The following programs have certain elements that are shared among them.

  • Accounting, Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
  • Business, Bachelor of Science (B.S.), human resource management, management/business administration, management/entrepreneurship, management/international management, and supply chain management and analytics concentrations
  • Finance, Bachelor of Science (B.S.), no concentration and risk management and insurance concentration
  • Economics, Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
  • Information Systems, Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
  • Marketing, Bachelor of Science (B.S.), general marketing, marketing communication and analytics, personal selling and business marketing, and product and brand management concentrations
  • Real Estate, Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

Learning goals

The mission of the shared undergraduate business curriculum, in conjunction with universitywide general education requirements, is to provide students the knowledge, skills, opportunities and experiences needed as a framework for the various major programs of study.

The goals of the shared curriculum are:

  • Effective communication
  • A broad-based knowledge of business functions and processes
  • Quantitative skills
  • Critical-thinking and development of creative solutions to business problems
  • A solid foundation for making responsible and ethical business decisions

Student learning outcomes

Upon completing this program, students will know how to do the following:

  • Communicate successfully in a variety of business situations
  • Demonstrate understanding of the basic functions of business
  • Use data to support decision-making
  • Lead and work effectively in teams
  • Apply creative problem-solving techniques to business problems
  • Use ethical principles while making business decisions

Special requirements

The admission requirements for the School of Business detail the deadlines and other requirements for students to be admitted to one of these major programs of study. The following courses must be completed before the student may declare a specific business major: ACCT 203ACCT 204, BUSN 201 or BUSN 205BUSN 212 or MATH 200BUSN 225, ECON 210, ECON 211, UNIV 111, UNIV 112 and UNIV 200.  

The School of Business has special academic policies, including policies on transfer credits, that apply to all undergraduate degrees. 

All baccalaureate degree programs in the School of Business require successful completion of the business knowledge exam as administered in BUSN 499

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.

INTL 493 may not be counted toward a business degree.

Credit for SPCH 121 or SPCH 321 will substitute for BUSN 225, and no more than three credits of these courses may be applied toward a business 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.

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 360MATH 200,  MGMT 303, MGMT 310, MGMT 434, MKTG 301SCMA 301, SCMA 320 or any course that counts toward the calculation of the major GPA. Students should check with their academic adviser before taking the pass/fail grading option.

Course Title Hours
General education
Select 30 credits of general education courses in consultation with an adviser.30
Major requirements
Satisfy requirements of the chosen business major, which will be a minimum of 30 credit hours.30
Ancillary requirements
• Ancillary core requirements
ACCT 203
ACCT 204
Introduction to Accounting I
and Introduction to Accounting II
6
BUSN 225Winning Presentations3
BUSN 301Career and Professional Development 1
or BUSN 501 Advanced Career and Professional Development
BUSN 499Business Knowledge Exam0
ECON 210Principles of Microeconomics (satisfies general education BOK for social/behavioral sciences and/or AOI for global perspectives)3
ECON 211Principles of Macroeconomics3
FIRE 311Financial Management3
MGMT 303Creativity and Ideation3
MGMT 310Managing People in Organizations3
MGMT 434Strategic Management3
MKTG 301Marketing Principles3
SCMA 301Business Statistics I3
SCMA 320Production/Operations Management3
• Additional ancillary requirements
BUSN 201Foundations of Business 13
or BUSN 205 Introduction to the World of Business
BUSN 212Business Problem Solving and Analysis4
or MATH 200 Calculus with Analytic Geometry I
BUSN 323Legal Environment of Business 23
or FIRE 325 Real Estate Law
INFO 360Business Information Systems 33
or ACCT 307 Accounting Systems
Open electives
Select any course. 417
Total Hours120
1

BUSN 205 satisfies general education AOI for global perspectives.

2

The B.S. in Real Estate requires FIRE 325.

3

Accounting majors must take ACCT 307.

4

Students may choose electives to reach the minimum total of 120 credits.

Freshman year
Fall semesterHours
UNIV 111 Play VideoPlay course video for Focused Inquiry I Focused Inquiry I (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) 3
BUSN 212
Business Problem Solving and Analysis (either satisfies general education quantitative foundations)
or Calculus with Analytic Geometry I
4
General education course 3
General education course 3
General education course 3
 Term Hours: 16
Spring semester
BUSN 225 Winning Presentations 3
UNIV 112 Play VideoPlay course video for Focused Inquiry II Focused Inquiry II (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) 3
General education course 3
Open electives 5
 Term Hours: 14
Sophomore year
Fall semester
ACCT 203 Introduction to Accounting I 3
BUSN 201
Foundations of Business
or Introduction to the World of Business
3
ECON 210 Principles of Microeconomics (satisfies general education BOK for social/behavioral sciences and/or AOI for global perspectives) 3
UNIV 200 Advanced Focused Inquiry: Literacies, Research and Communication (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) 3
General education course 3
 Term Hours: 15
Spring semester
ACCT 204 Introduction to Accounting II 3
BUSN 301
Career and Professional Development
or Advanced Career and Professional Development
1
BUSN 323
Legal Environment of Business
or Real Estate Law
3
ECON 211 Principles of Macroeconomics 3
MKTG 301 Marketing Principles 3
SCMA 301 Business Statistics I 3
 Term Hours: 16
Junior year
Fall semester
MGMT 303 Creativity and Ideation 3
MGMT 310 Managing People in Organizations 3
SCMA 320 Production/Operations Management 3
Major courses 6
 Term Hours: 15
Spring semester
INFO 360
Business Information Systems
or Accounting Systems
3
FIRE 311 Financial Management 3
Major courses 6
Open elective 3
 Term Hours: 15
Senior year
Fall semester
BUSN 499 Business Knowledge Exam 0
Major courses 9
Open electives 5
 Term Hours: 14
Spring semester
MGMT 434 Strategic Management 3
Major courses 9
Open elective 3
 Term Hours: 15
 Total Hours: 120