Bertolon School of Business

Raminder K. Luther, Dean

Leah Ritchie, Associate Dean

Don White, Assistant Dean

Welcome to the Bertolon School of Business (BSB) where our commitment to excellence through innovation, engagement and inclusion is recognized by our AACSB accreditation, a recognition achieved by less than 6% of world’s business schools. Whether you want to pursue an MBA, MSA, BS in Business in any of the twelve concentrations, or one of many certificates and minors, you will be among students with diverse backgrounds from across the world. With an average class size of less than twenty, you will get personalized attention from our faculty who are recognized experts in their fields, and passionately committed to your success. Your educational journey with us will go beyond cutting-edge education in-class to include real-world applications. You can compete in the Business Pitch competition through our Center for Entrepreneurship, get Bloomberg certified, manage investments of our Student Managed Investment Fund, help prepare taxes through our VITA program, join one of our student clubs, complete an internship, or gain international exposure through our Study Abroad program. You will also have access to all our support services available through various centers including the BSB Center for Student Success.

Whether you are a student ready to push yourself to new heights, or a parent looking for the best fit for your child, an alumnus looking to contribute to our student’s success, or a community member looking to contribute to our growth, I invite you to learn more about us, and how we help our students become the catalysts of economic growth in the region.

MISSION

Provide innovative and accessible education to prepare a diverse community of global minded business graduates who contribute responsibly to the growth of their communities.

VISION

To be recognized as the preeminent business school on the North Shore offering innovative experiential curriculum, impactful research, and an inclusive collaborative environment that produces confident graduates with diverse backgrounds ready to lead and serve.

Guiding Principles

Success of all our students: Student success is primary in all our policies and actions. We ensure that all students irrespective of their backgrounds have a similar chance to succeed and grow. Innovation and Collaboration: We strive to continuously improve our practices in teaching, research, service, and student engagement, and we believe that the best innovations and improvements happen through collaboration with the broader community.

Innovation and Collaboration: We strive to continuously improve our practices in teaching, research, service, and student engagement, and we believe that the best innovations and improvements happen through collaboration with the broader community.

Equity, Inclusion and Belonging: We celebrate diversity of our students, staff, faculty, and the communities we serve, and we strive to build a collaborative intellectual community that pursues equity, inclusiveness, and a sense of belonging in all its actions.

Respect, Impact and Sustainability: We believe that our engagement with each other should be based on mutual respect, our teaching, research and engagement efforts should have an impact, and all our actions and policies should be sustainable.

Departments and Programs

The Bertolon School of Business (BSB) is organized into three departments: Accounting and Finance, Management, and Marketing and Decision Sciences. Within those departments, the BSB offers twelve undergraduate concentrations, seven minors and six undergraduate certificates in addition to two graduate degrees and two graduate certificates. Graduates of the Bertolon School are successful entrepreneurs as well as successfully employed in public and private sectors, and in federal and state government agencies.

B.S. Business Administration Concentrations

Department of Accounting and Finance

Department of Accounting and Finance in the Bertolon School of Business offers four concentrations, one minor and a 4+1 MS in Accounting program.

Accounting concentration equips students with the analytical, and quantitative skills needed for various accounting careers in public and private sectors. Completion of this concentration will satisfy the education requirements to sit for the CPA exam. Students can also pursue a fast-track option for the Master of Science in Accounting degree through our 4+1 degree program.

Corporate Finance and Accounting concentration is a cross functional program that prepares students with a strong foundation for careers in both corporate accounting and financial management. It combines core business principles of accounting with specialized knowledge in financial analysis, and business decision-making with a thorough understanding of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.

Finance concentration provides a specialized education in financial principles and tools to prepare students for critical thinking and decision making. It prepares students to seek careers in corporate financial management, security analysis, and investment management, in both financial institutions as well as domestic/multinational corporations.

Financial Planning concentration provides a comprehensive understanding of personal financial planning principles and skills necessary to guide individuals and families towards financial security. This concentration prepares students for careers in financial planning, including investment management, retirement planning, tax strategies, estate planning, risk management, and insurance. Completion of this concentration will satisfy education requirements to sit for CFP® exam.

Department of Management

The Department of Management in the Bertolon School of Business offers five concentrations and three minors.

Entrepreneurship concentration provides students with the required skills and knowledge to create a successful business venture as either an owner or a key player within the firm.

Hospitality Management concentration prepares students for leadership and administrative roles in the hospitality and travel industry, including hotel operations, food and beverage management, meetings and events management, or casino operations.

Human Resource Management concentration teaches students the process of managing human talent to achieve organizational objectives, which includes attracting, hiring, developing and motivating a diverse workforce.

International Business concentration prepares students for leadership positions in multi-national corporations and is intended for those who like to travel and/or are interested in opportunities provided by a global business landscape (e.g., trading and working with people from different countries/cultures)

Management concentration is a general course of study for students who aspire to supervisory positions, employment in corporations, or a knowledge of business administratio

Department of Marketing Decision Sciences

The Department of Marketing and Decision Sciences in the Bertolon School of Business offer three concentrations, three minors and five certificates.

The Analytics and Management Science concentration teaches students how to use data analysis, mathematical modeling, and business intelligence tools. Students learn to apply descriptive methods (what happened), predictive techniques (what might happen), and prescriptive approaches (what should be done) to convert complex data into valuable insights. These skills help businesses make better decisions and improve performance when facing tough competition.

The Information and Data Science concentration provides students with the knowledge to combine new technologies such as digital platforms, big data, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence with everyday business operations. Students develop practical skills in managing projects, analyzing data, protecting computer systems, and designing IT solutions which help their businesses gain an edge over competitors and find effective solutions to problems they face.

The Marketing concentration blends creative thinking with data-based decision-making skills. It builds on a broad liberal arts foundation and offers specialized classes in topics such as consumer behavior, marketing research, and digital marketing. This preparation helps students learn how to create and deliver products and services that adjust to what customers want and need as their preferences change over time.

Undergraduate Minors

Accounting

Analytics and Management Science

Business Administration

Information and Data Science

Entrepreneurship

Management

Marketing

Undergraduate Certificates

Accounting

Business Analytics

Data Science

Information and Cybersecurity Management

Lean Six Sigma

Project Management

The Center for Entrepreneurship

The Center for Entrepreneurship fosters entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation across the campus community through innovative educational programming and activities. The center’s activities rest on the belief that the economic future of our regional community rests firmly on the small businesses that abound in this area and on the new ventures that Salem State students and others will establish here.

Situated in the Bertolon School of Business, the center operates in conjunction with the Small Business Development Center and the Enterprise Center to create programs to inspire and support the entrepreneurial spirit among students at Salem State University. Through various programming initiatives, the center excites students about the possibility of turning their personal passions into their life and work. It fosters interdisciplinary collaboration, engages faculty and students in applied entrepreneurial activities and consulting projects, and creates a vibrant ecosystem that connects the university with local communities, businesses, public, private, and non-profit organizations.

The Small Business Development Center

The Massachusetts Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Northeast Regional Office in the Bertolon School of Business at Salem State provides counseling, educational programs, technical assistance and information to the small business community. The Center is a partnership of U.S. Small Business Administration and the Executive Office of Economic Affairs through the University of Massachusetts at Amherst under a cooperative agreement and is a resource of the SBA’s Business Development Service network. The Center is committed to outreach programs within its geographic area. The Center’s staff provides counseling on a pre-scheduled basis in many communities and continually seeks to expand the program to additional cities and towns North of Boston. More information about the Center may be obtained by visiting its website at sbdc.salemstate.edu.