Undergraduate Programs

BACHELOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

All undergraduate programs in the college lead to the Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) degree. To receive a baccalaureate degree from the College of Business Administration, students must, in addition to other requirements, satisfy the 36-37 hour minimum requirement stipulated in the Kent Core and complete 6 credit hours of diversity coursework.

Each candidate for the Bachelor of Business Administration must meet requirements in two areas: the pre-major program (freshman and sophomore) requirements; and the advanced business program (junior and senior) requirements.

The college also is an active participant in the university's Honors College. A business option in the general honors program is offered during the freshman and sophomore years, and various other opportunities are provided during the junior and senior years.

PROGRAMS OFFERED

• Accounting (B.B.A.)
• Business Management (B.B.A.)
• Computer Information Systems (B.B.A.)
• Economics (B.B.A.)
• Entrepreneurship (B.B.A.)
• Finance (B.B.A.)
• Managerial Marketing (B.B.A.)
• Marketing (B.B.A.)
• Operations Management (B.B.A.)

 

ACADEMIC ADVISING

Academic Advising benefits students by partnering them with professional and faculty advisors who can be intellectual mentors, advisors and advocates. The professional advisors in the Undergraduate Programs Office (Room 107 BSA, 330-672-2872) are the primary advisors for the College of Business Administration students. Advisors not only guide students through their academic program(s), but they also guide them in meaningful investigation and choices for learning opportunities outside the classroom. These opportunities include relevant career/major exploration via student group/club activity, campus and community service and activities, leadership development, national and study abroad opportunities, relevant internship experiences and more. All students are encouraged to connect with their advisor(s) each semester to maximize their learning experiences and to optimally achieve their program goals and requirements.

All new freshmen and transfer students (with less than 24 semester hours) are assigned to their first-year advisor and must register in the Destination Kent State: First Year Experience course, which orients them to the College of Business Administration expectations, requirements and resources. Students who select one of the college's Learning Communities or Freshman Interest Groups additionally are connected to a fellowship of similarly interested students to share learning opportunities and experiences.
 

GENERAL DEGREE REQUIREMENTS FOR A BACHELOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

All students in the College of Business Administration should also carefully read General Requirements and Regulations.

1. A minimum of 121 semester hours of approved coursework must be completed as prescribed in the various curricula. Included in these 121 semester hours is US 10097 Destination Kent State: First Year Experience, which may be used as a pre-major general elective.
2. All business administration students must satisfy the 36-credit-hour minimum requirement of the Kent Core as outlined and complete 6 credit hours of diversity coursework. Also, the Pre-major requirements (lower-division) show how the Kent Core courses apply to the baccalaureate degree program in business administration.
3. Writing-intensive course requirement
4. Students must complete at least 50 percent of business credit hours (required for the business degree) in-residence on a Kent State University campus.
5. Students must complete at least 50 percent of their major credit hours in residence on a Kent State University campus.
6. To earn a College of Business Administration minor, students must complete at least two courses in the minor at Kent State University. At least one of these must be at the upper-division (30000-40000) level.
7. A minimum 2.50 GPA must be earned for all work carried at Kent State University for the accounting, business management, computer information systems, finance, marketing and operations management majors. The economics major requires a minimum cumulative 2.25 GPA. A minimum 2.50 GPA must be earned in the major field (which includes all major requirements and major electives for the accounting, business management, computer information systems, finance, marketing and operations management majors). The economics major requires a 2.25 major GPA.
8. Students must complete two measures of outcomes assessment as specified by the College of Business Administration for complete satisfaction of the B.B.A.
9. The university normally requires a minimum of 39 semester hours at the upper-division (30000-40000) level for graduation with the B.B.A.

 

COURSE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PRE-MAJOR PROGRAM

The following coursework is required by the College of Business Administration and will satisfy the Kent Core. The uniform requirements are the same for all pre-majors unless otherwise specifically indicated. Pre-major students are expected to follow the prescribed course of study in the freshman and sophomore years, consistent with Kent Core, the diversity requirement and the requirements of the College of Business Administration. Pre-major programs consist of 61 semester hours of required and elective coursework, which is designed to provide the students with a broad preparation in written and oral communication, social and basic sciences, the humanities and fine arts, mathematics, and introductory work in accounting, economics, computers, statistics, marketing, management and legal environment of business.

This program applies to pre-accounting, pre-business management, pre-computer information systems, pre-economics, pre-entrepreneurship, pre-finance, pre-managerial marketing, pre-marketing, pre-operations management and pre-business.

General College or University Requirements (1)
US 10097 Destination Kent State: First Year Experience (1)

Kent Core Requirements (36-37)
A complete listing of Kent Core courses are found here.

Composition (6)
ENG 11011 College Writing I (3)
ENG 21011 College Writing II (3)
Note: For admission to all business majors, except economics, a minimum C (2.00) must be earned in ENG 11011 and 21011.

Mathematics and Critical Reasoning (3)
MATH 11010 Algebra for Calculus (3)
Note: For admission to all business majors, except economics, a minimum C (2.00) must be earned in MATH 11010.

Humanities and Fine Arts (9)
Minimum one course in humanities category and minimum one course in fine arts category.

Social Sciences (6)
Must be selected from two curricular areas.
ECON 22060 Principles of Microeconomics (3)
Second course must be chosen from anthropology, geography, political science, psychology or sociology. Business management majors must take PSYC 11762 General Psychology.

Basic Sciences (6-7)
Must include one laboratory course.

Additional Kent Core courses (6)
COMM 15000 Introduction to Human Communication (3)
ECON 22061 Principles of Macroeconomics (3)
Note: For admission to all business majors, except economics, minimum C (2.00) grade must be earned in COMM 15000.

Diversity Requirement
Students must complete a two-course diversity requirement, consisting of one with a domestic focus and one with a global focus. One course must come from the Kent Core; the second may be taken as a second Kent Core, within the major or minor, or as a general elective. In some cases, and with the approval of the assistant dean, students may satisfy the second diversity course requirement by completing one semester of study in another country. A complete list of diversity requirement courses can be found here.

Additional Mathematics Requirement (3-5)
MATH 11012 Intuitive Calculus (3)
         or
MATH 12002 Analytic Geometry and Calculus I (5)
Note 1: For admission to all business majors, except economics, minimum C (2.00) grade must be earned in MATH 11010.
Note 2: MATH 11012 Intuitive Calculus (or MATH 12002 Analytical Geometry and Calculus I) is required for all majors. Economics majors are strongly encouraged to take MATH 11022 and 11012 or 12002. Students should consult their academic advisor.

Business (24)
BUS 10123 Exploring Business (3)
MIS 24053 Introduction to Computer Applications (3)
MIS 24056 Fundamentals of Business Statistics (3)
MIS 24163 Principles of Management (3)
ACCT 23020 Introduction to Financial Accounting (3)
ACCT 23021 Introduction to Managerial Accounting (3)
FIN 26074 Legal and Regulatory Environment of Business (3)
MKTG 25010 Marketing (3)
Note 1: A minimum grade or average is required in the introductory course(s) for the major. See Advanced Business Program requirements.
Note 2: Students must have earned 28 or more credit hours to take ACCT 23020.

TOTAL CREDITS 64-67

Notes:

1. Any course offered as a choice in the Kent Core may not be taken pass/fail even if the course is being used as a nonbusiness elective.
2. Any course required for the Bachelor of Business Administration  program may not be taken pass/fail.
3. Workshop credit will apply toward the B.B.A. only in circumstances where the workshop is programmatically appropriate and only after prior approval by the assistant dean and, when appropriate, by the department chair of the student’s major. A maximum of 6 credit hours toward the B.B.A. are allowed, of which a maximum of 3 semester hours may apply toward the student’s major.
   

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ADVANCED BUSINESS PROGRAM

After completion of at least 46 semester hours of coursework in the pre-major program, all pre-major students who wish to be considered for admission to the Advanced Business Program should apply for such consideration in the Undergraduate Programs Office, 107 Business Administration Building. Admission to the Advanced Business Program and the ability to enroll in 30000- and 40000-level business coursework will be granted to students who have: accomplished the following:

• Satisfactorily completed 46 semester hours applicable to the pre-major program.
• Earned and maintained a minimum 2.50 overall GPA for all majors except economics (see Note 2 below) and marketing (see Notes 3 and 4 below).
• Earned minimum C (2.00) grade in COMM 15000, ENG 11011, ENG 21011, MATH 11010 and the introductory course in the major. (See complete list under Note 1 below.) The economics major does not require the C (2.00) minimum in the preceding courses. The accounting major requires a minimum C (2.00) and a 2.70 average in ACCT 23020 and ACCT 23021. The computer information systems major requires a minimum 2.50 average in MIS 24053, MIS 24060 and MIS 34070. The entrepreneurship major requires a minimum C (2.00) in each of the following: ENTR 27056, ENTR 27075 and ENTR 27456.
• Earned a minimum passing grade (D [1.00] or higher unless otherwise specified, an S for US 10097) in each of the required courses (or approved equivalents) in the pre-major program and have no more than 15 credits of required coursework in progress.

Advanced Business Program
Minimum 39 semester hours at the upper-division level (30000-40000) normally are required for graduation with the Bachelor of Business Administration degree.

Course Requirements:

General Business Requirements			12
ENG	30063	Business and Professional Writing	3
FIN	36053	Business Finance	3
MIS	34060	Operations Management	3
	44285	Integrated Business Policy and Strategy	3

Notes:

1. Minimum C (2.00) is required in the introductory course for the major as follows:Business Management: MIS 24163
2. 1. Finance: FIN 36053
   2. Managerial Marketing: MKTG 25010
   3. Marketing: MKTG 25010
   4. Operations Management: MIS 34060
   5. The accounting major requires a minimum C (2.00) and a 2.70 average in all attempts ACCT 23020 and 23021, or the equivalents.
   6. The computer information systems major requires a minimum 2.50 average in MIS 24053, 24060 and 34070.
2. The economics major requires a minimum overall GPA of 2.25 for admission to the major and satisfactory completion of MATH 11012 or MATH 12002 in the pre-major program.
   
3. The marketing major will admit up to 90 students into the marketing major each year requiring a minimum GPA of 2.50 and all other requirements.
4. The managerial marketing major will allow admission of up to 60 students only in the fall semester using a target GPA of at least 2.50 and all other requirements. Admission is competitive.
5. The entrepreneurship major will admit up to 30 students each year requiring a minimum GPA of 2.50 and all other requirements.
6. Students who receive credit for ENG 11011 and/or MATH 11010 via CLEP or Advanced Placement automatically satisfy the minimum C (2.00) grade requirement for ENG 11011 and/or MATH 11010.
7. Students whose COMPASS and ACT/SAT scores waive them from ENG 11011 and/or MATH 11010 automatically satisfy the minimum C (2.00) grade requirement for ENG 11011 and/or MATH 11010.
8. Students who receive credit via CLEP or Credit-by-Exam for any introductory major course(s) automatically satisfy the minimum C (2.00) grade requirement for the introductory major course(s).
9. Transferred course grades that are used to satisfy the core requirements (ENG, MATH, COMM and introductory major course) are taken into consideration for admission to the advanced program.
10. Transfer students are required to have minimum 2.50 GPA for admission to the College of Business Administration. Their transfer GPA is used only for admission purposes, not for calculation of graduation GPAs. Students who want to transfer from another KSU college or school are required to have minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.
    
    

Writing-Intensive Requirement
Students must complete a one-course writing-intensive requirement and earn minimum C (2.00) grade. A complete list of writing-intensive courses can be found here.

IMPORTANT
Pre-major students who fail to meet the minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA requirement (for all business majors except economics) by completion of 60 semester hours are prohibited from registering for any 30000- or 40000-level business courses. Students should consult an academic advisor.