The college has doubled the number of courses available for business studies and entrepreneurial studies minors for next semester, reflecting an increased student interest in those courses, according to Donald Hurwitz, the interim chair of the department of marketing communication.

This comes amid a renewed focus on Emerson’s enterprise offerings, with professors working on a proposal for a new business major and Lu Ann Reeb hired as the entrepreneurship program’s new director. 

The marketing communication department, which houses business studies and entrepreneurial studies, added one new section to each of the core requirement courses, according to Hurwitz: Principles of Business; Marketing, Sales, and Logistics; Finance and Accounting; and Business Policy and Strategy.

Chris Dobens, a sophomore marketing communication major and entrepreneurial studies minor, said he was happy to hear about the new sections being added.

“It would be interesting to see what other part-time professors from other schools would have to say about business and what their ideals are,” Dobens said. “I think depending on what schools they pick from, it could be amazing.”

Some professors already teaching courses in the minors will take on additional sections, according to Hurwitz, and new part-time faculty members will be brought in from other schools. 

Hurwitz said the cost of adding these new sections is assumed by the Office of Academic Affairs budget.  

“I think students will endorse the direction we’re taking,” he said.  

Another class being added to the curriculum is The Business of Broadcasting, which was once a course offered in the radio major and has now migrated from the visual and media arts to the communication studies department, according to Hurwitz. 

“It’s a way to take what’s reasonably expected to be already of interest and put it in a business context,” Hurwitz said. “We wanted the business students who wouldn’t normally stumble across that course to be aware of it.”

Sophomore Luke Richardson said he is interested in a business minor.

“Now that the business minor has more courses, more teachers, and more classes,” the communication studies major said, “I’m definitely more interested in adding the minor. I may register for Business of Broadcasting next spring.”