News Releases

Major demand for Minor in Business

With all classes at full capacity, the recently launched program has been a hit.

Tuesday, April 3, 2007

When Dean William Fuerst came to KU in 2000, he wondered why the School of Business did not offer a minor in business. He had witnessed the benefits of such programs at other universities and identified the untapped need at KU. At that time, however, the School was not in a position to initiate a new program of that magnitude, and so Fuerst reluctantly placed it on hold. But the idea never strayed far.

Last fall the School transformed that idea into a reality, launching the Minor in Business program. Intended for non-business students, the Minor provides basic knowledge of business concepts through a set of six courses - all without delaying graduation. While not a full-fledged business degree, the Minor gives students a solid base of business understanding, allowing them to operate in business environments within their chosen fields of study.

The rollout of the Minor met with tremendous enthusiasm from students. In fact, the demand has been so great that this semester all Minor courses are at full capacity, according to Ted Boone, director of the Minor program.

"We're looking for bigger classrooms for this fall," Boone says with pleasure. "We have also decided to offer five of the Minor courses this summer because of student demand."

More than 250 students have declared a Minor in Business, and Boone estimates that another 150 are taking Minor classes without having declared the Minor. This fall an even bigger enrollment spike is expected. Boone says the enrollment figures reflect the great value students see in the program.

"The learning that takes place in our Minor courses," Boone states, "will benefit students the rest of their lives. So it's a practical program for them."

The six courses in the Minor program include accounting, finance, marketing, management, decision sciences, and information systems. "These are the six crucial areas students must comprehend to communicate in today's business world," Boone says.

Students from Liberal Arts, Sports Management, Engineering, and Economics have all taken advantage of the program. The diversity of backgrounds makes the program unique for students. Instructors attempt to illustrate how concepts affect actions in various business environments and settings. This broad exploration provides students with multiple ways to view the same business topic, making the classes relevant to their particular interests.

"They're enjoying it," Boone says of the students in the program. "It's a valuable opportunity, and I'm glad they're taking advantage of it."