History

The Kelley School of Business has been shaping business education through innovation for more than 100 years. A business education that began at Indiana College (now Indiana University) in 1830 with a course in political economy has grown into a transformative business education knwon throughout the globe. 

Learn more about the rich history at Kelley, where pioneers in business education have been building momentum for today's Kelley degrees that prepare students with the real-world skills to succeed in their careers. 

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A history of momentum in business education

Business offerings expand with "commercial courses" in the Department of Economics and Social Science.

The School joins the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, which began accreditation standards in 1919 to ensure top-quality business education.

Indiana Business Review, published by the School of Business's Indiana Business Research Center, debuts.

First graduate degree offered by the School, the Master of Science in Business, is approved.

Name of the School is shortened to the School of Business.

School of Business enrollment triples to 915 at the end of World War II and temporary housing is erected at Indiana University.

First doctoral degree, the Doctor of Commercial Science, awarded.

Business Horizons academic journal begins publication.

First MBA classes offered in Indianapolis via closed-circuit television with Bloomington faculty.

First MBA program in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) with the University of Dacca.

Becomes one of three founding members of the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, dedicated to promoting diversity in education and business.

Innovative integrated core, or I Core, programming for undergraduate students developed at the School of Business is emulated by schools around the nation.

E.W. Kelley establishes the first fully-funded professorship and chair at the school.

Indianapolis campus incorporated to become "one school, one faculty, one curriculum in two locations."

Indiana University's NCAA championship basketball team includes six business majors.

Faculty work with Chinese officials (seen here in Bloomington) to establish first MBA program in China.

Executive MBA Program begins in Indianapolis.

The 10,000th MBA degree awarded in Bloomington.

MBA Academies concept introduced.

School celebrates 75 years as part of the International Business Forum in Wiesbaden, Germany.

School named the Kelley School of Business in honor of E. W. Kelley, BS'39 (pictured here with his wife, Wilma).

Indiana Business This Week begins in partnership with WRTV and WFYI.

Kelley becomes the first top-ranked school to offer online education with launch of the Kelley Direct Online MBA Program.

The Master of Science in Information Systems program launched in Bloomington.

Kelley School's undergraduate building is renamed Hodge Hall Undergraduate Center, honoring James R. Hodge, BS'74.

Here we hope that you will begin the realization of your dreams, that you will achieve that breadth of perspective and discipline of mind which will enable you to live a useful and happy life."Herman B. Wells

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