Business Administration (B.B.A.)
Students earning a Bachelor of Business Administration degree complete a business core that provides an overview of the primary business functions. In addition, students must take either four (4) upper-level business courses, which include any 200-level Marketing courses, any 200-level Law courses, and any 300 or 400-level courses identified in the minors, or they must complete a minor**, which will provide more in-depth study of particular business areas. Students may focus on one or more of the following business minors:
Entrepreneurship
A minor in entrepreneurship provides students the opportunity to create, explore, and refine their ideas for new business ventures. Not only does the minor benefit students aspiring to start their own businesses, but it also provides the entrepreneurial skillsets that a variety of companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google, as well as government agencies, desire in their employees. In addition to being part of SBT’s B.B.A. program, the minor offers students in a variety of non-business fields the opportunity to learn the skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur. See the entrepreneurship minor for more details.
Fashion Marketing
A minor in fashion marketing provides students with specialized knowledge in the fashion industry, specifically in retail buying, product development, and fashion promotion. Students minoring in fashion marketing acquire expertise applicable to jobs in fields such as assistant retail buyer, wholesale account manager, product allocator, retail manager, visual merchandiser, and fashion event coordinator. See the fashion marketing minor for more details.
Finance
This minor prepares students to pursue careers in corporate finance. The program of study provides instruction in the theory and quantitative techniques used to analyze organizational performance, financing, and investment decisions. See the finance minor for more details.
Leadership Studies
Many employers list leadership skills and experience as one of the most desirable traits in recent college graduates. This interdisciplinary minor will draw from diverse experiences, majors and programs, and will utilize a socially responsible framework that builds on the foundation of the RSHM and includes an opportunity to examine personal and professional identity through a leadership lens. Participation in this minor will better prepare students to be competitive and agile in a dynamic and diverse workforce.
International Business
This minor provides students with the initial skills required to succeed in the diverse and complex environment of international business. See the international business minor for more details.
Marketing
This minor provides students with marketing expertise for jobs in the fields of advertising, social media marketing, marketing research and analytics, sales, consumer behavior, and sports marketing. See the marketing minor for more details.
Sport Management
This minor prepares students for a career focused on the business operations of sports teams or facilities. See the sport management minor for more details.
Retail Analytics
The fashion industry is rapidly changing from a brick-and-mortar focused retailing environment to an industry that uses marketing analytics, artificial intelligence, and online venues to reach consumers and to create a brand identity. The retail analytics minor will help students understand the industry, and the data that now supports it. This minor provides a path for students to enter jobs such as market research analyst, wholesale account buyer, and retail manager. See the see the retail analytics minor for more details.
Visual Merchandising
A minor in visual merchandising prepares students to pursue careers in the retail industry and provides the skills to help organizations boost sales using design techniques and product placement within the retail space.
In addition to these business minors, students may elect to complete any other minor in the School of Business or the School of Technology and Innovation, including:
- Applied Statistics
- Business Analysis
- Cloud Computing
- Computer Science
- Cybersecurity
- Data Science
- Digital Forensics
- Economics
- Information Technology
- Law
- Network Security
- Social Entrepreneurship
- Sustainability
These minors provide business students with a variety of options to tailor their education to their career goals.
**Students who would prefer to have the designation of specialty, rather than minor, on their transcript may choose to complete any School of Business or the School of Technology and Innovation minor and receive this designation instead. The minor and specialty designations require the exact same courses to complete. Students may not declare both a minor and specialty in the same field. Please work with your academic advisor on the process to declare this alternative option.
In addition to the classroom experience, all B.B.A. students complete a career experience, which provides an opportunity for the application of theory and the cultivation of business skills. It also enables students to include experience working in a Washington-area business, government agency, or financial institution on their résumés.
Upon successful completion of the business administration program, students will be able to
- Demonstrate competence and understanding of basic business disciplines and accounting concepts.
- Apply collaboration skills in a team environment.
- Have a global perspective of business.
- Communicate effectively in quantitative and qualitative terms both orally and in writing.
- Use a range of business technologies to perform analysis, synthesize information and draw conclusions.
- Apply an ethical perspective when analyzing contemporary business issues and practices.
Career Experience Requirements: All students complete an applied professional experience either through a field experience, or an internship.
Internship Prerequisites: To register for an internship, students must have a minimum of 90 credits with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 and a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 in all major courses. Students also should have completed a minimum of nine credits in their specialized upper-level courses. Students should consult their academic advisor and/or the College Dean's Office for more details.
Minimum Grade Requirements: To continue in the B.B.A. degree program, a C or better must be earned in each of the following courses: MGT 123, ACT 201, MGT 304, and MGT 489. All B.B.A. students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better in any declared minor, the major core courses, and any upper-level business course used to meet program requirements.
Degree Requirements - Business Administration
This degree requires 120 total credits.
Liberal Arts Core Requirements
See the Liberal Arts Core for details.
Major Requirements
To fulfill the requirements of the major, all students in this program will take the following coursework in a sequence determined in collaboration with an advisor. Some courses also satisfy Liberal Arts Core requirements.
Major Required Courses
12 credits of an approved minor or upper-level business electives.
Sample Degree Plan — Business Administration
Please note that this is a sample plan; all students must consult with an advisor in making course selections.
Year One - Fall
| MGT 123 | The Business Experience | 3 |
| EN 101 | Composition I * | 3 |
| TRS 100 | Theological Inquiry * | 3 |
| HI | History (HI) core course * | 3 |
| | Natural Science (NS) core course with lab * | 4 |
EN 101: WR core course
TRS 100: TRS core course
Year One - Spring
| EN 102 | Composition II * | 3 |
| IT 110 | Information Technology in the Global Age | 3 |
| | |
| MA 132 | Statistical Analysis * | 3 |
| OR | |
| MA 218 | Probability and Statistics * | 3 |
| | |
| | Fine and Performing Arts (FPA) core course * | |
| | Philosophy (PH) core course * | |
Year Two - Fall
| ACT 201 | Principles of Accounting I | 3 |
| BILT 289 | Career Exploration | 3 |
| ECO 210 | Principles of Microeconomics * | 3 |
| LA 248 | Business Law I | 3 |
| | One (1) elective | 3 |
ECO 210: SS and DSCI core course
Year Two - Spring
| ACT 202 | Principles of Accounting II | 3 |
| ACT 202L | Principles of Accounting Lab | 1 |
| ECO 211 | Principles of Macroeconomics * | 3 |
| LA 249 | Business Law II | 3 |
| MGT 291 | Business Communication * | 3 |
| EN | Literature (LT) core course * | 3 |
ECO 211: SS and DSCI core course
Year Three - Fall
| DATA 300 | Advanced Business Statistics | 3 |
| FIN 301 | Financial Management | 3 |
| MKT 301 | Principles of Marketing | 3 |
| | One (1) approved minor or upper-level business course | |
| | Depth in Sciences (DSCI) core course * | 3 |
Minor or upper-level business elective course: See major requirements above and specific minors listed for course selections.
Year Three - Spring
| MGT 304 | Organizational Management | 3 |
| MGT 345 | Project Management | 3 |
| | |
| PH 305 | Business Ethics * | 3 |
| OR | |
| PH 305SL | Business Ethics * | 3 |
| | |
| ECO 485 | International Economics | 3 |
| OR | |
| FIN 485 | International Finance | 3 |
| OR | |
| MGT 295 | International Management | 3 |
| OR | |
| MGT 385 | International Business | 3 |
| OR | |
| MKT 440 | Fashion in the Global Marketplace | 3 |
| OR | |
| MKT 485 | International Marketing | 3 |
| | |
| | One (1) approved minor or upper-level business course | |
PH 305 or PH 305SL: DF&R core course
Note: Please work with your academic advisor on when to take your international course, as some are only offered in a fall or spring term, which may alter the semester in which this course is planned.
Year Four - Fall
| MGT 451 | Strategic Management | 3 |
| | Depth in Humanities core course | 3 |
| | One (1) approved minor or upper-level business course | |
| | Two (2) electives | 6 |
Minor or upper-level business elective course: See major requirements above and specific minors listed for course selections.
Year Four - Spring
| MGT 489 | Senior Business Seminar | 3 |
| | |
| MGT 490 | Internship | 3 |
| OR | |
| BILT 389 | BILT Field Experience | 3 |
| | |
| | One (1) approved minor or upper-level business course | |
| | Two (2) electives | 6 |
Minor or upper-level business elective course: See major requirements above and specific minors listed for course selections.
* Fulfills Liberal Arts Core Requirements. See the Liberal Arts Core and Course Descriptions for further information.