The honors program supplements the traditional curriculum in economics, business and accounting by providing a unique opportunity for intellectual enrichment and pursuit of academic excellence. The honors courses are designed to explore general topics of interest at an intellectually challenging level using an interdisciplinary and integrative approach to learning.

Each course will focus on a general topic – such as globalization, capitalism or entrepreneurship – that transcends disciplines. Students will explore the topic and examine it from different perspectives through reading of original and contemporary material, research and discussion. The honors course is designed to foster and encourage the development of analytical and critical thinking, written and oral communication skills, practical and quantitative applications, teamwork and collaborative learning. Honors courses are team-taught by the faculty in the fields of economics, business and accounting.

Qualifying students that demonstrate a passion for learning and are interested in an intellectually challenging and unorthodox approach may take one or both of the following honors courses:

• ECON, BUS, ACCT 390 — Team-taught topical course using an interdisciplinary and integrative approach to learning, emphasizing critical thinking, discussion and collaborative work.
• ECON, BUS, ACCT 490 — Guided and supervised research involving an original idea and using an interdisciplinary and integrative approach across disciplines of accounting, business and economics. The final work is presented at a forum of the faculty and students, and is read and graded by the honors committee consisting of the faculty from the respective fields. This research is treated somewhat similar to a thesis project and is generally viewed very positively by prospective employers and graduate schools, while the content may serve as an excellent source of material for an interview.

Prerequisites

• Completion of minimum of 60 credit hours
• 3.0 overall grade point average (GPA) and in the major field of study
• Completion of at least one intermediate level or two upper level courses in any of the following majors: Economics, Business or Accounting

Application Procedure

Admission to the Departmental Honors Program is based on: a) student self-recommendation, b) academic advisor’s recommendation and c) the Departmental Honors Committee recommendation. Students who successfully complete the program by taking both courses will receive an honorable mention and honor scholar certificate at graduation provided that they have maintained a 3.3 overall GPA and 3.5 in their field of study. Students who have successfully completed the 376 course will receive an honorable mention and departmental honor certificate at graduation provided that they have maintained a 3.3 overall GPA and 3.5 GPA in their field of study. Additionally, the names of all honor scholars will be registered and maintained on a wall plaque recognizing the student’s achievements and inspiring future students.

Rockford University has received specialized accreditation for its business programs through the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE) located at 11374 Strang Line Road in Lenexa, Kansas, USA. The business programs in the following degrees are accredited by the IACBE:

Bachelor of Arts in Economics with concentrations/emphases in:

• Finance
• International Economics
• Public Policy

Bachelor of Science in Economics with concentrations/emphases in:

• Finance
• International Economics
• Public Policy

Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with concentrations/emphases in:

• Finance
• Management
• Marketing

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with concentrations/emphases in:

• Finance
• Management
• Marketing

Bachelor of Arts in Accounting with tracks in:

• CPA
• Non-CPA

Bachelor of Science in Accounting with tracks in:

• CPA
• Non-CPA

Bachelor of Science in Management Studies with tracks in:

• Human Resources

Master of Business Administration with concentration/emphases in:

• Accounting CPA
• Entrepreneurship
• Finance
• Health Administration
• Management
• Marketing
• Project Management
• Public and Not-for-Profit
• Strategic
• Graduate Certificate

International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education ‌
11374 Strang Line Road
Lenexa, Kansas 66215, USA
Phone: 913-631-3009
E-mail: iacbe@iacbe.org
www.iacbe.org

Maxine Burritt Knight and Carlton W. Knight Endowed Scholarship
Maxine Burritt Knight and Carlton W. Knight Endowed Scholarship was established in 2005 through an estate gift of Carlton and Maxine Knight, and provides funds to entering female students who graduated in the top 25 percent of their class from a Rockford public high school. They must demonstrate financial need and have a proven record of significant participation in community service, while having taken part in studying three of the following six disciplines: biology, history, economics, French, Latin, writing and public service. Preference will be given to those who intend to become a school teacher.

Shirley Jones-Bailey Endowed Scholarship
Shirley Jones-Bailey Endowed Scholarship was established in 2000 by LaVerne Krueger, Class of 1944, in honor of her student, Shirley Jones-Bailey, and offers financial support to students interested in the fields of fine arts, business and education. Recipients must have a GPA of at least 2.50 (on a 4.0 scale) and a sophomore standing.

For more information on scholarships relevant to this department, please visit the Academic Catalog (pdf).

As economics or business majors, students have a wide variety of career opportunities. Students in business often choose to concentrate in one of the functional areas of finance, marketing or management. Economics majors may concentrate in the areas of public policy or international economics as they prepare for graduate school or entry into the work force. Careers in administration, banking, law, government, sales, public administration and with international agencies are among student options.

Accounting majors have a wide variety of career choices, including public accounting with national, regional or local accounting firms, corporate accounting and government accounting. Beginning January 1, 2001, the State of Illinois adopted the 150-hour requirement to take the CPA exam. This requirement is consistent with about 80 percent of the states. Students who complete their 150-hour requirement at Rockford University, with seven additional hours may attain both a B.S. and MBA. Rockford University accounting students have done exceptionally well when taking the CPA exam.

In order to help students prepare for a life of civic engagement, we offer a liberal arts education and we promote the development of certain fundamental skills. Majors in our department develop the ability to think critically and analytically, to communicate clearly and forcefully with the written and spoken word, and to understand the process and role of decision-making in society. Majors also are advised to complete as much work as possible in mathematics, statistics and computers. In order to understand the society in which we live, students must learn how to evaluate data. Decisions about managing organizations must be informed by data in order to permit those decisions to improve performance. Quantitative applications are made in our courses in order to refine the processes of problem-solving and decision-making. The quantitative portion of the program is absolutely essential for students who hope to attend graduate school.

As faculty, we do not regard the acquisition of these skills as an abstract wish. They are identified specifically as components of our courses, and we demonstrate throughout our courses how these skills are acquired and refined. We model the skills in our interactions with students, and in our professional careers. We practice what we preach.

The Economics, Business and Accounting Department offers bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degrees along with minors in each discipline.

Majors and Tracks/Concentrations:

• Accounting (B.A., B.S.)
• Business Administration (B.A., B.S.) — concentrations in Finance, Management, and Marketing
• Economics (B.A., B.S.) — concentrations in Finance, International Economics, Public Policy

Course Requirements

Rockford University’s Economics, Business and Accounting Department offers students the opportunity to either major or minor in economics, business administration or accounting. Degree requirements for these programs can be found in the Academic Catalog (pdf).

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