Program Coordinator: Demetri Tsanacas
Phone Number: (540) 365-4318
e-mail: dtsanacas@ferrum.edu

WELCOME
On behalf of the Ferrum College faculty teaching in the Business programs, I would like to welcome you and invite you to explore our program offerings, familiarize yourself with the educational philosophy and contact us with any questions, comments, or suggestions.
Feel free to browse our web pages, learn about the numerous opportunities that the Business program provide, and explore the benefits of joining our growing family of students, friends, and alumni. We are driven by the overarching objective to provide quality-driven education and service to our students, while preparing them for careers that will set them apart in a highly competitive market. We are dedicated to providing ongoing service to our community and performing outreach in order to benefit the organizational lives of the business practitioners and stakeholders that we serve.
We welcome you to come join us at the Ferrum College Business programs.

Please feel free to send me your comments and suggestions.

Demetri Tsanacas Ph.D.
Professor of Business and Economics
Sam M. Walton Free Enterprise Hall of Fame
dtsanacas@ferrum.edu
504-365-4318

WHY BUSINESS?
Regardless of your major in college, chances are that you will either work in the business world or be closely affiliated with business enterprises. In today's challenging and competitive environment, the need for well-trained and competent business professionals is greater than ever. Rapid increases in technology and the ever-expanding globalization of markets have created new and exciting business opportunities for all college graduates. By enrolling in the Ferrum College Business Programs, you will have the opportunity to develop the skills, knowledge, and values necessary to succeed in the highly competitive business world. Our curriculum engages all students in professional enrichment activities that form the basis for continued lifelong learning and a productive and meaningful career in your area of interest.

BUSINESS PROGRAMS AT FERRUM COLLEGE
Undergraduates may choose to pursue the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, where concentrations are offered in finance, decision Supports, management, marketing, or sports management.  Interested students may also pursue a minor in economics. Students of all concentrations may also become involved in numerous Experiential learning opportunities, including internships, practicum job shadowing and mentoring programs. All experiential learning programs will be embodied in the unique Professional Enrichment Program

BUSINESS PROGRAM UPDATES at FERRUM COLLEGE
The business program curricula are continually undergoing review and revision, professional enrichment opportunities are increasing the awareness and readiness of our student body for entry to the business arena, and new programs are preparing our students for rewarding careers in an international and culturally diverse marketplace.
The business programs are housed in the College’s newly renovated Beckham Hall an ultramodern facility that provides state-of-the-art learning resources to support our technologically oriented programs. Seminars, forums and College sponsored activities such as: the Corporate Challenge,  the Career Focus dinners, Career Fair, Business Etiquette and Seminar, as well as,  student organizations such as Students in Free Enterprise SIFE, provide opportunities for students to network with successful business professionals. In addition, credit earning practicum small-group consulting opportunities with small businesses, internship experiences, and job shadowing opportunities bear the earmarks of a program of business designed to encourage student success and prepare Ferrum College students for meaningful and productive careers upon graduation.

OUR VISION
To provide our student body with the highest quality business education that reflects the realities of today’s business environment

OUR MISSION
The mission of the Ferrum College business programs is to offer educational programs and activities that prepare business students both personally and professionally, for the managerial challenges of the global competitive environment, through individual and group work and through the blending of instruction and experiential learning.

STAKEHOLDERS
The business program recognizes a broad range of stakeholders as significant partners in our success

• Current and prospective students
• Employers, large and small
• The broader business and professional community
• Our alumni
• The academic community
• The Ferrum College community

EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY
In addition to, and as an integral part of our mission, the educational philosophy that governs our approach centers on preparing our students for the roles we have described by assuring their mastery of:

1. Discipline Specific Knowledge and Competencies: e.g., information technology and quantitative skills appropriate to problem solving in real work settings.
2. Thinking Skills: logical, critical and integrated analysis, the capacity to exercise good judgment; creative and non-traditional problem solving; and proficiency in ethical reasoning
3. Communication Skills: proficiency in oral, written, presentation, and distance communication.
4. Change Management: understanding and shaping the forces of change, including globalization, and using this understanding to formulate, evaluate, and select from alternative strategies to achieve sustainable competitive advantage for themselves and for their companies and organizations.
5. Self Development: the capacity to engage in the effective self-management of lifelong learning to achieve continuous professional and personal growth.
   
   

CORE STRATEGIES
To realize our vision, to implement our mission and to act in accordance with our educational philosophy we must:

• Creatively intervene in the student recruitment, selection and advising process
• Forge numerous collaborations and affiliations with leading educational institutions and organizations
• Promote mutually beneficial partnerships and strategic alliances with our stakeholders
• Review, reconsider and implement faculty staffing and development strategies
• Continuously develop and enhance our curriculum

BUSINESS ADVISORY BOARD
The Business Advisory Board (BAB) of the Ferrum College Business Programs is composed of leading members of the business and civic community. The members are nominated by the business faculty and are appointed by the President of the Ferrum College.

The main goal of the BAB is to provide guidance and assistance to the Business School in the pursuit of academic excellence and service to our community.

The objectives of the Business Advisory Board are:

• To provide advice and serve as a communication channel between the Ferrum College business programs and the business community.
• To provide advice on curriculum effectiveness, help in the design of new programs, and support efforts to improve the educational process.
• To recommend competent personnel from business and industry as potential part time instructors and guest speakers for classes.
• To assist in placing qualified graduates in appropriate jobs and in securing field placements for internships.
• To keep the business department informed about changes in the labor market, and the needs of the business community.
• To serve as judges of student special projects and presentations.
• To serve as mentors to business students

Required Courses:
All students pursuing a degree in the Department of Business and Economics are required to complete a general business curriculum and courses pertaining to their own chosen fields of study.

The general business curriculum consists of:
ACCT 201 Principles of Accounting
ACCT 202 Principles of Accounting
ECON 201 Principles of Economics
ECON 202 Principles of Economics
MATH 112 Pre-Calculus
MATH 206 Introductory Statistics
BUS 230 Computer Applications
BUS 303 Principles of Management
BUS 308 Business Communications
BUS 311 Marketing
BUS 313 Business Finance I
BUS 315 Business Law
BUS 330 Quantitative Methods
BUS 331 Production/Operations Management
BUS 498 Business Policy

Students majoring in Business Administration select an emphasis area from the following:
Marketing
Management
Financial Management
Decision Support Systems
 
A broad range of course offerings is available to support the emphasis areas, some of which are listed below:
ACCT 301 Managerial Accounting I
BUS 304 Advertising
BUS 305 Sales Management
BUS 314 Advanced Corporation Finance
BUS 316 Retail Management
BUS 320 Small Business Management
BUS 331 Production/Operations Management
BUS 403 Human Resource Management
BUS 410 Marketing Research
BUS 418 Investments
BUS 430 Management Information Systems
BUS 443 Advanced Computer Applications
BUS 499 Internship
ECON 310 Economics and Environmental Policy
ECON 313 Money and Banking
ECON 330 International Trade
ECON 400 International Finance
ECON 405 Government and Business
PHIL 311 Business Ethics