College of Management

With over 41 campus centers nationwide and programs offered online, the College of Management at Park University is one of the largest non-profit management colleges in the nation. The College of Management consists of the Robert W. Plaster School of Business and the Hauptmann School of Public Affairs. Both schools offer undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

The College of Management prepares our students to succeed professionally in their chosen careers. Our faculty have both the academic background and relevant work experience to seamlessly integrate business theory and practice and provide students with the skills they need to develop successful careers.

Dean’s Welcome

The College of Management at Park University has crafted its mission and vision with input from our faculty, industry advisory boards, students, and other key constituents. We believe Park management graduates need to be career ready in a globally competitive environment.

Throughout its history, Park has been at the forefront of providing educational opportunities for students. In 1880, Park welcomed its first international student from Japan and started its relationship with the military in 1889. Today, Park students find themselves in an enriching environment on campus, online, and blended environments.

Park’s quality education flows from our faculty who play an important role in shaping our student’s future, guiding them from limited knowledge of a topic to a level of critical thinking and complex decision-making. Park’s faculty, through teaching quality and service learning opportunities, offer students — whether from the U.S. or one of 110 countries — the building blocks to fulfill their educational goals. The Robert W. Plaster School of Business at Park University builds an educational platform that opens a world of opportunities for students and the communities we serve.

We welcome you to our learning community.

Kirby R. Brown
816-584-6308
kirby.brown@park.edu

MISSION

The Robert W. Plaster School of Business at Park University’s mission is to provide quality, innovative, application based learning to prepare a diversity of learners who can support free enterprise in a socially responsible manner in a global community.  Graduating leaders who exercise authority responsibly, make ethical decisions, act with moral courage, and advance human dignity worldwide.

VISION

The Robert W. Plaster School of Business at Park University’s vision is to prepare learners for the 21st century global economy as entrepreneurial thinkers who can influence the world as socially responsible business leaders. Developing ethically grounded professionals for public sector management and service in community nonprofit organizations through public service values education.

The Robert W. Plaster School of Business at Park University is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), a leading organization for specialized accreditation for business education. The association embraces the virtues of teaching excellence and emphasizes to students that teaching is essential to the learning process. ACBSP accredits business, accounting, and business-related programs at the associate, baccalaureate, master, and doctorate degree levels worldwide.

ACBSP was recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) in 2001, and again in 2011; accrediting organizations that are recognized by the CHEA affirms that their standards and processes as an accrediting organization are consistent with the academic quality, improvement and accountability expectations that CHEA has established. ACBSP was the first accrediting body to offer specialized business accreditation at all degree levels.

The undergraduate and graduate business and public administration degree programs and the Master of Healthcare Administration program in the School of Business are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), 11520 West 119th Street, Overland Park, KS, 66213 (913-339-9356). The Economics degree program is not considered to be a business program and is not accredited by ACBSP.

ACBSP Program Outcomes (Standard 4)

ACBSP Student Achievement Outcomes (Standard 7)

ACBSP Student Outcomes

Hauptmann school of public affairs

The Hauptmann School of Public Affairs is about more than top-notch degrees. A distinctive history, academic excellence, a commitment to developing leaders for an increasingly “unscripted future”  – these are just some of the attributes that set the Hauptmann experience apart.

The HSPA offers citizen-centered, professional programs of study that are grounded in the liberal arts tradition. Students develop the knowledge, skills and values that are necessary for leadership and service in government, in the businesses world and in non-profit sectors of society. Coursework also stresses the larger issues of democracy, stewardship and technology to equip students with the courage and discernment to act for the common good in a global context.

Whatever their ultimate career choice, HSPA students develop a lifelong passion for public affairs that is fundamental to citizenship in a free society.

Dr. James Vanderleeuw
816-559-5614
james.vanderleeuw@park.edu

MISSION

The Hauptmann School of Public Affairs offers citizen-centered professional programs grounded in the liberal arts and sciences. As participants in HSPA’s vibrant academic community, faculty and students consider, with the coursework, the larger issues of democracy, stewardship, and technology. In so doing, HSPA seeks to develop ethically grounded professionals for public sector management and service in community nonprofit organizations through public service values education.

VISION

The Hauptmann School for Public Affairs will serve the common good by graduating leaders who exercise authority responsibly, make ethical decisions, act with moral courage, and advance human dignity world-wide.

The Park University Dr. Jerzy Hauptmann Distinguished Guest Lecture Series was established through the generosity of alumni, colleagues and friends of Hauptmann upon his 40th anniversary at Park. The lecture series brings outstanding scholars to the Kansas City area to address topics related to Hauptmann’s three areas of study: international politics, public administration and democracy.

  • 2022 – Dr. David Kang, “U.S.-China Relations in an Increasingly Tense World”
  • 2021 – Dr. Mary Guy, “Public Administration’s Triple Bottom Line: People, Process and Performance”
  • 2020 – Dr. Norma Riccucci, “The Importance of Diverse Workforces in Promoting Democratic Values”
  • 2019 – Dr. Stephen Walt, “Can America Still Have a Successful Foreign Policy?”
  • 2018 – Reggie Robinson, “Walls, Bridges and the Power of Empathy: Leading Effectively Within a Deeply Fragmented Society”
  • 2017 – Alexander Heffner, “The Future of Civil Discourse”
  • 2016 – Dr. Francis Fukuyama, “The Origins of Political Order”
  • 2015 – Dr. Frank J. Thompson, “The Struggle to Implement Obamacare: Implications for American Governance”
  • 2014 – Dr. Robert Jervis, “Why Does the U.S. Spend so Much on Security and Feel so Insecure? Fear, Interests and Opportunity in Contemporary American Foreign Policy”
  • 2013 — Dr. Theda Skocpol, “The Tea Party and Civic Engagement in America”
  • 2012 — Dr. Walter D. Broadnax, “Leadership Challenges for the Presidency: A World of Opportunities and Hazards”
  • 2011 — Dr. John J. Mearsheimer, “Why Leaders Lie: The Truth About Lying in International Politics”
  • 2010 — Dr. José Luis Valdés-Ugalde, “A Historical Assessment of the Inter-American Dilemma: The Conflict Between Security, Democratic Governance and Progress”
  • 2009 — Dr. Pan Suk Kim, “Building Trust in Government by Improving Governance”
  • 2008 — Dr. Lawrence J. Korb, “National Security in an Age of Terrorists, Tyrants and Weapons of Mass Destruction”
  • 2007 — Dr. Emily Hauptmann, “Fighting Words: How Political Scientists and the Big Foundations Defined ‘Democracy’ During the Cold War”
  • 2006 — Dr. David Rosenbloom, “Preserving Constitutional Government in an Age of Outsourcing”
  • 2005 — Dr. Michael E. O’Hanlon, “The Axis of Evil and Doctrine of Preemption Three Years On”
  • 2004 — Dr. Robert M. Entman, “Media, Foreign Policy and American Democracy After 9/11”
  • 2003 — Dr. Patricia Ingraham, “The Performance Challenge: Why Public Management is Not for the Faint of Heart”
  • 2002 — Dr. Donald J. Puchala, “The Tragedy of War and the Search for Meaning in International History”
  • 2001 — Dr. John Mueller, “Democracy and Ralph’s Pretty Good Grocery”
  • 2000 — Dr. Donald Kettl, “Managing Government in a Globalized World”
  • 1999 — Dr. John Lukacs, “The Idea of Europe”
  • 1998 — Dr. Robert H. Ferrell, “From Wilson to Truman: Democracy and the American Presidency”
  • 1997 — Dr. Chester A. Newland, “The Search for Reasonableness in Public Administration”
  • 1996 — Dr. Richard L. Walker, “The Cultural Dimension of Foreign Relations”
  • 1995 — Dr. David Mathews, “Democracy in America”
  • 1994 — Dr. Dwight Waldo, “Public Administration Today: Multiple Perspectives”
  • 1993 — Dr. Jan Prybyla, “The Interplay of Economics and Politics in the Transformation of Social Systems”

Scholarships

Park University is committed to providing assistance to students who do not receive federal grant assistance.  We welcome applications from students who have distinguished themselves through school, community and/or church activities while showing significant academic achievement in school.  We have over 7 categories of scholarships both internal and external, that cater to all our student including international scholars.

For more information on how to apply for the scholarships visit Scholarship Information Guide | Financial Aid | Park University

Career Opportunities

At Park University,  we value the next career step after graduating. The Career Center is ready to assist you!  With upcoming programs and events that are geared towards job opportunities, our staff members are available to connect with you.

The following ways can be used to reach out to our career teams: 1) Online drop-in hours 2) by appointment 3) by email or 4) by phone. For more information and our current hours, please visit Career Development

Park University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Park University is a private, non-profit, institution of higher learning since 1875.