Programs in the College of Business and Economics: A Perspective from Students as they Graduate in 2002-2003 HIRE Center Report F04-02-02 February 2004
Executive Summary
The HIRE Center administered surveys to students as they filed for graduation from College of Business and Economics (CBE) programs during the 2002-2003 academic year. The surveys ask students to evaluate their program with respect to their satisfaction and preparation, its strengths and weaknesses, and their past and future employment. By summarizing information from the surveys, this report provides CBE administrators, faculty, and staff with insights into the students’ views of CBE programs to help engage in continuous quality improvement efforts. CBE offered undergraduate programs leading to two Bachelor’s degrees: a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) and a Bachelor’s of Art (BA) in Economics. Undergraduate programs enrolled about 3,000 students in 2002-2003, all but 66 of whom pursued a BSBA. Most CBE undergraduate students began CSUH as transfer students. They had no ethnic majority, were majority female, and averaged about 28 years of age. Over three-fourths worked before entering the program, mostly in support staff positions. CBE also offered graduate programs leading to four Master’s degrees: a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA), a Master’s of Science (MS) in Taxation and Telecommunications, a Master’s of Science in Business Administration (MSBA) Computer Information Systems/ Quantitative Methods, and a Master’s of Art (MA) in Economics. Graduate programs enrolled about 929 students in domestic programs in 2002-2003, with 763 pursuing an MBA. The MBA program was also offered to students in Moscow, and the MBA with an Executive Option was offered to executives in Singapore. Executives in the U.S. interested in expanding their global experiences could pursue the MBA with an Executive Option through the Transnational Executive MBA program (TEMBA). CBE graduate students in the domestic programs were about 31 years of age, had no ethnic majority, were more equally divided between males and females than the undergraduates, and had work experience in mid-level positions in for-profit Bay Area companies prior to entering the program. About one-third had an undergraduate degree from a foreign university. MBA students in domestic and international programs differed in terms of demographics. Graduate students in international programs were older and much more heavily male than those in domestic programs. Work experience for graduate students entering international programs was often at a higher level than that of students entering domestic programs.
Common Threads Despite the differences between programs at CSUH, students expressed similar views about their educational experience. All groups of students discussed an inconsistency in the quality of faculty. They found some professors to the strength of their CBE program and others to be its biggest weakness. Students also expressed inconsistent views of the curriculum. While many students praised the curriculum, others found it to be outdated (graduate students) or lacking depth in fields of specialty (undergraduate).
In general students in domestic programs at the undergraduate and graduate level, expressed a great deal of consistency in their views of CBE programs. Students generally Liked the campus location. Felt prepared in group work and cultural diversity. Found inconsistency in the quality of the faculty. Expressed dissatisfaction with the availability of classes and courses. Would like an increased emphasis in communication and real-life scenarios. Would like less group work. Lacked knowledge about CBE career advising and placement services. Faced tough a labor market and had modest employment outcomes.
These patterns are generally consistent with those found in the AACSB survey with the information provided from one survey often helping to explain or add insights into the other. For example, career planning and placement were ranked low in both surveys, and the AACSB surveys shows that it is a problem area for virtually all business programs. Both surveys found inconsistency in quality of faculty and problems with the level of group work in our program. The more detailed assessment in the Exit Survey (e.g., identification of courses and faculty that may be particularly weak) can be used to help improve our relative rating in these areas. Students in international programs were more diversified in their views of their CBE program. Students in Moscow expressed a relatively high degree of program dissatisfaction while students in Singapore were generally satisfied with their program. Consistency centered around: Satisfaction with fellow students. Inconsistency in the quality of faculty. Good employment outcomes.
Undergraduate Students’ Program Assessment: A More Detailed Summary
About three-quarters of the undergraduate students were pleased with their CBE education. Over 90 percent felt their educational experience met or exceeded their expectation About two-thirds felt that the cost of education (time, effort, money and lost income) compared to its benefit (change in salary, job promotion), was of good or excellent overall value and over 80 percent were satisfied or very satisfied with the education received and likely to recommend the program to family or friends, and say positive things about CBE. Specific professors and the capstone experience for students were viewed as good quality for the money. MGMT 4650 (Seminar in Strategic Business Management) was the course most frequently mentioned by students as the course that offered the best value for their money followed by MKTG 3495 (Business Communication).
Specific professors, Finance 3300 (Financial Management), CIS 3060 (Computer Information Systems in Management), MGMT 4670 (Multinational Business), MGMT 4500 (Business, Government and Society) , and CIS/Economics courses were viewed as poor quality for the money. In general, Finance, Economics, and CIS courses seemed disproportionately listed as courses that were the least value for their dollars. Undergraduates believed that accounting, business skills (real life scenarios), communication, ethics, computer skills, and finance could use more emphasis in the curriculum. In some areas, students suggested specific ways to improve the curriculum (e.g., they cited specific skills desired in CIS and computer), or specific areas of need (e.g., better finance faculty). In other areas students suggested that different dimensions to a specific curriculum need should be emphasized (e.g., ethics) or described similar concepts in different ways (e.g., business skills, real life scenarios). While some students believed the curriculum contains too much economics, management, and math, other students mentioned these areas as needing more emphasis. In fact, theory was the only area receiving multiple mentions for less emphasis that was not also mentioned as needing more emphasis. Curriculum and faculty (each) were mentioned by about one-quarter of the survey respondents as the program’s strength. Positive descriptions of the curriculum included good collection (of courses), challenging, relevant to the major, well rounded with specific focus. Positive comments about the faculty included that they love to teach and the majority, with a few exceptions, are prepared, engaged, attentive and willing to help students. Faculty and curriculum were also the most frequently mentioned weaknesses of the program. Criticisms of the faculty included tenured professors lecturing directly from the book, lack of knowledge and proficiency, language barriers, and a large gap in quality. Criticism of the curriculum included its limited availability, limited choice of faculty, not challenging enough, lack in quality in evening classes, variability in expectations between instructors, and similarity in major courses. Although employment outcomes for graduates were modest, they were improved over the employment of individuals before they entered CBE programs. At the time that individuals responded to the survey, only 32.1 percent had a full-time job and 29.1 percent had a part time job, slightly smaller proportions than the proportion of employed respondents prior to entering CBE programs. Job offers were slow in coming. On average, it took about 3.1 months to find a job after graduation and respondents averaged 0.7 job offers after graduation if they did not already have a job. CBE graduates worked in a wide-variety of job positions and companies, with most employment Bay Area based and in for-profit businesses. The most typical position was in banking/finance followed closely by retail. Employed respondents may work at higher levels after leaving the program with the proportion in mid and senior level management increasing (over prior employment) after the students’ left the program. Students moved into CPA accounting, management and marketing, and out of small business and human resource management with their degree. Although nearly two-thirds of the survey respondents made $39,000 or less upon graduation, the proportion at higher levels of income increased over the period before enrollment.
Although most students felt that graduating from CSUH helped expand their career options, most did not change their career after their studies. Respondents not employed in their major area of study, cited difficulties in finding a job in their major area of study.
Graduate Students in Domestic Programs Program Assessment: A More Detailed Summary
Overall program satisfaction levels were relatively low for graduate students in domestic programs. About one-quarter of the respondents did not believe their educational experiences met their expectations and over one-third believed their program to be only of average value (or less) for the cost. About 30 percent felt neutral (not satisfied) or dissatisfied with their education and only about two-thirds were likely to recommend the program to family or friends, or as a place to recruit or hire CBE graduates when recruiting. Graduate students generally felt CBE-identified skills were important and praised MGMT 6560 (High Performance Management) and MGMT 6490 (Seminar in Strategic Management), the capstone course. The vast majority felt that all of the skills listed under general skills, quantitative skills, interpersonal skills, technological skills and business skills were important, with social responsibility, data collection and applied statistical analysis receiving least importance scores. Most graduate students felt the program prepared them in CBE-valued areas. Over 80 percent of the respondents felt the program prepared them for respect for cultural diversity, working in groups, written communication, and presentation skills. About threefourths felt the program prepared them in the areas of oral communication, analytic skills, critical thinking/problem solving, respect for others’ opinions, and ethics/integrity. Students feel somewhat unprepared in understanding business politics, economics, ebusiness management, entrepreneurship, and computer information systems, even though over 60 percent felt the areas were important. Faculty and diversity were the most frequently mentioned strengths of the CBE graduate program. Positives about the faculty included their accessibility, excellence, quality and knowledgeable. Students’ praise for the programs’ diversity included diversity in demographics and ethnicity, faculty, opinions, and classes offered. Other program strengths included, good curriculum, and location. Still, students found areas in which they thought the program could be improved. Inconsistent faculty/teaching quality was the most frequently mentioned program weakness with comments suggesting that some faculty are bad, poor, weak, difficult to understand, lack experience, lack understanding in operating distance learning equipment, and lack maturity. Other program weaknesses include quality of students, limited choice in courses/professors, curriculum (needs updating), and lack of courses offered on the Contra Costa campus. The majority did not see CBE graduate programs as improving their employment opportunities, or helping them get a promotion, a job, a better job, or a managerial position. Employment outcomes paralleled those for undergraduate students, allowing for a more advanced starting point before program entrance.
Graduate Students in International Programs Program Assessment: A More Detailed Summary
Students in Moscow were attracted to the program because of its U.S. tie. They are satisfied with the quality of their fellow students. Jobs are quite good. Over threequarters of the students had full time jobs at graduation, and over three quarters of the jobs were in middle or upper level management. Over 40 percent worked in multinational corporations and 40 percent worked in locally-owned private companies. Students generally felt that their CBE degree helped their career through increased participation in the business and most students found employment in their field of study. Many felt it did not increase extrinsic factors such as salary or ability to get a managerial position or a job. Students in the Moscow program expressed higher levels of dissatisfaction with the some program than students in other programs (domestic and the Singapore program). Over half expressed dissatisfaction with program components and the percentage that felt somewhat or well prepared for CBE-valued skills was not as high as the percentage in other programs. Less than 50 percent felt prepared for 14 of the 37 skills listed and a higher percentage believed the CBE-valued knowledge, skills and values were unimportant as compared to students in other programs. They do not like the programs intensity, and mentioned some faculty as program weaknesses. Fewer than half valued their educational experience and only a modest majority would recommend the program to others. Singaporean students were satisfied with the program. They appreciate the quality of faculty, and its program structure (number of weeks and time of classes), although they saw inconsistency in faculty quality. Students generally believed the program prepared them in a wide variety of CBE-valued areas. They were most satisfied with the times and number of weeks of classes and their fellow students and were generally satisfied with the curriculum. Over 90 percent held a positive view of their educational experience.