Minnesota UST OPUS COLLEGE OF BUSINESS UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS
Table of Contents The St. Thomas Approach 3 Message from the Dean 4 Message from the Director 5 Business departments Accounting 7 Decision Sciences 8 Entrepreneurship 9 Finance 10 Real Estate Studies 11 Legal Studies in Business 12 Marketing 13 Management 14 London Business Semester 16 Student Clubs 16 Business 200 17 Frequently Asked Questions 17 Application Process 18 Transferring to St. Thomas 18 Contact information: Opus College of Business Undergraduate Programs (651) 962-5544 (800) 328-6819, Ext. 2-5544 ugbusiness@stthomas.edu www.stthomas.edu/business
The St. Thomas Approach Excellence in Education Personal Attention Emphasis on Ethics If you re considering a business major, consider the value of a St. Thomas degree. Today s complex, fast-paced and competitive environment requires leaders with the vision to meet the complicated challenges of the business world. The University of St. Thomas Opus College of Business undergraduate programs offer excellence in business education with a highly relevant approach. Our curriculum emphasizes ethics and responsibility, giving our students a clear understanding of business success. Our community service requirement brings course work and community together. Over 40 percent of UST undergraduate students major in business. With our seven departments and 12 concentrations, you can select the track that best meets your interests and career goals. Our graduates work in many of the Fortune 500 companies, own their own businesses and achieve high levels of advancement within a variety of corporations, as well as nonprofit and government organizations. St. Thomas business majors have the benefit of a broad-based alumni network for mentoring, job possibilities and career counseling. Our graduate programs in business are widely recognized and respected and add to the value of your St. Thomas business degree. The St. Thomas community provides a personal approach to each student and an education that builds a foundation for professional success. Let us help you make the most of your business major at St. Thomas. 3
Welcome A Message From the Dean When we think of business, many images come quickly to mind. For some of us, business is very close to home because a parent or grandparent started a business some years ago, and we hope someday to assume the responsibility for running it. For others, business means corporate giants, such as General Mills, 3M, Best Buy, Target and Medtronic. Still, for some, business means the entrepreneurial venture they hope to start once their formal studies are completed. All of these many types of business share important characteristics. They each must have highly principled, visionary leaders to guide them through turbulent times and to assure a successful and prosperous future. Recent events in the U.S. business community have also demonstrated that social responsibility and self-reliance are vital leadership characteristics. These are the reasons why the St. Thomas Opus College of Business undergraduate business degree sets you above the rest. Every undergraduate business major participates fully in the Catholic, liberal arts core curriculum of the University of St. Thomas. And, your business concentration gives you the insights and the skills to succeed as a responsible business leader. You will have the ideal combination of courses to prepare you to think critically, act wisely and work skillfully to advance the common good. Students come to St. Thomas because they want to make a difference in the world. Business is the most popular major at St. Thomas because our graduates leave with the values and the skills to reach the highest ranks in the corporate world, to become leaders in a family business or to step out and create a totally new venture. Take a very close look at all that a business major offers and join us on the way to fulfilling your goals! Sincerely, Christopher P. Puto, Ph.D. Dean and Opus Distinguished Chair 4 www.stthomas.edu/business
A Message from the Director I am pleased you are considering the St. Thomas business program. Students face many decisions throughout their college careers. It is important they have a place to go and a familiar face to know, where questions can be asked freely and answers given knowledgeably. I have been working with students at St. Thomas for more than 20 years. I am personally committed to helping you explore the best college experience possible. I help you choose appropriate classes for your major, inform about campus activities and lend a listening ear when things are at a crossroads and need clarification. As director of the undergraduate business program, I welcome your calls and questions to learn more about our excellent program. I look forward to meeting you and sharing the next four years of your college experience with you. Sincerely, Georgia Stavig Fisher, director Undergraduate Business Programs 5
Departments The Undergraduate Programs of the Opus College of Business feature seven departments: Accounting Decision Sciences Finance Entrepreneurship Legal Studies in Business Management Marketing All students enrolled at St. Thomas are required to take a broad-based liberal arts core curriculum that prepares them to think, analyze and communicate clearly and to develop social consciousness needed by all successful business leaders. Students then focus on their particular area of business interest, giving them the skills and knowledge to become competitive leaders in their professions. 6 www.stthomas.edu/business
Accounting (651) 962-5549 (800) 328-6819, Ext. 2-5549 Accounting is the language of business. The health of an organization is revealed through its financial statements. Good professional accounting systems provide business executives with the information to make effective decisions. When you graduate from St. Thomas with a degree in accounting, you will be prepared to work for a public accounting firm, private business, government or nonprofit organization. You will have the skills to conduct audits, prepare tax work for individuals or companies, set budgets and offer advice to management. St. Thomas accounting graduates currently work for a variety of companies, accounting firms and nonprofit agencies, including Deloitte, LarsenAllen, KPMG, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Cargill, General Mills and the state of Minnesota. For details on faculty and curriculum, visit our Web site. Typical jobs: Accountant (tax, corporate, financial, investment) Auditor Account manager Systems analyst Operations manager Domestic transportation coordinator Computer consultant Revenue Audit supervisor 7
Decision Sciences (651) 962-5060 (800) 328-6819, Ext. 2-5060 Operations Management Operations management makes a company run. In both service and manufacturing organizations, operations managers deal with the activities of purchasing, production and delivery of goods and services. A career focused in operations management requires a solid overall business background, with highly developed skills in the area of statistical concepts, computers and behavioral management. For details on faculty and curriculum, visit our Web site. Typical jobs: Project manager Event coordinator Operations manager Supply chain manager Scheduling manager Systems analyst 8 www.stthomas.edu/business
Entrepreneurship (651) 962-5550 (800) 328-6819, Ext. 2-5550 Although most people with an entrepreneurship background often want to start their own businesses, many use their marketable skills to become leaders in corporations or to organize and launch new products or services. You will learn to manage limited resources, identify business opportunities and develop a business plan, your blueprint for turning your great business idea into reality. The UST Entrepreneurial Society is very active with the business community, providing an opportunity for students to apply their knowledge to business ideas and plans and offering special relevance to the classroom work. The Schulze School of Entrepreneurship, which is part of the St. Thomas College of Business, brings together the university s graduate and undergraduate degree programs in entrepreneurship. Its new building, Schulze Hall, opened on the Minneapolis campus in September 2005. For details on faculty and curriculum, visit our Web site. Typical jobs: Business owner Real estate agency Employment services consultant Restaurant owner Manufacturing manager Web developer 9
Finance (651) 962-5120 (800) 328-6819, Ext. 2-5120 Finance is a challenging and exciting field. You must work with precision, sometimes under pressure, and make decisions that involve large amounts of money in a complex environment. You need to understand financial markets, accounting statements and how to use these numbers for your analysis. People in finance need excellent analytical skills and the ability to synthesize information. They also need initiative and the ability to work well with people. For details on faculty and curriculum, visit our Web site. Typical jobs: Credit analyst Financial adviser Commodity trader Marketing specialist Systems analyst Consultant Loan officer Controller 10 www.stthomas.edu/business
Real Estate Studies (651) 962-5120 (800) 328-6819, Ext. 2-5120 Real estate is more than selling houses. Real estate is a massive industry. Like most professional fields, including law, medicine and accountancy, real estate has evolved from self-taught practitioners to a highly specialized, sophisticated discipline. Success in real estate requires a background in general business combined with real estate theory and practice; therefore, a broad-based, liberal arts education is essential. The real estate profession integrates many specialties, including marketing, geography, economics, finance, sociology, political science, management and environmental studies. For details on faculty and curriculum, visit our Web site. Typical jobs: Real estate broker Investment manager Appraiser Property manager Construction manager Financial manager Land-use planner Property developer 11
Legal Studies in Business (651) 962-5130 (800) 328-6819, Ext. 2-5130 Business law occupies an increasingly prominent role in the workplace. Legal Studies in Business gives students the opportunity to explore in depth the nature of the legal environment of business and how legal rulings and decision making have an impact on business conduct. Although the faculty hold law degrees and have extensive legal experience, the Legal Studies in Business program is not intended to be a pre-law program. However, if you are considering a legal career, this concentration can test your interest in law. For details on faculty and curriculum, visit our Web site. Typical jobs: Human resource manager Benefits administrator Contracts administrator Investment manager Occupational safety manager Environmental protection agency Courts administrator 12 www.stthomas.edu/business
Marketing (651) 962-5075 (800) 328-6819, Ext. 2-5075 Marketing identifies customer needs, directs the organization s resources to provide the best products and services to fulfill those needs and determines how best to get those goods and services to the marketplace. As a marketing manager, you will be involved in designing, directing and maintaining the exchange of goods and services that are profitable and satisfy the needs and wants of the consumer. Consumers can be individuals, companies or other organizations such as governments, schools or hospitals. Marketing careers are suited for people who enjoy numbers, have good interpersonal skills and like strategic thinking. For details on faculty and curriculum, visit our Web site. Typical jobs: Sales Retail Advertising Public relations Market research Product management New product development 13
Management (651) 962-5135 (800) 328-6819, Ext. 2-5135 General business management is the ideal program for a broad-based business education that complements your liberal arts studies at St. Thomas. A degree in management allows for flexibility to pursue a variety of business interests. Several concentrations are offered within this field: Leadership and Management Today s business world is changing quickly. A concentration in leadership and management provides necessary skills to manage change effectively in a dynamic work environment regardless of the type of organization or the particular area of business in which you work. This concentration is focused on how to be a good manager, rather than on a specific practice of business operation, such as finance. Human Resource Management It is said that people are an organization s greatest resource. People who work in human resource management use specialized skills geared toward employee selection, training, placement and development. Job opportunities include human resource manager, training consultant and executive manager. The variety of courses within the management degree is valuable in today s business world where professionals often work on teams that cross departments and specialites. 14 www.stthomas.edu/business
Business Communication There is no limit to the types of jobs available with a background in business communication. Your coursework will emphasize the fundamentals of business as well as basic and advanced communication. Students in this field are good candidates for careers that involve working with people. Graduates will bring a background in verbal, nonverbal and electronic communication to their field of business. International Business American business is becoming increasingly global in its outlook. It is likely that the majority of business professionals will be associated with a multinational firm sometime during their careers. It can be smart to take a global approach to your business studies. There is a diverse selection of career opportunities for individuals with foreign language competence and intercultural experience. For details on faculty and curriculum, visit our Web site. Typical jobs: Senior account manager Benefits administrator Systems analyst Project manager Broadcast analyst Event coordinator General manager Financial consultant International sales and distribution 15
Co-curricular Activities London Business Semester Students are encouraged to study abroad to enhance their liberal arts education; St. Thomas is affiliated with programs around the globe. The London Business Semester, sponsored by St. Thomas, gives you a head start into the increasingly global world of business. Each fall St. Thomas business students and faculty travel to London to study under both St. Thomas and British professors. Of course, there also is time to enjoy the culture of this cosmopolitan city. Student Clubs Student clubs provide a great way to gain exposure to your area of interest. They offer the opportunity to network with fellow students and professionals, attend presentations and participate in company site visits and field trips. Some clubs offer professional services and prepare projects for student competitions, providing you with real-world experience. All St. Thomas clubs complete a community service project each year, so students also have a chance to experience reaching out to others. Clubs include: Accounting Club American Marketing Association Delta Sigma Pi (a coeducational business fraternity) Entrepreneurial Society Financial Management Association Law in Business Club Management Club (student chapter of APICS) Real Estate Society SIFE: Students in Free Enterprise Society for Human Resource Management For details about each club, visit our Web site. 16 www.stthomas.edu/business
Business 200 Business Learning Through Service This co-curricular experience is required of all undergraduate students in the Opus College of Business. The course enacts the Statement of Purpose of the university to develop morally responsible individuals who combine career competency while fostering in the student a tradition of service to the public welfare. The objectives include: 1) providing students the opportunity to witness the interconnection of healthy, vital communities and healthy, vital businesses; 2) enabling students to experience the business dynamics of nonprofit organizations; 3) providing direct service to a nonprofit while meeting individually established personal-learning objectives; and 4) stretching students beyond their current comfort zones. Frequently Asked Questions Where do I go to get more information about a business degree at St. Thomas? If you want to discuss the specific disciplines available for study within the Opus College of Business at St. Thomas, contact Undergraduate Programs at 651-962-5544. To discuss the general admissions process, please contact the Office of Admissions at (651) 962-6410 or admissions@stthomas.edu. What are the required courses for a business major? Business majors take three general categories of courses: Core curriculum courses: general requirements taken by all St. Thomas students, regardless of major. Allied requirements: courses taken outside the College of Business that relate to your major. Undergraduate business requirements: courses taken by all business majors, regardless of concentration and the courses taken with your particular major concentration. Where can I get help in choosing my business major? Career counseling for business majors is available by contacting Undergraduate Programs at (651) 962-5544. Career testing and assessment is available through the Office of Counseling and Career Services. To make an appointment with an advisor, call (651) 962-6761. 17
Application Process Interested in a business degree at St. Thomas? For application and enrollment information, please contact the admissions office: Office of Admissions University of St. Thomas 32 F-1 2115 Summit Avenue St. Paul, MN 55105 (651) 962-6150 (800) 328-6819, Ext. 2-6150 E-mail: admissions@stthomas.edu or visit our Web site at www.stthomas.edu/admissions Transfer Students Transfer students should contact the Office of Admissions to arrange a campus visit and an unofficial transcript evaluation. After reviewing your transcript, an admissions counselor can give you a good idea of the courses you need to complete your degree at St. Thomas. We also encourage you to meet with a financial aid counselor and one of the advisors in the Undergraduate Program of the Opus College of Business. For more detailed information about the specific degrees in business, contact: Opus College of Business Undergraduate Programs (651) 962-5544 (800) 328-6819, Ext. 2-5544 18 www.stthomas.edu/business
Your Future at UST Shaped by experienced faculty and a foundation of ethics and leadership, students receive a practical, relevant education that helps form the foundation for future business success. Beyond academics, our new business education building on Summit Avenue, McNeely Hall, provides the place to think strategically, learn cooperatively and grow professionally. McNeely Hall, opened in September 2006, allows our program to compete with the best business programs in the country. University of St. Thomas Opus College of Business Undergraduate Programs 2115 Summit Ave. St. Paul, MN 55105 (651) 962-5544 or (800) 328-6819, Ext. 2-5544 www.stthomas.edu/business 19
Opus College of Business OCB043208