GIA to Offer Bachelor of Business Administration Degree Program

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is to offer a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree at its Carlsbad, CA campus. The degree will focus on the business of fine jewelry. The first classes for the program will begin October 9.

Offered through GIA’s School of Business, the On Campus BBA program was accredited on September 1 by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). The organization accredits more than 800 post-secondary schools and colleges in the U.S. GIA’s online BBA program was accredited earlier this year by the Distance Education Training Council (DETC).

To be eligible for admission to the BBA program, students must already hold an associate’s degree or its equivalent. There are twenty upper-division courses required for the program that focus on marketing, retail management, accounting and finance, entrepreneurship, and international business. The coursework emphasizes case study analysis, team projects, and interactive exercises.

GIA School of Business Dean, Dr. Mink Stavenga pointed out that the degree also has practical applications that extend beyond the jewelry industry. “GIA’s BBA program is the equivalent of any standard business degree granted at any accredited four-year university or college, so students can readily apply their BBA degree towards any industry or business.”

“We strive for a well-rounded approach to business education, one that combines business theory with jewelry trade applications,” said GIA Education Vice President Brook Ellis.

The first, fall quarter will include the following classes: Principles of Management, Accounting Basics, Fundamentals of Marketing, Ethics and Law, Leadership, Retail Management, Visual Merchandising, and International Law and Trade.