals

Performance Measure and goalMeasurement instrument or process?ResultsAnalysis of Results Improve or next steps?
Written Communication (Undergraduate and MBA level) will equal or exceed 70% of students at the Acceptable or higher level The written assignment was graded via common 5 point scale (Exemplary, Very Good, Acceptable, Unacceptable, Highly Unacceptable) rubric in select courses.The Spring 2012, the results of the written assessment indicated that 92.7% of students performed at the Acceptable or higher level and 55.64% performed at the Very Good or higher level. The Fall 2010 assessment results indicated that 84% of students were writing at an Acceptable. The rubric used for the Spring 2012 assessment was changed to a 5 point scale. Strategies to continue the improvement of undergraduate writing performance will continue to be explored.
Oral Communication (Undergraduate and MBA level) will equal or exceed 70% of students at the Acceptable or higher levelThe oral assignment was graded via common 5 point scale (Exemplary, Very Good, Acceptable, Unacceptable, Highly Unacceptable) rubric in select courses.The Spring 2012 results of the oral assignment indicated that 93.3% of students performed at the Acceptable or higher level and 55.64% scored at the Very Good or higher level.The Fall 2010 assessment results indicated that 91% of students were speaking at an Acceptable level. The rubric used for the Spring 2012 assessment was changed to a 5 point scale. Strategies to continue the improvement of undergraduate writing performance will continue to be explored
Critical Thinking (Undergraduate and MBA level) will equal or exceed 70% of students at the Arriving or higher levelA critical thinking assignment was graded via common 4 point scale (Mastering, Arriving, Developing, Emerging) rubric in select courses.The Spring 2011 results of critical thinking indicated that 69% of students scored at the Arriving or higher level. The results fell slightly below the target of 70% of students performing at the Arriving or higher level. The AOL Committee is scheduled to meet to review comments from faculty who assessed this goal and identify strategies to be implemented Fall 2013.
Awareness of Global Context (Undergraduate and MBA level) will equal or exceed 70% of students at the Arriving or higher levelA global context assignment was graded via common 4 point scale (Mastering, Arriving, Developing, Emerging) rubric in select courses.The Spring 2011 results of awareness of global context indicated that 80% of students scored at the Arriving or higher level. The results exceeded the target of 70%. Strategies to continue the improvement of global context will continue to be explored.
Mastery of Business Knowledge and Skills Outcome

Results will equal or exceed a mean score of 140 with annual improvement

ETS Major Field TestIn 2012, the mean score was 143 with a standard deviation of 10.4The mean score in 2012 of 143 represented a continuing trend of increasing mean scores with a 2009 mean score of 139, 2010 mean score of 138 and 2011 mean score of 141

Pre-screening will continue to be implemented for the Capstone Course (MGMT 440) with a transcript review to enforce prerequisites beginning Fall 2013

Retention Coordinator will be working with the Office of the Registrar to ensure that the online registration system properly screens students seeking to enroll in the capstone course

Online MFT instruction module will continue to implemented