Dean: Dr. William T. Fielding
111 SBI Complex
Accredited by AACSB International
The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
Mission Statement
The mission of the School of Business and Industry (SBI) is to educate a diverse undergraduate and graduate student body for successful employment and professional careers in a competitive global environment, to be productive and ethical citizens, and to be prepared for advanced studies, as well as lifelong learning.
The SBI carries out its mission through its commitment to the following four core values:
Teaching
We seek to provide our students with a learning-centered environment through which they become literate, articulate, and broadly educated individuals, who are knowledgeable in fundamental economic principles, the business disciplines, and the impact of global forces on domestic affairs. The curricula prepare baccalaureate and MBA graduates to be literate with information technology, ethically and globally aware, as well as analytical decision-makers who possess fully developed oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills. Graduates should be able to adapt to rapidly changing technologies and to adapt to a diverse work-place environment. The faculty seek to be recognized as excellent teachers and scholars, dedicated first and foremost to the development of students, through quality teaching, advising, and mentoring.
Intellectual Contributions
The SBI values basic research, applied research, and instructional development activities of the faculty, with primary focus on applied scholarship (contribution to practice) and instructional development (learning and pedagogical research). The faculty believe that teaching and scholarly activity are interdependent and that research enhances faculty effectiveness in the classroom and provides students with state-of-the-art business knowledge.
External Interaction
The SBI seeks to take a leadership role in the economic development of the State of Alabama, specifically its Northeast region. The SBI promotes excellence in service activities consistent with academic and professional strengths of faculty and staff. Faculty and staff are expected to be a resource for the economic development of the State and region by extending their knowledge, skills, and values to society. Interaction with external constituents is fostered through a variety of efforts to include the Center for Economic Development, the Center for Economic Education, the Environmental Policy and Information Center, guest speakers, executives-in-residence, and advising groups.
Continuous Improvement
The School strives to provide quality undergraduate and graduate management education through traditional, as well as distance, delivery. The faculty, staff, and administration of the SBI are committed to continuously improving the quality of our academic programs, our student support activities, and our service to the local and regional community.
Guiding Principles
From these core values, the School has derived the following guiding principles:
- Emphasize effective teaching in an environment with ample opportunities for academic and professional engagement through interaction of students and faculty with the business community;
- Create a student-centered educational environment, including a small-class atmosphere, and a caring faculty;
- Employ a strong faculty recognized for teaching and producing high quality scholarship;
- Build a student body focused on ethical development, integrity, an entrepreneurial spirit, social responsibility, and sustainability;
- Emphasize the importance of input from business practitioners, alumni, students, and community leaders to enhance the School’s programs;
- Emphasize the importance of strong academic programs, student support activities, and service to the community;
- Reinforce the importance of quality, efficiency, and innovative ideas;
- Support sustainability of the community, region, and State.
Vision Statement
The School aspires to be recognized as one of the premier public regional undergraduate schools of business in the Southeast.
Programs of Study
This School offers the 120 hour Bachelor of Science degree with business majors in the following areas of study:
- Accounting
- Business Economics
- Finance
- Management (concentrations are available in Entrepreneurship, Human Resource Management, and Information Management/E-Commerce)
- Marketing
Also, a 120-hour Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Economics and approved minor which, among others, may include Urban Economics/Real Estate Development as an option. A major in Economics with a concentration in International Business is also available. The SBI offers minors in:
- Accounting
- Business Economics
- Finance
- Business Administration
- Information Management/E-Commerce
- International Business
- Management
- Marketing
- Urban Economics/Real Estate Development
Other programs offered by the SBI include the Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Engineering with the following majors:
- Applied Manufacturing Engineering (Design and Automation or Manufacturing Management)
- Applied Electronics Engineering
- Industrial Leadership
- Occupational Safety and Health Management
The department also offers a variety of minors to benefit students majoring in other fields. Minors in:
- Applied Electronics Engineering
- Design and Automation
- Manufacturing Management
- Occupational Safety and Health Management
The two-year Pre-Engineering program offers a curriculum that will permit the majority of students to transfer with junior standing to most undergraduate engineering programs at other colleges and universities.
A Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication, as well as a minor in Communication, is available through the School of Business and Industry.
Upper Division Assessment Policy for Business Majors
In addition to meeting the general admission requirements of the University, students wishing to pursue a business degree from the School of Business and Industry must adhere to the following:
- All Bachelor of Science students enrolling in the School will list their major as “Undecided-MGMT” until the completion of all lower division (freshman and sophomore) courses. Upon completion of these 60 hours with a GPA of 2.00 or higher, students will be reclassified to one of the five business degree majors (accounting, business economics, finance, management, or marketing).
- While taking lower division courses, all students should schedule English composition and math courses each semester until such courses requirements are completed.
- SBI students who complete the 60 hours of lower division courses without attaining a 2.00 GPA will be required to repeat courses in order to bring the GPA up to the required 2.00. For the purposes of calculating the lower division GPA, only the highest grade for repeated courses will be included. Students not meeting the conditions to be reclassified will have one semester to bring the GPA up to the required 2.00. During this one semester, students will be allowed to continue in only nine (9) hours of SBI core courses selected from the following upper division courses: FIN 301 Business Finance (3); EC 303 Money and Banking (3), EC 321 Intermediate Microeconomics (3), or EC 322 Intermediate Macroeconomics (3); MKT 301 Principles of Marketing (3); MGT 301 Principles of Management (3); CBA 350 Business Communications (3), CBA 396 International Business (3), and IME 375 Introduction to e-Commerce (3) (all prerequisites must be adhered to). Students who attempt to enroll in classes without appropriate prerequisites will be dropped from these classes.
- Students who begin their program at JSU will follow the program of study outlined in the JSU catalog that is current at the time they initially enroll. However, if at some later date a student wishes to change to a more recent catalog, this is permissible. Students electing to change to a more recent catalog will need to satisfy all requirements of the selected catalog. See appropriate section of the university catalog for Catalog Requirements and Time Limits.
- Students transferring from any two-year college or other four-year institution must abide by all rules and regulations as specified in the appropriate JSU catalog relative to their admission, both into the university as well as into the School of Business and Industry. Transfer students also have the right to move to a more current catalog, if desired.
- Students planning to transfer from other junior or senior level colleges should consult with the Student Support Services Coordinator in the School of Business and Industry for information relative to degree requirements.
Advising Policy
The School of Business and Industry maintains an Advising Center {School of Business & Industry Complex (SBIC)} in which all freshman and sophomore students entering one of the business majors are advised. In addition, all first-time transfer business students are advised in the Center. Juniors and seniors who have completed all lower division courses with the appropriate GPA and have been reclassified into one of the school’s five business majors are advised by a faculty member from that major. Advisor assignments are made at the time of reclassification into the major.
Students enrolling in Applied Engineering are advised in the departmental office for that major (153 Ayers Hall).
Students enrolling in the Communication program are advised in the departmental office for that major (217 Self Hall).
Course Transfer Policy for Business Majors
Business students transferring to JSU from other accredited institutions must satisfy specified course and GPA requirements prior to eligibility for upper division courses. Also, business students may transfer into JSU from another institution no more than 50 percent of the business credit hours required for the business degree (SBI core plus major requirements). Transfer credits for 300/400 level business courses will be accepted only from AACSB-International accredited schools. This applies only to courses that are approved for transfer once a student has enrolled as a business student at Jacksonville State University and not to credits that have been completed at another institution prior to enrolling in JSU’s business program. See appropriate section of the university catalog for Transfer Student Admissions.
SBI Business Core Requirements
The following courses are included in the SBI core:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CBA 115 | Business Fundamentals/Orientation | 3 |
| CBA 350 | Business Communications | 3 |
| CBA 390 | Operations Management | 3 |
| CBA 396 | International Business | 3 |
| CBA 469 | Business Policy and Strategy | 3 |
| ACC 200 | Principles of Accounting I | 3 |
| ACC 210 | Principles of Accounting II | 3 |
| CS 201 | Introduction to Information Technology | 3 |
| ST 260 | Statistics/Quantitative Methods I | 3 |
| ST 261 | Statistics/Quantitative Methods II | 3 |
| FIN 292 | Legal and Social Environment | 3 |
| FIN 301 | Business Finance | 3 |
| EC 221 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| EC 222 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
| EC 303 | Money and Banking | 3 |
| or EC 321 | Intermediate Microeconomics | |
| or EC 322 | Intermediate Macroeconomics | |
| MKT 301 | Principles of Marketing | 3 |
| MGT 301 | Principles of Management | 3 |
| MGT 305 | Organizational Behavior | 3 |
| IME 375 | Introduction to e-Commerce | 3 |
A student must earn a minimum “C” average (2.00 GPA) in SBI core subjects and SBI core subjects taken in residence.
Grade Requirements for Major and Minor Courses
The student must earn a grade of at least a “C” in all major and minor courses required for degree completion.
SBI Graduation Requirements
In addition to successfully completing all course requirements for the major, students graduating with a degree from the School of Business and Industry must meet all requirements listed below for graduation:
- Attain an overall GPA of 2.00 or higher on all courses attempted.
- Attain a GPA of 2.00 or higher on all courses attempted at JSU.
- Attain a GPA of 2.00 or higher on all SBI core courses (See SBI Core Requirements above).1
- Attain a GPA of 2.00 or higher on all SBI core courses at JSU.1
- Earn a passing score on the English Competency Exam (ECE). Business students should then submit an Application for Degree to the Student Support Services Coordinator in the SBI Advising Center, Room 109 SBIC. Applied Engineering and Communication students should check with their departmental offices regarding their submission of the Application for Degree.
- Complete the university approved Exit Exam. This is an assessment of students’ accomplishments in general education and also measures reasoning skills.
- Complete the Major Field Assessment Business Test. This is an assessment tool that is used to measure students’ understanding of the basic business subject areas to include: accounting, economics, management, quantitative business analysis, finance, marketing, legal and social environment, and international studies.1
Students are encouraged to incorporate internships and practical field experiences in their degree plans. These field experiences may or may not be credit bearing, but are considered integral to the learning process. Students should consult their academic advisors for prior approval and guidance.
| 1 | For students pursuing a business major. |
Eligibility of Business Majors to Upper Division SBI Courses
In order to enroll in upper division (300 and 400 level) SBI courses, business students must have completed at least 50 semester hours to include:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ACC 200 | Principles of Accounting I | 3 |
| ACC 210 | Principles of Accounting II 1 | 3 |
| EC 221 | Principles of Microeconomics 1 | 3 |
| EC 222 | Principles of Macroeconomics 1 | 3 |
| MS 112 | Precalculus Algebra | 3 |
| ST 260 | Statistics/Quantitative Methods I | 3 |
| ST 261 | Statistics/Quantitative Methods II 1 | 3 |
| Total Hours | 21 | |
| 1 | Students who are enrolled inACC 210 Principles of Accounting II (3), EC 222 Principles of Macroeconomics (3) {having completed EC 221 Principles of Microeconomics (3)}, and/or ST 261 Statistics/Quantitative Methods II (3) may request special permission to enroll simultaneously in upper division SBI core courses. This permission, if granted, will be allowed only once per student; failure to successfully complete prerequisite courses will result in the student not being allowed to enroll in additional SBI core courses until such prerequisite course(s) have been successfully completed. |
In order to enroll in major courses, students must have completed all requirements for the upper division eligibility and be reclassified from “Undecided-MGMT.”
Eligibility of Non-Business Majors to Upper Division SBI Courses
Non-business majors having completed at least 50 semester hours may be eligible for upper division courses if they have met all prerequisites for each course. Others may be admitted only with the written permission of the appropriate department head.
Note: FIN 311 Personal Financial Planning (3), FIN 341 Principles of Real Estate (3), FIN 343 Real Estate Appraisal (3), and FIN 344 Legal Aspects of Real Estate (3) are exceptions to the requirements stated above; these courses are open to all students. FIN 343 Real Estate Appraisal (3) and FIN 344 Legal Aspects of Real Estate (3) require FIN 341 Principles of Real Estate (3) as a prerequisite.
Minors
Minors in business related areas are not available as part of the regular 120 hour degree program to students earning a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting, business economics, finance, management, or marketing. At least six (6) credits toward completion of a minor must be taken at JSU. All course prerequisites stated in the course descriptions in this catalog must be met.