Accredited business degree programs in Alabama are growing in necessity, as the state has invested in many high-tech industries. Often thought of as a primarily agriculture state, that industry only accounted for approximately one percent of the gross domestic product in 2006. Since the 1960s, as in many states, the number of private farms has dropped steadily. Cotton is still the chief crop grown in the state, but greenhouse plants, peanuts and vegetables also provide a significant portion of the agriculture economy.
Today, manufacturing accounts for a larger percentage of the state’s income. Chemical, electronic, textile and processed foods are also important industries throughout the state. In addition to manufacturing, Alabama has the second most extensive forest, leading to a large paper and pulp product industry. The coal industry has declined over the past few years, while oil, gas, cement and stone lead mineral production.
Tourism is another leading industry in Alabama, with over 23 million visiting the state in 2012. Baldwin County, named in honor of Senator Abraham Baldwin, despite the fact that he never lived in what is now Alabama, sees the most visitors to the state. According to the Alabama Tourism Office, visitors come to the beaches and Gulf Coast, with many of those beach areas found in Baldwin County. Beach communities such as Orange Beach, Fairhope and Dauphin Island have all seen tourism grow.
In addition, many visitors want to remember the history of the United States, and much of this is evident in Alabama. Visitors can retrace the steps of the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham or visit the Rosa Parks Museum in Montgomery. Mobile offers the country’s oldest Mardi Gras celebration, while others choose to visit Civil War era locations, like Horseshoe Bend National Military Park where the final battle of the Creek War was fought.
With the many diverse industries that make up the economy of Alabama, it is no wonder that colleges and universities throughout the state are offering accredited business degree programs in Alabama.
Auburn University
Raymond J. Harbert College of Business
Named for Raymond J. Harbert, a 1982 graduate of Auburn University, the Harbert College of Business has seven graduate programs and 13 undergraduate programs. There are 3,913 students enrolled in the college, which was founded in 1967. After Mr. Harbert gifted $40 million to Auburn, which is the largest gift given in the history of the university, and the decision was made to rename the College of Business in honor of his generous gift. The school was ranked as 36th for public undergraduate colleges of business and 27th for public university MBA programs by U.S. News and World Report. There are 40,000 alumni from the college worldwide.
Business Administration
The Business Administration program at Auburn provides flexibility while preparing students for future opportunities. Students build an extensive background in marketing, finance, accounting and management. Students are also able to explore additional concentrations in the business field through the wide range of electives available. Students take courses such as Business Law, Contemporary Issues in Business, Management, as well as the core courses required of all majors at the university.
Master of Business Administration
The college offers both on-campus and distance options to provide flexibility for students who wish to pursue a graduate degree in Business Administration. Students may choose a concentration in:
•Finance
•Marketing
•Management
•Information Systems
•Supply Chain
•Business Analytics
•Human Resource Management
In addition to classroom instruction, students participate in an international experience and leadership development trip as part of the curriculum. Students who participate in the on-campus program are provided career development and resources as well. The MBA program at Auburn is the largest program in the College of Business and has drawn high rankings from major publications, including Forbes Magazine.
Accreditations
•Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
•Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
Contact
Auburn University
College of Business
415 West Magnolia Avenue
Auburn, AL 36849
Telephone: 334-844-4835
Email: shookcl@auburn.edu (Undergraduate) parrijw@auburn.edu
Website: http://business.auburn.edu/academics/undergraduate/business-administration and http://business.auburn.edu/academics/graduate/masters-of-business-administration
Auburn University Montgomery
School of Business
The College of Business at Auburn University ranks among the top one percent of business schools in the country, and was named by the Princeton Review as the “Best Business School” for three consecutive years. The college offers a wide range of resources for students who wish to enter a business career after graduation. The highly-qualified faculty bring real-world experience and knowledge to the classroom and strong ties to the business community provide ample opportunities for students to obtain internships and network with industry leaders.
General Business
The General Business option is designed for students seeking a generalized business degree. Courses cover various aspects of business, including accounting, economics, finance, information systems, human resources and others. Students may use the Individualized Option to design a program that best meets their needs by working with faculty to develop a theme and choose classes.
Master of Business Administration
Students who choose to further their education at Auburn Montgomery master the art of listening, negotiating, teamwork and execution. Students may choose a concentration in one of the following subjects:
•Global Business Management
•Management of Information Technology
•Economics
•Finance
•Marketing
•Management
The MBA program at the university is ranked in the top five percent in the world and recognized as the “Best Business School” by the Princeton Review. Students receive personal attention from instructors which lead to advanced communication skills, and the highly-qualified staff provides guidance in real-world problem solving. Students must provide undergraduate transcripts and acceptable scores on the Graduate Management Admissions Test. An English proficiency examination may also be required.
Executive MBA Program
With nationally and internationally renowned faculty and a curriculum that has been ranked highly on many higher education lists, the Executive MBA program provides students with a strong background in business fundamentals. Students attend ten courses through the program on various business subjects, including decision making, financial valuation, human resources and communications. Eligible candidates must have an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university and five or more years of work experience.
Accreditations
•Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
•Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Contact
Auburn University Montgomery
College of Business
301 Clement Hall Business Building
PO Box 244023
Montgomery, AL 36124
Telephone: 334-344-3478
Email: askaum@aum.edu
Website: http://www.business.aum.edu/undergraduate-programs/general-business and http://www.business.aum.edu/graduate-programs/mba-program
Samford University
Brock School of Business
The Brock School of Business has a long history and list of achievements since it began offering Samford began offering degrees in business in 1922. The School of Business was established in 1965, offering both Bachelor and Master level degrees. The first part-time business master’s degree was offered through the school in 1967. The school is named for Harry Brock, Jr., who, in 1964, opened a new bank in Birmingham with a group of friends. Even before the opening of the bank, which grew to become one of the largest in the country, Mr. Brock donated his time to the growth of Samford, serving on the Board of Trustees starting in 1962, and joining the Executive Committee in 1963. He received an honorary doctorate from Samford in 1994. In 2007, Mr. Brock made a personal commitment to help the school reach its endowment goal of $100 million.
Management
The Brock School of Business at Samford offers an undergraduate degree in Business Management that provides students with a background in planning, organizing, hiring and motivating others. The objectives of the program are:
Equip graduates for entry-level positions by providing a general knowledge of core areas.
Course options for students that allow them to create an individualized track in business management based on their own talents.
The ability to focus on more than one business discipline to promote their chances for success.
Graduates of the program have obtained employment with companies that include the Canadian Football League, Compass Bank, Blue Crosse Blue Shield of Alabama, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and many more high-profile companies.
Master of Business Administration
The Master of Business Administration program at Samford is an evening and online program that offers a comprehensive education in business for those who wish to expand their managerial duties. Students may add a concentration to their degree by choosing an approved elective beyond the two required for the degree. Students develop an understanding of core business functions, including accounting, corporate strategy, human resources and more. Students must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, and must have a GMAT or GRE score of 480 or better, as well as an index score of 1050 or better. Work experience is preferred but not required for admission into the program.
Accreditations
•Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
•Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
Contact
School of Business
Samford University
800 Lakeshore Drive
Birmingham, AL 35229
Telephone: 205-726-4218
Email: samfordbusiness@samford.edu
Website: http://www.samford.edu/business/management-major.aspx and http://www.samford.edu/business/mba-program.aspx
University of Alabama
Culverhouse College of Business and Commerce
The Culverhouse College of Commerce began in 1919, created by the first dean of the University of Alabama, Lee Bidgood. The college offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in business in four buildings found on the west edge of the scenic Quad on the campus of the University of Alabama:
•Bidgood Hall
•Mary Hewell Alston Hall
•Angelo Bruno Business Library/sloan Y. Bashinsky Sr. Computer Center
•Friedman Hall
The college is named for Hugh Franklin Culverhouse, a native of Birmingham, who became a successful tax attorney and the owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Mr. Culverhouse attended the University of Alabama, graduating in 1941. Later, he donated $10 million to the university, the largest gift in school history.
Culverhouse offers state-of the art learning including wireless internet, updated computer labs, a media lab, online databases and journals, digital multimedia classrooms plus many more modern amenities to help students gain the knowledge necessary to succeed.
General Business
The General Business curriculum helps students build skills that lead to a better understanding about how businesses operate. Students learn subjects ranging from law to accounting. Students may also choose specialized minors as part of their undergraduate studies, including:
•Economics
•Entrepreneurship
•Finance
•Global Business
•Healthcare Management
•Insurance for Non-Majors
•Management Communication
•Personal Wealth Management
•Professional Selling
•Real Estate
•Services Marketing
Students develop a broad spectrum understanding of business operations and how to apply their knowledge in a highly-specialized profession.
Manderson Master of Business Administration
The Manderson Master of Business Administration at the University of Alabama offers students an unsurpassed value as the school consistently ranks among top MBA programs in the nation. The program offers small class sizes and a high degree of interaction with instructors. Students graduate with a strong academic background, professionalism and the potential for leadership. Students must submit a Statement of Purpose Essay. In addition, students must have a GMAT score of 500 or a GRE score of 300 to be admitted to the program. Students must provide undergraduate transcripts from any college or university attended, as well as a resume and three letters of recommendation.
Accreditations
•Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
•Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
Contact
University of Alabama
Culverhouse School of Commerce and Business
104 Alston Hall
Box 870225
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487
Telephone: 800-828-2622
Email: businessatbama@cba.ua.edu
Website: http://cba.ua.edu/academics/departments/general-business
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Collat School of Business
The Collat School of Business at the University of Alabama Birmingham offers students the benefit of a setting in a bustling metropolitan area of Alabama. The campus location close to the economic center of the state allows students to interact with leaders in the business world while learning from the highly-qualified faculty. Students are also provided year-round internships and other applied learning experiences that give them additional experience in the business world. The school is named for Charles and Patsy Collat in honor of their generous $20 million donation to the school in 2013, the largest in the school’s history. The couple had endowed the school with $5 million before the most recent donation. Charles Collat is the former CEO of Mayer Electric Supply Company.
Management Major
Students who choose to major in Business Management at the Collat Business School develop knowledge that will gain them entry-level positions in management after graduation. Students learn effective decision making and knowledge of the business world through classroom learning, internships and elective courses in entrepreneurship. Students must earn a grade of “C” or better in all prerequisite courses and an overall 2.0 GPA is required. At least 15 hours of all upper level courses must be taken at the University of Alabama Birmingham. Students may select concentrations in:
•Business Administration
•Human Resource Management
•Production and Operation Management
Master of Business Administration
The Master of Business Administration program covers a wide range of knowledge, and students learn leadership, organizational behavior, supply chain management and many other subjects related to today’s business world. Students may specialize their program with concentrations including:
•General Management
•Business Administration
•Human Resource Management
The college works closely with the local business community to provide students with internships and experience working with real-world business issues.
Accreditations
•Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
•Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
Contact
University of Alabama Birmingham
1701 11th Avenue South
Birmingham, AL 35294-4412
Telephone: 800-421-8743
Website: http://www.uab.edu/business/
University of Alabama in Huntsville
College of Business Administration
At the College of Business Administration at the University of Alabama Huntsville, the faculty focuses on actively engaging students, providing a hands-on approach to education that is evident throughout the curriculum. Local business leaders are involved in many of the classroom settings, and faculty often uses role-playing exercises to increase the knowledge base of the students. Students are also provided internships or co-ops as another method for applying classroom learning with real-world experiences. This approach creates graduates who have not only learned about issues facing the business world today, but have also helped resolve problems in a real-world setting.
B.S. in Business Administration: Management Concentration
A degree in Business Management from the University of Alabama Huntsville prepares students for careers in entry-level business management. Students may choose from five concentrations:
•General Management
•Human Resource Management
•Acquisition Management
•Entrepreneurship
•Supply Chain Management
Students can choose whether they want to manage people, processes or both. After graduation, they are well prepared for starting positions in a variety of industries.
Master of Business Administration
Huntsville is one of the fastest growing regions for high-technology industries in the country, and those organizations consistently seek applicants with extensive knowledge in business applications. The Master of Business Administration from the University of Alabama Huntsville prepares students for positions in organizations with a strong technology and innovation focus. The program focuses on unique issues that face technology companies, such as uncertainty and change. Students may choose a concentration in:
•Supply Chain Management
•Technology Commercialization
•Innovation and Entrepreneurship
•Information Systems
•Contracts and Acquisitions Management
Students must provide official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. An English proficiency test may be required as well.
Accreditations
•Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
•Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
Contact
College of Business Administration
UAHuntsville
301 Sparkman Drive
Huntsville, AL 35899
Telephone: 256-824-6024
Email: cba@uah.edu
Website: http://www.uah.edu/cba
University of Montevallo
Michael E. Stephens College of Business
The Michael E. Stephens College of Business offers a variety of business degrees designed to transition students into the world of business or help them launch their own company. The college has an exceptionally high job-placement rate and it has one of the fastest growing MBA programs in the state. The average class size is 21 students, and the Center for Professional Practice offers students career counseling, internship opportunities, and networking. The close proximity to Birmingham allows students many options for employment, recreation and internships.
The college is named for Michael E. Stephens, an Alabama native, who began attending the University of Montevallo in 1962. He left the university in 1966 without earning a degree, and, at the age of 26, broke his neck in a diving accident. Doctors told Dr. Stephens he would never walk again, but with extensive therapy, he beat the odds. He returned to school and earned his degree almost ten years after he began his college journey. In the 1980s, based on his own experience with the rehabilitation industry, he began the Lakeshore Foundation, a non-profit agency that assists people with disabilities. Dr. Stephens served on the Board of Trustees at the University of Montevallo, and, in 1997, the college honored his community service and philanthropic projects by naming their school of business after him.
Management
The Management program at the Stephens College of Business helps students develop skills in leadership, interpersonal relationships and decision making to help them succeed in the business world. Students take a variety of courses including:
•Business and Society
•Human Resource Management
•Globalization
•Legal Environment of Business
•Accounting
•Marketing
•Finance
In addition, students are required to complete 53 hours of general education credits that include English, math, science and history.
Master of Business Administration
The MBA program is the flagship degree at the Stephens School of Business, and receives the most recognition of all the programs at the university. It is the fastest growing MBA program in the state of Alabama, and has been recognized as one of the most innovative. Students obtain knowledge in a variety of disciplines, and the program is designed to be completed in one year. Students must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, and must have an overall GPA above 2.5 or a 2.75 GPA in the last 60 hours of undergraduate study. Students must show that they earned a competitive score on the GMAT or GRE, and must complete prerequisite courses with a “C” or better. Students must also submit two letters of recommendation
Accreditations
•Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
•Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
Contact
Stephens College of Business
Morgan Hall
Station 6540
Montevallo, AL 35115
Telephone: 205-665-6540
Email: scob@montevallo.edu
Website: https://www.montevallo.edu/academics/colleges/college-of-business/mba/
University of South Alabama
Mitchell College of Business
The mission of the Mitchell College of Business is to provide business education to students and to produce research that expands knowledge. The college continually strives to build an environment that allows students to grow and succeed. The school’s top priority is the students and giving them the tools they need to succeed. They place strong emphasis on community service as well, in an effort to give back to the surrounding area.
The school is named after Abraham and Mayer Mitchell, brothers and Mobile natives, who attended the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business. After graduation, they returned to their hometown and founded the Mitchell Company, which would eventually become one of the most successful real estate companies in the southeastern United States. Although they were not alumni of the college, Abraham, Mayer and Arlene Mitchell endowed the University of South Alabama in 1999, and the institution renamed the College of Business in their honor. To date, the Mitchell family has contributed $36.6 million dollars to the university, and holding the distinction as having donated more to a single institute of higher learning than any other family in the state of Alabama.
Bachelor of Science Degree
All students enrolled in the Mitchell College of Business are classified as Business Administration majors until they declare a major. Options include:
•Accounting
•Economics & Finance
•Management
•Marketing
•General Business
Students may also choose from various concentrations within their major. Students must take specified courses within the business college, and a minimum of 122 semester hours is required for completion. Students must maintain an overall grade point average of 2.0 for graduation, and a GPA of 2.0 is required for all business core and major courses. The college requires that 25 percent of all upper level courses must be taken in the United States. In addition, two writing courses, six of nine required major courses, 50 percent of minor courses and MGT 485 must be taken at the Mitchell School of Business.
Master of Business Administration (MBA) Program
The curriculum for the Master of Business Administration at the Mitchell School of Business demonstrates the qualities of an accredited business degree program in Alabama. Students gain the core knowledge and skills to manage various organizations while developing crucial decision-making skills as well. The program is structured to accommodate the needs of those who are employed full-time with classes that meet two evenings per week. Students must have a bachelor’s degree or higher and a GPA of 2.75 on the last 64 semester hours of college work. Students must have earned a GMAT score of 450 and a GMAT Analytical Writing Score of 3.0 or higher.
Accreditations
•Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
•Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
Contact
Mitchell School of Business
5811 USA Drive South
University of South Alabama
Mobile, AL 36688
Telephone: 215-460-7167
Email: mmenon@southalabama.edu
Website: http://www.southalabama.edu/mcob/undergrad.html and http://www.southalabama.edu/mcob/gradprogram.html
Business Administration degrees open a variety of professional opportunities. The state of Alabama has much to offer the aspiring business administrator and anyone wishing to pursue a business degree should look into these accredited business administration degree programs in Alabama.