Business Administration

The global economy offers a vast array of career opportunities for professionals with a collegiate education in business. Businesses need individuals who not only understand the fundamentals of business practice, but who are adaptable in rapidly changing business environments. The business administration program has evolved to meet the needs of business firms and students by providing our students with a broad knowledge base in accounting, finance, management, marketing, entrepreneurship, management information systems, and business law – with a blend of theory and practice. A broad understanding of business is particularly of value for individuals who operate in entrepreneurial firms, smaller enterprises, and organizations that need flexibility and multi-functional knowledge from their employees.  Individuals who aspire to own their businesses or go on to graduate studies (e.g., law school) would also benefit from such a broad business knowledge base.  Our graduates of the business administration program gain employment in business and non-profit organizations, pursue their own businesses and graduate studies, and enhance their abilities to manage business operations, analyze business opportunities/challenges, 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. 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 Business Administration major is a four-year program with a curricular blend of general education, pre-major course work, fundamental business knowledge (accounting, finance, management, marketing, and information systems), international business, and business elective courses.  The curriculum of this major is also designed with a 21-credit business elective block plus 3 credits of 300/400 level free electives built into the program.  These electives allow students to pursue their personal or professional interest in certain business domains, which can be in the form of a specific track (e.g., Supply Chain Management), certificate/minor (e.g., Professional Selling and Sales, Entrepreneurship), and/or topic-based courses fitting the business knowledge/skills they want to develop. The program nurtures important business skills and administrative competencies including managing/overseeing business enterprises, ability to analyze business opportunities/challenges, legal and international awareness, interpersonal skills, and teamwork.  Business Administration students are thus prepared to perform and manage various administrative and functional activities in business enterprises and non-profit organizations. 

Selective Admission

Students who wish to study business administration at NDSU enroll as pre-business students in the College of Business for their first semester of their freshman year. Admission to the major requires the successful completion of the pre-major course requirements (ENGL 120, COMM 110, MATH 144, ECON 201 or 202, and PSYC 111 or SOC 110) and a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5.  Transfer students may also be eligible for immediate admission in the major. Contact a College of Business professional advisor for more information.

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 business practice, challenges, and issues.

The Practicum

Business administration 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 business 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 business administration major have career opportunities in business, industry, government service and the non-profit sector, both regionally and globally. Employment opportunities for business administration majors are significant as business-related activities and administrative functions are needed in every type of business and organization, whether for-profit or not-for-profit. Major job categories include business operations, business analyst, human resource management, product/service management, retail management, small business owner, and entrepreneurship venture.

Minor in Business Administration

A minor in business administration can be a perfect choice for students with non-business majors who want to enhance their marketability through business knowledge and skills. The curricular details are available at https://www.ndsu.edu/business/programs/.  This minor is not available to students with majors in the College of Business.

The College

In addition to the business administration major, the College of Business offers undergraduate majors in accounting, finance, global business (second major only), management, marketing, and management information systems. The College of Business also offers six graduate programs including Master of Business Administration, Master of Accountancy, Master of Science in Business Analytics, 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 business administration 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 directly apply for admission to the major.  Please speak with a professional advisor in the College of Business for more information.

Sample Program Guide

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: A Sample Program Guide provides an unofficial guide of program requirements and should be used by prospective students who are considering attending NDSU in the future. It is NOT an official curriculum and should NOT be used by current NDSU students for official degree planning purposes. Note that the official curriculum used by current NDSU students can vary from the Sample Program Guide due to a variety of factors such as, but not limited to, start year, education goals, transfer credit, and course availability.

To ensure proper program completion, enrolled students should utilize Degree Map and Schedule Planner in Campus Connection and consult regularly with their academic advisor to ensure requirements are being met.

Note:

• Business Administration majors can pursue a supply chain management track as part of their program, provided that the 300-400 level business and free electives taken meet the track requirements.