Farmer School of Business

 

To provide a premier business educational experience that prepares responsible and innovative leaders, and advances knowledge by optimizing the synergy among teaching, scholarship, and life-long learning. The principles that define, differentiate, and drive our culture include: Strategic Innovation and Informed Risk-Taking, Knowledge Creation and Business Education for Life, Engagement, Leadership for The Greater Good - "Prodesse Quam Conspici", and Inclusion. 

The Farmer School of Business offers bachelor's and master's degree programs as well as undergraduate certificates. Master's degree programs are described in the Graduate Programs of Study section. Bachelor’s degree majors are offered in the following areas: accountancy, business analytics, business economics, finance, human capital management and leadership, information and cybersecurity management, marketing, real estate and supply chain and operations management. A co-major is offered in entrepreneurship. The flexibility of each program allows a student to pursue areas of special interests and needs. Minors are available in accountancy, arts management, business analytics, climate accounting and engineering, cybersecurity management, economics, entrepreneurship, finance, business, human capital management and leadership, information systems, international business, management, marketing, real estate, and supply chain management.

Accreditation

The Farmer School of Business has been accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business at the undergraduate level since 1932 and at the graduate level since 1961. This association is the only agency recognized nationally to accredit in the area of professional education for business at the collegiate level. Its standards include an evaluation of faculty competence, library facilities, physical plant and equipment, financial support of the institution, and the content and breadth of both the professional and nonprofessional curricular requirements.

Advisory Committees

The Business Advisory Council is composed of nearly fifty leading business executives, many of whom are alumni of the School. The council meets with the dean, faculty, and students twice a year to provide counsel on the School’s programs. The council is very helpful to the School’s continuing efforts to maintain excellence in education for future business leaders.

The School also meets regularly with several other external councils who provide feedback on our various programs: Farmer Board of Visitors, Center for Business Excellence Advisory Board, and departmental advisory boards.

The Business Student Advisory Council provides an excellent means of communication between students and faculty. Members of this committee include students from all programs and class years within the school and representatives from various business student organizations.

Divisional and Departmental Honors

The Farmer School of Business offers a divisional honors program for students who qualify and desire more intensive work under the guidance of a faculty mentor(s). Students can apply to the Farmer School of Business (divisional) honors program in the spring of the first year (with entry decisions occurring that same semester). Additionally, the Department of Economics offers a separate departmental honors program.

Both divisional and departmental honors programs in the School of Business may be coordinated and integrated with the Honors College. A common project may serve divisional, departmental, and university honors. 

For more information, contact the Student Services Office at the Farmer School of Business, 1022 FSB, 513-529-1712, or visit the website: http://miamioh.edu/fsb/academics/honors/index.html.

Honorary and Professional Organizations

The School seeks to improve the quality of its programs and provide educational development opportunities for its students through its honorary and professional organizations. Student organizations provide opportunities for students to lead teams, communicate with members, and problem-solve. 

There are 3 honorary societies: Beta Alpha Psi, Beta Gamma Sigma, and Mu Kappa Tau. Beta Alpha Psi is a national accounting honorary that elects its members on the basis of scholastic achievement in accountancy courses. Beta Gamma Sigma, the national scholarship society founded in 1913 to encourage and reward scholarship and accomplishment among students of business administration, has an active chapter at Miami University. Eligibility for election is restricted to the upper 7 percent of the junior class and the upper 10 percent of the senior class. Mu Kappa Tau is a marketing honorary for seniors who rank among the top 20 percent of their class.

Students also are encouraged to participate in one of over 50 student professional organizations, which include: Accounting Association, Advancing Women in Entrepreneurship (AWE), Alpha Kappa Psi, Business Student Advisory Council (BSAC), China-America Business Organization (CABO), Commercial Banking Club, Delta Sigma Pi, Economics Club, Farmer School of Business Ambassadors (FSBA), First Miami University Student Credit Union (FMSCU), Foreign Exchange Club (FOREX), Futures in Retail, Global Business Brigades, Igoodea Creative Solutions, Information Systems and Analytics Organization, International Student Advisory Council (ISAC), Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA), Miami Advertising Club (MAD), Miami Asset Management, Miami Business Consulting (MBC), Miami Business Enterprises (MBE), Miami Financial Analytics Club, Miami Finance Association, Miami Management & Leadership (MML), Miami Sports Marketing, Miami University Blockchain Club (MUBC), Miami University Center for Creativity & Innovation (MUCCI), Miami University Fashion & Design (MUF&D), Miami University Investment Banking Club, Miami University Private Equity Club, Miami University Real Estate Club, Miami University Women in Business (MUWIB), Miami Value Investing Club (MVIC), Multicultural Business Association (MBA), National Association of Black Accountants (NABA), Nourish International, Phi Chi Theta, Phi Gamma Nu, Pi Sigma Epsilon, Redhawk Racing, Redhawk Ventures, Social Impact, Society for Human Resource Management, Supply Chain Management Association, TAMID, The Council of Social Entrepreneurship, Toastmasters International, Women in Accounting, Women in Business (WIB), Women in Economics, Women in Finance, Women in Social Entrepreneurship (WISE), Women Who Invest, and LIFE. 

Advisors

Each academic department has a lead advisor who coordinates the advising procedures within a department and represents the department on the committee that hears student petitions, the Divisional Committee of Advisors. Divisional advisors advise all undergraduate business students and are also available to help business students with special problems. Advising assignments and information is available at the following website: http://MiamiOH.edu/fsb/resources/advising.

Admission to the Farmer School of Business is limited, and the criteria for admission are subject to change as enrollment demands vary.

Direct Admission

Admission to the Farmer School of Business

Admission to the Farmer School of Business generally takes place upon entry as a first-year student. The academic credentials required will vary during each admission cycle and are determined by the Office of Admission. The review process is holistic and comprehensive and considers many variables to establish the context of a student’s achievements and demonstrated potential to be successful in the rigorous curriculum. Additional details are available on the Farmer School website:  http://MiamiOH.edu/fsb/admission/highschool/index.html.

Transfer Admission

Students who were not previously offered direct admission, did not apply to the Farmer School of Business, or who may be transferring from other institutions may seek admission through a non-competitive process. Students must meet the following admission requirements:

Current Miami University students: To be admitted into the Farmer School of Business, a student must earn at least 30 graded credit hours at Miami University, hold a GPA of 3.50 or higher in the Miami Plan Foundation and business courses taken at Miami University, and complete MTH 141 or MTH 151 and ECO 201 (via AP, post-secondary or university courses). For more information, please contact the Student Services Office at 513-529-1712.

Transfer students from another college or university: To be admitted into the Farmer School of Business, a student must have earned at least 30 graded credit hours, have an overall GPA of 3.50 or higher, and have completed MTH 141 or MTH 151 and ECO 201 (via AP, post-secondary, or university courses). Questions can be directed to the FSB Student Services Office at 513-529-1712.

Credit Hour Limitations

Students may accelerate their programs by registering in excess of the average 16 hours per semester needed to complete the program in eight semesters. Registrations of up to 20 hours are permitted in a regular semester or eight hours in a five- or six-week summer term. Course loads in excess of these limitations require permission from the Student Services office. Requests are normally only considered if the student earned a 3.50 grade point average or is a senior who earned a 3.00 grade point average.

In addition to the Miami Plan requirements, all business programs have a core of foundational courses in accounting, business analysis, business communication, business law, economics, entrepreneurship, finance, information systems, management and leadership, marketing, operations and supply chain management, statistics, and calculus. This core is described in detail later. The following requirements apply to all business majors:

Business Capstone Experience

In addition to completing a Miami Plan Capstone Experience, all business majors must complete a business Capstone Experience. You should complete the business core first. The business Capstones are senior level experiences which are writing and speaking intensive, provide for multiple skill development, and integrate the business course work you have already completed.

All business Capstones are also Miami Plan Capstones; you may fulfill both requirements with one course. A complete list is available on your DAR or in the advising office.

Communication Requirement

All business programs require BUS 284/ENG 284. In addition, each major incorporates communication across the curriculum so that writing and speaking skills are important characteristics of that program.

Credit/No-Credit

All business courses, MTH 141 or MTH 151, CSE 148, BUS 284/ENG 284 and any other specifically required course (except first-year English composition) or major requirement must be taken for a grade and not credit/no-credit.

Grade Point Average

A minimum 2.00 cumulative grade point average in business courses is required for graduation.

Non-FSB Credit Requirement

FSB students must complete at least 39 credit hours in courses offered outside of the FSB.

Mathematics Requirement

All business students must complete MTH 141 or MTH 151 or equivalent. Advanced placement credit for MTH 151 is accepted toward fulfillment of this requirement.

Residency Requirement

All business majors must complete at least 50 percent of their business courses required for their business degree at Miami University. These courses include the core business classes and the courses required for a primary major. Business courses include ISA 225, ECO 201 and ECO 202, but do not include CSE 148, ISA 125, MTH 151 or MTH 141.

The Department of Accountancy requires transfer students majoring in accountancy to complete at least four required junior or senior level accountancy courses at Miami University with at least a 2.00 grade point average.

The Department of Economics requires students to complete at least nine hours of advanced economics (above 300 level) at Miami including ECO 315 and ECO 317.

The Department of Finance requires students majoring in finance to complete at least 9 elective hours of finance (FIN) courses at Miami.

Statistics Requirement

You are expected to take ISA 125 and ISA 225. Any other introductory probability and statistics course is considered duplicate credit. Students with advanced placement or transferred hours in probability and statistics should consult with an academic advisor.

Transfer of Course Credit

All transferred course credits intended to apply to specific course requirements for any business program are subject to approval of the department. If credit hours earned are less than Miami’s equivalent courses, they must be validated by the department. A department may require an examination or completion of a higher level course to validate transfer credit.

Curriculum Options

You are responsible for completing the curriculum that is in effect the date of your initial Miami enrollment. However, since programs offered by the Farmer School of Business change as new courses are added and programs are modified, you may opt to complete a revised program in its entirety; please consult with an academic advisor.

Double Majors

A student who has earned 60 or more semester hours with a 3.20 or higher GPA on the combination of Miami Plan and business core course work is eligible to apply for a second major in business. Some majors may require a higher GPA due to enrollment limits.  In all cases, approval of the second major by the academic department is required.

To graduate from Miami University with a Bachelor of Science in Business, you must:

• Earn a minimum of 124 semester hours
• Complete the Miami Plan, the business core, and electives necessary to reach overall hours
• Complete the requirements of one major field
• Earn at least a 2.00 cumulative GPA in all business courses attempted

Common Core of Business Courses

(57-59 semester hours)

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
ACC 221	Introduction to Financial Accounting	3
ACC 222	Introduction to Managerial Accounting	3
BLS 342	Legal Environment of Business	3
BUS 101	Foundations of Business	2
BUS 102	Foundations of Business Communication	2
BUS 104	Introduction to Computational Thinking for Business (Computational Thinking)	2
CSE 148	Business Computing	3
BUS/ENG 284	Professional Communication for Business	3
ECO 201	Principles of Microeconomics	3
ECO 202	Principles of Macroeconomics	3
ESP 103	Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurial Thinking	2
FIN 301	Introduction to Business Finance	3
ISA/STA 125	Introduction to Business Statistics	3
ISA 225	Principles of Business Analytics	3
ISA 235	Information Technology and the Intelligent Enterprise	3
MGT 291	Introduction to Management & Leadership	3
MGT 295	Introduction to Operations and Supply Chain Management	3
MKT 291	Principles of Marketing	3
Select one of the following:		4-5
MTH 141	Business Calculus
MTH 151	Calculus I
MTH 249	Calculus II
MTH 251	Calculus II
FSB Senior Capstone Experience		3-4
Total Credit Hours		57-59

Suggested Course Pattern

Typically, coursework at the 100- and 200-level will be scheduled during the first and second years, 300-level courses will be taken in the second and third years and 400-level courses will be taken in the senior year. You will work with your advisors to schedule your coursework appropriate with your preparation and academic goals.

Other Electives

You are encouraged to use the remaining hours in your program to broaden your educational base with courses from other divisions of the university and/or to supplement your business programs with additional business courses beyond your major requirements. Students enrolled in a four-year bachelor’s degree program in business may apply a maximum of 12 credit hours earned in business technology/commerce courses to the degree.