Dr. Joseph Ugras
Associate Professor
"The courses that I teach provide the students skills for making the decisions with financial and non-financial data. I would like the students to appreciate the value of data-driven decision making that is supported by a strong foundation."
Degrees Held:
- PhD – Temple University, 1992
- MBA – Fairleigh Dickinson University, 1984
- BS in Accounting – Fairleigh Dickinson University, 1982
Career Highlights:
Dr. Yusuf Joseph Ugras has been at La Salle University in faculty and academic leadership roles since 1987. As an academic leadership, he was Associate Provost, Dean, Associate Dean and MBA Director with focus on academic programming for working professionals and international audiences. Dr. Ugras brings over 30 years of academic experience from the world of accounting, finance and international business strategy. Dean Ugras has a strong background in corporate training and academic program design and administration.
He has published in Advances in Management Accounting, Accounting Enquiries, Southern Business and Economic Journal, Journal of Business Ethics, Health Care Financial Management, Journal of Management Systems, and Mid-American Journal of Business. His research paper on Business Ethics is among the top 50 cited articles in the field. He has provided consulting services to several organizations including Penn Health Care, Crown Cork & Seal, Subaru America, UNISYS, Binney and Smith, Albert Einstein Hospital, Triumph Building Group, and Carpenter Tech.
Dr. Ugras has made presentations at various conferences including UPCEA, AACSB International, Mid Atlantic Association of Colleges of Business Administration (MAACBA), American Accounting Association, European Management Accounting Conference, Management Accounting Research Symposia, and Philadelphia Controllers Conference.
He has also provided assistance to several universities in improving their adult, and graduate programming. He has served as President of the American Accounting Association – Mid-Atlantic Region, as well as several positions with the Institute of Management Accountants. Most recently, he has served in the leadership positions with University Professional Continuing Education Association and American International Recruitment Council.
Which online degree program(s) do you teach?
Which classes do you teach online?
MBA 691, ACC 780
What do you want students to take away from your classes? What do you want them to learn?
I would like the students to learn about decision making using accounting/financial information. The decisions that are made in a business environment must be supported by a strong analysis. The courses that I teach provide the students skills for making the decisions with financial and non-financial data. I would like the students to appreciate the value of data-driven decision making that is supported by a strong foundation.
The end result of the course is not to turn the participants into accountants but into managers and leaders who can develop and participate in the decision making process.
Why did you start teaching?
I was inspired by some of the faculty that I had interacted with.
What advice would you give to those considering the online MBA program?
Be ready to be self-directed, motivated and passionate about doing the MBA. You must have a career plan and know how you are going to utilize the MBA within the next 5 years.
What is the one book you think everyone should read?
The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell
Tell us something interesting about yourself that your students may not know.
I have taught or have made presentations in Czech Republic, France, Switzerland, South Korea, Russia, Vietnam, and Turkey.