Business
The School of Business at Coker University recognizes that the rapidly changing character of the American and international business environment necessitates both present and future decision-making capabilities. Businesses must be creative and innovative, while understanding the successes and failures of the past. Coker University’s strong liberal arts component provides students with a foundation from which to evaluate the business firm’s ethical, social, and moral responsibilities as they develop a personal philosophy of business that is global and entrepreneurial.
Statement of Mission
The mission of the School of Business is to provide an academically challenging learning experience that develops communication and critical thinking skills in all areas of business.
Statement of Vision
The School of Business functions to support the mission of Coker University by providing professional training in the business disciplines to a diverse student population. It enhances the scope of the university by applying learning, communication, and analytical skills fostered by the liberal arts to the practice of business activities in the domestic and worldwide arenas.
Statement of Values
Graduates with degrees provided through the School of Business are adequately prepared to compete with their peers from comparable colleges and universities. The School of Business accomplishes this by:
- Providing a dynamic, broad-based curriculum, grounded in theory and enhanced by classroom application and real-world experience;
- Providing experience in using both qualitative and quantitative methods, encouraging critical thinking;
- Providing opportunity to augment analytical ability by developing communication skills;
- Providing maximum student accessibility to experienced and well-qualified faculty members who have a genuine and personal concern for each student
Focusing the business curriculum on ten business knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) that employers look for in new graduates. The ten KSAs are:
- Analysis and Problem Solving: Thinking through problems by analyzing all available information, applying that information to relevant issues, and strategically solving business-related problems.
- Business Norms: Providing skills and opportunities that allow students to better acclimate to a business environment, including keeping a structured schedule, office etiquette, client relevance, etc.
- Critical Thinking: Stretching student learning beyond the direct concept and applying it to various situations.
- Emotional Intelligence: Offering time for students to self-reflect, learn from their mistakes, and self-regulate negative feelings and emotions. Additionally, offering opportunities to be empathetic and understand others’ emotions.
- Experiential Learning: Exposing students to more practical, real-world applications, including through case studies, local business involvement, and classroom discussion.
- Interpersonal Communication: Providing opportunities to engage in friendly disagreement, handle differences of opinion, and constructively engage others.
- Leadership and Teamwork: Giving students opportunities to develop leadership qualities (including being a good follower) and work productively in a team setting.
- Oral Communication: Offering opportunities to share ideas orally and engage in intelligent discourse.
- Technical Ability/Skills: Stressing the importance of technical ability and the interrelatedness of technical concepts to other aspects of business. This includes using technology (e.g. Excel, internet research).
- Written Communication: Offering opportunities to write in multiple mediums and for multiple purposes.
Students who must enroll in a Coker University School of Business 300- or 400-level offering to fulfill requirements of a different program are required to have completed all specific prerequisites for the course. Students who do not have to fulfill program requirements and wish to enroll in a Coker University School of Business 300- or 400-level offering as a free elective course must obtain permission from the Dean of the School of Business.