College of Business

Dr. Neil Terry, dean

Classroom Center, Room 216 • WTAMU Box 60768
806-651-2530 • Fax 806-651-2927
nterry@wtamu.edu • wtamu.edu

Dr. LaVelle Mills, associate dean of graduate business programs

Dr. Amjad Abdullat, associate dean of undergraduate business programs

The College of Business is accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). John J. Fernandes, president and chief executive officer of AACSB, states, “AACSB Accreditation represents the highest achievement for an educational institution that awards business degrees.”

The mission of the College of Business is to provide high-quality undergraduate and graduate business education with a global perspective and ethical awareness. This is accomplished through an emphasis on excellence in teaching, which is strengthened by faculty scholarship and supported by professional service. The College of Business is committed to teaching excellence in both undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Faculty members are student-oriented yet maintain high standards for classroom performance. Students are prepared for intelligent, active and productive participation in business and community life.

Goals for students earning degrees from this college are to:

Experience a broad liberal education which provides understanding of the world and society;
Build on basic knowledge to understand business processes and prepare students to make valid business decisions; and
Develop a degree of specialized skill or knowledge in a selected area of business or technology.

These goals are met by requiring students to select courses outside the College of Business, take a common core of business courses and major in one of the programs within the college. Through its departments, the College of Business offers the following undergraduate degrees: Bachelor of Business Administration with majors in accounting, computer information systems, economics, finance, general business, management and marketing; and Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in economics.

The College of Business offers four graduate degree programs, each supported by doctoral level faculty. Students enroll in these programs to enhance their career opportunities. Many graduates plan to become top-level managers in their respective professions. Day and night classes are offered in these degree programs: Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.), Master of Science (M.S.) in finance and economics, Master of Professional Accounting (M.P.A.) and an integrated program of Master of Professional Accounting (M.P.A.)/Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.).

University Core Curriculum Requirements

Refer to the “University Core Curriculum” section of this catalog.

Of University core curriculum requirements, business students must take MATH 1324, SCOM 1315 or 1321, and ECON 2301. A student must complete a minimum of 120 semester hours credit and, unless otherwise noted, earn a 2.0 grade point average at WTAMU for courses counted toward the degree; a grade of “C” or better in courses toward the major; and a grade of “C” or better in courses within the College of Business.

Other College of Business Programs

Center for Entrepreneurial Studies

As part of the College of Business, the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies provides students the opportunity to pursue applied entrepreneurial activities. The Small Business Institute, as part of the Center through a contractual agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration, conducts management assistance projects for small businesses. The Center also conducts entrepreneurial conferences, publishes business newsletters and engages in entrepreneurial research.

Center for Economic Education

The West Texas Center for Economic Education promotes economic and financial literacy. Its mission is to provide in-service classes and seminars to individuals teaching in grades kindergarten through high school. The center has a director and is affiliated with the Texas Council on Economic Education and the Council on Economic Education.

Enterprise Center

The mission of the Enterprise Center and its Rural Business Incubator is to help the business owner by increasing short-term profits and building long-term wealth. Their strategy is to provide consulting services, training programs, and specialized services in the area of operations audits, peak performance plans, business-value assessments, marketing actions plans and capital acquisition services.

Panhandle Small Business Development Center

Panhandle Small Business Development Center is a sub-center of Northwest Texas Small Business Development Center of Lubbock, Texas. This sub-center, located in Amarillo, reports to the dean of the College of Business and is an affiliate of the U.S. Small Business Administration. The center provides management counseling and management development training to small businesses in the Texas Panhandle. It is operated by full-time staff members and supported by WTAMU business students.

College of Business Admission (Pre-Business: Major Code 300)

Once students are admitted to West Texas A&M University, they can gain admittance to the College of Business by satisfactorily completing a set of pre-admission courses. Through its admission policies and procedures, the College of Business is able to help students succeed in specific business major concentrations by only admitting those students who are qualified and have the basic skills to complete a business degree.

Admission requirements into the College of Business involve the completion of a pre-business core with an earned grade of “C” or higher in all courses. The pre-business courses include:

ACCT 2301
ECON 2301
ECON 2302
MATH 1324, 1325, MATH 2413, or equivalent
ENGL 1301
Select one course from:
- ENGL 1302, COMM 1321, or equivalent
- COMM 1321 or
- Advisor approved equivalent
Select one course from:
- BUSI 1304
- CIDM 1301
- CIDM 1315
- CIDM 2345
- FIN 1307
- Advisor approved Code 90 core equivalent

Upon completion of the pre-business core, students should meet with an academic advisor in the College of Business, select a specific business major concentration area (e.g., accounting, economics, finance, marketing, management, general business or computer information systems), apply for a degree plan, and register with the Office of Career Services. Students seeking admission to the business program that have completed 48 or more credit hours in a different major or as a transfer student may be admitted to the business program with approval by dean or associate dean. New students in the top ten percent of an admission class may be admitted directly into the business program by invitation of the associate dean.

For course sequence, see Pre-Business Curriculum Guide.

Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) Degree Core Requirements

ACCT 2301, ACCT 2302.
BUSI 3312.
CIDM 2342.
CIDM 3330.
ECON 2302, plus three hours advanced economics electives.
FIN 3320.
MATH 1325, MATH 2413 or equivalent.
MGT 3330, MGT 4315.
MKT 3340.
COB writing component: one course from BUSI 1304, BUSI 4380, CIDM 3320, ECON 4342, FIN 3350, FIN 4320, FIN 4321, MGT 3335, MGT 4380.
A grade of “C” or better is required in all B.B.A. degree core courses.

Master’s Degrees

For information about the Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degree or the Master of Professional Accounting (M.P.A.)/Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) degree, refer to the “Graduate Catalog”.