Wisconsin BBA Program Brochure 2014

Big Ten Reasons to Get Your BBA at Wisconsin At the Wisconsin School of Business at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, we are excited about your interest in the Wisconsin BBA Program, ranked 18th nationally by Poets and Quants. One of the strongest aspects of our program is the personal attention we provide to our prospective and current students.

To help with the transition, we will provide you with the resources necessary to make the adjustment as smooth as possible.

Table of Contents

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Big Ten Reasons

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Admissions Information

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BBA Ambassadors

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FAQs

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The Compass Program™

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Contact Admissions

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Majors

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Visit Campus!

1. Our Students The University of Wisconsin-Madison

The large majority of students are admitted

They have the technical skills employers

attracts a diverse, talented student body

to the Wisconsin School of Business as

look for and a reputation for being good

from many backgrounds. About half of

sophomores—admission is competitive.

team players. You will find your classmates

the incoming freshmen rank in the top

Business students at UW-Madison work

to be creative, thoughtful, and high-energy

10 percent of their high school classes.

hard, but they also know how to have fun.

students who want to make a difference.

Students come from every county in Wisconsin, every state in the union, and more than 100 nations around the world.

Students come from every county in Wisconsin, every state in the union, and more than 100 nations

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BBA Ambassadors Program

To help high school students gain valuable insight into the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Wisconsin School of Business, the Wisconsin BBA Office of Recruitment and Admissions has created the BBA Ambassadors program. Ambassadors are current business students with a vast knowledge of the Wisconsin BBA Program and the student experience. BBA Ambassadors are

available for personal meetings with prospective students and their families. Each appointment is scheduled for 60 minutes, which includes basic information about the admission process, information about majors and programs, and a tour of beautiful Grainger Hall. With proper notice, Ambassadors also will schedule a brief meeting with faculty from your intended major and invite you to join them for a class shadow opportunity. Connect with BBA Ambassadors by emailing BBAambassadors@bus.wisc.edu to set up an individualized visit.

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@BBAambassadors

Benefits from participating in the Direct Admit Program?

Sonia: For starters, I was able to claim Grainger Hall as my ‘place’ right off the bat! As a Direct Admit, I was able to jump into the business curriculum earlier, meet awesome faculty, and form strong friendships with the other direct admits, all of which contributed to making me feel comfortable at UW-Madison faster than I ever could’ve imagined.

Why did you choose UW-Madison and the Wisconsin School of Business?

Sonia & Nikita Sabade Woodbury, MN Current BBA Students Describe the academic environment at UW-Madison?

Nikita: Focused. University of Wisconsin-Madison students love to have fun, but take care to balance play with hard work and dedication to class commitments.

Nikita: I chose UW-Madison for its world-class academics, beautiful campus, and proximity to home. I was also drawn to the Wisconsin School of Business’ strong actuarial science program.

Sonia: As anyone who’s been able to step on the campus knows, it’s a beautiful, lively place to be.

I was also able to watch Nikita join the strong community of faculty and students at the Wisconsin School of Business and was subsequently so encouraged and motivated to become a part of it myself.

Now that you’re a Business Badger, what is the most compelling reason to join this community?

Sonia: I can honestly say that throughout my entire time at Wisconsin School of Business, I’ve felt supported every step of the way. To never feel alone on such a huge campus is so rare and important at such a huge university, and I credit that to the tightknit faculty and students.

Nikita: Opportunity to build meaningful relationships with faculty, advisers, and peers. Through class and involvement in Wisconsin School of Business extracurriculars, I have connected with truly supportive and inspirational people, who will undoubtedly have a lasting impact on my life/career after school.

Advice for incoming students?

Sonia: Campus visits are key! A college can sound perfect on paper, but it’s the sense of belonging you get when you step onto the right college campus that ultimately leads you to making the right decision!

“I can honestly say that throughout my entire time at the Wisconsin School of Business, I’ve felt supported every step of the way. To never feel alone on such a huge campus is so rare and important at such a huge university, and I credit that to the tight-knit faculty and students.”

—Sonia Sabade (BBA ‘16) 2

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2. Our Faculty Our globally recognized faculty members are among the most published researchers and accomplished teachers in the field of business education. They are authors of nationally adopted textbooks and prize-winning academic research.

With a 16:1 student-to-instructor ratio, Wisconsin School of Business faculty pride themselves on being accessible to students and bringing their cutting-edge knowledge into the classroom.

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Most intriguing aspect of teaching in the BBA Program?

I’ve experienced an amazing dynamic here in the Wisconsin School of Business I haven’t experienced elsewhere. The students challenge me to work harder, and as a result, are willing to work harder themselves. In addition, some schools will discuss the great things their students do after graduation, while our students are doing great things while still in school.

Critical piece to succeeding in the BBA Program?

Jon Eckhardt Associate Professor of Management, Robert Pricer Chair in Enterprise Development, and Director of the Weinert Center for Entrepreneurship

The most successful students are those who find something to be passionate about and then feed that passion. Our students either come in with passion or immediately identify and hone in on something to remain passionate about. Simply put, find and have passion.

“...the students challenge me to work harder, and as a result, are willing to work harder themselves.”

3. Innovative Curriculum Our business curriculum reflects input

addition to 10 majors, you can choose

from scores of executives from leading

from certificates and specializations

firms who serve on the school’s advisory

to gain additional knowledge to round

boards and are actively involved with our

out your portfolio. You can also opt for

students. Group projects are a notable

electives chosen from the many world-

part of the business curriculum, with

class departments within UW-Madison—

many projects done as a team on behalf

from international studies to foreign

of a local company or organization. In

languages and dozens more.

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th

Undergraduate Business Program in the World named by Business Insider 6

4. Career Opportunities The Wisconsin School of Business is known for offering comprehensive career development, advising, and placement assistance.

The dedicated staff of the BBA Advising Center gets to know you and your career goals. They work with you to develop the interviewing skills and rĂŠsumĂŠ that will help you launch your career. Center staff also work closely with leading companies looking to hire UW-Madison graduates. In a typical year, more than 475 companies come to campus to recruit our business students.

The average starting salary for BBA graduates exceeds $53,000.

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5. Leadership Experience Evan Smith (BBA ‘14) IMAcc Graduate; Interned at KPMG Your favorite experiences from your internship?

I would say my favorite experiences from my internship revolved around meeting new people and expanding my network. Another one of my favorite experiences is just being able to absorb so much information and grow professionally in such a short amount of time.

Advice you would give a prospective student about interning?

Be proactive and be your own advocate. This is your internship, and you are going to get out of it what you put in.

What do you feel the IMAcc experience did for you?

I was able to get an internship with one of the Big Four accounting firms, something that is extremely difficult to do outside of the program. With this internship I was able to secure full-time employment, which means job security leaving college.

LeaderShape is a six-day, interactive leadership camp offered by the Accenture Leadership Center, designed to help students “lead with integrity.”

Wisconsin School of Business students are highly engaged in the BBA and campus community. It shows in their active participation in 50+ business student organizations, which bring in noted speakers, provide opportunities to network with industry professionals, conduct

community service projects, and expand students’ knowledge while helping them build close ties with their classmates. The School boasts a unique resource, the Accenture Leadership Center, which focuses on offering students hands-on opportunities to develop 8

6. High Quality Student Services 40% 33 28 Business Students Study Abroad

Study Abroad Programs at Top Business Schools Around the World

Different Locations to Explore

We offer academic advising to help you plan your business education every step of the way.

As a business student, you’ll benefit from a range of highquality student services. We offer academic advising to help you plan your business education 9

every step of the way. Our Business Learning Center offers small group academic support for quantitative courses. Want

to study abroad? You can gain insights from staff with the expertise to help you locate the international learning opportunity that best meets your interests.

BBA Advising Center

International Programs

This center is the one-stop shop for

center. The Accenture Leadership Center

The Wisconsin School of Business offers

business students to access academic

allows students to develop and practice

business focused study abroad programs

advising and career development

leadership skills through workshops,

in Asia, Europe, Latin America, and North

assistance. Our professional staff

speaker series, leadership classes,

America. The programs are hosted by

members provide guidance with

and case competitions.

highly regarded business schools around

everything from selecting courses and

the world. Study abroad can be a key

choosing a major to landing your dream

Business Learning Center

component to an undergraduate business

internship and full-time position. The

The Business Learning Center provides

education; about 40 percent of every

BBA Advising Center offers a diverse

small-group academic support for

graduating class studies abroad.

range of programs and services to

quantitative courses that are business-

support your success throughout your

related. Services are provided, at

time on campus, including academic

no additional cost, to reinforce your

advising for pre-business students,

understanding of materials presented

workshops on gaining admission to the

in the classroom and to help you

Wisconsin BBA Program, and partnering

excel in your studies.

with an impressive 475 leading companies to recruit our business students.

one of only a few business schools in the nation to have its own in-house leadership

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7. Alumni Network

Once you graduate, you join a powerful

of alumni who are CEOs of Fortune 500

path, you will continue to benefit

network of more than 40,000 Wisconsin

companies. Whether you end up running

from the knowledge, experience,

School of Business graduates living and

a major company, launching your own

and friendships you gained at

working around the world. As a Badger

start-up, or pursuing a totally different

the Wisconsin School of Business.

alum, you become part of a network that can open doors—across town or around the world. You will be in good company.

Numerous studies have ranked UWMadison at the top in terms of number 11

Once you graduate, you join a powerful network of more than 40,000 Wisconsin Business Badgers living and working around the world.

Aspire to Inspire It is challenging, but it ensures that you are working with peers who have demonstrated a strong work ethic and acumen at a college level.

This, in my opinion, separates the Wisconsin School of Business from many other schools’ programs.

How did your experience at the Wisconsin School of Business lead you to a successful career?

Jack Thurnblad (BBA ‘09) Financial Director for Ian’s Pizza Why the Wisconsin School of Business?

One of the things I respected the most about the Business School was that I had to prove myself in a college setting before I was accepted into the program.

My experience at the Wisconsin School of Business not only helped me determine the path I wanted to take with my degree, but also equipped me with the tools to succeed once I graduated. As the financial director for a small business, I have to be familiar with all aspects of running a business, in addition to the specific field my degree is in. The Wisconsin School of Business did a great job preparing me for this role by providing a balanced business curriculum along with my chosen degree’s courses.

The Wisconsin School of Business not only provided me with a world-class education, but also a world-

class experience. From my peers, to the TAs, to the professors and administrators, the culture and learning environment at Grainger Hall exceeded all expectations I had coming in as a freshman. I am forever grateful to UW-Madison and the Wisconsin School of Business, and am proud to call myself a Business Badger!

“The Wisconsin School of Business did a great job preparing me for this role by providing a balanced business curriculum along with my chosen degree’s courses.”

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8. Large Campus, Small School The Wisconsin School of Business is

university, in addition to feeling the excite-

an integral part of the University of

ment of being a part of a Big Ten campus.

Wisconsin-Madison, which is nationally and

You also receive all the personal attention

internationally recognized for academic

possible in a comparatively small business

excellence. Being a business student at UW-

program filled with

Madison means you can reap all the ben-

familiar faces. It’s the best of both worlds.

efits of a large and highly regarded public

9. Grainger Hall

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Located in the heart of campus, Grainger

of the most popular spaces on campus.

Hall, the home of the Wisconsin BBA

Grainger Hall offers a lounge exclusively

Program, offers a student-friendly

for undergraduate business students,

environment. Modern classrooms,

but they are just as likely to be found in

welcoming common areas, and space

Grainger Hall’s first-floor cafÊ, where stu-

dedicated to team projects and leadership

dents, faculty, and staff all enjoy the chance

development are all available in Grainger

to grab a quick sandwich or meet up with

Hall. The two-story business library is one

friends for coffee and conversation.

10. City of Madison Madison is consistently rated as a great place to live. Our students rave about its people and atmosphere. They love the way it combines big-city entertainment options with small-town

friendliness. Madison is a vibrant capital city with a downtown built between two beautiful lakes.

Favorite activities include: watching Big Ten sports, including football in historic Camp Randall stadium; dining at one of the city’s

dozens of diverse restaurants; windsurfing on Lake Mendota; or taking advantage of nature and bike trails that lead from the lakefront campus to the scenic countryside that surrounds Madison.

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The Compass ™ Program

The groundbreaking Wisconsin BBA Compass Program provides BBA students the opportunity to build their leadership skills, advance their academic and career development, enhance cross-cultural communication skills, and fuel their professional growth. This degree length program takes a progressive approach to ensure graduating students have career-ready, proven work and life skills. The Compass Program includes a personal and professional development course and inspiring co-curricular experiences that are flexible and customizable. Students in the Compass Program make a positive impact on campus, in their communities, and within the 475+ companies that actively recruit BBA students.

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How are you applying what you learned in the Compass Program in your academics, extracurriculars, work and/or internship(s)?

The Compass Program helped create my business professional foundation and provided me with the skills and knowledge to acquire an internship. Since I’ve been interning I’ve only been able to expand on those skills and grow as a young professional, but I owe all my success to the Compass Program.

Lauren Wrobbel (BBA ‘15)

Compass Student Facilitator What kinds of opportunities did you take advantage of as a Compass Program participant?

Through the required workshops it was nice to be exposed to the different resources and speakers the Business School brings in for its students to learn from. With such a broad range of topics to choose from, it wasn’t hard to find multiple sessions that I wanted to attend.

What did you learn via the Compass Program? Or, what was your favorite part of the Compass Program?

My favorite part about being in the Compass Program was being able to socialize with newly admitted business school students and going through the same experience I did. The Business School didn’t seem so big as you instantly met about 30 new faces and friends.

Jiyu Zhou (BBA ‘16)

“I owe all my success to the Compass Program.”

—Lauren Wrobbel

Compass Student Facilitator What kinds of opportunities did you take advantage of as a Compass Program participant?

All sorts of things to be honest: learning to write a good résumé, being more prepared for the Career Fair, doing mock interviews, being more exposed to networking events and career development events, setting up informational interviews, cultivating professional habits, and applying to be a Compass Program facilitator in the end.

Any advice for prospective Wisconsin BBA students who might participate in the Compass Program in the future?

You only get out of it as much as what you put into it. Cliché? But very true. Please take good advantage of the experience, resources and insights our Compass Program has to offer.

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Majors Choose from a variety of areas to gain focus in your career, giving you a competitive edge when looking for your first job after graduation.

ACCOUNTING

Every significant transaction in today’s world requires assessing deployment of money and materials. Accountants suggest the best way to manage resources or monitor and report on an organization’s financial well-being.

ACTUARIAL SCIENCE

Through mathematics and statistics, an actuary assesses liabilities and risks a company faces when it offers an insurance product or pension plan.

FINANCE, INVESTMENT & BANKING

Finance majors learn about managing an organization’s financial resources and capital structure, the functioning of capital markets, and financial instruments and banking.

INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Built on a solid foundation of a business and information technology (IT) curriculum, the major in information systems delivers a unique blend of business acumen, industry standards, and practical computing instruction.

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INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

The international business major is designed to provide students with a sound understanding of international business principles, as well as languages and cultures of other regions that are essential for success in today’s global economy.

MANAGEMENT & HUMAN RESOURCES

Students in human resources management study how organizations attract, motivate, develop, and retain employees, in addition to how they interact with organizations representing employees. Studies in entrepreneurship are designed for students who are interested in bringing new ideas to the marketplace.

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MARKETING

Marketing creates exchanges between organizations and customers. It includes planning, designing, pricing, promoting, and distributing goods and services that satisfy organizational and customer needs.

OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT

Preparing students to contribute to process management and improvement, students learn how to analyze activities involved in managing production or service operations in order to design, improve, or completely reengineer the processes needed to efficiently bring about desired outputs.

REAL ESTATE

The undergraduate program in real estate provides concentrated course work in all aspects of the real estate enterprise. The program is nationally renowned for its ability to develop real estate professionals with superb analytical skills.

RISK MANAGEMENT & INSURANCE

CERTIFICATIONS & SPECIALIZATIONS

Certificate in Business Certificate in Entrepreneurship Language Certificate: Spanish Health Care Management Specialization Supply Chain Management Specialization Capstone Certification in Actuarial Science

The major in risk management and insurance prepares students to identify, analyze, and manage risks that are inherent in the operation of profit and not-for-profit institutions. They study property, liability, health and life insurance, employee benefits programs, and government insurance programs.

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Become a Business Badger Wisconsin BBA Pre-Business Admission and Requirements The Pre-Business Admission Process is the most common way our students gain admission to the Wisconsin BBA Program. The majority of the Wisconsin BBA student population is admitted under the following guidelines, known as the Pre-Business Admission Process: bus.wisc.edu/bba/admissions/how-to-apply In order to be eligible to apply to the Wisconsin BBA Program, the student must complete the following two prerequisites: 24 credits of in-residence coursework and hours. These credits must be completed by the end of the spring semester in order to be considered for admission.

Sucessful completion of the four Pre-Business courses: Communication Part A; Economics 101, Psychology 202, Calculus I (211, 217, or 221)

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Wisconsin BBA Direct Admit Program Through our admissions process, we are looking to identify academically accomplished students with an interest in studying business. This method of entry to the Wisconsin BBA Program will allow business-interested students to enter the Wisconsin BBA Program directly from high school, bypassing the Wisconsin BBA Pre-Business Admission Process.

Steps to becoming a Wisconsin BBA Direct Admit: Apply to the University of Wisconsin-Madison using the system application.

Indicate business as your intended major of study at UW-Madison.

UW-Admissions Counseling staff will provide recommendations for a second review.

Please note: Your admission to UW-Madison does not depend on direct admit eligibility. If admitted to UW-Madison but not identified for direct admit, your admission status with campus does not change.

The student will be contacted by the Wisconsin BBA Recruitment and Admissions team with a request to provide a professional résumé and Wisconsin BBA-specific statement through a secure application site.

Wisconsin BBA Admissions staff will perform a second review of the application, including the résumé and personal statement.

Transferring to the Wisconsin BBA As a potential transfer, there are two ways to be admitted to the Wisconsin BBA Program: Direct Transfer: This process allows prospective Wisconsin BBA students to be admitted directly to the undergraduate business program, concurrent with their admission to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. This student must be transferring from a UW System or Wisconsin Technical College System school and must be admitted to the university by the Office of Recruitment and Admissions at UW-Madison. This student will submit a second, separate application to the Wisconsin School of Business by the annual spring deadline.

Non-Direct Transfer: This student must first achieve a minimum of 12 credits in-residence. A non-direct transfer student can take the 12 in-residence credits in the same semester they are applying to the Wisconsin School of Business (spring semester).

All transfer students must have completed the Pre-Business courses by the end of the spring semester in which they apply.

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BBA FAQs

Q: What does it mean to be part of the Pre-Business Admission Process?

A: The vast majority (approximately 90 percent) of our student body will enter UW-Madison as prebusiness students and apply to the BBA Program during their first year on campus. This involves completing the pre-business curriculum, as well as having 24 completed credits on campus. Students will submit a résumé and essay as part of a holistic review done by Wisconsin BBA Program staff and faculty.

Q: Can I be admitted directly into the Wisconsin BBA Program from high school?

A: Yes. A total of 100 students will enter the Wisconsin BBA Program directly from high school.

In coordination with UW-Admissions, the School will invite approximately 20-25 percent of all incoming business-interested students to submit a final Direct Admit application to the Wisconsin BBA Program.

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In order to gain direct admission status, your application must be selected by the UW-Madison Office of Recruitment and Admissions for further consideration. The Wisconsin BBA Program will contact you if you are identified as a possible candidate.

Q: What factors are considered in my Wisconsin BBA application?

A: You will be asked to submit a professional résumé as well as a prompted essay. These two documents, along with your cumulative GPA, will be primary factors in the application.

Q: The Pre-Business Admission Process concerns me. What things are in place to assist me with the transition and application process?

A: One of the strongest aspects of the Wisconsin BBA Program is the student services. The unique

aspect of our program is that we have specific prebusiness advisors who are available to help every step of the way. From Admissions 101 to personalized advising appointments, we will provide each student with the opportunity, guidance, and knowledge necessary to submit the strongest application possible.

Q: What if I’m not admitted to the Wisconsin School of Business?

A: All applicants are afforded two opportunities to apply. Starting at Business Student Orientation, Advising and Registration (SOAR), our professional advisors will start discussing the importance of having a parallel plan. The university is a worldrenowned institution, offering more than 150 majors.

When targeting a parallel plan, our advisors will help you map out how pre-business and liberal studies courses will transfer and translate to other campus programs and majors.

Visit campus to see our program in action Experience the Wisconsin BBA Program firsthand at a visit of the UW-Madison campus including the Wisconsin School of Business.

Go to visitbucky.wisc.edu to sign up for a campus visit and to register for an information session and tour of the Wisconsin School of Business at Grainger Hall. The Wisconsin BBA session lasts 60 minutes and is held on most Monday and Friday afternoons (except for holidays).

When you sign up, if the Wisconsin School of Business information session is not showing on a Monday or Friday you selected, it is likely full or is not offered that day due to the UW-Madison academic calendar.

Connect with Wisconsin BBA Admissions staff 3290 Grainger Hall 975 University Ave. Madison, WI 53706

admissions@bus.wisc.edu

608-262-2550

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Wisconsin BBA Program Wisconsin School of Business University of Wisconsin-Madison 3290 Grainger Hall Madison, WI 53706 608-262-2550 admissions@bus.wisc.edu www.bus.wisc.edu/BBA