Academic Feature: Kelley College of Business

(ABILENE, Texas) The Kelley College of Business (KCOB) at HSU “supplies a noticeably Christian environment in which students learn how to build a life of meaning within the context of a business career.” The school has 12 undergraduate degrees and three graduate degrees.

KCOB offers bachelor’s degrees in Accounting, Banking & Financial Services, Business Administration, Computer Science, Economics, Finance, Human-Computer Interaction, Information Systems, Management, Marketing, Nonprofit Management, and Public Administration. The school also offers master’s degrees in Management, Business Administration, and an MBA in Sport Business.

Michael Monhollon, dean, Kelley College of Business

Dr. Michael Monhollon is the dean of the Kelley College of Business. He says one of the unique aspects of the school is that students can start studying business during their first year of study.

“At many larger schools, students are required to apply to the university and then apply to the school of business after taking their general education classes,” he said. “Here, they could choose to take three business classes a semester during their first year.”

HSU is the only schools in Texas to offer a BA in Nonprofit Management. This unique program combines students’ love for Christ and others with their business skills. Students who complete the program are equipped to work for nonprofits or even start their own.

All KCOB master’s programs are fully online to accommodate student scheduling needs and open the degree up to students outside of the Abilene area. In addition, KCOB offers many undergraduate classes online, offering flexibility to students who already have jobs or internships in the business sector. This allows non-traditional students to keep their job while they attend school and gives undergraduate students the opportunity to go home for the summer while they continue taking classes.

The Kelley College of Business offers a joint B.B.A.-M.B.A. program so that students working toward the 150-hour requirement can obtain a masters degree with little additional coursework. Additionally, seniors in the Business-Marketing program are eligible to enter the Early Admission to Graduate Learning (EAGL) program, allowing six hours of graduate work to count toward both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

KCOB students have the opportunity to attend business voucher events throughout the semester to help them gain extra credit in their business classes. The school invites local businessmen and women, business alumni, and professors to give presentations. Monhollon says some of the students’ favorite lectures have been from these voucher events.

The business faculty at the Kelley College of Business include CPAs, lawyers, and PH.D.s, but they also bring varied perspectives to the classroom as novelists, programmers, team ropers, and former city councilmen.

“I knew all of my professors and they knew me,” said Accounting major Kylen Williams ’19. “I enjoyed learning in an environment which encouraged relationships and thoughtful learning from professors. Quality is allowed to be higher in a smaller scale.”

Marketing major Michelle Chahyadi ’19 says the professors she has had at the Kelley College of Business have a genuine interest in the success and well-being of their students.

“I love getting to interact with them not only on a student-instructor basis but as friends! Personally, I think it makes a world of a difference when you have someone pouring out to you in that capacity,” she said.

The Johnson Building, home to the Kelley College of Business

The Kelley College of Business has many opportunities for students to join clubs and societies. The Delta Mu Delta Business Honors Society recognizes academic excellence and awards scholarships. Accounting majors have the opportunity to join HSU’s student chapter of the Texas Society of CPAs, where they apply for scholarships and engage with local firms and companies to expand their networks. Economics majors can join Omicron Delta Epsilon for international recognition for their scholastic achievements.

The Kelly College of Business is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).