March 01, 2020

Undergraduates can finish business degree online

by Christi Mathis

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- A new program at Southern Illinois University Carbondale allows those who have already completed their general studies and lower-level business courses to complete a bachelor’s degree in business and administration online.

The online undergraduate degree completion program in the College of Business comes on the heels of the 2009 introduction of an online MBA program at SIUC. Enrollment continues to grow in the master’s program and college officials believe the online bachelor’s completion program will likewise prove to be very popular.

“We are excited to launch this new program and expand our online opportunities to meet the growing demands of this emerging student market. Students want programs that emphasize accessibility and convenience without sacrificing quality. Building upon the success of our online professional MBA program, our online undergraduate degree completion program fits the bill,” said J. Dennis Cradit, dean of the College of Business.

The bachelor’s degree completion program includes 60 credit hours of coursework in finance, management and marketing. The program has 10 content areas. Each area includes two, 3-credit hour courses, completed in eight-week sessions. A typical semester includes two sessions with a week-long break in between.

“Our faculty understand the challenges and demands of the business world and they integrate the newest business practices and technological advances into their curriculum,” said Meredith Thomas, chief marketing officer in the College of Business.

Most students will complete the program in 24 months over the course of six academic terms. However, students may finish it in as little as 18 months.

“The online business degree completion program in business and administration is a great option for busy students. This program allows people to pursue a bachelor’s degree in a fashion that can fit even the most demanding schedules,” said Jill Gebke, director of enrollment management for the College of Business.

Admission to SIUC is required to start and students should have already completed at least 60 credit hours, including all prerequisite courses for this program. For more information about prerequisites, look online at http://onlineug.business.siuc.edu/Pages/req.aspx. The program is totally independent from the traditional, on-campus program, so students can’t transfer between the on-campus program and the online completion program.

The tuition price is the same for the online completion program as for students enrolled in the program on campus. Residents of Indiana, Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas and Kentucky are eligible for a tuition rate equivalent to the in-state tuition price. Students in the online program likewise can qualify for the new Legacy Tuition Rate if they have parents or legal guardians who are SIUC graduates. Students in the online undergraduate degree completion program can qualify for financial aid, too.

“U.S. News and World Report” ranks the SIUC College of Business in the top 100 public business colleges in the nation. The online completion program has accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International, the highest designation granted to business colleges worldwide.

“As this is an AACSB degree program, students are ensured that they are earning a quality degree,” Gebke added.

The SIUC College of Business boasts than 20,000 alumni worldwide. Now, with a computer and a secure Internet connection, you can complete a quality bachelor’s degree in business and administration on your own flexible time schedule.

To submit an application or for more details, look online at http://onlineug.business.siuc.edu. You can also learn more about the online degree completion program in business and administration by contacting Jill Gebke, director of enrollment management for the College of Business, at jgebke@business.siuc.edu or by calling 618/453-7487.