Before it operated under its current name, Virginia Tech awarded its first undergraduate degrees in business and first master’s degree in 1925 and 1931. In 1961 the university established its school of business with a student body of 823 and a staff of 28. Business became one of the colleges of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1965. The Pamplin College of Business was named in 1986 to honor two alumni, Robert B. Pamplin, and son, Robert B. Pamplin Jr. Both Pamplins enjoyed lifetime accomplishments in business, have served Virginia Tech and the college of business, and have been generous with financial support for the school. Robert B. Pamplin died at age 97 in June 2009. He was the retired chairman of Georgia-Pacific. The Pamplins’ total donations to the business school exceed $25 million.
The Pamplin College of Business’ mission is to create and disseminate knowledge in business leadership while building on the inherent strengths of the school’s faculty. The business college strives to contribute to Virginia Tech’s priority of research, teaching, and outreach in ways that enhance the public standing of the Pamplin College of Business and the university. The business school’s job has been successful only when it provides students with a premier business education.
Education
The Pamplin College of Business provides undergraduate and graduate degrees in accounting and information systems, real estate, business information technology, finance, marketing, hospitality and tourism management, and management. Each of the college’s programs, minus the graduate degree in information technology, are accredited by AACSB International. Pamplin teams up with the College of Engineering to offer a Master of Information Technology degree. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accredits that program. The business school at Virginia Tech stresses analysis and technology that improve business and entrepreneurship that results in innovation and innovative companies. International opportunities for research and learning are just as crucial to the Pamplin College of Business as striving to create an inclusive, collaborative community.
Student Life
2014 and 2015 were significant years for the business school as it founded two centers over the period. The Apex Systems Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship supports curricular programs throughout the university by equipping students with strategies in entrepreneurship and connecting them to entrepreneurship activities. The center serves as a place of outreach to the business community and supports staff research related to entrepreneurship, new venture formation and growth, and technology commercialization. The Center for Business Intelligence and Analytics was established as an interdisciplinary resource for faculty research both within the business school and in partnerships with other entities on campus.
Online Programs
Virginia Tech delivers a 100% online Master of Information Technology degree to prepare IT leaders in emerging and critical technology fields. The Commonwealth of Virginia commissioned this program over 17 years ago. The distance degree was created to offer both aspiring and experienced IT professionals the interdisciplinary information and training they would find critical in a rapidly changing world. The program features 11 courses, flexible scheduling, eleven optional areas of concentration, multiple start dates, and no GMAT/GRE requirement.