Experience Now!

Revising the B.B.A. for today’s business environment

Experience is the best teacher. That has long been the underpinning principle of the Bachelor of Business Administration curriculum at the Haworth College of Business. As that emphasis has grown through course projects, industry connections and innovative teaching, college leaders have developed an approach to undergraduate education that formalizes experiential learning as the center of the B.B.A. program.

Now, experiential learning is a required component of every core course in the business curriculum, and the college measures student success in these real-world scenarios in order to continuously improve the delivery of high-impact course content in each department.

The program change was based on research conducted by faculty. The college’s Undergraduate Programs Council studied the undergraduate business programs of competitor schools and surveyed the college’s advisory council and students. A series of discussions took place where faculty debated the best ways to support experiential learning and assess it, reviewing the recommendations of the college’s Strategic Planning Committee, as well. During this period, new goals and objectives for the program were created and approved by 100% of the faculty vote.

Callout

A blue circle with the text: 3000 WMU undergraduate business students engage in experiential learning each year.*

That 100% approval was based on the many ways that relevant experiences impact students, like how:

Experiential course content improves student engagement.
Industry connections deepen relationships with the community and alumni, benefiting students.
Students develop necessary skills that differentiate them in the job search.

One such example...

One such example of embedding opportunities in courses is the revised Applying Business Fundamentals course that all pre-B.B.A. students take, and which is now part of the WMU Essential Studies curriculum. In addition to teaching key business concepts, the course now relies heavily on simulation, where students operate a fictional brewery, Arborcrest Ales, through the ScrimmageSIM business simulation. The simulation, developed by Dr. Bret Wagner, associate professor of marketing, lets students manage all the elements of the business from creating production orders, to sales, to overall financial performance.

Yodit Fitsum

By challenging me to make decisions based on incomplete information and rapidly-changing market conditions, the simulation also helped me to develop critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.

Yodit Fitsum

Content

“The simulation is used multiple times in the class to give students the opportunity to apply what they have learned,” says Wagner. “In each round of the simulation, the students run the same business, but a new decision is added each time to make the simulation more realistic. Students work in teams, developing plans with their fellow students, executing these on simulation day in the classroom and then evaluating their performance afterward. In course evaluations, students mention the simulation experience and working on teams in an authentic way as their favorite parts of the class.”

And students truly value the new format for the course.

“Prior to using ScrimmageSIM, which mimics an ERP, my understanding of manufacturing and supply chain was elementary and incomplete,” says Austin Fahrenkopf. “The simulation provided me a glimpse into the cross-departmental coordination needed in the manufacturing process. I got hands-on experience forecasting demand, creating production orders, and monitoring work in process and finished goods. Additionally, I was introduced to the concept of price elasticity and saw its effects on demand by changing product prices. Most importantly, ScrimmageSIM taught me the importance of teamwork.”

Students are working on their laptops in the Dean's Conference Room.

The real-time nature of the simulation is particularly effective at keeping students engaged.

“ScrimmageSIM gave me hands-on experience that encouraged me to try out different strategies and see the results of my decisions,” says Yodit Fitsum. “By challenging me to make decisions based on incomplete information and rapidly-changing market conditions, the simulation also helped me to develop critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.”

The Applying Business Fundamentals course is just one example of how courses are being designed to incorporate a higher degree of experiential learning, solidifying concepts and providing resume builders that students can use as conversation starters when they begin to apply for internships and other opportunities.

Examples of experiences

Accountancy

Accounting students work with Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, which provides free tax preparation for those who earn less than $60,000 annually, persons with disabilities and taxpayers who speak limited English.

Business Information Systems

Many IT students participate in TechNext, an immersive trip that provides firsthand experience networking with leaders in Silicon Valley and other tech-centric areas of the U.S., many of whom are WMU alumni.

Finance and Commercial Law

Students in the Student Managed Investment Fund course invest nearly $3 million of WMU Foundation funds under an experienced investment manager and present to stakeholders each semester.

Management

In the Business Ethics and Sustainability Course, students engage in 1,500 hours of service, working as tutors, delivering meals to those in need, and creating business plans for neighborhood organizations.

Marketing

In Introduction to Food Marketing, more than 300 students evaluate, refine and redesign marketing strategy for companies such as Hormel, Constellation, Land O’ Frost, PepsiCo, Kroger, Target and Meijer.