New Ohio Wesleyan business major won’t be traditional

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Ohio Wesleyan University’s Department of Economics will add a business administration major in fall 2016, but it will be different than traditional business majors, university officials say.

“The vision of the OWU business administration major is to provide a high-quality business education delivered in a liberal arts environment that enables students to excel in their chosen field and that prepares them for meaningful work and life in a dynamic world,” said Barbara A. MacLeod, chair of the economics department and the university’s John J. Joseph Professor of Management.

The business administration major, with concentrations available in management and marketing, will prepare individuals to plan, organize, direct and control the functions and processes of a firm or organization, MacLeod said, and it will stress helping students to obtain meaningful internships and externships (short-term shadowing opportunities).

MacLeod said the faculty worked diligently and deliberately to create a program that will train students to think and act differently than those in a traditional business major.

“This business administration major is different than what you’ll find at a big university,” she said. “This is a business major grounded in the liberal arts tradition. It emphasizes critical thinking, excellent written and verbal communication, a thorough understanding of business theory and practice, and an appreciation of the connections between business and other fields. Those are skills and perspectives that employers crave.”

To achieve its objectives, OWU’s business administration major will include exposure to management theory, human resources management and behavior, accounting and other quantitative methods, logistics, organization and production, marketing, and strategic decision-making.

MacLeod said the program also will build upon knowledge of the functional, environmental, behavioral, and legal aspects of business as well as provide analytical and conceptual tools for analyzing complicated problems in real-world settings.

The university anticipates interest in its new major will be strong, OWU officials said.

In addition to its new major in business administration, OWU’s Department of Economics also offers majors in economics, finance economics, management economics and accounting. It offers a major in international business in conjunction with other departments, including geography and politics and government. The Department of Economics offers minors in three areas: economics, management and accounting. Beginning in fall 2016, the management minor will be transitioned into a business minor.

Staff Report

Information for this story was provided by Ohio Wesleyan University.

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