Business Administration Major | Arcadia University

Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration

Learn business practices with a global perspective and prepare for a rewarding career in small, medium, or large for-profit or not-for-profit organizations. Our program will help you think critically and communicate effectively to compete in the growing global economy. Starting with a foundation of business and leadership principles, you will have opportunities to develop critical-thinking and strategic skills needed to be successful in the ever-changing business world.

Earn either a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with concentrations available in economics, finance, marketing, and management. These specializations guide you to develop flexible skills within your areas of interest within business.

Studying Business Administration, you will:

• Engage with professionals with extensive business experience and take advantage of smaller class sizes to develop an organizational point of view and transfer your skills to a professional environment.
• Gain an international perspective through both the coursework and travel opportunities.
• Prepare yourself for graduate programs in law, business, public administration, or economics, or jump right into career development in a variety of industries.

Transferring to Arcadia proved to be the best decision I have ever made. The school of Global Business at Arcadia has allowed me to be more than just a number. The teachers at Arcadia genuinely care about their students and want to see them succeed. The small class sizes allow for students to feel comfortable to ask questions and as though their attendance matters. My education occurred inside and outside of the classroom and proves to be applicable to my everyday life.

Emily Herron, Business Administration and Economics Distinguished Achievement Award ’22

100

students complete internships in field

students complete internships in field

20+

professionals review student capstone projects

STUDENT OUTCOMES

What’s the difference between a BA and a BS?

The Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration will provide you with a solid background in business with the flexibility to customize your degree to suit your career aspirations with a concentration in Economics, Finance, Management, or Marketing. Students will also complete an internship and are encouraged to study abroad.

The Bachelor of Science in Business Administration requires you to take additional math courses, complete an internship, and study abroad is encouraged. You must complete one area of concentration by taking selected courses with the same subject matter within a discipline.

Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration

• 10 Business Administration Courses
• 2 Economics Courses
• 1 Upper-level Business or Economics Elective
• 1 English Course
• 2 Mathematics Courses

• Requirements

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration

• 10 Business Administration Courses
• 2 Economics Courses
• 1 Upper-level Business or Economics Elective
• 1 English Course
• 4 Mathematics Courses
• Concentration Required

• Requirements

Sample Four-Year Academic Guide

Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a Concentration in Management

First Year

Fall Semester (16 credits)

• EN101 Thought & Expression I
• BA201 Financial Accounting 
• MA141 Elementary Statistics
• First-Year Seminar (AUC)

Spring Semester (16 credits)

• BA202 Managerial Accounting 
• MA143 Business Mathematics or MA201 Calculus I
• Modern Language I or II (AUC)
• BA230 Legal Environment of Business

Second Year

Fall Semester (16 credits)

• EC210 Principles of Macroeconomics OR EC211 Principles of Microeconomics
• Language II if needed (AUC) OR Elective
• Science with Lab (AUC) 
• Integrated Learning (IL) (AUC)

Spring Semester (16 credits)

• EC210 Principles of Macroeconomics OR EC211 Principles of Microeconomics
• BA260 Principles of Management
• EN218 Business Writing
• Global Connections Experience & Reflection (AUC)

Third Year

Fall Semester (16 credits)

Study Abroad Option 

• BA340 Principles of Marketing
• BA362 Human Resources Administration
• BA363 International Organizational Behavior
• (AUC) Requirement

Spring Semester (16 credits)

Study Abroad Option and/or Internship 

• BA369 Management Information Systems
• BA380 Principles of Finance
• BA470 Internship in Business Administration* OR Elective
• (AUC) Requirement

Fourth Year

Fall Semester

Study Abroad Option and/or Internship 

• Concentration Elective
• BA367 Operations Management
• BA470 Internship in Business Administration* OR Elective
• (AUC) Requirement OR Elective

Spring Semester

• BA495 Policy Formulation & Administration
• BA OR EC Elective Major Requirement
• (AUC) Requirement or Elective

*BA470 fulfills the second IL AUC Requirement

Suggested Courses to Satisfy Undergraduate Curriculum Requirements

Integrative Learning ExperienceFirst Year Seminar (FY) Will be assigned in first semester, second if abroad.Global Connections Experience (GCE) GCEs include GFS and ID courses, and study abroad. Meets any one of the two required IL experiencesGlobal Connections Reflection (GCR) Digest of GCE; taken simultaneously with GCEIntegrative Learning (IL)Meets any one of the two required IL experiences. Satisfied by [COURSE:BA470 and another course, including BA341]Senior Capstone Project (SC)Satisfied by: [COURSE:BA495]Areas of InquiryCreative Expressions (CE)Intro Art courses (ex. [COURSE:FA204]), University SeminarsCultural Legacy (CL)[COURSE:PL175], University SeminarsNatural/Physical World with Lab (NPL)[COURSE:ID101] or [COURESE:ID102], University SeminarsNatural/Physical World Non-Lab (or second NPL)Science Course or [COURSE:EC330]Self and Society (SS)Communications Course, Sociology or Psychology or [COURSE:BA230, BA340, EC210, EC211]Intellectual PracticesCrossing Boundaries (CB)[COURSE:AN120, BA344], University seminarsModern Language (ML)Proficiency at 102-Level German, Spanish, French, Japanese, Italian. (Placement test determines level.)Quantitative Reasoning MathematicsSatisfied by: [COURSE:MA141]Quantitative Reasoning (or 2nd QRM)Satisfied by: [COURSE: EC210, EC311, MA143]Visual Literacy (VL)Intro Art courses, University Seminars [COURSE:BA341, BA353]Research Writing (RW)Satisfied by: [COURSE: EN218]Writing (W)Two required. One satisfied by: [COURSE:BA495]Writing English (WE)Satisfied by: [COURSE:EN101] (Placement test determines level.)

3-Year Option

Students with demonstrated high academic achievement may be eligible to complete the Business Administration degree in 3 years. The three-year format lightens the financial burden for students seeking to reduce college costs. Each student’s program is individualized based on numerous factors including AP, IB or dual enrollment credits earned during high school. Accelerated degree students work closely with two academic advisors to produce a program of study that fits their needs and interests.

Concentrations

Concentrations allow you to specialize in an area of business. Augment your program and further prepare for your career by selecting one of the following.

Economics

Apply microeconomics and macroeconomics to problems of business decision making and learn the effect of governmental policies on the business environment. This concentration will also provide you with a foundation for graduate programs in law, business, public administration, or economics.

Management

Learn the fundamental knowledge for supervisory roles in a variety of industries, or for entry into corporate management training programs. You will explore human resources, information systems, and be able to choose a further path in social media, agribusiness, or sport management.

Finance

Interested in working in economic and financial institutions or finance departments of corporations? Gain an in-depth background in finance with financial analysis, investments, and banking.

Marketing

From research and planning to messaging and promotion, the marketing concentration prepares you to work in the marketing divisions of corporations, or at more specialized marketing firms such as advertising agencies and market research organizations.

Business Administration Abroad

Arcadia University is ranked in the top 10 in the country for study abroad. We encourage you to explore all your options.

LEARN MORE ABOUT STUDY ABROAD

Business Administration Minor

Non-business majors can develop Business Administration skills with this added minor.

View Minor

Featured Courses

Principles of Management

Required Course

Explore the four management functions of planning, organizing, leading, and controlling to create competitive and sustainable organizations in a global environment.

Principles of Marketing

Required Course

This course is an examination and analysis of marketing management in the modern organization. Basic marketing concepts, including a target market and the four P’s—product, price, place, and promotion—are covered.

Internship in Business Administration

Required Course

Complete 100 hours of internship work in a professional organizational setting. The internship course is designed for you to apply academic concepts in a work environment and provide opportunities to network with external business professionals.

Policy Formulation & Administration

Required Course

This course in policy making and administration from the point of view of top management develops a total organization approach to problem solving through readings, case studies, and a general management simulation.