JSU News

Integration of Information Technology
in Business Degree Programs

Jamie M. Eubanks
JSU News Bureau

JACKSONVILLE -- March 2, 2001 -- The business world is changing every minute. It is evolving into a faster paced, wider spread market. So, how have premiere business schools, such as Jacksonville State University, been able to keep up with this ever-changing field? And with the recent fall of certain Dot.com companies, will students in e-commerce have jobs to go to?

JSU recently added an e-commerce major to its long lists of business degree programs. Even though this is a specialized major within business, all students are getting a taste of it.

“Every student takes some kind of e-commerce course while at JSU,” says Dr. William Fielding, Dean of the College of Commerce and Business Administration at JSU.

And in this world of “e”-everything, this kind of well-rounded education is important. The Internet and World Wide Web are changing companies’ style of promoting their brands, selling products, communicating with customers and managing suppliers.

They are even changing the way teaching is done. Classes are taught via the internet or through video conferencing.

“At JSU students are taught the fundamentals of marketing,” says Fielding. “but we integrate information technology to back those fundamentals up.” For example, a student takes a business communications class. For presentations, this student must have a working knowledge Power Point software.

Fielding says there are three legs that support the College of Commerce and Business Administration.

A broad general education. All students take courses in the arts, science and other general courses.
The student's major or interest area, such as finance.
Technology to acquire information and communicate.

“With these three elements, a student is more likely to be successful in the business world,” comments Fielding. “And they can move into a lifetime of learning to help them stay in that vast and ever-changing world afloat.”

As to the fall of some Dot.com companies, Fielding is very optimistic. “The economy has slowed down, but, with the help of some economic policy, it will once again boom as it has in the past—and will possibly be bigger than ever.”


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