Overview of the Culverhouse College of Business
Lee Bidgood, the first dean of what is now known as the Culverhouse College of Business, launched the undergraduate business program at The University of Alabama in 1919, followed by the graduate program in 1924. The school became a college in 1969. More important moments in Culverhouse’s history here.
Dr. Kay M. Palan is the ninth dean of the Culverhouse College of Business. More about Dean Kay Palan.
The College offers degree programs at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels and has been continuously accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) since 1929. In 1981, the Culverhouse School of Accountancy became one of the first of 13 programs in the nation to achieve separate accreditation in accounting.
The first building was Bidgood Hall, which was completed in 1929. Bidgood Hall has grown through several expansions and is now a central part of a technologically integrated, three-building business complex in the central University of Alabama campus. Alston Hall, which houses large classrooms and faculty and administrative offices, was completed in 1991, and the Bruno Business Library and the Bashinsky Computer Center were added in 1994. Hewson Hall opened its doors in the summer of 2021.
More about the Culverhouse College of Business campus.
Key Info About Culverhouse
- The Culverhouse organizational chart [PDF – updated 6.23.2023]
- Culverhouse mission, vision, and values statements
- Culverhouse strategic plan
- More about our AACSB accreditation
Enrollment Info
Updated January 27, 2023
For 2022-2023:
- 9,972 total enrollment
- 9,290 undergraduate students
- 682 graduate students
- 40.6 percent of Culverhouse students are from Alabama
- 59.4 percent are from out-of-state
Fast Facts About Culverhouse
- The Culverhouse College of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. AACSB ensures the highest quality standard in business education.
- 1919 — Undergraduate program launches. Lee Bidgood is the first dean of the College. Dr. Kay M. Palan, the current dean, is the ninth dean of the College.
- 1944 —The first MBA degrees are awarded by The University of Alabama.
- 1985 — The Executive MBA is offered to meet the needs of busy business professionals.
- 10 Specialized Masters —Accounting, Tax Accounting, Applied Statistics, Business Analytics, Economics, Finance, Management, Management Information Systems, Marketing, and Operations Management.
- The Innovative STEM Path to The MBA program launched in 2011 and the CREATE Path to the MBA launched in 2016. They are the only programs of their kind in the nation. Students in STEM or Creative fields of study can earn an MBA with just one additional year of study all the while taking business honors courses starting their freshman year.
- The Culverhouse College of Business has offered a graduate-level specialization in Business Analytics since 2002. One of the first business schools in the nation to offer such a program, plus a dedicated Master’s of Science in Business Analytics.
- The Marillyn A. Hewson Data Analytics Lab opened in 2015 with Lockheed Martin, Healthcare Business Solutions and SAS as partners. The Lab provides collaboration among students, faculty and corporate partners to take on issues facing businesses globally.
- Vulcan Value Partners Research Library and Trading Room is where students conduct live trades as part of our value investing degree specialization.
- 11 centers conducting research, community outreach, and professional services.