Auburn University's Harbert College of Business: A Comprehensive Overview

Founded in 1856, Auburn University holds the distinction of being the first land-grant college in the South. Over time, it has garnered recognition for its vibrant campus, athletic prowess, particularly its D1 football team, and cherished traditions. The university's location, just an hour's drive from Montgomery, Alabama's capital, provides students with access to the rich history of the civil rights movement.

The Raymond J. Harbert College of Business, often shortened to Harbert College, stands as the business school of Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama. Since 2013, the college has been named in honor of Auburn alumnus Raymond J. Harbert, who, with his wife Kathryn, gifted the college $40 million. Contact Georgina Hannah with any questions.

A Prestigious Institution

The Harbert College of Business is recognized as one of the country’s most prestigious, innovative, and dynamic business schools. It provides a world-class education within a vibrant and supportive community in the heart of Auburn, Alabama.

The Harbert College is among a select group of business schools worldwide, holding accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). Fewer than 5% of the world’s 13,000 business schools have earned this distinguished accreditation. This recognition places the college within the top 5% of business schools globally and reflects a commitment to delivering a high-quality and relevant business education. The college passes the AACSB’s rigorous criteria and standards, coordinating peer reviews and consultation every five years to ensure it is delivering a relevant and high-quality business education.

History and Development

The Harbert College of Business was founded in 1967. In 1967, O.D. “Jack” Turner was appointed the first dean of Auburn University's new School of Business, which was located in Thach and Tichenor Halls.

George Horton became the second School of Business dean in 1973. A visionary leader, he served for 11 years and played a key role in creating the most rigorous business program in Alabama and guiding the program into national prominence. He encouraged the faculty's scholarly output, and he guided the School through the accreditation process with the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

The third dean, Charles, Kroncke, served for two years (1986-1988), during which time the School of Business became the College of Business, a Ph.D. In 1989, Danny Bellenger became the fourth dean of the College of Business. C. Paul Bobrowski served as the College's sixth dean from 2004 to 2010.

Bill Hardgrave's tenure as dean saw incredible growth and transformation, including the establishment of the Office of Professional and Career Development-the first college-embedded career placement resource on Auburn University's campus; the establishment of the Master of Real Estate Development (MRED) program with Auburn's College of Architecture, Design and Construction; the launch of Ph.D. programs in Business Analytics and Finance; the opening of the nationally known RFID lab; the transformational $40 million gift from alumni Raymond and Kathryn Harbert and renaming of the College in Mr.

In 2018, Annette Ranft became the eighth dean of the Harbert College of Business. In 2024, Jennifer Mueller-Philips became the ninth dean of Harbert College. The former director of the School of Accountancy, she also served as associate dean for academic affairs, where she worked to advance campus-wide entrepreneurship initiatives, strengthen student recruitment and retention and expand the college's $1.5 million scholarship program.

Campus and Facilities

The Harbert College of Business is housed in Lowder Hall and Horton-Hardgrave Hall on Auburn University's campus. Lowder Hall includes faculty offices, state-of-the-art instructional classrooms and labs, and administrative offices. The building was named for Edward and Catherine Lowder. Edward Lowder graduated from Auburn in 1932 and later became a Montgomery businessman. Their sons-Bobby, Jimmy and Tom-all graduated from the College of Business.

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Horton-Hardgrave Hall (HHH), which opened in 2019, houses the Harbert College graduate programs and provides some instructional and event spaces. The 100,000-square-foot building is named for two former deans, George Horton (1973-1984) and Bill Hardgrave (2010-2017). The construction of Horton-Hardgrave Hall was made possible through donations, including a $15 million lead gift from 1982 business alumnus Raymond Harbert and wife, Kathryn, also an Auburn graduate.

In 2020, Auburn University opened the New Venture Accelerator, which supports the creation and expansion of business ventures. Current and aspiring business owners learn to conduct market analyses, identify investors and develop pitch strategies through the guidance of a team of Entrepreneurs-in-Residence. The New Venture Accelerator is jointly managed by Harbert College and the Auburn Research and Technology Foundation.

Academic Programs

The Harbert College grants both undergraduate and graduate degrees and is one of the university's 12 constituent schools.

Undergraduate Programs

For the 2024-2025 academic year, Harbert College of Business has 6,180 undergraduate students enrolled across nine programs: pre-business, marketing, supply chain management, management, information systems management, finance, accounting, business administration and business analytics. By the time of graduation, 90% of students graduate with real-world experience. The average starting salary for a Harbert College of Business student is $61,381. Annually, $1.65 million is awarded to Harbert College of Business students in scholarships.

Graduate Programs

For the 2024-2025 academic year, Harbert College of Business has 977 students enrolled in Master's programs and Graduate Certificate programs. Harbert College of Business offers the following Master's programs: Online MBA, full-time MBA, Master of Real Estate Development, MS in Information Sciences, MS in Supply Chain Management, Master of Accountancy, Executive MBA, MS in Finance and Physician's Executive MBA.

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The Raymond J. Harbert College of Business at Auburn University (Harbert) offers these departments and concentrations: finance, management information systems, supply chain management/logistics, and quantitative analysis/statistics and operations research.

Full-Time MBA Program

The Full-Time MBA program at the Harbert College of Business is a rigorous, 21-month residential program designed to prepare students for leadership roles in today’s fast-paced business environment. Combining academic depth with real-world learning experiences, the program covers essential business disciplines such as finance, marketing, operations, and analytics. Students also have the opportunity to tailor their education through specialized electives, aligning their studies with specific career goals.

The full-time program is a lockstep 17-month cohort-based experience on campus. The core courses are pretty much what you would find in any lock-step MBA program, with 10 core courses and 3 electives for students to explore their interests. Core courses include financial, quantitative & strategic analysis, organizational leadership & change, marketing, operations, and info systems. There’s a menu of electives in finance, MIS, marketing, production/operations, sports management, and supply chain/logistics. If students have less than two years of full-time work experience, Auburn requires MBAs to complete a summer internship between the second and third semester. Most MBA students, of course, hold full-time jobs during the day and come to school at night for the affordable tuition.

Collaboration is at the heart of the Harbert Full-Time MBA experience. With small class sizes, students form meaningful connections with peers, faculty, and industry professionals. The program’s teamwork-focused approach encourages students to tackle complex business scenarios together, fostering both professional and interpersonal growth. Learning at Harbert goes beyond the classroom. The Full-Time MBA program emphasizes hands-on learning through consulting projects, internships, and case competitions. The Integrated Business Project, a signature component of the program, gives students a chance to work directly with companies, solving real-world business challenges while delivering actionable solutions. The full-time program academic coursework requires an international trip.

Doctoral Programs

Harbert College doctoral programs prepare candidates for careers in academia. Students can earn a Ph.D. in Finance, Supply Chain Management, Information Systems Management and Management.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Auburn University (Harbert) Cost Tuition: full-time $16,524 total program (in-state) cost $16,524 total program (in-state) full-time $49,572 total program (out-of-state) cost $49,572 total program (out-of-state) specialty master's $16,524 total program (in-state) cost $16,524 total program (in-state) specialty master's $49,572 total program (out-of-state) cost $49,572 total program (out-of-state)

CostTotal Program (In-State)*Tuition & Fees (In-State/Out-of-State)$28,716 / $61,764 Food & Housing, Books, and Misc$34,203 Financial Aid Available? Yes

The Harbert College of Business is deeply invested in its students’ career success. With robust professional development resources, personalized career coaching, and an extensive alumni network, MBA graduates are prepared to excel across industries.

Student Life and Resources

The College of Business is home to numerous organizations for students studying in its programs. These honor societies, associations, and clubs enhance the educational experience on campus and provide ongoing benefits for students in these fields.

Student services Administrative Support Services within Harbert College of Business offers a wide range of services for faculty, staff, and students. Our goal is to make sure you have a great experience here at Harbert. We can are glad to help you with any of the following services: Event Coordination Room Scheduling FOAPs, FOPs, and Other Accounting Questions Faculty and Security Issues Parking ICT services Here at the Information Technology Services (ITS), our mission is to guide the Harbert College of Business in effectively using technology to help it reach its strategic, tactical, and operational goals. We provide you all of your technology and software needs with various labs and technologies available for you to use at your convenience here at Auburn University.

Career Development

The Office of Professional and Career Development (OPCD) is a full-service career center in the Harbert College of Business. The OPCD can help you discover, articulate, refine, and execute your career goals by helping you: explore your personality, interests, skills, and values to find the best major and career fit create job search materials that reflect your unique personal brand receive industry-specific advice and begin networking with employers learn ethical leadership practices for real-world application

Notable Alumni and Faculty

There are more than 55,000 Harbert College alumni worldwide.

Raymond J. Harbert (1982), founder, chairman and CEO of Harbert Management Corporation; trustee; namesake of the Raymond J. Harbert College of Business. Joe Hortiz (1998), General Manager of the Los Angeles Chargers NFL. O.C. Ferrell, James T. Pursell, Sr. Donald J. Michael S.

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