Walter E. Heller and Alyce DeCosta

The Heller College of Business prides itself on preparing students for future professional and personal success through a cutting-edge curriculum that builds fundamental business knowledge, hand-on projects that develop in-demand professional skills and foster critical thinking, and experiential learning opportunities that provide exposure to the metropolitan Chicago business community.  Our faculty is a mix of award-winning scholars and highly successful industry practitioners who challenge students to realize their potential and support their journey to success.  Our faculty, staff, advisory board members, and alumni network work collaboratively to ensure the College delivers a world-class education for a diverse student body, preparing them for future roles as business leaders and socially conscious citizens.

The Heller College of Business (HCB) is named after Walter E. Heller, a preeminent Chicago business leader in the mid-1900’s.  A resourceful, hard-working, and meticulous entrepreneur, Heller’s business empire grew to include food manufacturing, jewelry, and finance (including commercial lending and private equity).  Walter E. Heller died in 1969, but with the generous support of his widow, Alyce DeCosta, and the Walter E. Heller Foundation, a substantial naming gift of $2 million was made to Roosevelt University.  The College proudly carries the Heller name to this day, continuing the legacy of entrepreneurialism and excellence that defined Walter E. Heller's career.

Mission

The Heller College of Business designs and delivers quality academic programs and support services that meet students' current and future educational needs in a dynamic, global business environment.  We promote a climate of integrity and social responsibility while developing critical business skills.

Accreditation

All University programs are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. In addition, many of the business degree programs offered through the Heller College of Business are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). University business programs worldwide pursue this recognition, and ACBSP accredits approximately 10 percent of business programs in the United States and a few outside the United States.  ACBSP accreditation is a mark of distinction in that accredited programs must meet national and international standards for teaching excellence, achieving learning outcomes, mission-based strategic planning and continuous improvement.

Degree programs

The HCB grants four (4) undergraduate degrees.  Our largest degree program is a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA). Each student chooses a major from among Accounting, Finance, Human Resource Management, Management, Marketing, Real Estate, or Social Entrepreneurship.  The HCB also grants the degrees of Bachelor of Science in Hospitality and Tourism Management (BSHTM), Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership (BAOL), and Bachelor of Arts in Digital Marketing, Advertising & Public Relations.

Transfer credit

Credits are accepted from community, junior or senior colleges that are accredited by a regional accreditation organization. Up to 70 credits can be accepted from a community college. All community college courses are accepted as lower-level credits.  Up to 90 credits can be accepted from a four-year college or university.  All business core and major requirements are taken at the 300-level. 

All transfer students must satisfy the University Writing Requirement which may include taking English 100 (see the University Writing Requirement).  No exceptions are made. Each transfer course is evaluated to confirm that it includes all topics included in the corresponding Roosevelt course. Regardless of title, courses considered inappropriate or not equivalent will not be accepted. Students should consult with a Roosevelt University advisor and the transfer guide pages when transferring courses to Roosevelt University.

Grade requirements

Specific requirements for individual majors are listed under each discipline. All courses in the major must be passed with grades of C- or higher with an average 2.0. Each major has additional course(s) which require a grade of C- or higher.

Course Grading

Undergraduate courses in the HCB are graded on a standard letter grade scale (A through F).  All HCB courses taken as a part of a business major, business minor, business core course, or specific course requirement will be graded in this manner.  The only exception to this standard letter grade policy is for non-business-major students who are taking HCB courses as elective courses as a part of a non-business degree program.  In this circumstance, a student may formally request to be graded as a Pass/Fail arrangement.  The request must not conflict with any other university or college-level policy, and approval of this request must be obtained from their academic advisor in consultation with the appropriate department chair.

Double major

Students who want a double major within the Heller College of Business must complete 18 separate credit hours in each discipline. Students may declare a double major while completing the first bachelor’s degree. Often a double major requires students to complete more than 120 credit hours for the degree. Interested students are strongly encouraged to meet with their academic advisors about this to fully understand the requirements, financial aid implications, and to build out a plan of study.

Second bachelor’s degree

Applicants who have received a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university in the United States are eligible for admission as second bachelor's degree candidates. Applicants with international credentials which are the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a four-year accredited U.S. university (as determined by an evaluation agency approved by Roosevelt University) are also eligible for admission as second bachelor's degree candidates. Official transcripts from each college previously attended are required along with the admission application and fee.

The residency requirement for the second bachelor's degree is a minimum of 30 credit hours earned at Roosevelt University that have not been counted for any other degree.

In all University colleges, degree requirements, in general, may be met with transfer credit, Roosevelt University courses, or a combination of both. However, specific degree requirements differ from college to college. In the Heller College of Business, all degree requirements (including residency, grade requirements, and required courses in general education, liberal studies, junior/senior core, and the major) must be satisfied. 

Students with international credentials must consult with the appropriate college to discuss possible deficiencies in major or general education requirements.

Students with a bachelor's degree from a four-year accredited U.S. university have met the University Writing Requirement, and do not need to take the English portion of the Roosevelt University Assessment (RUA). However, if the degree being sought is related to areas such as science, math, business, or computer science, the student may be asked to take the mathematics portion of the RUA.

Requirements for students earning a double major are different from those earning a second bachelor's degree. Please refer to the appropriate college section of the catalog for details.

Business minors for business majors

Students may also complete a business minor in an area outside their business major. The requirements for Heller College of Business students are four courses in one area at the 300 level without overlap with the major requirements. At least three of the courses must be taken at Roosevelt University, and all courses must be passed with grades of C- or higher. Students must complete all prerequisites for courses in their chosen minor area.

Business minors are available to non-business major students outside of the Heller College of Business.  Interested students should meet with their academic advisors to discuss requirements and build out a plan of study.

General business minor (for non-business majors)

A Business minor is available to students from the other colleges of Roosevelt University. The requirements are seven courses in business, including three required courses and four upper-level (300 level) business courses approved by the student’s advisor. A student may choose courses from different business areas such as Management, Marketing, Finance, Accounting, Human Resources, etc.

Discipline minors (for non-business majors)

A student may take a more specialized business minor in an area such as Accounting, Finance, Human Resource Management, Management, or Marketing. Students must complete all prerequisites for courses in their chosen minor areas, including junior standing for 300-level courses. At least three courses in the minor must be taken at Roosevelt University.

Graduation

A regular student in good standing may become a degree candidate when he/she has completed a minimum of 120 credit hours of credit with a minimum grade point average of 2.0. At least 18 credit hours in the major must be passed with grades of C- or higher, including transfer work. MGMT 380 must be passed with a grade of C- or better and must be taken at Roosevelt University.  All business core class requirements must also be passed with a C- or better.

Advising

Business majors will be assigned academic advisors when they reach junior standing (60 credit hours). Advising services may be provided by telephone, Zoom, email, or in person.  In order to facilitate graduation on a timely basis, all students should meet with their academic advisor each semester to plan their course of study. Any course waivers or substitutions should be approved in writing and placed in the student’s file both in the College and the Registrar’s Office.

Student Support Services

The Heller College of Business is committed to the success of our students.  In addition to the host of services offered to all Roosevelt students through the Dean of Students office (https://blogs.roosevelt.edu/student-handbook/student-resources/), the HCB partners with other University offices to offer additional services described in subsequent sections below.

Internship opportunities

Sophomores, juniors and seniors are encouraged to pursue internship opportunities in order to obtain valuable professional experience that complements their classroom learning. Internships may be done for academic credit or as non-credit experiences.  Most HCB undergraduate degree programs allow students to take up to six credits as part of their degree requirements.  Students are strongly encouraged to speak with their academic advisers about for-credit internships so they understand the requirements and can build them into their plan of study.  Students are encouraged to work with the Office of Career Services to help with internship placement, search Handshake for internship opportunities, and to look for internship opportunities on their own. 

Career Services

The Heller College of Business offers various career services to help students land great jobs during or after completing their academic programs.  We partner with our Office of Career Services to organize and host two business-focused career fairs each year: one in Fall to match the standard business recruiting cycle for large firms, and one in Spring for firms with a later recruiting cycle.  At our career fairs, we host numerous employers from various industries recruiting for full-time, part-time, and internship job opportunities. Additionally, we also host on-campus and virtual corporate presentations from firms that are actively recruiting HCB students.  Finally, our Office of Career Services hosts a general career fair each Spring and manages a virtual jobs board (via Handshake) where firms post job openings year-round.

Professional development workshops

The Heller College of Business provides many professional development workshops throughout the academic year at both campuses.  Topics that are covered include resume building and cover letter writing, the perfect elevator pitch, Excel for business basics and advanced, financial planning, survival skills for the corporate world, and much more.