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Cox School of Business
The mission of Edwin L. Cox School of Business is to improve its academic programs and reputation as a top-tier business school by providing a high-quality business education to its students and the business community, conducting research that contributes to the understanding of business and management, and participating in the service activities of the University and professional organizations.
From its beginning as the Department of Commerce for Southern Methodist University, the Edwin L. Cox School of Business has been educating the country's business leaders for more than 70 years.
Named in 1978 in honor of Dallas businessman Edwin L. Cox, the Cox School has a rich heritage that began in 1920 when the SMU Board of Trustees established a Department of Commerce at the request of the Dallas business community. In 1921, the Department of Commerce was renamed the School of Commerce, and in 1941, the Board of Trustees established the School of Commerce as a separate entity from the University. At this point, the School of Commerce became the School of Business Administration and the new Bachelor of Business Administration degree (B.B.A.) was approved by the Trustees.
The graduate program at the School of Business Administration began in 1949 with the authorization of a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) program. At that time, students were granted an M.B.A. after successfully completing 30 hours of course work and a thesis. Both the B.B.A. and the M.B.A. degree programs are fully accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate schools of Business (AACSB International). The Cox School of Business also grants the Master of Science degree in Accounting.
In 1965, the SMU Foundation for Business Administration was established. This group of advisors has helped guide the Cox School throughout the years and today is known as the Executive Board. Also instrumental in supporting the Cox School are members of its two successful mentoring programs: the Associate Board for M.B.A. students and the Business Associates Program for B.B.A. students. These two boards involve almost 300 area business leaders who volunteer their time and expertise to the Cox School and its students who want to start making business connections for the future.
In 1952, ground was broken for the Joseph Wylie Fincher Memorial Building for the School of Business Administration, and for years the Fincher Building housed all activities in the Cox School. In 1987, two more buildings were added to the Cox School Complex the Cary M. Maguire Building and the Trammell Crow Building.
Today the Fincher Building houses administrative and faculty offices, and conference and meeting rooms, while the Maguire and Crow buildings primarily house classrooms and study rooms. Hailed as one of the most technologically advanced business learning facilities in the country, the Cox School Complex has as its hub the Business Information Center (BIC), which combines the features of a university library with the immediacy of an online computer.
Through the BIC, Cox School students, faculty and staff have access to the latest business periodicals, instantaneous market information and news retrieval services. In addition, personal computers and printers in the BIC are available for students to use for presentations and papers.
Designed specifically for the SMU M.B.A. program, the Business Leadership Center works in conjunction with the graduate curriculum to help students develop the strategic leadership skills that are necessary for success in business. Throughout the SMU M.B.A. experience, the Business Leadership Center offers opportunities through assessments, seminars, and individual tutorials to help strengthen leadership skills in four specific areas: academic and career success, communications, team building, and people development.
Robert Gardner, Director
SMU's Executive and Management Development programs focus on the importance of lifelong learning for practicing business leaders. The mission of the Division is to provide professional development opportunities to managers from around the world. The Division has established a reputation for designing programs that conform to both the professional and cultural needs of participants. The Division designs and delivers programs for many industries and audiences from sales professionals to high-level corporate executives.
Included in the Division's portfolio of in-residence programs for executives are "Management of Managers," a leadership renewal program, and seminars for senior managers in the oil and gas industry.
The Division also offers two management certificate programs designed for Dallas- area managers. "The SMU Mid-Management Program" is a 12-week evening series for mid-level managers who want to strengthen their foundation in current business theory and practice. "The SMU First-Line Management Program" is a nine-week evening series aimed at helping supervisors and new managers develop their managerial skills.
A variety of two- and three-day short courses also are offered by the Division, covering management, leadership, sales, marketing, accounting and finance.
In addition to these public seminar offerings, the Division of Executive and Management Development develops and delivers customized versions of its programs on a contract basis to a wide variety of companies.
The Division annually conducts the SMU/Cox Summer Business Institute. This month-long "boot camp" for college juniors, seniors and recent graduates provides essential business skills to non-business students from colleges and universities throughout the region.
Daniel Howard, Director
The Center for Marketing Management Studies was created to serve as a focal point for interaction among faculty, practitioners, and students who share a common interest in applied marketing management research and education. The Center sponsors research and educational programs in marketing management.
Since 1989, the Center has sponsored the Graduate Marketing Certificate Program, designed to provide Dallas-area business people with the latest in marketing thought and practice. This series of sessions is held on Monday nights throughout the school year.
Jerry F. White, Director
The Caruth Institute of Owner-Managed Business helps students learn what it takes to build and run a business, from dealing with the uncertainties and opportunities of the marketplace to obtaining the venture capital needed to make an enterprise a reality.
Courses offered through the Caruth Institute cover a wide variety of topics to help identify and seize windows of opportunity.
William B. Brueggeman, Director
Thomas G. Thibodeau, Faculty Associate
The Center was created in 1984 as a research entity with a focus on major issues in the real estate industry. It is currently engaged in a number of projects including the federal income taxation of housing and real estate development, real estate investment performance in pension fund portfolios, data base management and valuation in urban property tax jurisdictions, and related problems. The Center also acts as a conduit for research grants and proposals for management programs, which it conducts through the Costa Institute of Real Estate Finance and the Folsom Institute for Development and Land Use Policy.
Mark A. Baxter, Director
The Maguire Energy Institute promotes the study of policy, marketing, and management issues that affect oil, natural gas, and electricity. Founded by Cary Maguire, chairman and president of Maguire Oil Company, the Institute is a leading-edge resource for energy industry information and facilitates the exchange of ideas among students, businesses, the media, and government officials.
Students can participate in courses, workshops, and seminars. The Institute also conducts research and analysis, publishes a quarterly newsletter on important policy issues, and focuses on exploring innovative ways to improve management of the world's oil and gas resources.
Edward J. Fox, Director
The JCPenney Center for Retail Excellence was created with a generous gift from the JCPenney Company to promote, develop, and integrate retail education and practice.
Robin L. Pinkley, Director
The Center teaches students to successfully resolve disputes, negotiate salaries, and resolve critical business situations. Courses and research will focus on partnering (aligning the interests of both sides), proactive negotiating, and adding value to negotiations to improve outcomes. Ongoing research will explore the newest and most effective techniques in negotiation.
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