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Business Administration

About the Program

Augustana College offers a major in business administration; each business major also completes a concentration in one of five areas:
Ann E. Ericson, associate professor in Business Administration, uses a "smartboard" during a class in the newly renovated Emmy Carlsson Evald Hall.
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Finance
  • International Business
  • Management Information Systems

At Augustana, a strong liberal arts foundation combined with pre-professional study equals a valuable experience for business majors, especially when they add an internship to their experience.

Before beginning coursework in their concentration, all business majors complete general courses in:
  • Economics
  • Statistics
  • Accounting
  • Business Writing 

Business administration is one of Augustana’s largest, most popular academic programs. The department has 11 full-time faculty members, nine of whom hold a Ph.D.

The department’s focus on written and spoken communication is reinforced by small, interactive classes that encourage discussion among peers and faculty. The average class size for business administration classes generally ranges from 7 to 34 students.

All students complete Senior Inquiry, a capstone project or paper in which students draw from their comprehensive learning experience. Each student develops his or her Senior Inquiry in partnership with a professor or internship mentor. 

In fall 2008, the newly renovated Emmy Carlsson Evald Hall opened as a spectacular academic building for the departments of accounting, business administration and economics, as well as education and psychology. The building houses classrooms (including smart classrooms), offices, computer labs and study areas, as well as the impressive Great Hall for gatherings and a large veranda with a view toward the Mississippi River.


Outside the Classroom

Augustana’s full-time director of business internships works closely with students to place them in their ideal internship settings, both national and international. 90% of Augustana business students complete internships, compared with 75% nationwide. Augustana's three-term academic calendar makes it easier for students to pursue internships. Recent placements include, but haven't been limited to:
  • AT&T Global Accounts
  • WGN-TV
  • Chicago Bears
  • John Deere
  • Merrill Lynch
  • Washington Institute for Near East Policy
  • American Red Cross
The Business Administration Department also offers many domestic and international programs to help students gain experience and knowledge. The college offers a great variety of programs around the country and the world, such as:
The college offers more than 150 departmental, professional and student organizations, and business majors choose from a number of extra-curricular clubs and groups to suit their particular interests, such as:
The department also offers an annual job shadowing day named Business Day. Students take a day out of the classroom to job-shadow and spend one-on-one time with Quad Cities employers, giving the students valuable insight into possible future careers.



What Students Say

Matthew McIntyre ’12, interned at Case IH (Racine, WI)

“The Augustana Business Department taught me a lot for life after college. I feel well prepared in any situation and with any task that is thrown my direction because I feel I received such a broad education from our professors."

Paul Kleinhans-Schulz '14, interned at Cedar Rapids Kernels (Cedar Rapids, IA)

"The Business Administration department does everything possible to help students succeed in the real world after college. They offer great student organizations that help students learn about what professionals do in their line of work and how students need to prepare to enter the job market after college."