McIntire School of Commerce: A Comprehensive Overview of its Undergraduate Business Program and Rankings

The McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia (UVA) stands as a distinguished institution renowned for its undergraduate and graduate business programs. Consistently ranked among the top business schools, McIntire offers a comprehensive curriculum and hands-on experiences designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary for success in the ever-evolving global marketplace.

Historical Foundation and Evolution

The University of Virginia started offering economics students the opportunity to specialize in business administration in 1920. A $200,000 donation from alumnus Paul Goodloe McIntire, a stockbroker and Charlottesville philanthropist, spurred the establishment of the McIntire School of Commerce and Business Administration in 1921. McIntire operated separately from the College of Arts and Sciences for the next three decades, but it worked closely with the James Wilson School of Economics.

Through 2007, Monroe Hall served as the McIntire School's home after opening in 1930. In 2007, the School moved from its original location in Monroe Hall to Rouss Hall off the south end of UVA’s historic Lawn. In October , the University of Virginia dedicated the Breeden Commerce Grounds and officially named Breeden Way in honor of 1956 McIntire alumnus Ramon W. Breeden.

Undergraduate Program Structure and Curriculum

The McIntire School of Commerce is the University of Virginia's undergraduate and graduate business school that specializes in Commerce, Global Commerce, Accounting, Management of Information Technology, and Business Analytics. The three-year McIntire undergraduate program offers students a B.S. degree in Commerce with concentrations in Accounting, Finance, Information Technology, Management, and Marketing. The B.S. Students apply for enrollment at McIntire during the spring of their first year. Students accepted into the program begin coursework in the fall of their second year.

Integrated Core Program

During their third year of study, students are enrolled in a 12-credit block-style class called the Integrated Core. Blocks are taught by a group of professors, with each professor specializing in an aspect of business (marketing, finance, communications, strategy, systems, organizational behavior, and quantitative analysis). During their third year of study at McIntire, students are assigned to teams within their blocks. Each team assumes the role of an analyst, and works on a semesterlong project for one of four Fortune 500 companies (Allianz, CarMax, Hilton, or [solidcore], in the academic year).

Concentrations and Tracks

Students then specialize in one of five "concentrations": Accounting, Finance, Information Technology, Management, or Marketing (International Business was offered in the past as a concentration, but has since been discontinued.) Students begin taking classes for their concentration in the spring semester of their third year at McIntire.

McIntire students can also choose to study in an area of specialty that spans across several disciplines, called a "track." Generally, students may select a track during the spring semester of their third year or the start of their fourth year. McIntire students may complete up to two tracks if course scheduling allows, but cannot complete three or more tracks.

Designed to give UVA students a comprehensive skill set, develop global perspectives, and provide experiences that prepare them to deliver business value in the marketplace, McIntire’s B.S. in Commerce is centered on its hallmark Integrated Core program. An intense and demanding third-year curriculum, the program treats students as consultants from day one, teaching them to work collaboratively and developing their skills across analytic, strategic, organizational, and behavioral areas. Beyond the Integrated Core, students complete up to two specialized concentrations in Accounting, Finance, Information Technology, Management, and Marketing. Students may choose additional areas of study in tracks such as Real Estate, Entrepreneurship, Business Analytics, Quantitative Finance, Global Commerce, and Strategic Brand Consulting & Communications.

Transition to a Three-Year Program

McIntire will move to a new model in the fall of 2025 in which students will apply to the school at the end of their freshman year and start matriculating their sophomore year. The move comes as the school is expanding its physical footprint at the university, with the soon-to-be completed addition of a new building on campus, Shumway Hall, and substantial renovations to an existing historical building the business school uses. “Having these two new buildings and this space gives us the opportunity to think differently about how we serve students and is making these new programs possible for us,” Jenkins says.

The committee also realized it was time to rethink the lengthy list of prerequisite courses they had to take to even be considered for a seat in the McIntire School, including Introduction to Management Accounting, Applied Calculus and Introduction to Statistical Analysis. This year, more than 700 on-campus students applied for a seat at the McIntire School, about half of whom received an admissions offer, Jenkins says. “We are calling these some of the fall-out benefits of the changes we’re making,” she says. “Students will know between their first and second year if you are going to be in the Commerce School or not. The core curriculum, currently only taught in junior year at McIntire, will now be spread across their sophomore and junior years. The school has made the curricular change around the same time that they are introducing a new general business minor at the school, which underwent a pilot this academic year.

Graduate Programs

McIntire offers five graduate programs: M.S. in Commerce, M.S. in Global Commerce, M.S. in Accounting, M.S. in Management of Information Technology, and M.S. UVA students are eligible to pursue one of four minors at the Commerce School, which include Entrepreneurship, Leadership, and Real Estate, with non-Commerce majors eligible to declare the General Business Minor.

M.S. in Commerce: The 10-month, 40-credit-hour M.S. in Commerce integrates foundational business skills; a specialization in biotechnology, business analytics, finance, or marketing & management; and the Global Immersion Experience (GIE).
M.S. in Global Commerce: The M.S. in Global Commerce is a nine-month, 30-credit-hour program offered with partner school ESMT Berlin that prepares business majors and business minors with a globally oriented major for a wide range of careers.
M.S. in Management of Information Technology (MIT): The M.S. in MIT is a one-year program that integrates technical and business-related knowledge and skills. The program helps students understand how current and emerging technologies can best be applied to make their organizations more profitable, productive, and competitive.
M.S. in Business Analytics: The M.S. in Business Analytics is a one-year program delivered by McIntire faculty in collaboration with UVA’s Darden School of Business at the University's facilities in the downtown Arlington, Va., district of Rosslyn.

Rankings and Recognition

Consistently ranked one of the top undergraduate business schools, McIntire was ranked “B-School of the Year” by Poets & Quants in 2018. McIntire’s highly ranked undergraduate and graduate programs feature an integrated curriculum, going beyond classroom and placing students with companies to solve real problems. The overall strong showing is the result of high marks received across three equally weighted categories, measuring each school’s ability to foster, challenge, and develop students’ minds (academic experience); the quality and diversity of a program’s students (admissions standards); and the world’s top employers’ responses to those graduates (career outcomes).

In , University of Virginia is ranked No. #26 in National Universities. It's also ranked No. #4 in Top Public Schools.

Facilities and Resources

Rouss & Robertson Hall is a state-of-the-art facility located on the historic Lawn in the heart of the University of Virginia’s main campus. In October , the University of Virginia dedicated the Breeden Commerce Grounds and officially named Breeden Way in honor of 1956 McIntire alumnus Ramon W.

Career Services and Alumni Network

Commerce Career Services is committed to helping McIntire students find the careers that best match their skills and aspirations. They offer one-on-one counseling, case and behavioral interview preparation workshops, employer networking events, alumni mentoring program, and a host of other programming to ensure McIntire students’ success as they enter the job market. The University of Virginia’s alumni network spans the globe, with 240,000+ alumni and 45+ global chapters.

Admissions

Admissions criteria vary by program. International students currently outside of the United States or Canada are required to provide an English language test score. If admitted to the School, international students must also show proof of financial guarantee.

Impact and Vision

“As this ranking demonstrates, our undergraduate program excels in supporting our students academically and professionally as they use commerce to make a positive impact-both here on Grounds and in a multitude of careers across the globe,” says McIntire Dean Nicole Thorne Jenkins. “Year after year, McIntire’s repeated success is possible because our students and alumni benefit from the ongoing commitment of our faculty and staff to create transformational learning experiences.

Amanda Cowen, Senior Associate Dean for Academic Programs and Professor of Commerce, says that McIntire remains dedicated to preparing its students for not only their first job, but also for a lifetime of success in the constantly evolving global marketplace: “The Commerce School’s integrated curriculum provides students with hands-on experience undertaking complex organizational challenges and collaborating with diverse teams. The unique McIntire experience is leveraged by a connected and supportive network of alumni, families, corporate partners, and friends. Core aspects of the academic experience such as recruitment and retention of award-winning staff and faculty, immersive student experiences, and leading-edge coursework and technology are funded through the generous philanthropy of the Commerce community. McIntire’s corporate partners also play a critical role in the academic experience, meeting regularly with students, challenging them to create comprehensive solutions to pressing, real-world business problems and, in turn, to effectively communicate their findings during presentations to executives.

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