Navigating the Business Administration Undergraduate Curriculum

A Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration provides students with a foundational understanding of core business functions. The curriculum emphasizes ethical and global awareness, communication skills, and critical thinking for decision-making. If you have an interest in analytical and people skills, and care about both thinking and doing, business administration might be a good fit for you.

Core Skills and Knowledge

A bachelor’s degree in Business Administration enables students to achieve foundational knowledge in economics, accounting, finance, management, marketing, business law, statistics, operations management, human resource management, information technology, and entrepreneurship. Special emphasis is placed on understanding the links between various business disciplines and the development of sound business plans.

NC State’s Business Administration program provides students with the business knowledge and analytical skills needed by companies across a variety of industries. Hands-on and project-oriented courses and labs give students real-world experiences they can apply to today’s business challenges. Students engage with actual companies and industry partners through clubs, projects, and internship opportunities to develop practical experiences.

Curriculum Components

The Bachelor of Science in Business Administration program consists of general education literacies, professional competencies, and discipline-specific outcomes integrated throughout the academic program.

Core Business Courses

Students are typically required to complete a set number of credit hours in core business courses. For example, at one institution, students are required to complete 27 credit hours of core business courses, including courses such as:

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Management and Corporate Communication
Applied Microeconomics for Business or Intermediate Microeconomics
Operations Management
Business Ethics
Leading and Managing: An Introduction to Organizational Behavior
Marketing
Financial Accounting
Corporate Finance
Business Analytics
Strategy I: Competitive Strategy
Strategy II: Global Corporate Strategy

Electives and Areas of Emphasis

Business electives allow students to personalize their degree by focusing on a particular concentration. Electives can be chosen from various business disciplines. Some programs offer Areas of Emphasis (AOE) that allow students to customize their major based on their interests and desired career trajectory. Examples of AOEs include:

Consulting
Entrepreneurship
Finance
Health System
Managing People and Organizations
Marketing
Operations Management
Real Estate
Sustainability

Supporting Courses

The curriculum often includes supporting courses in mathematics and economics. Mathematics courses may include calculus for business and economics, calculus 1, calculus 2, or calculus and differential equations for biology. Economics courses typically include principles of macroeconomics and principles of microeconomics.

Experiential Learning

Experiential learning is a crucial component of a business administration curriculum. It provides students with opportunities to apply their knowledge and skills in real-world settings.

Practicum/Internship Experience: A practicum or internship experience, often requiring a minimum number of working hours (e.g., 160 hours), is a common requirement.
Community Engagement: Some programs require a community engagement experience, with registration in specific courses.
Co-op Programs: Cooperative education (co-op) programs offer students the opportunity to alternate between academic study and full-time work experience.
Student Teams Achieving Results (STAR): Some business schools offer programs like STAR, where teams of students work with corporations and not-for-profits to develop comprehensive and actionable strategies.

Graduation Requirements

To graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, students must meet several requirements:

GPA: A minimum grade point average (GPA) is required on all work undertaken at the university. For example, a GPA of at least 2.00 may be required for all work and in business courses.
Residency Requirements: A certain number of semester hours in business must be completed in residence at the university. For instance, at least 24 semester hours in business may need to be completed in residence, with a portion in upper-division coursework in the student's major.
Course Completion: Completion of all required core courses, concentration courses, and electives.
Credit Hours: A minimum number of credit hours must be completed to graduate. For example, one program requires a minimum of 180 quarter credit hours.
Foreign Language Proficiency: Proficiency in a foreign language equivalent to one year of competency may be required. This can be fulfilled through high school units or demonstration of proficiency at the college level.

Concentrations

A concentration allows students to specialize in a specific area of business administration. Here are some common concentrations:

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Accounting

This concentration focuses on financial accounting, managerial accounting, auditing, and taxation. Students learn how to analyze financial data, prepare financial statements, and make informed business decisions.

Business Economics

This concentration explores how economic principles apply to business decisions. Students learn about market structures, supply and demand, and the role of government in the economy.

Entrepreneurship

This concentration equips students with the skills and knowledge to start and manage their own businesses. Students learn about opportunity identification, business planning, and venture capital.

Finance

This concentration focuses on financial management, investments, and risk management. Students learn how to analyze financial markets, make investment decisions, and manage financial risk.

Human Resources

This concentration focuses on managing employees, including recruitment, training, compensation, and labor relations.

Information Systems

This concentration focuses on the use of information technology to support business operations. Students learn about database management, networking, and systems analysis.

International Business

This concentration explores the challenges and opportunities of doing business in a global economy. Students learn about international trade, foreign investment, and cross-cultural management.

Management

This concentration provides a broad overview of management principles and practices. Students learn about leadership, motivation, and organizational behavior.

Marketing

This concentration focuses on understanding consumer behavior and developing marketing strategies to promote products and services.

Operations Management

This concentration focuses on the efficient and effective management of production and service operations.

Sales

This concentration develops practical sales skills and knowledge. Students learn about sales techniques, customer relationship management, and sales management.

Supply Chain Management

This concentration focuses on the management of the flow of goods and information from suppliers to customers.

Academic Performance and Policies

Grade Point Average: A grade point average of at least 2.00 is required on all work undertaken. A similar GPA is required in business courses.
Transfer Credits: Transfer of business course credits from other institutions is possible if specific criteria are met, including accreditation of the institution, a minimum grade earned, comparability of the course, and recency of completion.
Honors Thesis: Motivated undergraduate business students may have the opportunity to work on a specialized research topic with a faculty member during their senior year. This involves formulating a thesis proposal, conducting research, and submitting to an oral examination.

Career Development and Opportunities

The Undergraduate Business Program provides career development resources and services tailored to business students, such as specialized training and professional development programming, targeted networking and career fair opportunities, function- and industry-specific career clubs, individualized career coaching, and a broad library of online resources. The program strongly encourages students to undertake internships, leadership opportunities, global education, and other experiential learning opportunities to explore their interests and career options.

Faculty

The success of any business administration program depends on the quality of its faculty. Programs typically employ a mix of professors, associate professors, assistant professors, clinical professors, professors of instruction, and professors of practice.

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