A select group of talented and highly motivated upper-level Baruch business undergraduates—45 in all—are now, thanks to the new Zicklin Undergraduate Honors Program (ZUHP), reaping the rewards of the best pedagogical practices of MBA programs. The BBA honors program offers an innovative, multidisciplinary approach; experiential learning opportunities; and instruction that focuses on case analyses, critical thinking, and excellence in written and oral communication.
ZUHP, which welcomed its first cohort in January 2013, is structured as a general minor in advanced business analysis. The program evolved from discussions organized and run by Phyllis Zadra, associate dean of the Zicklin Undergraduate Program, in 2010–11 and a 2011 summer seminar with select business faculty.
The program’s curriculum consists of a 12-credit sequence (four courses) and features team teaching and the extensive use of guest faculty from a variety of departments. Special extracurricular programs offer exposure to organizations and successful executives from all fields of business. Professor of Marketing Gloria Penn Thomas is ZUHP’s first director (Thomas’s administrative experience includes nine years as executive officer of the PhD Program in Business).
To apply, students must have a minimum GPA of 3.6 (out of 4.0), submit two essays on assigned topics, and participate in group interviews. “Initially we were concerned that requiring students to take 12 credits of additional course work might discourage potential applicants,” says Thomas. “Our concern turned out to be unfounded. ZUHP students don’t necessarily wind up earning more than the required 124 credits, but if they do, they don’t seem to mind at all.”
“Undergraduate business honors programs are a relatively new trend,” says Associate Dean Zadra. “What’s unique about our program is the curriculum. We might be the only program that requires that students take a whole set of extra specialized courses.”
The first set of outcomes for this group is exceedingly positive. Myung-Soo Lee, interim dean of the Zicklin School, says, “Innovation, impact, and engagement are the guiding principles of AACSB—our accrediting organization—and this program has it all. We have hit the trifecta.”
—Diane Harrigan