Albright College’s Board of Trustees has approved a new School of Business and Professional Studies, designed to expand the college’s School of Professional Studies and encompass all of Albright’s growing bachelor’s and master’s business degree programs, as well as market-responsive certification programs.
“At Albright, Master of Science degree in business students are earning industry recognized credentials in project management, data analytics and digital marketing, which are built right into the curriculum,” said Lisa Wilder, Ph.D., interim dean, Albright School of Professional Studies and associate professor of economics. “As word spread that Albright students have been earning multiple Google and HubSpot certifications as part of an Albright degree, interest in the program has nearly tripled. Our certificate in inclusive and ethical leadership is also very popular among employers.”
Albright bachelor’s degree in business tracks include economics, entertainment industry, finance, international business, management, marketing and sport management, and a combined major in accounting, economics and finance. The college also offers online bachelor’s degrees in accounting and business administration, as well as its Master of Science degree in business and Master of Science degree in athletic leadership. A healthcare administration concentration for the master’s degree in business is expected to launch this fall.
In addition, Albright business students are able to count two graduate classes toward their bachelor’s degree, which then also count toward both an Albright master’s degree and/or Albright’s four-course graduate certificates. The 4+1 Graduate Program in Business leads to a Master of Science degree for Albright undergraduates who wish to complete both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in five years.
A distinguishing feature of the program, Albright business students often combine their degree with another area of study, such as music industry or computer science. In fact, more than half of Albright students take advantage of the college’s distinctive co-major program, which enables students to cross or combine different programs, without taking longer to graduate.
Hands-on internships and experiences such as certifying students to take part in the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program are a hallmark of Albright bus programs, designed to spark each student’s vision for a meaningful future. Through VITA, students offer free tax preparation services for underserved communities. And a new Financial Wellness Center, launched last year, employs Albright business interns who help college peers manage personal financials.
Albright’s new School of Business and Professional Studies will operate under a similar structure as the School of Educational Innovation. Announced last fall, the School of Educational Innovation is integrating Total Experience Learning teaching methodology across all of Albright’s education programs.
