Academic policies

Admission guidelines and deadlines

Students applying to the School of Business should have completed four years of high school mathematics and must follow the application submission dates for the university as stated in the Admission to the university section of this bulletin.  

Students who apply to the B.S. in Financial Technology program may be admitted directly into that program as freshmen. For all other baccalaureate degrees, freshmen are admitted initially into the business foundation program and then declare a specific business major upon meeting certain requirements, normally by the start of the junior year of study. 

The following courses must be completed before the student may declare a specific business major: ACCT 203, ACCT 204, BUSN 201  or BUSN 205, BUSN 212  or MATH 200, BUSN 225, ECON 210, ECON 211, UNIV 111, UNIV 112  (with a minimum grade of C), and UNIV 200  (with a minimum grade of C). Students are also required to have a minimum cumulative GPA at VCU of 2.50.

Incoming freshmen

Business foundation students must meet the requirements to declare a specific business major by the end of the semester in which they attempt at least their 60th credit hour, including transfer credits. The tally of attempted hours includes credit hours from courses in which a W, an F or any other grade has been assigned. This is reported on the transcript as “overall attempted hours.” Business foundation students should work closely with their academic adviser to ensure they are on target to meet their deadline to declare a specific business major.

Incoming transfer students

Transfer students are admitted into the business foundation program by Undergraduate Admissions. Transfer students who are eligible to declare a specific business major (based on transfer course work) will be accepted into their major during New Student Orientation. Those transfer students not immediately admitted to a specific business major will enter as business foundation students. They must meet the requirements to declare a specific business major within the minimum number of semesters needed to complete the required courses listed above. 

Change of major

VCU students in other programs with fewer than 30 earned credit hours who wish to change into a business major follow the same admission deadlines as students admitted to the business foundation program as freshmen. VCU students with 30 or more earned hours at the time of the change-of-major follow the same admission guidelines and deadlines as transfer students.

Once a student meets the requirements to officially declare a major a change-of-major form will be submitted by the student’s academic adviser. The change of major becomes effective at the beginning of the following semester.

Students who have not met the requirements to declare a specific business major by the deadlines described above will be separated from the business program and asked to seek a major outside of the School of Business. This in itself does not preclude the student from completing another major at VCU, including the economics major offered through the College of Humanities and Sciences.

Students may appeal the separation via their academic adviser to the assistant dean for student resources and enrollment management in the School of Business. The assistant dean may, at their discretion, extend the time period needed to meet the requirements, generally by only one semester. If this extension is not granted and the student wishes to appeal the assistant dean’s decision, the appeal will be heard by the School Undergraduate Programs Committee, which may establish a subcommittee for this purpose. A student who wishes to appeal must submit their appeal prior to the start of the next semester in which the student registers for classes. The SUPC shall schedule appropriate meeting dates and deadlines for students to submit their appeals and students must adhere to those deadlines. Students who have missed their deadline to declare a major in business or who have been separated from the business program may appeal to re-enter the School of Business no sooner than 24 months after the end of the student’s most recent semester in the program.

Pass/fail grading policy

School of Business students cannot use the pass/fail grading policy for the following courses: ACCT 203, ACCT 204, BUSN 212, ECON 211, FIRE 311, INFO 360, MATH 200, MGMT 303, MGMT 310, MGMT 434, MKTG 301, SCMA 301, SCMA 320 or any course that counts toward the calculation of the major GPA. Please check with your academic adviser before taking the pass/fail grading option.

Time limit on course credits

Course work that was earned more than 10 years prior to graduation, including course work at VCU and that transferred from other institutions, will be evaluated by the associate dean for undergraduate studies to determine whether it can be used to fulfill degree requirements for the B.S. degree or post-baccalaureate undergraduate certificate. In making this determination, the associate dean will consult with the chair of the academic department offering the program of study and consider the extent to which the course content and skills acquired when the courses were taken adequately reflect current learning goals for the program.

Enrollment in business courses by nonbusiness majors

Only business foundation students are allowed to take BUSN 225 . All VCU students may enroll in the other 100- and 200-level courses in the School of Business provided the prerequisites are met. The following 300- and 400- level courses are open to all students who have met the published prerequisites and restrictions:

Course	Title	Hours
FIRE 305	Principles of Real Estate	3
FIRE 309	Risk Management and Insurance	3
FIRE 444	Occupational Safety, Health and Security	3
FIRE 449	Employee Benefit Planning	3
MGMT 321	Survey of Entrepreneurship	3
MKTG 301	Marketing Principles	3
SCMA 301	Business Statistics I	3
SCMA 302	Business Statistics II	3

All other 300- and 400-level courses are restricted to declared majors within the School of Business and students who are required to take specified business courses for their programs of study. Business foundation students may be eligible to enroll in 300- and 400-level courses if they meet certain requirements. Business foundation students must request overrides to register for the class with their adviser in the Office of Undergraduate Studies or University Academic Advising.

Nondegree-seeking degree-holder students and Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies students with approved programs of study that include upper-level business courses not listed above may request an override through the School of Business.

Limitation on total credits earned by nonbusiness majors

The number of credits that nonbusiness majors may accumulate from enrollment in classes offered by the School of Business is limited to a maximum of 25 percent of the total credits required for graduation in their programs. Students who wish to present more than 25 percent of their course work in business and/or economics must be admitted to a major in the School of Business, must complete a minimum of 27 credits from the School of Business advanced program after acceptance into the major and must meet all graduation requirements of the school. This does not limit the number of courses in economics for economics majors in the College of Humanities and Sciences.

Minors in the School of Business

Nonbusiness majors may earn no more than one minor offered by the School of Business, with the exception of the sport and fitness management minor. Note the minor in economics is offered by the College of Humanities and Sciences and thus may be combined with a business minor. The minor in general business is not open to students earning a B.S. in the School of Business.

Transfer policies

In addition to meeting the general requirements of the university and the School of Business, transfer students who plan to enroll in an undergraduate program in business must comply with the following requirements:

1. Incoming transfer students who are otherwise qualified for admission to the advanced program will be evaluated based on the cumulative GPA they had at their previous institution(s). Once transfer students have completed courses at VCU, however, their admission to the advanced program is evaluated using their cumulative GPA at VCU.

2. Transfer of business and economics courses from two-year institutions is limited to courses offered by the School of Business as 100- and 200-level courses. An exception is made for professional development courses suitable to transfer as BUSN 301, or business statistics courses that transfer to VCU as SCMA 301 or SCMA 302.  See the online VCU Transfer Guide for details.

3. Transfer credit for 300- and 400-level business courses will only be given for courses completed in a business program that is accredited by AACSB International. Exceptions may be reviewed and approved by the assistant dean for student resources.

4. Credits earned at other institutions carrying a grade of D (or equivalent) are not accepted for transfer.

5. Transfer credits may be applied to no more than 12 hours of credit in the major. A minimum of 30 hours of the required business courses for the Bachelor of Science must be taken at VCU.

Study abroad credits

Because the experience expands students’ perspectives, the School of Business encourages students to study abroad and (with prior approval) to transfer business credits back to VCU. However, note that international students will not be approved to transfer 300- and 400-level business credits from their home country as “study abroad” credit.

Student advising

Freshmen and continuing sophomore business students are assigned an adviser in University Academic Advising. All other business students are assigned an adviser in the Office of Undergraduate Studies to assist them in planning course work, becoming familiar with university services, interpreting university rules and procedures and clarifying career objectives. Major maps are available to show students the various ways to prepare for graduation and a successful career in the student’s chosen field. Students are also strongly encouraged to consult with Career Services in the School of Business and faculty members in their major field of study to plan career paths.

While faculty and staff of the School of Business provide information and advice, the student is ultimately responsible for knowing and satisfying the degree requirements of his or her program. Students should familiarize themselves with curriculum requirements, appropriate sequencing of courses and course prerequisites detailed in the Shared undergraduate business curriculum page of this Bulletin and university academic regulations covered in the academic regulations section of this bulletin.

Double majors

Students can declare a double major in the School of Business by contacting their academic adviser. The request for a double major should be approved before the student begins courses in the second major. 

A double major fulfills the requirements of two majors concurrently. To earn a degree with a double major, the student must fulfill the general education requirements for one of the majors plus all of the other requirements of the degree programs of which the majors are a part. It is possible to earn a double major or double concentration within the School of Business with the following exceptions: the management/business administration sub-concentration may not be combined with either the management/international management or the management/entrepreneurship sub-concentration; and only one marketing concentration may be earned.

Dual degree

It is possible to obtain a dual degree in two business majors or concentrations at the same time, resulting in two diplomas, with the following exceptions: (1) the management/business administration sub-concentration may not be combined with either the management/international management or the management/entrepreneurship sub-concentration and (2) only one marketing concentration may be earned. Students pursuing dual degrees must meet all of the requirements that apply to double majors or concentrations and earn a minimum of 150 credits.

Laptop computer requirement

Entering freshmen and transfer students are required to purchase a laptop computer capable of meeting School of Business specifications. Information on the minimum required laptop specifications and the required software can be obtained from the “Current undergraduate students” section of the School of Business website