The Robert C. Vackar College of Business and Entrepreneurship at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is accredited by the AACSB, the world’s leading business accrediting body. Vackar college is comprised of seven departments: School of Accountancy, Information Systems, International Business and Entrepreneurship, Economics and Finance, Management, Marketing, and Hospitality and Tourism Management. CoBE is also home to the Business and Tourism Research Center, Center for Business and Economic Studies, and the Center for Innovation and Commercialization. The first-class business professors are socially engaged. Lecturer Limon was appointed to the Texas Product Development and Small Business Incubator Board by Texas Governor Abbott, and Economics professor, Mora, was appointed to the San Antonio branch of the Board of Directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. Undergraduate and graduate students have the option of enrolling in classes at the Brownsville or Edinburg campus.
Education
The Bachelor of Business Administration is offered in Accounting, Economics, Finance, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Information Systems, International Business, Management, and Marketing. Students can pursue a Bachelor of Science in Materials Management and Logistics or Hospitality and Tourism Management, and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. Graduate students can prepare for advanced career paths by earning a Master of Science in Business Analytics, Master of Accountancy, or Master of Business Administration. Concentration options for MBA students include Accounting, Business Analytics, Entrepreneurship, Financial Planning, General, Healthcare Administration, International Trade, Marketing, or Philanthropy and Non-profit Organization. Graduate certificates are also available in Advanced Business Administration or Healthcare Administration Leadership. Each of these certificates consists of six courses, which are directly transferrable to the MBA. Students can choose to complete a thesis or six hours of elective credits.
Student Life
Students at the Brownville campus can get involved in the American Marketing Association, Institute of Management Accountants, Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization, and the Society for Human Resource Management. The same clubs are also offered in Edinburg, as well as the Association for Information Technology Professionals, Association of Latino Professionals for America, Economics Society, Enactus, and the Trading Association. The U Central Student Resources Center assists students with financial aid, registration, and internship support. Students are encouraged to complete internships to gain hands-on experience and build their resume. Undergraduate students can attend faculty-led study abroad trips, such as the two-week marketing course in Germany. After students complete a study abroad program, they may share their experiences with other students by becoming a Study Abroad Ambassador. Graduate students also have the opportunity to complete summer fellowship programs in Washington, DC. In 2018, a group of business students won first place at the International CME Group Trading Competition.
Online Programs
The Online MBA and Master of Accountancy are accelerated, yet flexible degrees. Classes for this program are accredited by Quality Matters and offered in seven-week modules. This program allows students to choose from the same concentrations as the on-campus program. Six start dates per year, allow students to begin classes almost immediately upon making the decision to pursue an MBA.