Within the context of EMU’s philosophy and mission, the vision of the department of business and economics is to provide a comprehensive education in which graduates will:

• understand that the role of business in meeting economic need is foundational to peacebuilding
• work for fairness and justice
• highlight the value of people in business
• view business as service
• exercise responsible stewardship of resources
• have an interdisciplinary and global perspective.

The mission of the department of business and economics at EMU is to produce graduates who are proactive participants in the marketplace, who promote the common good, and who have the skills required to successfully manage in a business or other organizational environment.

Developing Effective Leaders and Managers

Our curriculum is structured to accomplish certain objectives for university students, which we categorize broadly as values, skills, and knowledge. The values that we seek to develop include integrity, fairness, stewardship of resources, and an understanding of business as a service profession that is critical to God’s providential care for humankind.

We seek to develop skills that will enable graduates to lead and to manage effectively. These skills include the ability to think critically and to apply effective problem-solving methodologies, to communicate clearly both orally and in writing, to work collaboratively in diverse settings, to apply financial statement analysis to the stewardship of organizational resources, and to use information technology in order to further organizational objectives.

Specially Designed Curriculum

Finally, our curriculum is designed to ensure that students have a broad understanding of the major functional areas of business including strategic management, marketing, finance and accounting, and operations, and sufficient knowledge of economics to understand the implications of economic news and events for their organization.

The highly specialized study of business at EMU is set in the context of the university’s comprehensive liberal arts curriculum that has a strong global orientation. We believe that a broad education in the liberal arts is critical to the development of effective mangers because it enables them to quickly understand the implications for business of the rapid change that characterizes contemporary society. Consequently, we strongly encourage students to take electives in a variety of subjects outside the department in addition to the university’s Global Village Curriculum.

Experiential Learning

Learning experiences in the department are varied, with an increasing emphasis on collaboration and experiential learning.

Course activities and assignments include case study analysis, simulation games, special projects, field trips and guest speakers as well class discussion and lecture. Computer skills are integrated throughout the curriculum. Internships in business and not-for-profit organizations are encouraged for upper-level students in order to gain professional level work experience prior to graduation. The department’s Investment Club gives students opportunities to learn about personal investing and to actively manage the club’s fund. Emphasis is placed on learning and utilizing analytical skills, communication skills and decision-making techniques. Extensive group work develops the student's ability to work effectively in a team environment.

Admission to the Business and Economics Department

To be admitted to the department students complete an application and an interview with their advisor, and meet the GPA standards set by the department–a GPA of 2.00 overall and 2.50 for business courses (ACTG, BUAD, CIS, ECON, FIN and MKTG) taken at EMU. Complete admission requirements are available from the department. Students must maintain the same GPA standard in order to graduate from the department. Some courses require prerequisites, including admission to the department. Students must pass all prerequisites with a letter grade of C or higher before enrolling in courses that have those courses as a prerequisite (a grade of C- does not meet this requirement). Students majoring in accounting and business administration earn a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree. Students majoring in economics and international business earn a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree.

Office Location

Second floor, Campus Center
Phone: (540) 432-4150
Fax: (540) 432-4071