Why Study Here?
Gain a competitive advantage in a challenging, professional environment. Complement your enthusiasm with comprehensive business education. Translate your business savvy into service and you’ll reap lifelong rewards.
The School of Business faculty members seek to make a difference professionally, academically, and spiritually in the lives of their students. Many awards in teaching excellence and advising have been earned by the faculty. Our professors have a broad range of experience and backgrounds in business and include executives, entrepreneurs, attorneys, CPAs, marketing managers, information systems specialists, insurance brokers, and economists. In addition, a majority of our faculty run their own businesses on the side, so they know about the real world. Their primary motivation is to be in the classroom with their students or in a lab working on real-world projects. With an open-door policy, students are encouraged to visit professors in their offices or even contact them at home. Faculty members are ready to be friends and mentors and to build relationships that students will value for a lifetime.
Our students enjoy lively discussions and active involvement facilitated by small classes. Researchers have found that smaller classes enhance learning effectiveness. In a small class, students get to know the teacher and their peers on a personal level, which increases the level of comfort in sharing and participating. Although the early core classes tend to be a bit larger, the average class size drops to about a dozen students for concentration classes at the junior/senior level.
Our degrees cover most of the top 10 in-demand business specialties (per a NACE survey). With six degrees, five concentrations, an associate degree, four minors, and three certificates, the School of Business has a program that should fit practically every business interest. In addition, certificates in business analytics, bookkeeping, and social media marketing are offered.
Each year our seniors, along with tens of thousands of seniors from hundreds of other business schools across the nation, take a comprehensive exam called the Major Field Test in Business. This test covers how much our seniors know about accounting, economics, finance, management, marketing, business law, quantitative analysis, information systems, and international business. Over the last ten years, our seniors have scored, on average, at the 92nd percentile. In 2020, they scored at the 99th percentile as measured against 139,825 business seniors at 532 business schools! We believe these stellar results reflect the quality of our students and our program.
Experience Microsoft, Amazon, Boeing, CostCo, Starbucks, etc. - up close and personal. WWU is privileged to have many graduates who work at Fortune 500 companies in the Seattle and Portland areas. Every year, our seniors enjoy an all-expenses-paid trip to tour a major company and learn from our alumni who work there.
Spend a weekend in a cabin resort at our beautiful campus along the Puget Sound north of Seattle. Learn from experienced Christian entrepreneurs about faith and values in the workplace. Bond with your classmates, as you worship and fellowship together enjoying the sunset on the beach around a campfire.
Over 97 percent of our business graduates in the last decade have been placed in careers or graduate schools within twelve months of graduation. Although the purpose of a college education is more than just preparing for a career, it is helpful to know that jobs await graduates with business skills and training.
Real-world projects are required throughout our curriculum. Students complete substantial projects providing hands-on experience, which looks great on their resumes. Some examples:
- Marketing students develop marketing surveys and plans.
- Management students prepare business and strategic plans.
- Tax students assist elderly and low-income people in the community.
- Accounting students use software, such as QuickBooks, to account for all the operations and functions of a small business.
- Auditing students work through a comprehensive true-to-life audit, complete with working papers, correspondence, and reports.
- Finance students compete in investment games that include dartboard portfolios (hopefully the dartboard doesn't win!).
- Advertising students prepare ad campaigns, including graphic design and production.
- Management students compete in teams in an online business simulation to to maximize profitability and stock price.
In our evening guest lecture series, we invite prominent business and community leaders to share their stories and expertise and to provide advice one-on-one with students. We have heard from leaders at Boeing, Amazon, Starbucks, Twitter, Microsoft, Google, Disney, Chase Bank, USB, the U.S. Federal Reserve, PwC, EY, KPMG, and other organizations, such as regional CPA firms, political parties, nonprofit organizations, banks, newspapers, investment firms, consulting firms, entrepreneurial firms, state & local governments, and law firms. Business students participate in the colloquium series each quarter in residence, freshman through senior years.
See who we’ve invited on campus for this series in the past.
Completing an internship is an excellent way to strengthen a resume, gain valuable practical training, and confirm a career interest (and it often leads to a full-time position). For these reasons, all WWU business students complete an internship. Not only do most interns get paid well for their work, but they also can earn academic credit. The average evaluation score by intern supervisors is 4.8 / 5.0, which indicates that employers highly value the contributions of our students. Internships are available in accounting, finance, information systems, management, marketing, law, and general business operations at a variety of organizations, including Fortune 500 corporations, local small businesses, hospitals, federal and state governments, and nonprofit organizations. For many years, our students have served as legislative interns at the state capitol in Olympia and in the nation's capitol in Washington D.C.
See Instagram for short videos about our summer interns
The WWU Student Development Center can help you land your dream internship.
Student teams, with majors ranging from business to product design to engineering, compete in an entrepreneurial "Shark-Tank" like contest to see who has the best ideas. The winners of the annual U-Pitch Competition get over $10,000 of prize money.
In addition to university accreditation by NWCCU and AAA, WWU has special business program accreditation by the Accreditation Council of Business Schools & Programs (ACBSP) to offer the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree and Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees (Majors in Business Administration). ACBSP is a recognized international leader in mission-based accreditation with a focus on teaching excellence. In 1997, we were the first business program in the denomination to obtain special business accreditation. In a nutshell, accreditation means that:
- Our program meets rigorous standards so students can be assured of receiving a quality education.
- The accredited degrees are more recognized nationally and internationally, and credits are more easily transferable (which is especially important for those going to graduate schools).
- The business education covers the knowledge and skills needed to compete in today's marketplace.
- Students can become lifetime members of Delta Mu Delta, an honor society, which recognizes academic excellence.
- Students can apply for scholarships available for accredited programs.
- Some professional certifications require accredited degrees.
View the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) Student Brochure for more information about the advantages of accreditation. Information regarding program outcomes is available here and upon request.
Enactus is a community of students, faculty, and business leaders committed to using the power of entrepreneurial action to enable human progress. In Enactus Walla Walla, students use business concepts to develop entrepreneurial projects that transform lives and shape a better, more sustainable world. Originally founded in 1975 as SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise), today Enactus has grown beyond the U.S. to encompass 36 countries around the globe.
The Walla Walla University Enactus Chapter is part of an international organization that connects students and leaders through entrepreneurial-based projects. These projects empower people to transform opportunities into real, sustainable progress for themselves and their communities. We aspire to bring like-minded individuals together to meet the vision/mission of Enactus as well as the WWU core themes of excellence in thought, generosity in service, beauty in expression, and faith in God.
Over the past two decades, the WWU Chapter has won a number of awards in regional and national competitions; but more importantly, we continue to engage in innovative projects that impact social enterprise and create a better world.
For more information, contact the sponsor, Professor Perez.
WWU is known for its many different social and spiritual activities. Unlike some campuses where students disappear on the weekends, WWU literally buzzes with tons of fun stuff to do. On top of the already rich selection of campus-wide activities, business students can enjoy a variety of social, professional and spiritual activities by being a members of the various campus clubs and organizations.
The Associate Students of Walla Walla University (ASWWU) provides a rich array of opportunities for social and professional activities. Many of the officers of ASWWU have been business students who practice their leadership skills running an organization with over 100 employees and a half-million-dollar budget.
The Business Club continues to be the most popular club on campus. On average, the Club includes one third of the total undergraduate population. The Business Club organizes events like:
-- Pizza feeds, barbeques, and exclusive restaurant meals
-- Worm Ranch burritos during Review Week (worms not included)
-- Tours of well-known businesses in the Northwest
-- Guest speakers in successful business and entrepreneurial activities
-- Ski and white-water rafting trips to top Northwest destinations
-- High-stake mid-night bowling competitions and Go-Kart racing
For more information about Business Club activities, contact the sponsor, Dr. Attoh.
The Savings & Investment Club provides opportunities to learn from community professionals and from hands-on activities such as investing competitions.
Other extracurricular opportunities include:
-- U-Pitch: Students work in teams to plan the design, marketing, and distribution of products in an innovative competition with $10,000 of prizes.
-- Colloquiums: In our guest lecture series, business, community, and thought leaders share their expertise and stories from the real world.
Walla Walla, Washington won the Friendliest Town in America Award in a nationwide contest sponsored by USA Today and Rand McNally. We don't have Disneyland, cable cars, Sears Tower or free samples from Little Debbie factory tours. But what we do have are:
- rugged mountains nearby (waiting to be hiked, mountain-biked, rock-climbed or four-wheeled)
- vast forests of evergreens (for some great conversation around an irresistible campfire)
- rolling wheat fields (and lots of sweet onions too)
- raging rivers (for kayaking or whitewater rafting)
- or the slower Columbia or Snake Rivers (for some of the best windsurfing or water-skiing anywhere)
- pristine mountain lakes (for a quiet, reflective canoe ride)
- slopes of fresh snow (for some of the best economy skiing in the nation)
- and lots of fresh air too
- oh, and contrary to popular belief, we have electricity now, paved roads and a nice airport where real planes land everyday (and it gives us a great pride to claim a Chipotle just a short distance from campus).
- and if you must get to the big city, Spokane, Portland or Seattle are a mere 3-5 hours commute (depending on how you drive). And Disneyland is only 3 hours away (but by air) - - The point being that you can go places from here.
Positive experience
"I never knew much about the SDA community but my experience at the university has been overwhelmingly positive and I am happy to have experienced it."
Inspiring professor really knows his stuff
"The teachers here are amazing, the students are friendly, and there is definitely a positive atmosphere on campus. One of my favorite professors brings his real life experiences into the classroom, and he really knows his stuff. He also consistently has a worship thought at the start of class, and makes sure to encourage students not to lose sight of God. He truly inspires me. I have never regretted coming here. I am surrounded by hundreds of students with a similar value system to mine, and who are very friendly and easy to get to know. WWU has an atmosphere that other colleges just cannot match."
Lots of opportunities for involvement
"I considered several colleges and universities before selecting Walla Walla University. I wanted to go to a Christian college and I believe God called me to WWU. My experience here has been fantastic. I really appreciate the many opportunities for us to be involved on campus and to serve our community. I’ve learned a great deal about myself here. I definitely feel I chose the right school and the right major."
Challenging but enjoyable
"I wanted to write and thank the School of Business as a whole for a challenging but enjoyable experience. I have learned and changed quite a bit during my time at WWU. The personal touch that WWU offers was the reason for much of my success. Thank you for giving me the key to doors that that were otherwise locked to me. I now have unlimited possibilities open to me."
Impressed by School of Business efforts—even after graduation
"Teachers really cared about their students. I never felt they were too busy. I am just really impressed by the time and effort the School of Business has put into keeping in touch with me after graduating.
I felt appreciated
What I learned has stayed with me and helped tremendously in my career. I feel like I was appreciated as a student there, not just another face.
Individual attention is valuable
The School of Business is committed to preparing its students with a hands-on approach that sharpens the logical and analytical skills that are so valuable in today's workplace. One of the strongest aspects of the program is the small class size. This allows students to gain individual attention from dedicated professors who have a genuine interest in helping you achieve your goals.
The School of Business made me a better person
I wish more people knew about the School of Business. It is a great program, with great teachers who really care about their students. They treat us as if we are important, and they try to figure out what learning style each student needs. I felt that when I graduated, I was a better person because of the School of Business, and that I was well prepared to enter the working world in the business profession.
School of Business set me up for success
Upon graduation from the School of Business, I began a career in public accounting. After working for two of the largest accounting firms in the world, I can honestly say that my teachers in the School of Business enabled me to develop a solid understanding in my field of study. I continue to advocate the School of Business to others because I know how valuable it has been for me.