School of Business

Vision

Where the business, government, and non-profit sectors intersect to educate and collaborate for the common good.

Mission Statement

The Hamline School of Business is an inclusive community dedicated to the professional and personal development of our students, faculty and staff and to the advancement of the common good. We achieve our mission through teaching excellence, the integration of theory and practice, and the engagement of our stakeholders to address complex issues facing the business, government and non-profit sectors. We see our mission firmly rooted within the values of Hamline University.

Programs

The Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree program offers the essentials of business within a liberal arts framework, providing career preparation that sets you apart. Students graduate with a wide range of abilities to manage and lead successful organizations in the face of our increasingly complex world. Within the business administration program, students can concentrate in accounting, business analytics, finance, management, or marketing.

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in economics provides a strong foundation in economic theory. Students gain an understanding of the underlying forces of economic cycles and the consequences of economic conditions on the decisions of leaders in all sectors.

Students may also choose to minor in business analytics, business practice, economics, interactive leadership, and nonprofit management.

Interdisciplinary Concentrations

Students majoring in economics have the opportunity to pursue an interdisciplinary concentration in behavioral economics or public policy.

The behavioral economics concentration teaches students the core theories and methods in economics and psychology, and how to integrate and apply this knowledge through applied projects. Students will design field and laboratory experiments, informed by behavioral theory, and analyze data for insights. Each student will also design a research project that explores an area of judgment and behavior, tailored to their personal interests and goals. This concentration is open to students majoring in economics or psychology.

The public policy concentration educates students about public policy and helps them to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to create innovative, socially responsible solutions to the most critical issues facing society. The program forms an arc, beginning with an introduction to ethical public policy, building skills with methodology coursework, and culminating with a capstone experience in which students engage directly with a public policy issue in a semester-long applied project or internship. Students will acquire an extensive set of skills in policy evaluation and analysis, equipping them to become agents of change to improve the quality of life for people and their communities, at home and abroad. This concentration is open to students majoring in criminology and criminal justice, economics, environmental studies, legal studies, political science, or public health sciences.

Departmental Honors

Students who have a GPA of at least 3.25 in their major courses are urged to complete a substantial research project to qualify for honors at graduation.

Faculty

Josh Beverly, assistant professor. BS 2014, Concord University; PhD 2022, Virginia Tech. Work experience: Data Science for the Public Good fellow, adjunct professor, research/teaching assistance, high school mathematics and computer science. Research interests: labor, time series, applied econometrics, data science, and rural/regional economics.

Stacie A. Bosley, Kahlert Professor of Economics. BBA 1994, University of Wisconsin-Madison; PhD 2001, University of Minnesota. Work experience: information systems consulting and expert witness consulting in consumer fraud litigation. Research interests: income-related fraud (including pyramid schemes), consumer protection, and behavioral economics.

Samantha Snyder Cakir, assistant professor. BA 2000, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill; MS 2008, PhD 2011, Purdue University. Work experience: urban community/economic development, federal food assistance programs. Research interests: food access and health/consumer purchase outcomes, education reform and school choice policy, fraud and consumer protection.

Brett Devine, 2019, assistant professor. BS 2012, Brigham Young University, PhD 2018, Washington State University. Experience: Idaho National Laboratory, marketing analytics consulting, research assistance. Research interests: information economics, industrial organization, entrepreneurship, econometrics, and data science.

Ken Fox, professor. BA 1979, University of California, Davis; JD 1985, Lewis and Clark Law School. Senior Fellow, Dispute Resolution Institute. Work Experience: business and government law practice, conflict management consulting to public, private, non-profit and regulated industries, courts, schools and universities. Research interests: mediation, negotiation, reflexive professional practice, conflict analysis.

Sonal Gerten, marketing instructor. BA 1999, Johns Hopkins University; MBA 2004, UCLA. Work experience: consumer packaged goods, non-profit, small business and entrepreneurial executive. Interests: small business and arts marketing, bridging cultural differences via marketing storytelling.

Elizabeth W. Gunderson, professor, dean. BAS 1976, University of Minnesota; MBA 1981, University of St. Thomas; PhD 1991, The Union Institute. Work experience: nonprofit organizations and private consulting. Research interests: forensic economics, security analysis.

Kris Norman, professor. BA 1987 Hamline University, MA 1990, University of Minnesota, PhD 1996, Vanderbilt University. Work Experience: state and local government and policy consulting. Research Interests: cultural competence, social equity, public policy and public administration.

Chad Sponsler, senior lecturer. B. Acct. 2002, MBA 2003, University of North Dakota; JD 2008, Hamline University; MBT 2017, University of Minnesota; CPA. Research interests: Certified Public Accountant exam performance variables, financing higher education, educational tax incentives.

Lucas D. Threinen, assistant professor. BS 1997, University of Minnesota; PhD 2012, University of Chicago. Professional Experience: economic policy advising, information systems. Research interests: information economics, international trade.

Nancy Webber, senior lecturer. BS 2002 and MBT 2004, University of Minnesota. Work experience: CPA with concentration in business taxation.

Interdisciplinary Concentrations

Interdisciplinary Minors

Data Visualization Minor

Programs

Major

Minor

Interdisciplinary Concentration

Behavioral Economics Concentration