Business, Beacom School of

Klaus Beckmann, Interim Dean
Jewel Shepherd, Associate Dean (graduate programs)
Carly Heard, Assistant Dean, Student Success & Accreditation
Beacom Hall, Room 124
(605) 677-5455
www.usd.edu/business

FACULTY

Professors:

Michael Allgrunn, Economics
Chet Barney, Management
David L. Carr, Economics
Daniel Tracy, Decision Sciences

Associate Professors:

Klaus Beckmann, Finance
Tyler Custis, Business Law
Bartlomiej Hanus, Decision Sciences
Jewel Goodman Shepherd, Health Services Administration
Carole South-Winter, Health Services Administration
Thomas Tiahrt, Decision Sciences
Rand Wergin, Marketing

Assistant Professors:

Heather Anderson, Management
Feiwei Chen, Finance
James Driver, Finance
Marek Kolinski, Decision Sciences
Yi Liu, Decision Sciences
Elizabeth Manser Payne, Marketing
Michael Petersen, Accounting
Kelli Saunders, Accounting
Adrian Tippit, Finance
Brian Webb, Accounting
Nick Wilson, Accounting
Robert Winslow, Economics
Sara Yang, Accounting

Associate Professor of Practice:

Todd Muehler, Business Law

Assistant Professors of Practice:

Gregory Bertsch, Entrepreneurship
Erin Cornelsen, Accounting
Shradda Gawanker, Decisions Sciences
Matthew Heard, Health Services Administration

Instructors/Lecturers:

Chad Birger, Decision Sciences
David Englund, Economics
Derek Franken, Accounting
Joe Donovan, Management
Mike Cuperus, Marketing
Tammy Loos, Human Resources Management
Reed Muehler, Economics
Emily Quinn, Marketing
Mandie Weinandt, Economics/Statistics

Emeritus:

Thomas Davies, Accounting
Dee Vee Dykstra, Business Law
Mark Yockey, Management
Srinivasan Ragothaman, Accounting
Gregory Huckabee, Business Law
Yewmun Yip, Finance

MAJORS:

Accounting
Agribusiness Leadership
Business Administration
Business Analytics
Economics
Finance
Health Services Administration
Human Resource Management
Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Management
Marketing
Supply Chain Management

MINORS:

Accounting (Business Majors Only)
Business Administration (Non-Business Majors)
Business Analytics
Business Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Economics (Non-Business Majors or Business Majors with substitutions)
Finance (Business Majors Only)
Health Services Administration
International Business (Business Majors Only)
Legal Studies in Business (Business Majors Only)
Marketing (Business Majors Only)
Operations Management (Business Majors Only)

The field of business is constantly changing, and USD’s Beacom School of Business strives to be on the leading edge of these changes. At the same time, innovative business processes and philosophies can only succeed when they are based on a strong foundation of well-proven business principles. While the School is energetically moving into the future through the redesign of programs and introduction of the newest instructional methods, basic business concepts are not forgotten. Faculty, administration, and staff take pride in the tradition of excellence that has been and will continue to be associated with the School.

The Beacom School of Business’s educational programs and outreach activities are recognized in the region and beyond for their excellence. Beacom’s programs are consistently ranked among the top business schools in the nation by Princeton Review, U.S. News & World Report and others. The School maintains outreach initiatives that enrich the curriculum and provide special opportunities such as internship positions with leading regional, national, and international firms. In addition to these partnerships, the School offers students the opportunity to study issues pertinent to all types of businesses as well as nonprofit organizations and government.

The Beacom School of Business was established at the University of South Dakota in 1927. The Beacom School of Business has been continuously accredited by the AACSB International-The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business since 1949. Its graduates have become global leaders in all business fields. The Health Services Administration program is an AUPHA Certified Undergraduate Program and is a member of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA), the highest recognition available.

The generosity of our alumni and support from other friends of the School allow us to provide scholarships in excess of $400,000 annually to our students. And it is through such generosity that the Beacom School of Business operates in a state of the art building to complement its innovative curriculum. The building has been designed to embrace emerging trends in business education and to use state-of-the-art technology. Students are able to study the most recent business developments in a facility designed for the 21st century, further enhancing an already distinguished program.

Mission Statement

The Beacom School of Business’ mission is excellence in undergraduate and graduate education that develops successful future business leaders. We deliver high value to our students, employers, and community through distinctive teaching and learning supported by significant intellectual and professional contributions and meaningful service.
(Revised School Mission adopted 4/28/21.)

ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL OUTREACH INITIATIVES

The Beacom School of Business maintains several academic and professional outreach initiatives to enrich its educational environment. Executive Education, the Freeman Initiative in Rural Entrepreneurship, South Dakota Council on Economic Education, Prairie Family Business Association, Small Business Development Center, Entrepreneur in Residence Program, Academy of Finance, Beacom Summer Camps, Future Business Leaders of America, and DECA are all affiliated with the Beacom School of Business.

BETA GAMMA SIGMA

Beta Gamma Sigma is the honor society serving business programs accredited by AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Membership in Beta Gamma Sigma is the highest recognition a business student anywhere in the world can receive in a business program accredited by AACSB International.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

All business students must meet the University graduation requirements as well as the requirements of the business degrees. It is the individual responsibility of every student to fully acquaint himself/herself with all requirements for graduation and to meet these requirements during the period of registration in the school. These include, at a minimum, residence, scholastic average, specific courses required, and elective credit hours required. Consult with the Beacom School of Business Student Success Center, academic advisors, and the degree auditors to assure all requirements will be met.

A minimum of 120 semester credit hours must be successfully completed.
All University requirements for general education, and residency must be met in accordance with the student’s official catalog of entry.
All courses required of the specific business major must be successfully completed.
At least 50% of the business credits, required for the business degree must be earned through USD.
A minimum of 60 credits of upper-level (300/400) course work must be successfully completed.
Either ENGL 205 - Business Writing [SGR #1, HSDC] from USD or another acceptable advanced composition course.
A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.00 in all courses completed including transfer courses, a minimum grade point average of 2.00 from the University of South Dakota (institutional), and a minimum grade point average of 2.00 in the USD Beacom School of Business courses complete must be achieved. Transfer grades are not considered in the Beacom School of Business average.
Students may count no more than 6 credit hours toward their business major from any of the following four categories: (1) internships/practicums, (2) study tour, (3) independent studies/readings and (4) service learning activities. In addition, no more than 6 credits total from the above list may be applied to any business major (i.e. business electives), and no more than 12 credits total from the list can be applied toward a business degree (i.e. business and/or free electives). No more than 6 credits of Satisfactory/ Unsatisfactory graded business coursework may be applied toward a business major.
No more than two business courses (ACCT, BADM, BLAW, DSCI, ECON, ENTR, FIN, HRM, HSAD, MKTG, MGMT) with grades of D, F, or WDF are permitted. Students with more than two business courses with grades of D, F, or WDF will be required to repeat one (or more) of those classes and must earn a grade of C or better to comply with this requirement. The student may choose which class (or classes) to repeat. Business courses from USD and business courses accepted in transfer from other schools are considered when applying this rule.
All students must pass an exit examination.

Probation Status-Students with a cumulative, institutional, or Beacom School of Business grade point average below 2.50 are placed on Beacom School of Business Probation.

Any student on probation will be subject to the following:
1. The student will meet with their assigned academic advisor for Continuous Improvement Planning in order to create a plan to increase the student’s undergraduate GPA.
2. If on probation, the student is no longer considered “in good standing” and is not eligible to pursue and receive credit for an optional internship experience (ACCT 494, BADM 494, ECON 494)
3. If the GPA at issue increases but remains below 2.50, the student will be reviewed for possible continuance as a probation student.
4. Students may be removed from probation status if their GPA at issue is 2.50 or above.
If special circumstances warrant, these decisions may be appealed to the School’s Academic Dean.

BEACOM SCHOOL OF BUSINESS MAJORS/DEGREES

Students majoring in any of these fields will receive a Bachelor of Business Administration, B.B.A.

Students must select one of the following majors in the Beacom School of Business. Students may elect to complete more than one major by fulfilling all of the requirements for each major; double majoring with the Business Administration major is not permitted.

Accounting
Agribusiness Leadership
Business Administration
Business Analytics
Economics
Finance
Health Services Administration
Human Resource Management
Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Management
Marketing
Supply Chain Management

SCHOLARSHIPS

Each year, the Beacom School of Business has the capacity to award over $400,000 in awards and scholarships. These funds are made available through the generous support of alumni and friends of the Beacom School of Business. Scholarships can be found on the Beacom School of Business department pages: