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.  

Freshmen and transfer students are admitted directly into a specific business major. 

Change of major

VCU students in other programs who are interested in changing to a business school major work with their advisor to submit a change-of-major form. The change of major becomes effective at the beginning of the following semester.

Curriculum Notes

Students may need to take additional mathematics courses as prerequisites to BUSN 212 or MATH 200. These credits will count as open electives in the degree program. 

No more than six credits from the BUSN 16X digital literacy courses may be applied to the degree.

Students who earned a minimum grade of B in either ECON 203 or ECON 205 at VCU may substitute that credit for ECON 210.

Credit for STAT 210 or STAT 212 will substitute for SCMA 301 and no more than three credits of these courses may be applied toward a business degree.

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 academic programs and student success 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

All VCU students may enroll in the other 100- and 200-level courses in the School of Business provided the prerequisites are met, with the exception of BUSN 201, which is restricted to School of Business majors. 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. 

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. 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, business law courses suitable to transfer as BUSN 323 or business statistics courses that transfer to VCU as SCMA 301 or SCMA 302.  See the online VCU Transfer Guide for details.

2. 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 associate dean for academic programs and student success. 

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

4. 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 students are assigned an adviser in University Academic Advising. All other business students are assigned an adviser in the Office of Academic Advising within the School of Business 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 degree requirements section within each major 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