04/13/18
HAYS, Kan. – Starting this fall, students who want to begin earning a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a major in finance online can start their course work through the Fort Hays State University Virtual College.

“FHSU’s Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship is excited to offer the BBA degree with a major in finance through distance learning,” said Dr. Mark Bannister, dean of the W.R. and Yvonne Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship.

Students pursuing the degree can choose between general finance or a concentration in banking.

“The quality of our on-campus finance program is well known,” said Dr. Dosse Toulaboe, chair of the Department of Economics, Finance and Accounting. “We want to offer the same high-quality learning experience to those who are looking for the convenience and flexibility of the distance-learning platform.”

Studying finance prepares students for a wide variety of careers in both public and private sectors, including banking, corporate finance, investments, insurance and risk management.

“Finance is a popular and rewarding area of study. There’s a huge demand for this program and we want it to reach more students,” said Toulaboe.

The demand for FHSU’s program matches the demand for finance careers nationwide. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Employment of business and finance operations occupations is projected to grow 10 percent from 2016 to 2026, faster than the average for all [other] occupations.”

The online program will be taught by the same faculty who teach on-campus economics, finance and accounting courses.

“We want the content and rigor to be the same for both the on-campus and online programs. Our highly talented faculty will ensure that the online learning for our finance program is just as effective as in face-to-face education,” said Toulaboe.

The decision to expand the program online came from a desire to reach a more diverse group of students.

“Many students today are non-traditional. They are working professionals trying to balance work, life and school,” said Toulaboe. “By expanding our footprint online, we can reach more non-traditional students.”

“We are very proud of our finance graduates over the years,” said Bannister. “By offering a high-quality degree online, we will be able to expand our reach to serve students that are unable to come to campus.”

Both BBA degrees require a total of 124 credit-hours including 55 credit-hours of general education classes, 27 credit-hours of business core classes, 39 credit-hours of finance core and finance elective classes and 3 credit-hours of free electives.

“This effort is especially relevant to supporting FHSU’s innovative Robbins Banking Institute,” said Bannister. “Banking students can earn stackable credentials such as the 12-credit-hour banking certificate, a minor in banking, or a full BBA degree with a major in finance with a concentration in banking. These credentials can be earned anywhere a student has reliable internet access.”

To learn about the online Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a major in finance or the Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a major in finance with a concentration in banking, please contact the Department of Economics, Finance and Accounting at 785-628-4551, or visit https://www.fhsu.edu/efa/.