This is the preliminary (or launch) version of the 2024-2025 VCU Bulletin. We may add courses that expose our students to cutting-edge content and transformative learning. We may also add content to the general education program that focuses on racial literacy and a racial literacy graduation requirement, and may receive notification of additional program approvals after the launch. The final edition and full PDF version will include these updates and will be available in August prior to the beginning of the fall semester.
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 203, ACCT 204, BUSN 201 or BUSN 205, BUSN 212 or MATH 200, BUSN 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 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. 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 225 | Winning Presentations | 3 |
| BUSN 301 | Career and Professional Development | 1 |
| or BUSN 501 | Advanced Career and Professional Development | |
| BUSN 499 | Business Knowledge Exam | 0 |
| ECON 210 | Principles of Microeconomics (satisfies general education BOK for social/behavioral sciences and/or AOI for global perspectives) | 3 |
| ECON 211 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
| FIRE 311 | Financial Management | 3 |
| MGMT 303 | Creativity and Ideation | 3 |
| MGMT 310 | Managing People in Organizations | 3 |
| MGMT 434 | Strategic Management | 3 |
| MKTG 301 | Marketing Principles | 3 |
| SCMA 301 | Business Statistics I | 3 |
| SCMA 320 | Production/Operations Management | 3 |
| • Additional ancillary requirements | ||
| BUSN 201 | Foundations of Business 1 | 3 |
| or BUSN 205 | Introduction to the World of Business | |
| BUSN 212 | Business Problem Solving and Analysis | 4 |
| or MATH 200 | Calculus with Analytic Geometry I | |
| BUSN 323 | Legal Environment of Business 2 | 3 |
| or FIRE 325 | Real Estate Law | |
| INFO 360 | Business Information Systems 3 | 3 |
| or ACCT 307 | Accounting Systems | |
| Open electives | ||
| Select any course. 4 | 17 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
BUSN 205 satisfies general education AOI for global perspectives.
The B.S. in Real Estate requires FIRE 325.
Accounting majors must take ACCT 307.
Students may choose electives to reach the minimum total of 120 credits.
| Freshman year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall semester | Hours | |
UNIV 111  Play course video for Focused Inquiry I | Focused Inquiry I (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) | 3 |
| BUSN 212 or MATH 200 | 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 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 or BUSN 205 | 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 or BUSN 501 | Career and Professional Development or Advanced Career and Professional Development | 1 |
| BUSN 323 or FIRE 325 | 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 or ACCT 307 | 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 | |