The purpose of the School of Business at Virginia Commonwealth University is to develop world-ready business leaders, produce game-changing research, and fuel ideas with meaning. EPIC is the acronym chosen by the business school to represent best the strategic plan of experiential learning, problem-solving content, impactful research, and creative culture, which permeates the school and community.
Established just 14 years ago, the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Business Foundation was created to manage private resources and offer meaningful oversight from the corporate establishment to advance the VCU School of Business. Today, the Foundation provides opportunities and assets to educate students, achieve excellence in education, and promote academic research. The Foundation owns Snead Hall. Virginia Commonwealth University leases the building for the School of Business classes, events, and activities.
Education
Students can choose from over a dozen areas of business leadership to major or minor in. Examples of programs featured at the School of Business include a Bachelor of Science in Accounting, a Master of Accountancy with a specialization in Data Analytics, and a Ph.D. in Business with a focus in Accounting. Sports Leadership, Analytics, Finance, Marketing, Real Estate, and Entrepreneurship are just a few of the options undergraduate and graduate students alike will find.
Student Life
The business school reports a strong alumni network, with over 70% of graduates deciding to stay living and working in the state of Virginia. There are currently over 3,900 students enrolled in the bachelor’s and master’s programs at the School of Business. Resources available to students of the business school include access to the Office of Student Engagement. The department exists to help undergraduates figure out how to get involved, attain a real-world perspective on a list of majors, map out goals, and develop professional skills and networks in the business world. Students looking to connect with business professionals and learn more about specific areas of business leadership should contact the business school about its Explore and Connect programs. Student organizations currently operating at the School of Business include Women in Business, Gamma lota Sigma, Association of Information Technology Professionals, and Society for Kuman Resource Management.
Online Programs
An online MBA is the one program advertised by the School of Business. Each term, students register for two three-credit classes and a one-credit course. The three-credit courses focus on leadership and management in the business areas of operations, economics, and finance. One-credit classes center on contemporary business problems such as cybersecurity, innovation and creativity, and entrepreneurship. Program length stated for the online MBA is two years and includes weekly online material with three short on-campus residencies over weekends. Qualified candidates of this distance degree will have over a year and a half of professional work experience and an undergraduate degree.