Program Basics

• • Northern Illinois University, College of Business
  • College of Business Graduate Studies in Business
  • Barsema Hall, 201
  • 740 Garden Road
  • DeKalb, Illinois
  • 60115
  • United States
  • Program Web site: http://www.cob.niu.edu
  • Program e-mail address: cobugrad@niu.edu
  • Program phone number: 8157531325
  • Status: Public (state-operated)
• • AACSB accredited: Yes

• Accreditation other than AACSB:

  • The Higher Learning Commission
• • Year in which the undergraduate business program was founded: 1961
• • Institution: Four Year
• • Business Program: Four Year

SCHOOL BASICS

• Enrollment:

  • Total undergraduate: 22,990
  • Full-time undergraduate business: 2,769
  • Part-time undergraduate business: 204
  • Distance undergraduate business: 31
• • College or university freshman retention rate: 72 %

• Percentage of students who graduate from the business program:

  • Within four years of admission to the university: 38 %
  • Within six years of admission to the university: 56 %

• Undergraduate Business Degrees Offered:

  • BS/Accountancy
  • BS/Business Administration
  • BS/Finance
  • BS/Management
  • BS/Marketing
  • BS/Operations and Information Management

PROGRAM COSTS

• • Annual Tuition (Resident): $8,491.00
• • Annual Tuition (Non-Resident): $16,981.00
• • Annual Required Fees: $3,364.00
• • Tuition Per Academic Credit (Resident): $315.00
• • Tuition Per Academic Credit (Non-Resident): $629.00
• • Annual Room and Board: $9,346.00
• • Annual Cost of Books: $1,400.00

CLASS PROFILE

• Students in newest entering class that are:

  • Female: 28 %
  • International: 4 %

• Mean and median age of full-time business students in the newest entering class:

  • Mean: 18
  • Median: 18

• Percentage of newest entering class:

  • Top 10% of high school class: 7 %
  • Top 25% of high school class: 27 %
  • GPA of 3.75 or higher: 8 %
  • GPA of 3.5 to 3.74: 9 %

• SAT scores (1600 scale) for the newest entering class of full-time undergraduate business students:

  • Mean: 981
  • Median: 970

• Middle 50% range of SAT scores (1600 scale):

  • From: 940
  • To: 1070

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

  • Mean: 22
  • Median: 22

• Middle 50% range of ACT scores:

  • From: 19
  • To: 24

• Citizenship breakdown for newest entering class:

  • US: 96 %
  • Canada: 0 %
  • Other Non-US Citizens: 4 %
  • Dual Citizenship: 0%
  • Unknown Citizenship: 0 %

• U.S. citizens in newest entering class:

  • African American: 26 %
  • Asian American: 4 %
  • Hispanic or Latino American: 16 %
  • Multiethnic/Multiracial: 3 %
  • Native American: 0 %
  • White (Non-Hispanic): 48 %
  • Chose not to report: 3 %
  • Other: 0 %

• Regional breakdown of U.S. citizens in newest entering class:

  • Northeast: 0 %
  • Mid-Atlantic: 0 %
  • South: 0 %
  • Southwest: 0 %
  • Midwest: 99 %
  • West: 1 %
  • Possessions and territories: 0 %

ADMISSIONS - Getting Into the Institution

• Standardized tests required of all applicants:

  • SAT or ACT
• • Minimum SAT score on 1600 scale (if applicable) required for admission: 870, 870
  • Minimum ACT Score (if applicable) required for admission: 19, 19
  • Minimum High School GPA (if applicable) required for admission: 2.75, 2.75
  • Interviews are: Not required

• Application deadlines:

  • Fall 2012 8/1/2012
  • Spring 2013 12/1/2012
  • Summer 2013 5/15/2013
  • Fall 2013 8/1/2013
• • Additional application requirements: Top-half of high school class; International: all application materials-application, fee, letters of recommendation, transcripts and/or exam results, ECE Catalog match, TOEFL/IELTS scores; Transfer: Less than 60 hrs, minimum 2.5 GPA or AA/AS degree
• • Total undergraduate applicants, all programs: 23,651
• • Percentage of applicants admitted: 58 %
• • Percentage of admitted applicants who enrolled: 38 %
• • International applicants: 1 %
• • Female applicants: 28 %

• Relative Importance of Application Elements

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

ADMISSIONS - Getting Into the Business Program

• • Undergrad business program admissions are managed by: The university admissions office
  • Total undergraduate business applicants: 3,717
  • Percentage of applicants admitted: 60 %
  • Percentage of admitted applicants who enrolled: 41 %

• Admission requirement for admission to the undergraduate business program

  • Minimum SAT: 870, 870
  • Minimum ACT: 19, 19
  • Minimum high school GPA: 2.75, 2.75
• • 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 required

• Freshman admission:

  • Does the business program admit freshmen?: Yes
  • Percentage of business program admits in most recent entering class who were freshman: 58 %
  • Are freshman business admits required to complete or obtain minimum GPAs in pre-business courses before taking upper-level courses? Yes
  • Process for freshmen admission?: Indicate interest on university application
  • Additional application requirements for freshman admits: No additional requirements.

• Internal transfers:

  • Method for handling internal transfers: Declare business major
  • Minimum college GPA for internal transfers to the business program: 2.75
  • Additional application requirements, including course/grade requirements: The College of Business is competitive based on a student's overall GPA and performance in selected tool courses. All 100- and 200- level College of Business core requirements must be completed with a C or better.

CAMPUS LIFE

• Five largest on-campus organizations for business students:

  • Student Accountancy Society
  • financial management association
  • Beta Alpha Psi
  • American Marketing Association
  • Marketing Honor Society
• • Are freshmen required to live on campus?: Yes
  • Are business students grouped together in 'learning communities' in housing and other facilities?: Yes

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

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

  • BS 120

• Other requirements for the undergraduate business degree

  • 12 hours of university core courses, 29 hours of general education courses, 45 to 50 hours of major courses, Remaining hours are electives

ACADEMICS

• Average class size:

  • Required business classes: 57
  • Business electives: 20
  • Non-business electives: 48

• Percentage of business classes:

  • With 20 or fewer students: 19 %
  • With 21 to 50 students: 68 %
  • With more than 50 students: 13 %

CURRICULUM

• Electives:

  • Available business electives: 27
  • New electives: Ethical Dilemmas in Business
• • Last curriculum overhaul: 2011
  • Total business faculty: 89
  • Percentage of the total faculty that is tenured or tenure track: 61 %

• Most prominent faculty:

  • Gerald Jensen
  • Pamela Smith
  • Dan Weilbaker

• Business program's leading areas of study:

  • • Accounting
    • Finance
    • Marketing
    • Human Resource Management
    • Other
  • Other leading area of study: Business Administration; Operations Management and Information Systems; International Marketing; Leadership and Management; Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship
• • Special programs: Career Compass, Minor in International Marketing, Minor in Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Certificate in Social Entreprenuership, Minor in Finance, Professional Sales Certificate, Certificate in Service Management, Certificate in Finance, Experiential Learning Center, Business Careers House, Internships, Cross-functional Coursework
• • Work study: Work study positions in College of Business department offices, Co-op opportunities are available through the University's Career Services Office.
• • Study abroad programs: China - Exploring Information Systems Application and Practice in Beijing, France - Introduction to the European Business Environment in Bordeaux, Ireland/Austria - Professional Sales, Europe - International Management in Europe; Locations have included London, Brussels, Barcelona, Berlin, Paris, Geneva, Lausanne, Heidelberg, Amsterdam, Cologne, Frankfurt, Rome, Florence, Milan, Innsbruck, Prague, Argentina, Munich & Budapest
• • Volunteer opportunities: Many of the student organizations in which business students participate have a community service component.

• Extra-curricular activities:

  • For a full list of the 27 business organizations, refer to http://www.cob.niu.edu/Organizations
  • For a full list of the 426 NIU student organizations, refer to http://www.niu.edu/sa/organizations/alpha.shtml

FINANCIAL AID

• • Who manages financial aid for the business program?: Central financial aid office at the university
  • Financial aid web site: http://www.fa.niu.edu

• Scholarships

  • Scholarship money distributed to business students last year: $2,464,203.00
  • Expected scholarship distribution to business students this year: $3,556,284.00
  • Scholarships are awarded to business students based on: a combination of need and merit
  • Students receiving institutional scholarships in the current academic year: 26 %
  • Students receiving full-tuition institutional scholarships in the current academic year: 4 %
  • Institutional scholarship money distributed to undergraduate business students based on need: 14 %
  • Institutional scholarship money distributed to undergraduate business students based on merit: 86 %

• Loans

  • Does the school offer a guaranteed loan to all business students, regardless of nationality?: Yes
  • Maximum amount a student can borrow per year regardless of nationality?: $12,500.00
• • Mean outstanding debt, most recent graduating class: $15,089.00

CAREER SERVICES

• Employment Information

  • Percentage of most recent business graduates who supplied information regarding employment: 77 %
  • Percentage seeking full-time professional employment in business: 73 %
  • Percentage not seeking full-time professional employment in business: 27 %
• • Companies recruiting business students on campus: 121
  • Companies posting job offers for business students on school job boards: 780

• Top employers (number of students hired):

  • Target Stores 11
  • CDW 7
  • Enterprise Rent-A-Car 5
  • Exel, Inc. 5
  • Sears Holding Corporation 4
  • Aerotek 4
  • American Marketing and Publishing LLC 4
  • Reznick Group, P.C, 4
  • White Lodging 4
  • Automatic Data Processing, Inc. 3
  • Crowe Horwath LLP 3
  • Jewel-Osco - A SUPERVALU Company 3
  • Kohl's Department Stores 3
  • McKesson Pharmaceutical 3
  • Navistar, Inc. 3

• Compensation

  • Mean base salary: $45,453.00
  • Median base salary : $47,000.00

• Most recent graduates accepted jobs in the following functional areas:

  • Consulting: 1 %
  • Finance/Accounting: 5 %
  • General Management: 29 %
  • Human Resources: 4 %
  • Management Information Systems: 17 %
  • Marketing/Sales: 17 %
  • Operations/Production: 21 %
  • Logistics/Transportation: 1 %
  • Other: 5 %

• Most recent graduates accepted jobs in the following industries:

  • Accounting: 17 %
  • Consumer Products/Retail : 28 %
  • Consulting: 11 %
  • Financial Services: 14 %
  • Government/Education: 2 %
  • Pharma/Biotech/Health: 2 %
  • Manufacturing: 5 %
  • Media/Entertainment: 2 %
  • Petroleum/Energy: 0 %
  • Real Estate: 2 %
  • Sports/Leisure: 1 %
  • Technology/Science: 7 %
  • Non-Profit: 1 %
  • Transportation: 2 %
  • Utilities: 0 %
  • Other: 6 %

• Job offers accepted by most recent graduates in North America:

  • US: 99 %
  • Canada: 0 %

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

  • Northeast: 0 %
  • Mid-Atlantic: 0 %
  • Midwest: 97 %
  • South: 1 %
  • Southwest: 1 %
  • West: 1 %
  • Possessions and territories: 0 %
• • Career services offered: Professional career counselor for College of Business; Fall/Spring Internship & Job Fairs; Fall Grad & Professional School Fair; Online-Job Board, Job Board tutorials, job search hand-outs, Major Web Links; Job search workshops; Walk-in resume reviews; Career Center intern consultants; Etiquette dinner; Observations/ guided assistance for Job Fairs; Accountancy-specific sessions; Interview program for Accountancy Internships; Mock interview preparation; Career health sessions for business majors

INTERNSHIPS

• • Companies recruiting business students for internships on campus: 70
  • Companies posting internship offers for business students on school job boards: 416

• Top internship employers (number of students hired):

  • KPMG, LLP 8
  • Sears Holding Corporation 8
  • BDO USA, LLP 7
  • Grant Thornton, LLP 6
  • Target Stores 5
  • McGladrey 4
  • Abbott Laboratories 4
  • Deloitte LLP 4
  • Enterprise Rent-a-Car 3
  • FDIC 3
  • Northwestern Mutual Financial Networks 3
  • Kraft Foods 3
  • PriceWaterhouse Coopers 3
  • Clifton Gunderson LLP 3
  • Aerotek 2

B-SCHOOL ALUMNI

• • Total number of undergraduate business program graduates since inception: 40,679
  • Total living alumni of the undergraduate business program: 39,382
  • Percentage of living alumni who contributed to the business program or university in the last academic year: 6 %

• Alumni gifts

  • Mean Gift: $842.00
  • Median Gift: $100.00
  • 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

  • Terrence Horan President & CEO/Robert Bosch Tool Corporation
  • Russell Smyth CEO/The Havi Group
  • Michael McGrath President/McGrath Auto Group

• • -The UBUS 310 program is challenging but it is designed to weed out the students that won't put the time and effort into their education. Therefore you know the majority of the students you work with in the future are capable of putting their fair share into the group assignments. It's also beneficial with all the group projects we have because it teaches you to work well with others.
    
    -Our business program can concentrate on creating a fair playing field for all majors. Some programs within the business school receive more attention because of its reputation. However, if more resources are invested in other programs, I'm quite sure they would be more notable by others as well.
    
    -The Finance program at my school is very hard and very challenging and the fact that it is that challenging would make us study hard and try to graduate out of the program prepared and has a advantage in the job market.
    
    -Reducing the size of some of the classes is one of the main complaints that I have about this school. The teachers are excellent and are very knowledgeable, but sometimes the amount of students in the class can be frustrating and lack the attention given to each individual student.
    
    -Our business program is unique because of the amazing devotion that our staff displays to it's students. I have never met instructors that will do anything in their power to help each and every individual student achieve success. This includes post graduation activities as well.
    
    -I think that our cross-functional business class should be taken earlier in our college careers. This is really the time when students get the best exposure to each area of business that they can specialize in. Also it would help to be able to take lower-level, business-specific classes earlier instead of only gen eds that we don't care about.
    
    -Northern's College of Business really focuses on team building and ethics. Aside from everything else I have learned this far, I feel like these two factors are very important in the job market. Also, what I have learned through all of my classes is always related to real life experience or we, as students, are forced to leave our comfort zones and interact with business people, which is very helpful. This is great because the students really do get a chance to experience real life business situations.
    
    -They could offer more classes a semester so students could graduate faster. Also, try and make more connections with businesses in downtown Chicago and not just the ones in the suburbs.
    
    -For the most part the quality of our professors is very good. In addition, many large companies are constantly working with our student body to provide case studies and the unique opportunities. I believe that most of these positive aspects are due to NIU's continued strive for excellence.
    
    -Focus more on Entrepreneurship. In the current economy and I am guessing in the future, middle management will continue to be cut. Teach students how to be self-sufficient and move away from being a mediocre middle manager focus.
    
    -The quality of the professors is what makes Northern Illinois University's business program unique. In the accounting program for example, all of the teaching professors are CPAs and have professional experience. This really makes a difference in the quality of teaching they provide and their knowledge of the accounting profession. In addition, the business program is based in an outstanding building.
    
    -Certain classes could be made more available. Several of the classes recommended to accounting majors filled up within minutes due to the limited number of these classes offered.
    
    -The university program is unique in the sense that it really produces well-rounded students. My peers and I have it all. We're leaders, we're smart and educated, we have strong work ethics as well as ethics training. We are social and street smart. We're extremely prepared for life after graduation.
    
    -Northern Illinois has been in the news headlines for some unfortunate events. If we can advertise events and success, or even partnerships with SAP, it will show that the University is in business. I feel, that NIU as a whole will do this once all the new construction is finished.
    
    -I think our business program is unique because it focuses a lot on teamwork, ethics and preparing us for our futures. NIUs college of business is extremely helpful with finding internships and jobs for their students. It would be very difficult to find an internship or job without them. NIUs college of business teaches ethics every semester and is taken very seriously.