Business & Economics Career Readiness Program

Career & professional development requirement for department majors

business woman in a job interview with a corporate personnel manager

What is the Career Readiness program?

The Career Readiness Program is an initiative by the Department of Business & Economics to help students strengthen their skills, behaviors, and qualities necessary for career success. The program plan is informed by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) report “Competencies for a Career-ready Workforce.”

The Career Readiness Program responds to students’ suggestions to increase the career development and professional development programming offered through the department and college.

Students pursuing a major in Business & Economics must earn the Core Professional Readiness Badge (Tier 1) as a graduation requirement. Students may opt to also complete the Career Engagement Badge (Tier 2) and/or Advanced Professional Distinction Badge (Tier 3) badge.

 

Who is required to complete the program?

  • Any new student who is pursuing a major within the Department of Business & Economics  and started at Marietta College on or after August 1, 2025 (Fall 2025 term); and
  • Any current student who declares a major within the department on or after August 1, 2025

Note: current students who are pursuing a major within B&E do not have to complete the requirement unless they update/change their major, thus triggering the new degree requirements.

 

Program tiers and badges

Like other professional development programs, the Career Readiness Program awards student badges that show graduate schools and employers an earned credential. Earned badges can be listed as accomplishments on resumes and LinkedIn.

Available badges are:

  • Core Professional Readiness Badge (Tier 1): Required to earn this badge to graduate
  • Career Engagement Badge (Tier 2): optional to complete; must earn Core Professional Readiness Badge (Tier 1) as condition of completing
  • Advanced Professional Distinction Badge (Tier 3): optional to complete; must earn Career Engagement Badge (Tier 2) as condition of completing

Students can complete items in any badge category at any time. A student does not need to complete the Tier 1 badge before starting a Tier 2 badge--they can work toward both at the same time.

The Tier 2 badge will not be awarded until the Tier 1 badge is also completed.

Program record keeping

Records of the program will be kept in Canvas. Each student pursuing a badge must self- enroll to gain access to the Canvas site at https://marietta.instructure.com/enroll/E4M76R.  

Students must upload proof of completed activities to the Canvas site within 30 days of completing an activity. The upload will be reviewed by program directors.

 

What are the requirements to graduate and earn one or more badges?

Some items provide flexibility in who the student meets with and/or where the student may complete the item. Check with The Program Director regarding requirements before completing an activity. 

These requirements are subject to continual review and revision. 

Core Professional Readiness Badge (Tier 1) Badge

To earn the Core Professional Readiness Badge (Tier 1) badge, students must complete ALL of the following:

  • RESUME REVIEWS: Two reviews by the Center for Entrepreneurship and Career Development or another approved professional. Reviews must occur in different academic years
     
  • COVER LETTER REVIEWS: Two reviews by the Center for Entrepreneurship and Career Development or an approved professional. Reviews must occur in different academic years
     
  • ONE MOCK INTERVIEW: One mock interview with Center for Entrepreneurship and Career Development or a field-relevant professional
     
  • LINKEDIN PROFILE REVIEW: One review by Center for Entrepreneurship and Career Development or an approved professional
     
  • PROFESSIONAL GROUP NETWORKING EVENTS: Attend six qualifying events (e.g., Lunch & Learn, Business Q&A, industry meetups). No more than three events may count from any one academic year
     
  • SKILL BUILDING WORKSHOPS: Attend six qualifying events (e.g. Budget management, personal finance, etiquette dinner, etc.) No more than three events may count from any one academic year

Note: All experiences must be pre-approved before beginning. 

Career Engagement Badge (Tier 2)

To earn the Career Engagement Badge (Tier 2) badge, students must complete the Core Professional Readiness Badge (Tier 1) and at least six of the following items:

  • STRUCTURED SHADOWING: 10 or more hours with two or more organizations in approved, structured job shadowing
     
  • STRUCTURED MENTORING: 10 or more hours of structured mentoring over the course of at least two academic years
     
  • INVESTMENT CLUB: Active participation in the Investment Club for one semester
     
  • PIOBIZ: Active participation in all rounds of PioBiz
     
  • CASE STUDY: Participation in a discipline-specific case study competition
     
  • LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE: One year of significant leadership experience such as EXCEL leader, Peer Support Leader, President of Student Government, a Greek Life organization, or similar
     
  • EMPLYOMENT/INTERNSHIP: Completion of an internship or employment at an approved job
     
  • PROFESSIONAL GROUP NETWORKING OR SKILL BUILDING EVENTS: Four additional events in these categories on top of the already-earned six from the Core Professional Readiness Badge (Tier 1)
     
  • NEXTGEN: Participation in the NextGen Leadership program

Note: All portions of the Career Engagement Badge (Tier 2) Badge should be approved BEFORE the student starts the experience, especially the shadowing, mentoring, leadership experience, and employment/internship categories

Advanced Professional Distinction Badge (Tier 3) 

To earn the Advanced Professional Distinction Badge (Tier 3) badge, students must complete the Career Engagement Badge (Tier 2) and Core Professional Readiness Badge (Tier 1) Badges and at least four of the following items:

  • STRUCTURED SHADOWING or MENTORING: Building on the already-earned hours from the Career Engagement Badge (Tier 2), an additional 15 hours in either shadowing or mentoring (or combination)
     
  • INTERNSHIP: Approved three-credit internship
     
  • CONFERENCE PRESENTATION: Attending and presenting at an approved academic conference
     
  • ALTERNATE SPRING/WINTER BREAK: Actively participate in an approved “alternate spring/winter break” trip through Marietta College
     
  • STUDY ABROAD: Approved short-term or otherwise semester-long study abroad experience 

Note: All portions of the Advanced Professional Distinction Badge (Tier 3) should be approved BEFORE the student starts the experience.

Events and activities

Pre-approved activities will be posted on the Career Readiness Program Canvas calendar.  Examples are group resume reviews hosted by the Center for Entrepreneurship and Career Development, lunch and learns hosted by B&E faculty, etc. 

You may engage with other activities and professionals that are not “pre-approved” on the calendar but that may qualify for completion of an activity towards a badge. 

PLEASE TALK WITH THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR(S) and RECEIVE WRITTEN APPROVAL before completing any activity that isn’t on the calendar. 

Example: If you would like to have your LinkedIn profile reviewed by someone who is an industry professional in your field, email the program directors a short bio of the professional and request approval to use the activity.

 

Adding already-completed experiences 

If a current Marietta College student has already completed items in the badges, they can be retroactively added with approval from The Program Director if they were completed after August 1, 2024. Please email the program director(s) to request a review of your completed activities.

Program directors

Rick Smith, Department Chair, Business & Economics   |    Rcs003@marietta.edu

Dr. Jim Morell, Assistant Professor, Management     |    Jcm007@marietta.edu