Managerial 101: Let Us Major!

In only its fourth year in the College of Arts & Sciences, the Managerial Studies Department has grown from single-section classes of thirty students to three-and four-sectioned classes of ninety plus students. In addition, the number of courses offered and the number of professors in the department has also increased to meet the growing demand. Last month, The Hustler highlighted the rapid growth of this department with a front-page article regarding the recent popularity of the managerial studies minor.

In previous years, most students that applied for enrollment in a managerial studies course on OASIS were able to secure a seat. This semester, however, almost 350 students were bumped from enrolling. In addition, with the recent move of Professor Burcham exclusively to the Owen Graduate School of Management, this number would have been even higher had Vanderbilt not been able to open up new sections with the hiring of Professors Bailey, Kimball, and Goodyear to the department. Even with this recent spike in interest in the managerial studies minor, Arts & Sciences Dean Richard McCarty does not see any plans in the near future to expand the department by offering a major in managerial studies, citing the preservation of the integrity of a liberal arts education as the reasoning.

This limiting of the department to just offering a minor begs a deeper look considering the recent increase in demand for courses.

To begin, the managerial studies department is comprised of adjunct professors who also hold full time professional careers outside of their teaching commitments. Many of these professors are entrepreneurs, but a few are intrepreneurs at larger corporations. The department offers a variety of courses such as corporate leadership, principles of marketing, entrepreneurship, and corporate strategy. These courses, along with courses offered in the economics, financial economics, communications, and HOD departments can be used to complete one of three minor tracks in corporate strategy, leadership and organization, or financial economics.

What in this overview of the department threatens the integrity of a liberal arts education so much that it bears restricting managerial studies to a minor? In the absence of an undergraduate business major, the managerial studies department serves as the only outlet for students interested in focusing on a more general study of business than the economics department can offer. This general study is the definition of a liberal arts education, providing students with “general knowledge and developing general intellectual capabilities.” In these courses, students not only gain a practical education from professors who live out the material they are teaching, but they also perfect their ability to work together with a team to complete an industry profile, marketing plan, or business strategy. In completing all of these assignments, students also perfect their writing abilities, something employers are stressing a need for.

Contrast this to some of the majors offered by the College of Arts & Sciences. Should a student wish to enter the business world after college, as previously mentioned, their only option to gain practical experience as an undergraduate is a major in economics. Some of the other majors offered as part of a liberal arts education though include Ancient Mediterranean Studies, History of Art, Film Studies, Russian and European Studies, and Women’s and Gender Studies, just to name a few. The merits of each of these majors are not at issue here. Certainly careers can be proffered from a Vanderbilt education in these departments. What is at issue is how the courses in these majors contribute more to the integrity of a liberal arts education than courses in the managerial studies department. It should also be noted here that all students, regardless of their major, must complete a wide array of liberal arts education requirements to fulfill their AXLE requirements for graduation.

If after further review, the College of Arts & Sciences is still skeptical about adding managerial studies as a major, they could explore the option of requiring students to double major in something more liberal arts worthy. Similar to the requirements for Peabody education majors, managerial studies majors would be required to graduate with an additional major in any field of their choosing. In this way, students would gain the vital knowledge of a liberal arts education learned from film studies while also increasing desirability to employers by having a degree in studies practical to their future career.

Whatever the future of the managerial studies department, it is clear that something must be done to meet the increased demand. In the absence of change, Vanderbilt risks doing a disservice to its students by showing them a wide array of practical courses that can be requested but not enrolled into due to the large competition for slots. As they teach in Managerial Studies 194, Entrepreneurship, innovation is what the customer (student) demands.