The bachelor of science program in business administration provides significantly more flexibility than traditional programs for business majors. A strong liberal arts and business education prepares students for business careers and graduate study, while allowing a substantial amount of elective freedom for individual interests.

Requirements for the bachelor of science degree in business administration include completion of a core business curriculum, liberal arts courses, open electives, and at least one of five areas of concentration: corporate accounting, finance, international business, management, or marketing.

Requirements for the Major in Business Administration -- B.S.

1. All level-3 and level-4 courses must be taken at AACSB-accredited institutions.

2. The last 30 credits of the degree must be taken at Ithaca College.

3. All students enrolled in the School of Business must complete two leadership certificates offered by the College's student leadership office (part of the Office of Student Engagement and Multicultural Affairs [OSEMA]) as part of their requirements for graduation.

Core business curriculum

Business skills

Communication skills

Computing and mathematics skills

Select one of the following:

Select one of the following:

Liberal arts electives (LA)

As part of the 60 credits in liberal arts courses required for the bachelor of science in business administration degree, students must take liberal arts courses required for the major (above), "restricted" liberal arts electives, and "open" liberal arts electives.

¹Liberal arts course containing fine arts content (list available on School of Business website and in the dean's office)

²Liberal arts courses that focus on workplace-related issues -- such as gender, race, ethnicity, age, family status, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, and disability -- that affect employees' interactions and management of human resources (list available on School of Business website and in the dean's office)

³Any College courses with a liberal arts (LA) designation

Concentration requirements

Corporate accounting concentration

Note: Students interested in sitting for the certified public accountant (CPA) examination should select the five-year, dual degree program, the B.S. in accounting/M.B.A. in professional accountancy. The B.S. in business administration with corporate accounting concentration might not qualify the student to sit for the CPA examination. The corporate accounting concentration is available only as a second concentration.

Approved electives

* Any level-2 or above course offered in the School of Business with the prefix of ACCT, FINA, GBUS, HRM, INTB, MKTG, or MGMT may serve as business electives; STCM 24100 Advertising and STCM 23200 Public Relations may also serve as business electives.

Finance concentration

* Any level-2 or above course offered in the School of Business with the prefix of either ACCT, FINA, GBUS, HRM, INTB, MKTG, or MGMT, may serve as business electives including STCM 24100 Advertising and STCM 23200 Public Relations.

International business concentration

* Any level-2 or above course offered in the School of Business with the prefix of ACCT, FINA, GBUS, HRM, INTB, MKTG, or MGMT may serve as business electives; STCM 24100 Advertising and STCM 23200 Public Relations may also serve as business electives. Both business electives must be in the same functional area and have the same prefix. 

Notes:

1. As part of the liberal arts requirements, students pursuing the international business concentration must take two approved international liberal arts electives (list available on School of Business website and in the dean's office).. The business-oriented cultural diversity elective and the approved international business liberal arts elective may not be the same course.

2. As part of the international business concentration, students must take at least two intermediate college-level or above foreign-language courses. If English is the student's second language, the student should see the assistant dean regarding this requirement.

Management concentration

Management electives

Select two courses from the list below; the list of approved management electives is also available on the School of Business website or in the dean's office.¹

¹Any level-2 or above course offered in the School of Business with the prefix of either ACCT, FINA, GBUS, HRM, INTB, MKTG, or MGMT, may serve as business electives including STCM 24100 Advertising and STCM 23200 Public Relations.

²Some of the approved elective courses may have specific prerequisites; refer to the course descriptions. The approved international business elective should be a business course with an international focus; select from the list available on the School of Business website or in the dean's office.

Marketing concentration

* Any level-2 or above course offered in the School of Business with the prefix of ACCT, FINA, GBUS, HRM, INTB, MKTG, or MGMT may serve as business electives; STCM 24100 Advertising and STCM 23200 Public Relations may also serve as business electives.