Requirements for BS Degree
In order for students to receive a bachelor of science degree from SOM, they must have:
- earned a minimum of 126 credits;
- have at least 45 credits completed in upper-division courses (300-, 400- or 500-level courses);
- a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.0, both overall and in SOM courses;
- completed a minimum of 50 percent of the business administration or accounting coursework at °®¶¹´«Ã½;
- no more than one non-SOM course with a grade of Pass (“Pâ€) for each full year of attendance at °®¶¹´«Ã½ (mandatory P/F graded courses are excluded from this limitation);
- fulfilled the General Education requirements for °®¶¹´«Ã½;
- fulfilled the core SOM requirements and any specified requirements of the area in which they are candidates for a degree;
- been in residence at °®¶¹´«Ã½ for at least 40 credits, unless specifically exempted from this requirement by the SOM Academic Advising Office;
- paid or satisfactorily adjusted all University dues;
- not be under any disciplinary action;
- be duly recommended by the school’s faculty;
- be admitted to the degree by the State University Trustees, by formal action.
All petitions that request modification of academic requirements must be approved by the school’s dean or designee(s).
Elective Courses, Specializations, Concentrations
Students in the business administration baccalaureate program may elect one or more concentrations, preferably by the end of the fifth semester. A concentration consists of four or more courses designed to provide depth in a specialized area, in addition to the broad program provided by the core requirements. Through judicious selection of a concentration and the remaining electives, a student may tailor a program of study to meet specific needs and goals. The student’s concentrations are recorded on the official transcript at the time of graduation. Guide sheets on all concentrations are available in SOM advising and on the SOM website. While a student may declare more than one concentration, the same courses cannot be used to fulfill requirements in multiple concentrations.
Students who intend to continue their studies in graduate school should consider the fact that many graduate programs may require additional competence in mathematics and statistics. Consequently, students with this goal may want to select as electives additional courses from these areas.
Major Requirements
The following courses, or their equivalent(s), are required for the major and must be completed before the junior core of classes: MATH 220 or MATH 224 and 225. If students do not place into MATH 220 or 224, then MATH 108 or MATH 223 (or the equivalent) is also a required course for completion of the major. If students do not place into MATH 108, then MATH 107 is also required for completion of major.
To be granted the Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from SOM, students must complete the following courses:
A. Liberal Arts
- Requirements:
- MATH 220 or MATH 224 and 225: Calculus
- ECON 160 Microeconomics
- ECON 162 Macroeconomics
- CQS 112* Statistics for Management
- Electives:
- Liberal arts electives (to include most General Education coursework, two composition courses, and/or upper-division electives in the liberal arts, to a minimum of 60 credits).**
B. School of Management
- Requirements
- CQS 111 Computer Tools for Management
- MGMT 111 Intro to Decision Making in Management
- ACCT 211 Financial Accounting
- ACCT 212 Managerial Accounting
- BL&S 111 Legal Environment of Management I
- MGMT 311 Organizational Behavior
- FIN 311 Financial Management
- MKTG 311 Introduction to Marketing
- OPM 311 Operations Management
- MIS 311 Information Systems and Applications
- CQS 311 Advanced Computer Tools for MIS
- MGMT 411 Global Strategic Management
- Concentration courses (four or more courses required for the concentration)
C. Electives as needed or second concentration
D. Physical education (two credits)***
*SOM recommends that students take CQS 112 as their required course in statistics. No more than one introductory statistics course may count toward the degree.
**Students must take two writing emphasis courses (Gen Ed indicators C or J) in liberal arts to fulfill the writing requirement. If a student has taken one C or J course for a letter grade they may use two writing intensive (W) courses to meet the second C or J requirement. The term “upper-division†refers to those courses that are numbered 300 or higher. Physical education classes that carry a Physical Activity (Y) designation will not count toward the required 60 credits of liberal arts electives.
***Only six credits in physical education/Health and Wellness Studies may be used to meet the 126 credits required for the business administration degree
Major Concentrations
Each student in the business administration degree program may elect to declare a concentration in one or more areas. Students who do not declare a concentration will, by default, be declared into the management concentration. A student must obtain a GPA of 2.7 in all of the SOM classes required within the concentration for a concentration to be awarded and reflected on their transcript. If a student is in the business administration-management concentration, a 2.7 in the concentration coursework is not required. In order for any student to graduate, a 2.0 SOM GPA, as well as a 2.0 cumulative GPA, is required.
The concentrations and their requirements are:
Business Analytics
The concentration in Business Analytics provides students with the analytical tools and conceptual framework needed to understand and apply data and decision modeling in real-life settings. Analytics is defined as the extensive use of data, statistical and quantitative models, and fact-based management to drive decisions and actions. It is a process of transforming data into actions through modeling, analysis and insights in the context of organizational decision-making and problem-solving. Combining the business analytics concentration with any other area in business may give graduates expanded career opportunities.
- SCM 360 Spreadsheet Modeling and Decision Making
- MIS 325 Essentials of Programming (If students already have verifiable programming experience, provide proof to the SOM Advising Office, and instead of completing this course, select another analytics elective (List of electives is available in SOM Advising Office)
- SCM 460 Business Intelligence and Analytics
- One additional analytics elective. The list of approved electives is available in SOM advising.
This is a selective concentration. To declare the business analytics concentration, students must have junior standing, a cumulative °®¶¹´«Ã½ GPA of 3.5 or higher, have a grade of A- or A in CQS 311 and completion of 56 credits.
Consulting and Leadership Concentration
The purpose of this concentration is to prepare students for entry-level consulting positions in areas such as human resource management, management information systems, or marketing. Courses in the concentration focus on individual leadership and influence, team and shared leadership, and strategic leadership and change management. Communication technologies such as the internet, email, groupware collaborative systems and video conferencing are used extensively. Students usually combine this concentration with a second concentration in areas such as marketing or management information systems.
- LEAD 351 Leadership Skills and Development
- LEAD 352 Team and Group Leadership or LEAD 354 Innovation and Creativity or other approved electives, list available in SOM advising.
- LEAD 353 Organizational and Strategic Leadership
- One additional quantitative elective from the list of approved courses available from the SOM Advising Office.
Entrepreneurship
The focus in these courses is on the identification and evaluation of new venture opportunities; the development of effective business plans; and financing, establishing and operating new businesses. Four courses are required:
- ENT 460 Entrepreneurship
- ENT 465 Entrepreneurial Finance
- Two additional electives chosen from the entrepreneurship guide sheet available in SOM Advising Office
Finance
- FIN 322 Investments
- Three courses from the following list: FIN 320, FIN 324, FIN 430, FIN 440, FIN 450, FIN 465, FIN 475 or other course deemed appropriate by faculty
Quantitative Finance
Recent innovations in financial markets have led to an increased demand for analytically-skilled students. Understanding pricing models in derivatives and other exotic securities requires knowledge in finance and also statistics, stochastic processes, and differential equations. The quantitative finance program is designed to provide students with opportunities to pursue a mathematically challenging program of study.
In addition to meeting the usual School of Management requirements, students in the quantitative finance concentration complete courses in the following groups:
- Additional math requirements
- MATH 222 or (MATH 226 and 227). Calculus 2
- MATH 304 Linear Algebra
- Additional economics course
- ECON 466 Introduction to Econometrics
- Finance courses
- FIN 322 Investments
- FIN 450 Derivatives
- FIN 465 Arbitrage Strategies
- FIN 475 Financial Technology
- Finance elective: One (1) additional undergraduate FIN elective as defined by the quantitative finance guide sheet available in the SOM Advising Office.
The program is designed for the placement of students in investment banks. Only undergraduate students with a cumulative GPA above 3.5 will be admitted. A grade of B or higher in FIN 311 and completion of 56 credits is required to declare this concentration.
Marketing
- MKTG 320 Marketing Research or MKTG 475 or another analytics MKTG course (see SOM marketing guide sheet in SOM advising for additional options)
- Two additional MKTG electives
- Fourth elective selected from marketing guide sheet available in SOM Advising Office
Management Information Systems
Management information systems students must take:
- MIS 323 Systems Analysis and Design
- Two additional courses from the set of MIS electives that are offered, excluding independent study and internship
- One additional MIS elective or other elective class specified in the MIS guide sheet, available in the SOM Advising Office
Supply Chain Management
In addition to meeting the usual School of Management requirements, students in the supply chain management concentration must complete courses in the following groups:
- SCM 365
- SCM 360
- SCM 460
- One additional 4 credit SCM course above the 311 level or other class noted on Supply Chain guide sheet located in SOM Advising Office
Management
- Students may take any four undergraduate management electives above the 311 level.
Standard Curriculum Sequence for Business Administration Option
The following represents the normal sequence of courses that SOM students are expected to follow in completing degree requirements in management over their four years at °®¶¹´«Ã½. It reflects the school’s belief that professional coursework must be preceded by a sound liberal arts background combined with coursework in necessary foundation areas. Two courses, MIS 311 and CQS 311 constitute the S-Core and must be taken together during the same semester, generally during the sophomore year. FIN 311, MKTG 311, MGMT 311, and OPM 311 constitute the J-Core and all must be taken together during the same semester, generally during the junior year. Transfer students should consult with their academic advisors to determine where and how their previous work fits into this sequence.
First semester (16 credits) :
- CQS 111 Computer Tools for Management
- MGMT 111 Intro to Decision Making in Management
- Non-management elective*
- MATH 220 or MATH 224 and 225: Calculus
- ECON 162 Macroeconomics
Second semester (17 credits):
- ECON 160 Microeconomics
- Non-management elective
- BLS 111 Legal Environment of Business I (3 cr.)
- CQS 112 Statistics for Management
- Physical education (2 cr.) (may be taken any semester)
Third semester (14 credits):
- MIS 311 Management Information Systems (3 cr.)
- ACCT 211 Financial Accounting
- CQS 311 Advanced Computer Tools for MIS (3 cr.)
- Non-management elective
Fourth semester (16 credits):
- ACCT 212 Managerial Accounting
- Non-management elective
- Non-management elective
- Non-management elective
Fifth semester (16 credits):
- FIN 311 Financial Management (3 cr.)
- MKTG 311 Introduction to Marketing (3 cr.)
- MGMT 311 Organizational Behavior (3 cr.)
- OPM 311 Operations Management (3 cr.)
- Non-management elective
Sixth semester (16 credits):
- Concentration elective
- Concentration elective
- Non-management elective
- Non-management elective
Seventh semester (16 credits):
- Concentration elective
- Non-management elective
- Non-management elective
- Free elective
Eighth semester (15 credits):
- MGMT 411 Global Strategic Management
- Concentration elective
- Free elective
- Free elective
*Students must take two composition courses (Attribute C or J) in liberal arts to fulfill the writing requirement. If a student has taken one C or J course for a letter grade they may use two writing (attribute W) courses to meet the second C or J requirement.