Gordon Ford College of Business
Grise Hall, Office 447
Email: gfcb@wku.edu
Website: http://www.wku.edu/business
Dr. Evelyn Thrasher, Dean
Email: Evelyn.Thrasher@wku.edu
Dr. Alex Lebedinsky, Associate Dean
Email: alex.lebedinsky@wku.edu
The Gordon Ford College of Business traces its roots to the Bowling Green Business University, founded in 1884 as the Southern Normal School and Business College. In 1907, the Southern Normal School became Western Kentucky State Normal School, and the Bowling Green Business University began a long history of nationally noted programs. In June 1963, Western Kentucky University assumed the business programs of the Bowling Green Business University, and in 1964 the Bowling Green College of Commerce became a division of the University. The name was changed in 1972 to the Bowling Green College of Business and Public Affairs; and following department realignment in 1979, it became the Bowling Green College of Business Administration. To honor the generosity of Gordon B. Ford, the college was renamed the Gordon Ford College of Business in December of 1998, becoming the second named business school in Kentucky. All business programs offered by the College are accredited by AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. WKU is one of only three universities in the Commonwealth of Kentucky to have "dual accreditation," meaning that both its business and accounting programs are AACSB accredited.
Vision
The Gordon Ford College of Business will be the school of choice in the region for applied business education and a leader of business thought and engagement.
Undergraduate Student Services and Academic Advising
Grise Hall 234
(270) 745-3290
https://www.wku.edu/business/undergraduate-student-services/
All WKU students must receive advising until they graduate. Professional advisors are available in the Undergraduate Student Services and Academic Advising Center (GH 234; 270-745-3290). Besides academic advising, the advisors provide assistance with degree requirements, information on study abroad, internship opportunities, and student/professional organizations, and help students locate other campus resources.
Center for Applied Data Analytics
Dr. Lily Popova Zhuhadar, Director
Grise Hall 226
(615) 604-4995
https://sites.google.com/view/wkucada
The mission of the Gordon Ford College of Business Center for Applied Data Analytics is to advance the science and practice of business analytics by bringing together professional and community-based constituents, faculty, and students to promote economic development, collaborative research, outreach, and education in the areas of applied analytics. We achieve our mission using our primary goals as described below.
Outreach
- Enhance the economic impact to the geographic area served by Western Kentucky University by analyzing customer, production, operational, and market data to improve decision making and enhance the quality of a company's products and services.
- Assist clients in synthesizing, aggregating, and analyzing data.
Education
- Train students and business professionals to leverage appropriate technologies and best practices used in data analytics.
- Provide our students with real-world experience and internships to promote potential job opportunities.
Collaborative Research
- Serve as a central facility to bring together expertise from a wide variety of disciplines.
- Perform applied interdisciplinary research that aids all aspects of our overall goals.
Center for Applied Economics
Dr. Sebastian Leguizamon, Director
Grise Hall 462
(270) 745-3970
https://www.wku.edu/economics/cae/
The WKU CAE is an outreach of the WKU Department of Economics and Gordon Ford College of Business. It serves as an economic information access point for Bowling Green and South Central Kentucky, provides a bridge between technical research in economics and the local community on relevant topics, provides fee-based studies, and engages graduate students in applied analysis.
Center for Financial Success
Andrew Head, Director
Grise Hall 322
(270) 883-1910
financialsuccess@wku.edu
www.wku.edu/cfs
The mission of the WKU Center for Financial Success is to be the primary and coordinating resource in aiding the university and regional community in becoming financially informed and independent by utilizing a combination of faculty expertise, peer-to-peer counseling, and applied financial planning education.
We would love to help you create a plan and ensure that you are on track to reaching your financial goals. Topics that we cover include, but are not limited to:
- Budgeting/Spending Plans
- Debt Management
- Student Loans
- Credit
- Retirement
- Savings Plans
Feel free to reach out for more information at financialsuccess@wku.edu!
Center for Professional Selling
Lukas Forbes, Director
Grise Hall 402
(270) 745-2993
lukas.forbes@wku.edu
www.wku.edu/cps
Our Sales Program is one of twenty Fully Certified Sales Programs in the United States as a member of the University Sales Center Alliance (USCA). The WKU Center for Professional Selling is the only certified program in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the surrounding geographic area.
The Center was formed by WKU in July 2007 with two specific goals:
- Education Focus: Enhance the perception of the sales profession while preparing students for a career in sales. Development of appropriate curriculum to include a Major and Minor in Sales.
- Business Focus: Strengthen the relationship between WKU and Corporations. Develop partnerships with corporations to provide real-world classroom activities in addition to internship or full-time employment opportunities.
Since 2007, our growth has been outstanding! We have grown more than 300% in the last decade and are among the fastest growing programs on campus. Currently, we have nearly 300 students who are either majoring or minoring in sales. Within the minor, more than 20 different majors are represented, ranging from finance to public relations and agriculture to psychology.
Center for the Study of Capitalism
Dr. Dennis Wilson, Director
Grise Hall 421
(270) 745-2632
dennis.wilson@wku.edu
www.wku.edu/capitalism
The purpose of the WKU BB&T Center for the Study of Capitalism is to create a comprehensive program of study on the moral foundations of capitalism. It provides resources and learning opportunities to students and the public regarding capitalism’s role in society.
Economics Majors
Economics majors pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree are not required to take ACCT 220 and ACCT 110.
Gordon Ford College of Business Minors
A student who is not pursuing a major in the college may enroll in upper-division courses leading to a minor in the college provided the student has met the prerequisites for the course(s).
Registration
Under most circumstances, students are approved to register for upper-division courses in the college without making application. Eligible students who experience problems with registration should contact the Undergraduate Student Services and Academic Advising Center (Grise Hall 449).
Transfer Policies
Students pursuing a major in the Gordon Ford College of Business must earn a minimum of one-half of the major in residence at Western Kentucky University.
Students wishing to transfer to Western Kentucky University need to follow Colonnade Program guidelines as listed in the catalog. This strategy should minimize the risk of losing credits toward graduation. Courses that are offered only at the upper-division level at Western Kentucky University should not normally be taken at other schools. Students are advised to consult the Western Kentucky University department chair of their major program or the Undergraduate Student Services and Academic Advising Center (Grise Hall 234) regarding the transferability of any upper-division course. Students who plan to enroll or who are presently enrolled in junior or community colleges who envision transferring to WKU to complete a baccalaureate degree in the Gordon Ford College of Business should follow a program of Colonnade and prerequisite courses similar to the catalog requirements for freshmen and sophomores on the WKU campus. The Gordon Ford College is an active participant in the statewide transfer agreement for business programs for KCTCS students completing the A.A. or A.S. degrees. Students enrolled in the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) should contact their advisor for specific information on transferring courses to the Gordon Ford College of Business and Western Kentucky University.
Most Bachelor of Science programs in the Gordon Ford College of Business are structured as shown below:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Colonnade Program | 39 | |
| Academic and Career Preparation Core | 30 | |
| Advanced Major and elective courses | 51 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |