Education

Through CIBRE, Oakland University's School of Business Administration is transforming business education. The business world shifts constantly, but traditionally, business education remains constant. While the core foundation of business education must remain steady, students must be equipped with the framework to adapt and operate in a business climate that evolves daily.

Students in the OU's SBA gain this framework through CIBRE programs, and the integration of its activities and learning. With a foundation that blends theory and real-world skills, the SBA curriculum is augmented by the influence of today's business leaders who deal with today's challenges as well as looking ahead to tomorrow's, and faculty members who bring applied research findings into the classroom as immediate models from which students learn.

New and established student programs that link SBA students directly to the business world continue to transform business education while also assisting the business world come together under CIBRE.

• ATiB: Founded in 1997, SBA's innovative education program - the first of its kind in Michigan - the Applied Technology in Business program, has partnered with more than 75 companies to bring students and business together to solve business problems using information technology. A $4 million investment in student scholarships from regional businesses is a testament to this program's success..
  
  
• Scholars: Undergraduate students with strong academic track records are encouraged to apply to participate in this competitive, engaging and challenging program, founded in 2007, that puts them on the academic fast track and offers the opportunity to expand and integrate their learning beyond the classroom through networking, teamwork, mentoring, community action and research. With categories such as research scholars, team/theme scholars and global project scholars, SBA provides students specific opportunities to engage in undergraduate research, team and theme based internship programs and global team projects (virtual, face-to-face or hybrid models).
  
  
• ACHIEVE: Launched Fall 2008, all business students, starting in their freshman year, are required to engage in a select set of prescribed activities that enhance their career and professional development skills through this mandatory four-year professional development series that helps students learn about business careers, their degree, and then equip them with the skills they need to land a job and succeed in their chosen profession. The program exposes students to industry through networking, job shadowing and internships so students can target their coursework toward their chosen profession.
  
  
• ELI: Founded in 2008, the Experiential Learning and Innovation program offers businesses the opportunity to tap into the advanced skills of SBA's top graduate students on company-sponsored projects - from business start ups to product launches - providing the students the chance the integrate their coursework with real-time learning all while advancing education and supporting economic growth.