All bachelor's degrees in business administration require a strong core of liberal arts and sciences classes. In a 4-year program, students typically spend half of their credit hours on general education classes in the following disciplines: English composition, mathematics (algebra and calculus), philosophy, foreign language, social sciences, natural sciences, statistics, economics, communications, psychology and literature. While each program differs, most business administration undergraduate programs select required general education courses that students must take in conjunction with open elective slots that students can fill on their own from a menu of available classes.
Students typically begin full-time engagement with business administration major courses in their third year of study and must earn a C average or better to remain in good standing (though some programs require that students maintain a B average to remain within the major). Business administration major courses cover a broad range of specializations, including those in the following areas: business communication, microeconomics, macroeconomics, finance, accounting, organizational behavior, marketing, management information systems, multivariate analysis, models and methods of optimization and production management.
While some business administration programs only demand that students successfully complete their course requirements, some programs require the completion of a senior thesis project as well. Such project--in which students analyze business challenges and solve them using original research--are completed in conjunction with senior thesis classes that teach students how to conduct effective and appropriate research. In order to complete a senior thesis course, students must successfully complete (and sometimes present) their senior thesis project.