General Information
Mission
The undergraduate program of the Red McCombs School of Business seeks to educate its students through an innovative curriculum, excellent teaching, cutting-edge research, and involvement with industry and society. Through an environment that emphasizes opportunity, diversity, and ethical behavior, the McCombs School seeks to transform the lives of its students as it prepares them to become the business leaders of tomorrow.
History
Courses in business were first offered at the University in 1912; there were a total of nine courses and two faculty members. The Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) was created as a degree in 1916 with nine students graduating in the inaugural class of 1917. The business program became a charter member in 1916 of the American Association of Collegiate Schools of Business, the accrediting agency for business schools, and is currently fully accredited for both business and accounting.
The School of Business Administration was created in 1922, the outgrowth of the work in business administration first offered in the College of Arts and Sciences in the fall of 1912. In 1945, the school was reorganized as a college; in 2000, the college was renamed in honor of University alumnus and benefactor Red McCombs. The school includes the departments of accounting; business, government, and society; finance; information, risk, and operations management; management; and marketing. Coursework in business may lead to the degree of Bachelor of Business Administration and to several advanced degrees, described in the Graduate Catalog .
Facilities
The McCombs School is housed in the George Kozmetsky Center for Business Education. This three-building complex includes modern classrooms and offices, lecture rooms with multimedia equipment, conference and communal study rooms, as well as lounges for informal student and teacher interaction. Computer classrooms, computer laboratories, the Financial Trading and Technology Center, and a behavioral science laboratory are also available. Computer and computer-access facilities are available to students, faculty members, and staff members. The McCombs School of Business has its own computer network that links to the school's laboratories and computing resources. The network is also connected to the University's computing infrastructure.
Students enrolled in a degree program at the McCombs School of Business will be expected to own a portable computing device suitable for use in the classroom and on the University wireless network.
Financial Assistance Available through the School
Students who are enrolled in the McCombs School of Business are eligible for scholarships and awards funded by industry, foundations, and individuals. Some of these awards are available school-wide, while others are restricted to students in one department. Since funds are limited, students selected to receive an award must demonstrate outstanding academic aptitude and a firm commitment to a business education.
Most scholarships for continuing students are reserved for students who have declared a business major. Generally, one hundred to two hundred school scholarships are awarded annually, in amounts of $500 to $2,500; some are renewable. Criteria for awarding scholarships vary to meet the wishes of the donors but often include financial need, academic performance, major area of study, and hometown. Descriptions of school scholarships and applications for them are available on the BBA Program Office Web site in February of each year. The deadline for submission is the end of February for scholarships for the following academic year. Recipients are selected by the BBA Program Office of the school and are usually notified during the summer.
Departmental scholarships are generally reserved for juniors and seniors majoring in a program of the department. Because departmental scholarships are normally funded by annual contributions, the number of scholarships and the amounts awarded vary among departments and over time. Criteria for departmental awards are specified by the donors and include the same kinds of characteristics as those established for school-wide awards; deadlines and other elements of the selection process also vary among departments. Interested students should contact the major department for further information.
Student Services
The BBA Program Office provides administrative support and a wide array of student services for the school. Student services are offered to all enrolled BBA students to enhance their academic experience and professional development, and include academic advising, career services, study abroad, and leadership development.
Academic Advising
Upon admission to the McCombs School every undergraduate student is assigned to a professional academic adviser. Academic advisers in the BBA Program Office provide individualized, comprehensive advising and serve as a referral resource to students to ensure timely progress toward degree completion. Faculty advisers are also available in each academic department to help students explore their educational and career goals.
All students are encouraged to meet regularly with their assigned advisers. However, those who have been enrolled in the school for at least one semester are permitted to self-advise and register without consulting an academic adviser. To be eligible to self-advise, the student must have a University grade point average of at least 2.00. Like all undergraduate students, those who self-advise are responsible for knowing the requirements of the degree program they have chosen, for enrolling in courses appropriate to that degree program, for meeting the prerequisites of the courses selected, and for taking courses in the proper sequence to ensure timely progress toward the degree. See Student Responsibility in The University section for more information.
Career Services
BBA Career Services offers job search assistance to enrolled business students. The purpose of the office is to help students determine their career goals, develop a plan for achieving these goals, and select and obtain employment commensurate with their goals, interests, and training. To help students prepare for their career search, the office presents workshops on résumé writing, interviewing, conducting a job search, evaluating offers, and other career interest areas.
In addition to the career-related workshops, the BBA Career Advising team also teaches the required courses Business Administration 101S, 101H, and 101T to freshmen and transfer students. These courses will present the foundations for executing a successful job search and will focus on career management as a lifelong process. This course assists business students with planning, implementing and evaluating their careers. After completing these courses, students can implement job search strategies and interviewing techniques in pursuing internship and full-time employment opportunities.
Most students obtain their internship, which is a required part of the undergraduate business curriculum, at the end of their junior year. However, BBA Career Services encourages freshmen and sophomores to attend its recruiting activities and events, which can help them obtain various internships prior to the required internship. These experiences can help students develop their résumés and job search skills.
BBA Career Services maintains additional career resources and general business publications in their office. About fourteen thousand individual interviews for internships and full-time opportunities are arranged annually with employers in business, industry, government, and not-for-profit organizations. Several hundred firms conduct on-campus interviews at the McCombs School each year.
Another resource for employers, students, and alumni is the online McCombs Job Board. The Job Board helps recruiters reach business alumni and current students. It complements the on-campus recruiting program by allowing companies to recruit candidates for a wide variety of roles in their organizations throughout the calendar year.
More information about BBA Career Services is provided by the McCombs School at http://www.mccombs.utexas.edu/BBa/Career-Services .
As a complement to the assistance available from the school, the Center for Strategic Advising & Career Counseling serves students across campus who are exploring majors and careers. The center helps students learn more about their interests, skills and values; define short and long term goals; identify suitable major and career options; seek an internship; and plan for their job search or for graduate study.
The University makes no promise to secure employment for each graduate, but rather provides the tools and resources to ensure that students have access to employment opportunities.
Student Organizations
Student organizations play a vital role in the educational experience offered by the University. Students who become involved in organizations gain experience in leadership, teamwork, networking, time management, and other practical areas. This experience, when combined with the theoretical knowledge gained in the classroom, helps students develop a well-rounded set of skills for use academically, professionally, and personally.
The Undergraduate Business Council (UBC) is the governing student body in the school. It is made up of representatives from McCombs Affiliated Student Organizations, an executive board, representatives elected by the student body, and members appointed by the executive board. The UBC represents all undergraduate business students in university affairs, and sponsors programs such as McCombs Kickoff, Family Weekend, the VIP Distinguished Speaker Series, and the Faculty Honor Roll.
Business student organizations sponsor professional activities such as guest lectures, field trips, and faculty chats; many offer social activities as well. The McCombs Affiliated Student Organizations are:
| Student Organizations |
|---|
| American Marketing Association |
| Asian Business Students Association |
| ALPFA |
| Alpha Kappa Psi |
| Beta Alpha Psi |
| Black Business Student Association |
| Business Engineering Association |
| Business Healthcare Association |
| Delta Sigma Pi |
| Freshman Business Association |
| GLBTQA Business Student Association |
| Global Business Brigades |
| Hispanic Business Students Association |
| Honors Business Association |
| Investment Banking Industry Group |
| Jewish Business Students Association |
| Management Consulting Association |
| Management Information Systems Association |
| McCombs Diversity Council |
| National Association of Black Accountants |
| Phi Chi Theta |
| Student Consulting Initiative |
| Supply Chain Management Student Organization |
| Texas Analyst Association |
| Texas Enactus |
| Texas Energy Forum |
| Texas Sports Business Council |
| Texas Startup and Venture Capital Group |
| University Accounting Association |
| Undergraduate Business Council, University Finance Association |
| University Investors Association |
| University Management Association |
| University Real Estate Society |
| Universities Securities Investment Team |
| Women in Business Association |
Study Abroad
BBA International Programs offer McCombs School of Business students the opportunity to study abroad in two main ways: on an exchange program (summer, semester or academic year) at one of our many partner schools around the world; and on short-term, faculty-led summer programs, offering pre-determined McCombs courses which are taught abroad in various international locations. Both types of study abroad opportunities enable students to make progress toward their University degree requirements while gaining valuable intercultural experiences. More information is available at http://www.mccombs.utexas.edu/bba/ip/ .
Leadership Development Program
The Leadership Program (LP) gives students access to unique leadership development programs and activities. All business majors who are not in the Business Honors Program and are freshmen, sophomores, or transfer students may apply. The LP requires a four-year commitment from freshmen and a three-year commitment from sophomores and transfer students. The primary goal of the Leadership Program is to enhance student learning and development as it relates to self-knowledge and leadership competence, and to expand the student’s leadership portfolio during his or her time at the McCombs School of Business.
Admission to the Leadership Program is limited to a small number of students who are chosen on a competitive basis each year. More information and an online application form are available at http://www.mccombs.utexas.edu/BBA/OSL/Leadership-Development/Leadership-Program.aspx .