Graduating seniors from the College of Business at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith scored in the top 20 percent in a national assessment test, with six UAFS students scoring in the top 10 percent internationally.

 

A total of 49 students took the Major Field Test in Business, an innovative outcome assessment designed to measure the basic knowledge and understanding achieved by students during their undergraduate experience. Overall, UAFS scored in the top 20th percentile when compared with 585 business schools and more than 80,000 undergraduate business students globally, according to Dr. Steve Williams of Fort Smith, dean of the College of Business.

 

Williams said the students who scored in the top 10 percent internationally were Roger Evans and Shayna Gatzke, both business administration majors, and Matthew Przybysz, accounting, all of Fort Smith; Angie Meyer, accounting, Greenwood; and Michael Hamilton, marketing, and Joshua Sykes, accounting, both of Van Buren.

 

All six UAFS students scored high enough on the MFT exam to be inducted into the College of Business Top Ten Club, an honorary award recognizing business students. Top Ten Club award winners are also recognized by having their names displayed on a plaque in the student Hall of Fame.

 

Williams said UAFS business students have traditionally scored in the top 25% percent or higher nationally since 2005.

 

The questions on the MFT exam span eight business disciplinary areas, including accounting, economics, finance, marketing, management, quantitative business analysis, legal and social environment, information systems and international business. At UAFS, the test is also used to calculate a portion of a student’s grade in the capstone strategic management course.

 

“Faculty members at the College of Business are committed to helping students develop their content knowledge and skills, and our instructors bring to that task a combination of academic training and real-world experience that serves business students well,” said Williams.

 

“Faculty members bring “hands-on” experience into their business courses with projects like managing the $100,000 Hembree student investment fund, working with regional businesses and non-profits, community leadership activities, and similar student-centered activities that help prepare our students to take the lead in their chosen fields,” he added.

 

Williams said the results from the MFT have been used to gauge students’ discipline-based knowledge level during the University’s pursuit of accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

 

“Based upon scores in MFT indicator subscales, faculty gain information as to how well students are learning. For example, we know that our students scored in the top 10 percent in the management and legal/social environment areas, an outcome reflecting the quality of instruction students receive at UAFS.”

 

The ETS Major Field Test is an undergraduate outcomes assessment designed to measure basic knowledge and understanding achieved by students in the business field of study. The content of the Major Field Test is designed to assess mastery of concepts and principles as well as knowledge expected of students at the conclusion of a major in specific subject areas. ETS is the same company that develops and administers the SAT and GRE exams.

 

ETS, founded in 1947, is a nonprofit organization that provides a range of products and services to advance learning worldwide.