TAMPA BAY – When the USF Muma College of Business welcomes more than 8,700 students for the 2024-2025 academic year on Monday, new and returning students will discover that the fall semester brings a new college dean, new majors being offered on all three campuses, and AI-infused initiatives throughout the curriculum.
Here are some highlights of what students can look forward to this year:
New dean
David Blackwell joins USF as the new Lynn Pippenger Dean of the Muma College of Business. Blackwell provides strategic leadership for the college and its nearly 180 faculty members and more than 110 staff members across USF’s three campuses. He joined USF from the University of Kentucky. He was recently featured in an episode of Inside USF: The Podcast where he talked about what drew him to USF and his priorities for the college.
Sarasota-Manatee campus
The business analytics and information systems major is a new offering available to students in Sarasota-Manatee starting this fall. Business students will also call Atala Hall home. The residence hall opened with 200 students and includes a business component as part of the Living Learning Community. Also, the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management will offer a master’s in hospitality cohort and risk management and insurance students will find their home school has a new name — The Baldwin Group School of Risk Management and Insurance. In addition, the Bloomberg Lab was remodeled over the summer, complete with 12 new Bloomberg Terminals, a new scrolling stock ticker and other enhancements.
New MBA concentrations
Students seeking an MBA at USF will have three new offerings to consider. The new concentrations — blue economy, personal financial planning, and healthcare leadership — are designed to address the evolving needs of the global market.
The new options allow MBA students to build expertise in a specific domain, in addition to the fundamental leadership skills earning an MBA degree brings.
AI AT THE FOREFRONT
The USF Muma College of Business will launch several new artificial intelligence-focused courses, majors and programs, infusing the teaching of AI and its applications throughout the undergraduate and graduate curriculum.
The goal is to ensure that every business student understands AI tools and how to use them, whether as an internal AI user or an expert in the field, as AI continues to expand its footprint into the business industry and job market.
The initiatives include a new undergraduate major — AI and Business Analytics. Also,
two new AI-focused foundational courses will launch in fall 2024. All business majors
must take “AI and Information Systems in Organizations” and “Data Analytics for Business.”
Two new AI and analytics-focused master’s degree programs launch in fall 2024 — a
Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Business Analytics and a Master
of Science in Financial Analytics.
In addition, the Lynn Pippenger School of Accountancy will introduce a new Bachelor of Science in Accountancy and Analytics program, infusing data analytics throughout the accounting curriculum. The program features a new capstone course, ACG 4840 Accounting in Analytics, along with three accounting analytics electives in financial/managerial accounting, advanced auditing, and tax accounting.
At the Kate Tiedemann School of Business and Finance, AI components were added to three courses — Big Data and Machine Learning in Finance, Algorithmic Trading: Strategies and Applications, and Foundations of Fintech. And plans are underway to install a full Bloomberg Lab on the Tampa campus in the Lasher Center.
Real estate minor
A new real estate minor is being offered, with versions for business and non-business majors on the Tampa campus. This minor prepares students to take advantage of the substantial workforce demand for professional real estate careers in the Tampa Bay area.
Boba in the Bunker
Business students can get their boba fix at the USF alumni-owned Naga Tea inside the newly remodeled Rocky’s Hideaway. USF Dining is offering bubble tea as a new beverage option this fall on the USF Tampa campus. Whether you prefer lychee popping boba or brown sugar milk tea, head to the "bunker" or Business Administration Ferguson Hall. Rocky's Hideaway will also feature a salad and sandwich concept.