Business impacts every facet of our lives. Whether between individuals, in small communities, across the nation or globally, commerce drives innovation, prosperity, and change. More than just the exchange of money, business is the heartbeat of progress.
A Sewanee business minor prepares you in ways that are a refreshing departure from other, more traditional business programs. Our program is anchored in the belief that a liberal arts education offers a distinctive foundation for a business career. You’ll learn about how human behavior, appreciation of global culture, personal values, and ethical standards are all part of the fabric of business.
With courses ranging from statistics to psychology, and microeconomic theory to banking, the business minor is ideal for mapping your way to a new career in any industry. Sewanee business minors are eligible to apply for the Carey Fellows honors program, a mark of distinction designed to prepare students for leadership positions in business and finance.
The business minor offers the opportunity to study economics, accounting, finance and business ethics and to select complementary courses from disciplines including economics, psychology, politics, computer science, history, forestry, and business. In choosing elective courses, students focus on one of three tracks: managerial, international, or finance.
The business minor complements a student’s education in the liberal arts. Students in any major may choose to minor in business. To meet the requirements of the business minor, students complete four core courses—in economics, finance, accounting, and ethics—and choose two electives from one of three tracks: managerial, finance, or international business.
The Babson Center for Global Commerce, a key component of the Wm. Polk Carey Pre-Business Program, supports Sewanee students aiming for careers in business with skills training, co-curricular and experiential learning opportunities, internships, the Beecken Bridge Scholarships which support Sewanee students for summer programs at some of the nation’s leading business schools, and a varied program of lectures and discussions which brings leaders in global commerce to the University campus.
Students seeking a more intensive pre-business experience may apply to become Carey Fellows, Sewanee's business honors program. Carey Fellows complete requirements beyond the normal coursework—such as a semester-long, paid internship—that prepare them for leadership positions in business, consulting, and finance.
An examination of the moral dimensions of business activity, especially within the context of a democratic society. Topics may include social and economic justice, the nature of corporations, corporate accountability, social responsibility, the morality of hiring and firing, employee rights and duties, advertising, product safety, obligations to the environment, and international business.
This course addresses the concepts underlying corporate finance and equity markets. Topics include financial statement analysis, capital budgeting, capital structure, dividend policy, security valuation, and efficient market theory.
This course examines the dynamics of international political and economic relations. Issues of trade, monetary and financial networks, investment, North-South relations, and the international system will be explored. The international context of development will receive particular attention.
This course provides the rationale and development of strategies, policies, and systems as managerial means to pursue organizational purposes and goals. Through a variety of methods, including case studies, current event analysis, group projects and an individual writing assignment students improve their skills of critical thinking, analysis, and decision-making.
Students select one of three minor tracks in Business:
Requirements for the Major and the Minor in Economics | Website
Serkan Karadas is a financial economist. He earned a Ph.D. in economics from West Virginia University in 2014. Prior to attending WVU, he studied business administration at Marmara University in Istanbul and later received a B.A. in economics and mathematics from Beloit College. His area of research is Empirical Asset Pricing. His research currently focuses on the effects of politics and political connections on stock returns, and it has policy implications on the way that members of Congress trade stocks. He teaches Corporate Finance, Investments, and Financial Derivatives.
David Shipps is a seasoned global business executive with a career focused on business development at some of the country’s leading technology and digital media companies. Before his appointment as Babson Center director, he was vice president for global partnerships at The Weather Company. Shipps directed the expansion of the firm’s portfolio of global partners for its products and services. Shipps graduated from Sewanee with a B.A. in English literature and was awarded an M.B.A. by Emory University’s Goizueta Business School.
Gwendolyn Whitfield is an associate professor of business in the economics department, and an assistant dean for business education. Whitfield is responsible for the business minor and developing the business curriculum at Sewanee. She previously taught at UNC-Asheville and Pepperdine University. Her background is a combination of interdisciplinary academic training in management, economics, and sociology, and international industry experience.
Aaron Elrod's primary field of specialization is environmental and natural resource economics, with secondary fields in public economics and industrial organization. Prior to joining the Department of Economics, Elrod worked as an economist for the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. There he received a Bronze Medal Award from the U.S. Department of Commerce for superior federal service. He also conducted research as a Special Sworn Status researcher at the U.S. Census Bureau’s Center for Economic Studies. Elrod’s teaching interests include environmental and natural resource economics, energy economics, and public economics.
Cleveland Annex 4, Ext. 1822
Babson Center for Global Commerce, Ext. 1763
Sewanee’s student investment club notches big returns for the University’s endowment—and for members’ postgraduate employment prospects. Sewanee entrusted club members with a sizable portion of its endowment. They took that capital and grew it by 67 percent in less than five years, consistently beating the market average. Not bad for a bunch of full-time students who happen to be part-time investors.
The Babson Center for Global Commerce provides a co-curricular experience. As you engage with peers and take trips, you’ll learn about what companies are seeking. You’ll learn critical thinking and persuasive communication, all while gaining an understanding of the "go to work" experience.
No matter where you are in your career exploration process, Career & Leadership Development can help. You’ll get assistance with cover letters, resumes, networking, and preparing for an interview. Likewise, if you just feel overwhelmed by this new experience called adulting, swing by the office and get a pep talk from the CLD office.
