The Belk College of Business marks a milestone as it welcomes its largest-ever student body this fall, continuing to advance as North Carolina’s urban research business school.
"We will teach, support, mentor and actively engage over 5,200 undergraduate and graduate students this academic year," said Interim Dean Dolly King. "Our undergraduate student enrollment has reached a historic level, and our graduate programs have stayed strong. Our continued growth is a testament to our keen focus on the needs of our students, as well as those of the business community, particularly in the Charlotte region."
Enrollment in the Belk College’s undergraduate programs topped 4,000 for the third straight year, at 4,309 students, including its largest-ever class of first-time college students. Accounting majors are up 22% year-over-year, and economics majors are up 20% year-over-year, in just two of many highlights.
"Our landmark enrollment is a tribute to the dedicated work of our faculty and staff, along with our collaborations with more than 135 business partners, 11 global academic partners and our engaged network of over 37,000 alumni, 60% of whom live in the Charlotte region," King said. "Our partners and alumni augment the applied learning opportunities for students through internships, mentorships, expert panels, global experiences and other activities."
In graduate programs, almost 100 students are currently enrolled in the college’s fully online MBA, which launched in fall 2022 and immediately attracted students to its two technology-focused concentrations of business analytics and digital marketing. Meanwhile, demand for the nationally ranked on campus Charlotte MBA also has stayed solid, as working professionals look to expand their skills.
The Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) and the Ph.D. in Business Administration, along with five master’s programs and four interdisciplinary graduate programs, round out the graduate program offerings.
In one example of responsiveness to emerging fields, the master’s in math finance added a new concentration in fintech and quantitative finance and an updated concentration in financial data analytics, as well as a course focused on the emerging topics of blockchain, cryptocurrencies, and decentralized finance.
UNC Charlotte also welcomed its largest-ever class of first-time college students, which helped push university enrollment to 30,298. Charlotte's undergraduate student enrollment continues as the second-highest for the UNC System’s 17-member institutions — and defies a trend toward declining enrollments underway in several regions of the country. U.S. News & World Report has designated Charlotte as the best city in North Carolina for young professionals and ranked the city in the nation’s top 10.