Welcome to the School of Business at Western New England College. I know you will be impressed by our quality, the programs we offer, and our exciting new initiatives that enhance student learning.
Quality Matters
Quality is an important factor in choosing a business school. The caliber of the teaching and quality of the programs directly influence the School's reputation and the value of the degree you will receive. Since earning AACSB accreditation in 2003, the School of Business has pursued a program of continuous improvement to maintain this important assurance of quality. The first five-year review included submitting self-assessment reports and undergoing an intensive peer review campus visit. In December, we received confirmation that the Western New England College School of Business continues to meet the high standards set forth by AACSB International. The benefit to students is they are assured of a degree from an institution that is internationally recognized by employers and the academic community, such as graduate schools they may attend in the future.
Undergraduate and Graduate Programs
Undergraduate students have the option of majoring in accounting, finance, business information systems, management, sport management, marketing, or general business. The entrepreneurship minor and international business minor provide students with specialized study in these exciting areas. For those students who are interested in accelerated programs, the School offers a combined BSBA/MBA degree, the Five-year Bachelor/MBA, that can be completed in five years, and for those who major in Accounting, an accelerated MSA, the Five-year/MSA, is available to them.
With a growing focus on understanding the global business environment, every year, our faculty develop undergraduate courses that incorporate a 10 to 14-day international travel component into the class. Last year, students visited China and Guatemala. In addition to traditional study abroad opportunities, each year the School offers short trips through its Seminar Abroad program. This January students visited Prague, and in the spring and summer travel courses are scheduled for England, Ireland, and Guatemala. Students return from these trips with a greater appreciation of the global environment and the role they may one day play in it.
Graduate students have several exciting options available to help them select a program that fits their career goals. Students can choose a Master of Business Administration (MBA), an MBA with a Sport Management Concentration, a JD/MBA combination, or a Master of Science in Accounting (MSA). An MSA-taxation concentration combines courses from the Business School and from the Western New England College School of Law.
New Initiatives
Faculty continue to develop new initiatives that combine their business expertise with that of colleagues in the Schools of Law, Engineering, and Arts and Sciences. Examples of these initiatives include a program using Law School students and Business and Accounting graduate students to help entrepreneurial organizations in the region. Another example is a program using Marketing students to help Engineering students assess the marketability of their products. These initiatives not only broaden student exposure to faculty and students from the other Schools, but they also expose students to the type of interaction that exists among groups with different backgrounds in business organizations.
Other initiatives are the use of SAP enterprise-wide software in sophomore courses. Using this software, students clearly see how all of the functions within a business enterprise are related. Also, the Center for International Sport Business sponsors programs featuring famous international speakers who share their firsthand experiences in the business of sport.
The decision about your education is an important one. To learn more about the programs and events offered at the School of Business, I encourage you to visit our campus and to experience the welcoming environment at Western New England College.
Julie Siciliano, Dean
School of Business
Julie Siciliano
Dean
School of Business
Western New England College
jsicilia@wnec.edu
413-782-1231