2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog
David F. Rankin College of Business
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Dr. Gerald Plumlee, Interim Dean
Vision
The Rankin College of Business at Southern Arkansas University will be known for providing a world-class education in a personal environment.
Mission
The Rankin College of Business at Southern Arkansas University equips future business leaders to succeed in the global economy. We accomplish this through innovative programs, impactful scholarship, engaging pedagogy, and a commitment to the personal and professional growth of our students.
Core Values
We are guided by the following core values:
- Excellence in Learning: We develop and implement best practices in scholarship-supported pedagogy, evaluation, and experiential learning to transform student potential into academic and professional success.
- Engagement: We use classroom, research, and professional activities to foster close relationships with students, alumni, industry, community, and university partners to positively impact our university, community, and professions.
- Ethics: We expect students, faculty, and professional staff to adhere to and promote the RCB Code of Ethics.
- Evolving: We identify opportunities and innovate to better serve our stakeholders.
Accreditation
 The Bachelor of Business Administration degree programs offered by the Rankin College of Business are accredited by AACSB International-The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). AACSB accreditation is the hallmark of excellence in management education, demonstrating the college’s commitment to academic and continuous improvement. This accreditation includes all Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Business Administration degree programs.
Programs of Study
The Rankin College of Business offers a Bachelor of Business Administration degree (BBA) with programs of study leading to the following majors:
- Accounting
- Business Administration with areas of emphasis selected from the following:
- Entrepreneurship
- Finance with options in:
- Financial Analysis
- Wealth Management
- General Business with supporting minor field
- General Business with Agricultural Industries minor
- Information Systems Analytics
- International Business
- Management
- Marketing with options in:
- Supply Chain Management
- 4+1 Program (BBA & MBA)
The BBA requires 120 semester hours of credit. Degree requirements include 35 hours of general education, 54 hours of business core curriculum, and 31 hours of courses in the major area of emphasis and electives.
Minors in Business
The college offers minors in accounting, economics, entrepreneurship, finance, general business, information systems analytics, management, and marketing. The minor in general business is not available for business majors. Students earning a business minor must satisfy all prerequisites for courses selected. Non-business students earning a minor in business should consult a business advisor to develop a plan of study that will include all required prerequisites.
Associate Degree in Business
The college also offers a two-year, 61-hour program in business administration leading to an associate of science (AS) degree.
Assessment
Learning goals for the BBA and descriptions of the college’s assessment procedures can be found on the SAU website.
Requirements for Admission to the Rankin College of Business
Students must be admitted to the Rankin College of Business prior to enrolling in upper-level business courses. Admission to the college is granted when a student (1) has completed 45 semester hours of credit, and (2) has completed the following 10 courses with a grade point average of 2.3 or higher.
Courses Required for Admission to the Rankin College of Business
One semester of conditional admission may be granted for a student who has earned 45 hours and will be completing remaining requirements during the semester of conditional admission. Students who do not satisfy admission requirements during the semester of conditional admission must complete all requirements prior to enrolling in additional upper-level business courses.
Business Internships
Internships are available to many students in the Rankin College of Business. Students in the business internship program gain valuable real-world work experience and earn college credit. Participating students engage in a structured field experience under the supervision of a faculty advisor. The business internship program requires a cumulative grade point average of 2.50 or higher, junior or senior standing, and three recommendations of faculty members in the Rankin College of Business.
Residency Requirements
Students transferring from another university must complete at least 50 percent of the business credit hours required for the BBA at Southern Arkansas University. These credit hours must include a minimum of 15 hours in the major and a minimum of nine hours in a minor. In addition, students must meet the residency requirements for the University.
Double Majoring
Students in the Rankin College of Business may choose to simultaneously complete the requirements for majors in two business fields. Students electing to double major must complete all of the requirements for both degrees and may double count up to nine hours. A total of 135 hours must be earned to double major in the Rankin College of Business.
Facilities
The Rankin College of Business is housed in Blanchard Hall, specifically designed to provide the latest instructional technology. The three-story facility is one of the finest in the region and provides an exceptional atmosphere for learning. The building houses four computer instruction labs. Classrooms in the building are equipped with Internet access and support multi-media instruction.
Academic Enrichment Opportunities
Students in the Rankin College of Business have many opportunities to participate in activities that enrich the academic experience, provide leadership opportunities, and contribute to continuous improvement of the business programs.
The Business Student Advisory Council. The Business Student Advisory Council offers selected students the opportunity to provide valuable input into policies and procedures in the college and to evaluate the business programs. Students are selected by the business faculty to serve on the Business Student Advisory Council.
The Business Student Investment Advisory Council. The Business Student Investment Advisory Council manages a special endowment fund for the Rankin College of Business. Members of the finance faculty select students on this council.
Enactus. Enactus is a community of student, academic, and business leaders committed to using the power of entrepreneurial action to enable human progress. Through Enactus, students apply business concepts to develop entrepreneurial projects that transform lives and shaper a better, more sustainable world. Enactus is a classroom and field experience that involves many students in projects designed to increase understanding of the principles of free enterprise and to encourage the application of these principles in a modern economy.
Finance and Economics Society. The Finance and Economics Society is a professional organization for business students interested in the field of finance and/or economics. This organization seeks to educate students and provide opportunities for personal development and networking through informational sessions and sponsored activities such as field trips and social events.
Phi Beta Lambda (PBL). A professional organization for business students, PBL offers opportunities for leadership development, team building, career development, and academic competition. SAU is home of one of the nation’s most successful chapters of Phi Beta Lambda. Many PBL members from SAU have served as national and state officers in the organization, and hundreds of SAU PBL members have earned national awards in academic competitions and for chapter projects
The Accounting Society. The Accounting Society is a local professional association for students majoring in accounting. Organized in 2001, the Society provides its members with opportunities for career development, networking, and academic enrichment.
Academic Honor Societies. Beta Gamma Sigma is the national honor society for students attending colleges accredited by AACSB International - the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Founded in 1913, Beta Gamma Sigma recognizes academic excellence in business studies. The Rankin College of Business initiated its chapter of Beta Gamma Sigma in 2006 and invites juniors and seniors who rank in the top 10 percent of their respective class each spring for membership.
Master of Business Administration
The Master of Business Administration degree is offered by the Rankin College of Business at SAU. The 30-hour degree program emphasizes the higher level of knowledge and skills needed to manage organizations successfully. The MBA program consists of 24 hours of graduate core courses and six hours of electives. A student can choose to complete the courses in a traditional night program, through online delivery, or through a combination of the two.
The MBA is also available with three areas of emphasis. The agricultural business emphasis has a 33-hour program, which requires 24 hours of graduate core courses and nine hours of agricultural business electives. The Supply Chain Management emphasis is a 33-hour program, which requires the 24 hours of graduate core courses and nine hours of supply chain management electives. The Social Entrepreneurship (SE) emphasis is a 36-hour program, which requires the 24 core, and 12 hours of SE electives, 6 hours of which must be taken from the MPA SE electives. A student can complete either program in a traditional night program, through online delivery, or through a combination of the two.
Major and Minor in the Rankin College of Business
Students in the Rankin College of Business may choose to simultaneously complete the requirements for a business major and a business minor. Students electing to major and minor in business fields must complete all the requirements for the major and minor and may double count up to six hours. A total of 129 hours must be earned to complete a major and minor in the Rankin College of Business.
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