Management

The management curriculum has been carefully designed to inspire and enable students to meet the demand of today’s business and organizational landscapes.  Management is an exciting and ever-developing field, and our students are supported by curriculum that fosters critical thinking, interpersonal and communication skills, leadership, analytic skills and global awareness.  A success measure of our management program is the successful placement of our graduates in business, industry, and non-profit organizations, in tandem with their enhanced abilities to plan, organize, work as a team, and make sound decisions. 

Background Information

The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International) accredits the undergraduate and graduate programs in the College of Business at North Dakota State University (NDSU).  Our College of Business is one of only two AACSB-accredited schools of business in North Dakota.

AACSB International is one of higher education’s most prestigious and rigorous accrediting bodies, emphasizing a commitment to continuous improvement, innovation, engagement, and impact in business education.  Less than 10 percent of business programs worldwide have this accreditation, highlighting the academic excellence of our College of Business at NDSU.

The Program

The Management major is a four-year program with a curricular blend of general education, pre-professional course work, fundamental business knowledge (accounting, finance, management, marketing, and information systems), international exposure, and in-depth management-specific courses.  Students pursuing a Management major can also choose the Human Resource Management and/or Supply Chain Management tracks to advance their field-specific skills and knowledge.  The program nurtures important business skills and managerial competencies including planning, organizing, problem-solving, analytical ability, communication, teamwork, and leadership.  Management students are thus prepared to lead and perform in evolving landscapes of business enterprises and non-profit organizations.    

Selective Admission

Students who wish to study management at NDSU enroll as pre-management students in the College of Business for the first semester of their freshman year.  Pre-management majors are eligible for admission to the professional program after completing the pre-professional courses required for professional program admission, including ENGL 120, COMM 110, MATH 144, ECON201 or 202, and PSYC 111 or SOC 110.  Transfer students with appropriate course work also may be eligible. 

Admission to the professional program is based on the successful completion of the pre-professional course requirements with a grade of 'C' or better, and a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5.

The Faculty

To provide a rigorous and relevant educational experience to our students, faculty in our program are highly qualified in their respective areas of expertise.  Our faculty have been recognized for their teaching excellence by their students and colleagues and for their outstanding research by their peers.  They employ a wide variety of instructional techniques and embed both classical and cutting-edge knowledge into their classes.  They remain current in their fields by actively engaging in research and/or with firms and business professionals regarding their management practice, business challenges and issues. 

The Practicum

Management majors are encouraged to complete practicum experiences, ideally at the end of sophomore and junior years.  The practicum is designed to enable our students to connect management concepts learned in the classroom with live business situations and to broaden their horizons beyond the classroom setting.  The practicum also gives students a competitive edge in job placement.   

Career Opportunities

Graduates with a management major have career opportunities in business, industry, government service, and the non-profit sector, both regionally and globally.  Employment opportunities for management majors are significant as the management function exists in every type of business and organization, whether manufacturing or service, small- or large-sized, for-profit or not-for-profit.  Major job categories include human resources, supply chain/operations, project management, product/service management, and general management.

The College

In addition to the management major, the College of Business offers undergraduate majors in accounting, business administration, finance, global business (second major only), marketing, and management information systems.  The College of Business also offers five graduate programs including Master of Business Administration, Master of Accountancy, Master of Managerial Logistics, Master of Transportation and Urban Systems, and Doctorate in Transportation and Logistics.

High School Preparation

It is recommended that high school students interested in studying management at the university level take mathematics courses at least through pre-calculus.  High school electives in the social sciences, communication, and English also would be of benefit.  Students who have satisfactorily completed Advanced Placement courses in Calculus, Economics, English, Communication, and Psychology or Sociology may be immediately eligible for admission to the professional program.  Please speak with a professional advisor for more information.

Plan of Study 

Please note this is a sample plan of study and not an official curriculum.  Actual student schedules for each semester will vary depending on start year, education goals, applicable transfer credit, and course availability. Students are encouraged to work with their academic advisor on a regular basis to review degree progress and customize an individual plan of study.

Note: Management majors can pursue a human resource management track and/or a supply chain management track as part of their program, provided that the 300-400 level business, management, and free electives taken meet the track(s) requirements.