Go To Businessweek.com
Undergraduate Profile Publish Date 05/27/12

Lamar University

  • Program Basics

      • Bachelor of Business Administration
      • MBA Program
      • College of Business
      • P O Box 10059-LUS
      • Beaumont, Texas
      • 77710
      • United States
      • Program Web site: http://info.cob.lamar.edu
      • Program e-mail address: college.business@lamar.edu
      • Program phone number: 4098808603
      • Status: Public (state-operated)
      • AACSB accredited: Yes
      • Year in which the undergraduate business program was founded: 1954
      • Institution: Four Year
      • Business Program: Four Year
  • SCHOOL BASICS

    • Enrollment:

      • Total undergraduate: 14,021
      • Full-time undergraduate business: 987
      • Part-time undergraduate business: 295
      • College or university freshman retention rate: 64 %
    • Percentage of students who graduate from the business program:

      • Within four years of admission to the university: 16 %
      • Within six years of admission to the university: 34 %
    • Undergraduate Business Degrees Offered:

      • BBA
  • PROGRAM COSTS

      • Annual Tuition (Resident): $5,520.00
      • Annual Tuition (Non-Resident): $14,685.00
      • Annual Required Fees: $2,556.00
      • Tuition Per Academic Credit (Resident): $184.00
      • Tuition Per Academic Credit (Non-Resident): $490.00
      • Annual Room and Board: $7,682.00
      • Annual Cost of Books: $1,500.00
  • CLASS PROFILE

    • Students in newest entering class that are:

      • Female: 47 %
      • International: 6 %
    • Mean and median age of full-time business students in the newest entering class:

      • Mean: 19
      • Median: 18
    • Percentage of newest entering class:

      • Top 10% of high school class: 12 %
      • Top 25% of high school class: 33 %
    • SAT scores (1600 scale) for the newest entering class of full-time undergraduate business students:

      • Mean: 956
      • Median: 930
    • Middle 50% range of SAT scores (1600 scale):

      • From: 870
      • To: 1040
    • ACT scores for the newest entering class of full-time undergraduate business students:

      • Mean: 19
      • Median: 19
    • Middle 50% range of ACT scores:

      • From: 17
      • To: 21
    • Citizenship breakdown for newest entering class:

      • US: 93 %
      • Canada: 0 %
      • Other Non-US Citizens: 6 %
      • Unknown Citizenship: 1 %
    • U.S. citizens in newest entering class:

      • African American: 39 %
      • Asian American: 3 %
      • Hispanic or Latino American: 5 %
      • Multiethnic/Multiracial: 0 %
      • Native American: 2 %
      • White (Non-Hispanic): 47 %
      • Chose not to report: 4 %
      • Other: 0 %
    • Regional breakdown of U.S. citizens in newest entering class:

      • Northeast: 0 %
      • Mid-Atlantic: 0 %
      • South: 2 %
      • Southwest: 98 %
      • Midwest: 0 %
      • West: 0 %
      • Possessions and territories: 0 %
  • ADMISSIONS - Getting Into the Institution

    • Standardized tests required of all applicants:

      • SAT
      • ACT
      • Minimum SAT score on 1600 scale (if applicable) required for admission: 1000, 1000
      • Minimum ACT Score (if applicable) required for admission: 21, 21
      • Interviews are: Not required
    • Application deadlines:

      • Fall 2012 6/1/2012
      • Spring 2013 11/1/2012
      • Summer 2013 3/15/2013
      • Fall 2013 6/1/2013
      • Additional application requirements: Successful completion of fourteen high school units in college preparatory courses
      • Total undergraduate applicants, all programs: 4,331
      • Percentage of applicants admitted: 67 %
      • Percentage of admitted applicants who enrolled: 54 %
      • International applicants: 1 %
      • Female applicants: 47 %
    • Relative Importance of Application Elements

      • Secondary school record: Very Important
      • Class rank: Very Important
      • Talent/ability: Considered
      • Interview: Not Considered
      • Extracurricular activities: Considered
      • Volunteer work: Considered
      • Character/personal abilities: Not Considered
      • Application essay: Considered
      • Work experience: Not Considered
      • SAT/ACT scores: Very Important
      • Recommendations: Considered
      • High school GPA: Considered
  • ADMISSIONS - Getting Into the Business Program

      • Undergrad business program admissions are managed by: The university admissions office
      • Total undergraduate business applicants: 643
      • Percentage of applicants admitted: 89 %
      • Percentage of admitted applicants who enrolled: 32 %
    • Admission requirement for admission to the undergraduate business program

      • Minimum SAT: 1000, 1000
      • Minimum ACT: 21, 21
      • Entrance exam other than the SAT/ACT required for admission to the undergraduate business program?: No
      • Admissions interviews for the undergraduate business program are: Not offered
    • Freshman admission:

      • Does the business program admit freshmen?: Yes
      • Percentage of business program admits in most recent entering class who were freshman: 76 %
      • Are freshman business admits required to complete or obtain minimum GPAs in pre-business courses before taking upper-level courses? No
      • Process for freshmen admission?: Indicate interest on university application
      • Additional application requirements for freshman admits: The minimum SAT and ACT vary with class rank.
    • Internal transfers:

      • Minimum college GPA for internal transfers to the business program: 2.0
  • CAMPUS LIFE

    • Five largest on-campus organizations for business students:

      • Alpha Kappa Psi
      • Beta Gamma Sigma
      • Beta Alpha Psi/Accounting Society
      • American Marketing Association
      • Finance Association
      • Are freshmen required to live on campus?: No
      • Are business students grouped together in 'learning communities' in housing and other facilities?: No
  • PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

    • Minimum number of credit hours required to receive an undergraduate business degree:

      • BBA 120
  • ACADEMICS

    • Average class size:

      • Required business classes: 34
      • Business electives: 29
    • Percentage of business classes:

      • With 20 or fewer students: 18 %
      • With 21 to 50 students: 79 %
      • With more than 50 students: 3 %
    • Course enrollment:

      • Percentage of required business courses reaching maximum enrollment by the first day of class: 80 %
      • Percentage of required business courses with waiting lists: 0 %
  • CURRICULUM

    • Electives:

      • Available business electives: 40
      • New electives: None
      • Last curriculum overhaul: 2006
      • Total business faculty: 47
      • Percentage of the total faculty that is tenured or tenure track: 77 %
    • Most prominent faculty:

      • Frank Cavaliere
      • Jai Young Choi
      • Charles Hawkins
    • Business program's leading areas of study:

        • Accounting
        • Entrepreneurship
        • Finance
        • Marketing
        • Management Information Systems
      • Special programs: Five year BBA/MBA/MSA
      • Work study: Internships, part-time employment, research opportunities
      • Study abroad programs: As part of the university Study Abroad program.
      • Volunteer opportunities: Junior achievement, tutoring, volunteer opportunities through the Career Center
    • Extra-curricular activities:

      • Alpha Kappa Psi
      • Beta Gamma Sigma
      • Beta Alpha Psi/Accounting Society
      • American Marketing Association
      • Finance Association
  • FINANCIAL AID

    • Scholarships

      • Scholarships are awarded to business students based on: a combination of need and merit
      • Other criteria for scholarship consideration: Standardized test scores; rank within high school class; college GPA
      • Institutional scholarship money distributed to undergraduate business students based on need: 36 %
      • Institutional scholarship money distributed to undergraduate business students based on merit: 64 %
    • Loans

      • Does the school offer a guaranteed loan to all business students, regardless of nationality?: No
  • CAREER SERVICES

    • Employment Information

      • Percentage of most recent business graduates who supplied information regarding employment: 45 %
      • Percentage seeking full-time professional employment in business: 84 %
      • Percentage not seeking full-time professional employment in business: 16 %
    • Received first job offer:

      • By graduation: 10 %
      • After graduation, but within 3 months: 30 %
      • More than 3 months after graduation : 5 %
    • Accepted first job offer:

      • By graduation : 10 %
      • After graduation, but within 3 months: 25 %
      • More than 3 months after graduation: 20 %
      • Companies recruiting business students on campus: 10
      • Companies posting job offers for business students on school job boards: 160
    • Top employers (number of students hired):

      • INVISTA 1
      • VHY LLP 2
      • Swift Energy 2
      • State Comptroller's Office 1
      • Allstate 1
      • DuPont FCU 1
      • City Government 1
      • Chase 1
      • Five Point FCU 1
      • Best Buy 2
      • AXA Financial 1
      • Edger, Kiker & Cross 1
      • RSC Equipment Rental 1
      • Enterprise Holdings 3
      • Star Graphics 1
    • Compensation

      • Mean base salary: $35,000.00
      • Median base salary : $40,000.00
    • Most recent graduates accepted jobs in the following functional areas:

      • Finance/Accounting: 42 %
      • General Management: 10 %
      • Human Resources: 2 %
      • Management Information Systems: 16 %
      • Marketing/Sales: 15 %
      • Operations/Production: 5 %
      • Other: 10 %
    • Most recent graduates accepted jobs in the following industries:

      • Accounting: 30 %
      • Consumer Products/Retail : 10 %
      • Financial Services: 30 %
      • Government/Education: 2 %
      • Pharma/Biotech/Health: 3 %
      • Media/Entertainment: 2 %
      • Petroleum/Energy: 2 %
      • Real Estate: 1 %
      • Technology/Science: 15 %
      • Non-Profit: 1 %
      • Other: 4 %
    • Job offers accepted by most recent graduates in North America:

      • US: 100 %
    • Percentage of 2009-10 academic year graduates who accepted jobs in regions of US:

      • South: 4 %
      • Southwest: 96 %
      • Career services offered: Passport program, Professional Development program, speed interviewing, consultations for resume critiques, cover letter assistance and job search advice
  • INTERNSHIPS

    • Top internship employers (number of students hired):

      • TOTAL 2
      • Baptist Hospital 1
      • Tri-Star Companies 2
      • A-PAC 1
      • Matthews Jewelers 1
      • Mobil Oil FCU 1
      • Manufacturing Solutions Inc. 1
      • Lamar University 1
      • Mometrix Media 1
      • Econolodge 1
      • Edward Jones 1
      • Accentune 1
    • Internship pay

      • Internships that are paid: 100 %
      • Mean compensation, per week, for paid internships only: $10.00
      • Median compensation, per week, for paid internships only: $11.00
      • Average internship length, in weeks: 13
  • B-SCHOOL ALUMNI

      • Total number of undergraduate business program graduates since inception: 11,491
      • Total living alumni of the undergraduate business program: 10,501
      • Percentage of living alumni who contributed to the business program or university in the last academic year: 3 %
    • Alumni gifts

      • Mean Gift: $2,712.00
      • Median Gift: $240.00
      • Did the business program receive a gift of $10 million or more in the last academic year? No
    • Prominent alums of the undergrad business program

      • Alton Heckaman Exec VP & CFO/Swift Energy Company
      • Bart Simmons President/Tri-Star Companies
      • Carmen Jordan Exec VP-Chief Lending Officer/Encore Bank