North Arizona University’s W.A. Franke College of Business helps students unveil their talents. The business school was named after Bill Franke, a former CEO of America West Airlines and other Arizona corporations, who generously donated $25 million in 2007 to further the business endeavors at NAU.
The graduate business program was ranked among the top 10% for programs with fewer than 50 students by U.S. News and World Report in 2017. During the 2018-2019 school year, $580,000 was awarded in scholarships to business students alone. Graduates are currently employed by Geico, General Motors, JP Morgan Chase, Edward Jones, Wells Fargo, KPMG, and many other reputable companies.
Education
Undergraduate students can acquire the business skills needed to land successful careers by earning a degree in Accounting, Business Economics, Finance, Hotel and Restaurant Management, Information Systems, Management, or Marketing. The 15-credit hour Non-Profit and Social Entrepreneurship Certificate can be added to a business or non-business degree. A Professional Selling concentration is also available. This program has partnerships with Groupon, United Rentals, and Pepsi Bottling Co. These partners present lectures in the classroom, help students gain confidence through mock interviews, and offer real-world lab simulations.
Graduate students can level up in their career field by earning a competitive Master’s of Business Administration in Accounting or Applied Management. This fast-paced program can be finished in only ten months by students with an undergrad business degree or in 18 months by students from a different academic discipline. Students pursuing the Accounting concentration will be eligible to sit for the CPA exam. The Business Foundations Certificate is 15-hours and is the perfect option for adults seeking a quick career change or the skills to advance their current careers.
Student Life
Employers frequently hire the candidate with the most experience, and fortunately for Franke students, this is easy to accumulate. All students are required to complete five activities through the Pathways to Professional Leadership programs, such as workshops, seminars, and special lectures. Students can begin to build their resume with an internship, by job shadowing, or through holding a leadership position in a student organization.
Students can explore careers through attending Career Week in the fall and spring, a corporate panel, and Career Exploration Day. The Career Development Office offers professional development events, resume workshops, and even a Skype interview space. The Business Communication Center helps students brush up on their presentation and professional writing skills.
There are 17 business student organizations, and students can learn about upcoming meetings and events through tv monitors located throughout the business building. Business fraternities and honor societies include Alpha Kappa Psi, Beta Alpha Psi, Beta Gamma Sigma, Delta Sigma Pi, Omicron Delta Epsilon, and Phi Kappa Phi Collegiate Honor Societies. The Student Managed Investment Fund gives students hands-on experience managing a portfolio of $1 million in the stock exchange. Other business organizations include the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, DECA, Future Businesswomen of America, the FBC Student Organizations Committee, Global Business Club, Information Systems Association, Native American Business Organization, NAU Investment Club, Net Impact, and ProSell Club.