The Higher Education Review

Virginia Tech’s Pamplin College of Business is committed to providing students with a world-class business education, conducting impactful research, and creating an inclusive community with purpose. Pamplin’s student body includes around 5,200 undergraduate students, 900 graduate students, and over 50,000 alumni. Business education at Virginia Tech is comprehensive with a focus on experiential learning and transdisciplinary coursework. The business education ecosystem stretches beyond Blacksburg, Virginia with a strong footprint in the Washington, D.C. area through Pamplin’s graduate programs, alumni network, and talent pipeline.

“Virginia Tech’s Pamplin College of Business develops innovative data science and business leaders to serve as a force for good in the global economy. Our approach to education — rooted in academic excellence, experiential learning, and access to top employers — prepares students to make a difference in the world”, said Roberta (Robin) Russell, Interim Dean of the Pamplin College of Business.

Innovative Undergraduate & Graduate Degrees
Pamplin offers the following degrees: B.S. in Business and Ph.D. in Business: Accounting and Information Systems, Business Information Technology, Finance, Hospitality & Tourism Management, Management, Marketing; B.S. in Real Estate; Master of Accounting and Information Systems; Master of Business Administration (MBA): Evening MBA, Online MBA; Master of Science in Business Administration (MSBA): MSBA-Business Analytics; MSBA-Hospitality and Tourism Management; Master of Information Technology (co-operated with the College of Engineering); and the Executive Ph.D. in Business.The Virginia Tech Evening MBA program is a part-time program in the D.C. area that provides flexibility for working professionals who value an in-person learning experience.

It is ranked the top part-time MBA program in Virginia in U.S. News & World Report.

Virginia Tech’s Online MBA program is offered online with 50 percent of the program completed asynchronously and the remaining 50 percent delivered through a synchronous component during periodic class weekends.

The Master of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Business Analytics (MSBA-BA) is a premier analytics leadership program that produces next-generation data leaders. The 12-month program challenges students to work in teams on real corporate projects that have strategic importance for sponsoring organizations.

Located in the D.C. area, the Master of Science in Business Administration with a Concentration in Hospitality and Tourism Management (MSBA-HTM) program prepares students for a range of management and leadership roles in hospitality and tourism. Students can enhance their coursework with specializations in business analytics and revenue management, entrepreneurship, and international strategy.

Pamplin’s Master of Accounting and Information Systems program equips students for a host of careers with specializations in accounting analytics, audit, financial services, information systems, and taxation. The Master of Information Technology program is ranked #3 by U.S. News & World Report. The online and asynchronous program is open to students from across the globe. Pamplin’s Executive Ph.D., also known as the Ph.D. concentration in Executive Business Research, serves experienced executives who seek the advanced knowledge and skills to conduct high-qualityresearch on critical, emerging issues facing the international business community.

Preparing the Next-Generation of Business Leaders
Pamplin prepares the next generation of business leaders in the in-demand fields of data analytics and cybersecurity. Data analytics is integrated into all disciplines.Business Information Technology within Pamplin is the university’s largest major,

with three study tracks and more than 1,500 students.

The college is also preparing the next generation of cybersecurity professionals. Approximately 435 undergraduate students are in the Business Information Technology- Cybersecurity Management and Analytics (BIT-Cyber) major which also has a presence in the D.C. area. Globally, Pamplin has teamed up with NMIMS in India to offer an interdisciplinary program that allows students to earn three degrees in business analytics and cybersecurity. Upon completion, participants earn a Bachelor of Technology in Computer Science and Engineering from NMIMS and an undergraduate BIT-Cyber degree and an MSBA-BA degree from Virginia Tech.

Conducting Impactful Research
Pamplin emphasizes research that impacts business and society. In 2021, the college had its most productive research year with 55 articles accepted for publication in elite journals. This research encompassed a wide range of topics – from the effect of gamification and wearable technologies on health outcomes, to an examination of cybersecurity expertise on corporate governing boards, to the use of rhetoric mining to detect social discourse that may lead to misinformation, and more.

World-class Facilities
The college’s future home on the Blacksburg campus will be in the Global Business and Analytics Complex (GBAC), a 21st-century data analytics learning environment that will bring together students, faculty, alumni, and industry leaders – across business, computer science, and engineering – to address the world’s most significant data challenges. GBAC’s features — state-of-the-art teaching, research, and trading labs; classrooms; and collaborative spaces for students, faculty, and industry partnerships — will deliver top talent, spark research, and foster economic growth.

“The quality of education our students receive continues to enhance our reputation with industry and has increased our ability to successfully recruit top faculty and students. One thing is certain, the future is bright at the Pamplin College of Business”, said Russell.