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Business Administration Major

Betty T. Kane, Associate Professor, Chair
Peter B. Bobko, Associate Professor
Deena Burris, Assistant Professor
Darryl Samsell, Assistant Professor
Wenling Wang, Visiting Assistant Professor
Richard Schilhavy, Visiting Instructor
Vicki Foust, Visiting Instructor
Mini Ranganathan, Visiting Instructor

The mission of the Business program is to equip future business leaders with both professional skills and a sense of integrity. The curriculum seeks to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and competencies they need to be successful in today’s global business environment. In keeping with Guilford College’s Quaker tradition of shaping education to address “all things civil and useful,” this course of study represents a strong professional program integrated with the traditional liberal arts.

The Department of Business offers a major in Business Administration. To provide support for students in other majors, the department also offers a Business minor that provides students with an introduction to business concepts and tools and offers additional course work in a variety of interesting areas. This minor is not available to Business Administration majors. Read more about the department in our fall newsletter.

Degree Offered

The Bachelor of Science degree is offered in Business Administration.

Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration

The business administration major provides students with basic concepts and tools to participate in public or private, for-profit or not-for-profit organizations. The program prepares students to enter an increasingly global environment. The major is both conceptually based and career oriented. As such, the curriculum is designed to include content and address student learning outcomes recommended by the Accreditation Council for Colleges and Schools of Business for success in careers and graduate schools. The major is particularly distinctive because it represents a strong professional program, effectively integrated with the more traditional liberal arts.

In conjunction with an advisor, a student may choose to emphasize a particular area of study within the department by choosing a business-related minor, including business law, human resource management, international business, money & finance, or non-profit management. Students interested in international business are encouraged to pursue a double major in business administration and international studies.

Major Requirements for B.S. Degree in Business Administration

The major requires a minimum of 60 credit hours; fifteen courses are required.

  • MATH 112 Elementary Statistics – 4 credits
  • ACCT 201 Introduction to Accounting – 4 credits
  • ACCT 311 Cost Accounting – 4 credits
  • ECON 222 Micro: Public Policy – 4 credits
  • BUS 215 Business Law and Environment – 4 credits
  • BUS 241 Computers and Business – 4 credits
  • BUS 243 Management Information Systems – 4 credits
  • BUS 246 International Business Management – 4 credits
  • BUS 249 Principles of Management – 4 credits
  • BUS 324 Marketing Management – 4 credits
  • BUS 332 Financial Management – 4 credits
  • BUS 347 Production and Decision Sciences – 4 credits
  • BUS 449 Business Policy and Strategy – 4 credits
  • IDS 402 Business Ethics or IDS 417 Ethics of Capitalism – 4 credits

Total credit hours required for B.S. degree in Business Administration – 60 credits

A business internship is strongly recommended.

Basic Math and Computer Literacy Skills: Students in the program are expected to enter with basic math and computer literacy skills. As prerequisites for BUS 241 Computers and Business, students must demonstrate basic math and computer literacy skills.

Students may demonstrate basic math skills in one of the following ways: Math SAT score of 650 or higher, Calculus AP Exam score of 3 or higher or passing a business math test offered by the business department. Students are required to pass the business math test even if they transfer in a college level math course. For a minimal fee students may take an online refresher course combined with the business math test. Although it is expected that most students will be able to pass the test with the online refresher course, BUS 110 is an elective course designed to prepare and support students to pass the business math test. Contact the department chair for the registration directions and further information about the business math test.

Students may demonstrate basic computer literacy skills by completion of BUS 141 with a grade of C- or higher or by passing a brief test that assesses equivalent knowledge taken during the first class. A self-evaluation checklist to assist in deciding between BUS 141 and BUS 241 is available here or from the department chair.

Many aspects of the business administration major must be completed sequentially.

    • Students must have demonstrated basic quantitative literacy and computer literacy, as described above, prior to BUS 241.
    • ACCT 201 must be completed prior to ACCT 311
    • ACCT 311, ECON 221, ECON 222, MATH 112 , and BUS 241, must be completed prior to BUS 324, BUS 332, and BUS 347
    • Students must complete MATH 112, ACCT 201, ACCT 311, ECON 221, ECON 222, BUS 215, BUS 241, BUS 243, BUS 246, BUS 249, BUS 324, BUS 332, and BUS 347) with at least a C- before taking the capstone BUS 449 course.
    NOTE: Business Administration majors may not count courses taken at other institutions to satisfy their 300 or 400 level requirements.