The following sections describe the general requirements for all majors within the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) degree program:
The degree requirements applicable to a particular student are based upon the student’s term of entry into the program and reflect any requirement changes that have been approved since this bulletin was published. These requirements and the student’s progress toward the BSBA degree are noted on the student’s online Undergraduate Advisement Transcript.
120 credits are required for graduation with a BSBA degree. A minimum of 41 credits must be taken in the arts and sciences.
A student may use one course to fulfill two arts and sciences requirements.
There are seven basic skills that all BSBA students must master; these basic skills prepare students for future classes. The basic skills requirements include:
English Composition
- Students who earn 500 or above on SAT Verbal (Critical Reading) are placed into Seminar in Composition (or equivalent course).
- Students who earn below 500 on SAT Verbal (Critical Reading) will be placed into a Workshop in Composition course.
- Recommendations for ENGCMP 0201 or ENGCMP 0151 (tutorials) will be based on class diagnostic writing during add/drop period.
- English as a Second Language students will be placed into appropriate courses based on English Language proficiency.
All students are strongly encouraged to complete their English composition requirement(s) in the freshman year.
Students earning a score of 600 on the critical reading portion of the SAT, who also earn a score of 5 on the Advanced Placement (AP) English exam, will be awarded advanced standing credit for ENGCMP 0200 - SEMINAR IN COMPOSITION and 3 additional credits in English composition.
Second Language
Any one of the following fulfills the language requirement:
- Three years of study of a single second language in high school, passed with an average of C or better over the three years.
- Placement into level III of a second language on a University of Pittsburgh language placement test.
- Placement into level II of a second language on a University of Pittsburgh language placement test and completion of the appropriate course from the second course list below.
- Completion of an approved two course sequence of a foreign language.
Students should discuss specific foreign language course options with their academic advisor.
Calculus
Taking one course from the following list fulfills this requirement:
Note: Only one of these courses may apply to the 120 total credits required for graduation.
Economics
Both of the following courses must be taken to fulfill this requirement:
Arts and Sciences General Education Electives
In addition to fulfilling the basic skills requirements, students further supplement their business curriculum by taking courses from six general education categories including:
- Literature (one course)
- Music/art (one course)
- Philosophy (one course)
- Social sciences (two courses, each from a different discipline)
- Natural sciences (two courses)
- Foreign culture (two courses or participation in an approved study abroad program)
Note: All students, including international students and U.S. citizens who have lived abroad for any length of time, must complete the foreign culture requirement.
Contact the school for a complete listing of approved courses that meet these elective requirements.
The Business Core Curriculum:
The following courses (36 credits) are required of all CBA students:
Other Business Requirements
CBA students must also satisfy one of the following requirements:
BUS 0010 - YOUR ACADEMIC AND CAREER SUCCESS This one-credit course is required of all first-time CBA freshmen. In the course, new BSBA students will explore the majors offered in CBA, investigate global opportunities, develop networking and professional skills, create a resume, and learn how to connect with CBA’s Career Services team regarding events, internship opportunities, and career development.
BUS 0020 - YOUR CAREER SUCCESS This one-credit course is required of all new CBA transfer students. In the course, students will participate in career exploration, develop and implement a personal strategy for career goal setting and planning, learn and practice communication and other professional skills, and become familiar with the internship and job search processes.
Design Specialization Concentration
In the Design Specialization ARCO, students gain design thinking skills that help integrate the needs of people, the possibilities of technologies, and the requirements for business success. Students will tackle real-world business issues and learn to create solutions that are functional, emotionally meaningful, and economically viable.
Required Course
Students earning the Design Specialization ARCO will have to complete the following required course:
Course Options
In addition to the required course, students must complete one of the courses from the following list:
Enterprise Systems Specialization Concentration
Enterprise systems are the backbone of vital business processes of firms, including enterprise resource planning, supply chain management, and customer relationship management functions. In this track students will learn about the important business processes, their interconnections, and the ways systems can be configured and used to facilitate those business processes.
Required Course
Students earning the Enterprise Systems Specialization ARCO will have to complete the following required course:
Course Options
In addition to the required course, students must complete one of the courses from the following list:
IS Consulting Specialization Concentration
IS Consulting is the practice of working with organizations to improve their performance. This ARCO prepares a student to be a consultant who has mastered the hard and soft skills needed to work with a client and engage over an IS Implementation.
Required Course
Students earning the IS Consulting Specialization ARCO will have to the complete the following required course:
Course Options
In addition to the required course, students must complete one of the courses from the following list:
Project Management Specialization Concentration
The Project Management ARCO prepares a student to master the skills for handling IS Projects. A project is a time bound endeavor with a specific goal. Almost all initiatives in the industry are managed through projects which needs a thorough understanding of Project Management skills to succeed. This track prepares a student to master the skills needed to be a successful Project Manager.
Required Course
Students earning the Project Management Specialization ARCO will have to complete the following required course:
Course Options
In addition to the required course, students must complete one of the courses from the following list: