Undergraduate Degree Requirements
Knowledge and Abilities of Business Students +
The following areas of knowledge are central to the undergraduate degree in business administration:
• knowledge of core business concepts that provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the basic functional areas of the discipline;In addition, students completing a degree in business administration are expected to acquire:
• knowledge in one or more of the five areas of emphasis, in which students are exposed to in-depth study that provides them with the tools necessary to solve complex business problems;
• awareness of the interrelations between academic theory and practice in order for students to be fully equipped to make effective decisions;
• strong verbal and written communication skills, proficiency in business computer applications, and knowledge of international business environments;
• knowledge of mathematics sufficient to facilitate the application of quantitative principles; and
• awareness of the importance of academic fields in the area of arts and sciences, with special emphasis placed on the study of economics, political science, and other related fields.
• the ability to apply basic business principles to solve problems in new and recurring situations;
• the ability to conceptualize and analyze decision-making situations to facilitate solutions in an effective and timely manner; andHaving acquired these skills and knowledge, students are able to conceptualize and analyze the concept of business and problem solving as a system. They have the ability to present solutions to business problems in an understandable and useful form. Their education provides them with excellent working knowledge, not only in the field of business, but also in related academic disciplines.
• the ability to effectively communicate the results of problem-solving situations, both verbally and in writing.
Advising and Records +
Business students receive academic counseling from a staff of advisors in the Office of Undergraduate Student Services. During the semester, advisors are available Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., and by appointment.
Faculty advisors are available to discuss the various areas of emphasis as well as career opportunities. Faculty advising hours will vary each semester.
Students may look at their individual progress sheet any time during advising hours, and a copy will be provided upon request with proper identification. Students are expected to assume responsibility for planning their program in accordance with college rules and policies.
Students are encouraged to discuss the various emphases available as well as career opportunities with the faculty of the college.
Requirements for the BS (Business Administration) Degree +
The bachelor of science degree requires:
Skills Assessment. These requirements are designed to ensure that each student has attained a minimum level of competency in the areas of finite math and Excel.
Total Credits. A minimum of 120 acceptable semester hours of credit, as follows:
| Required Courses | Semester Hours |
| Business core requirements | 28 |
| Business area of emphasis requirements | 18 |
| Business electives | 15 |
| Nonbusiness course requirements | 42 |
| Nonbusiness electives | 17 |
The school reserves the right to disallow any credit that it determines is not appropriate academic credit.
Residence. Students must complete 30 hours of business courses in residence on the Boulder campus after admission to the college, including the 18 hours in the area of emphasis and the 9 hours in the area of application (included in the business electives). Students must be in residence at CU-Boulder, and must be registered as business degree students during the term of graduation.
Minimum Grade Point Average.
• A cumulative grade point average of 2.000 in the area of emphasis and all grades in the 18 credit hours must have a grade of C- or higher (no pass/fail credits can be applied to the area).
• A minimum scholastic cumulative GPA of 2.000 is required for all courses attempted at the university.
• A cumulative 2.000 is required for all business courses attempted at the university.
• A cumulative grade point average of 2.000 is required in the area of application courses.
General Requirements +
Business Core Requirements (31 semester hours) +
| Required Courses | Semester Hours |
| BCOR 1010 Introduction to Business | 3 |
| BCOR 1020 Business Statistics | 3 |
| BCOR 2000 Accounting and Financial Analysis | 4 |
| BCOR 2200 Introductory Finance | 3 |
| BCOR 2300 Adding Value with Management | 3 |
| BCOR 2400 Fundamentals of Marketing | 3 |
| BCOR 2500 Operations and Information Management | 3 |
| BCOR 3000 Business Law, Ethics, and Public Policy | 3 |
| BCOR 3010 Business Applications of Social Responsibility | 3 |
| Business Area of Emphasis (18 semester hours) | |
| Students must choose an area of emphasis in accounting, finance, systems, management, or marketing. Areas of emphasis consist of 18 semester hours beyond any business core courses. | |
Business Electives (15 semester hours)
| Business courses required for areas of application are included in business electives. |
| Business courses required by specific areas in excess of the 18 hours listed under areas of emphasis may count as business electives. |
Nonbusiness Requirements (42 semester hours)
| Mathematical skills (Note 1) | 6 |
| Written communication (3 hours upper-division) | 6 |
| Historical context | 3 |
| Cultural and gender diversity | 3 |
| United States context | 3 |
| Literature and the arts (3 semester hours must be upper-division) | 6 |
| Natural sciences | 6 |
| Contemporary societies (Note 2) | 6 |
| Ideals and values | 3 |
A list of courses that fulfill specific requirements for each area can be found on the CU website at www.colorado.edu/artssciences/students/undergraduate/core.html.
Curriculum Notes
1. Students may complete the math requirements by taking MATH 1071 and 1081. A college-level calculus course may be substituted for MATH 1081. Passing an assessment test for MATH 1071 will exempt a student from the course but carries no credit (a maximum of two attempts).
Two semesters of college calculus will satisfy the 6 hours of math.
2. A minimum of 3 semester hours each of microeconomics and macroeconomics is required.
Nonbusiness Electives (17 semester hours) +
Not all classes are accepted as elective credits. Generally, to be acceptable, electives must have a form of assessment such as a term paper and/or examinations, and must be regular classroom-type courses. Course coverage must be college level, must not be repetitious of other work applied toward the degree, must be academic as opposed to vocational or technical, and must be part of the regular university offerings.
Specifically, the college will accept:
• A maximum of 12 hours of nontraditional credit. However, only 6 hours maximum from each of the following categories will apply as a part of the 12 hours: 6 hours of independent study, 6 hours of performance classes (choir, band, guitar, etc.), 6 hours of fine arts (painting, drawing, etc.), and 6 hours of physical education theory and dance. The college will not accept repeat credit (unless it is taken under the course repetition program), workshops, orientations, practica, certain teacher education classes, or certain classes offered by the College of Arts and Sciences.
• The only approved exceptions to the 6-hour limit in each category are 12 hours of ROTC credit, and 12 hours of PRLC credit.
The previous examples are not exclusive but are intended to be guidelines. The Leeds School of Business reserves the right to disallow any credit that it determines is not appropriate academic credit. For more information, contact the Office of Undergraduate Student Services.
Senior Audit +
Prospective graduates must sign up for a senior audit with the Office of Undergraduate Studies and the Office of Career Development the semester before they plan to graduate. Students planning to graduate in May must request a senior audit by the previous October 1; August graduates must request a senior audit by the previous October 1; and December graduates must request a senior audit by the previous March 1. Failure to do so will delay graduation.
Students desiring to change their area of emphasis after completing the senior audit must request the change through their advisor no later than the first week of class of their final semester. Changes after that time will delay graduation.
Double-Degree Programs +
Numerous career opportunities exist for graduates trained in both a specialized field and business. For this reason students may be interested in a double-degree program leading to completion of degree requirements concurrently in two fields. Such double-degree programs have been arranged for engineering, environmental design, journalism, and music, and may be arranged for other professional combinations as well.
The two programs of study proceed concurrently, terminating together with the awarding of two degrees. Normally, at least five years will be needed to complete a double-degree program. No substitutions are allowed, and a minimum of 150 semester hours is required for all double-degree programs.
Students desiring to transfer from double-degree programs to the Leeds School of Business must submit an application to the Office of Undergraduate Studies.
For further information contact the Office of Undergraduate Studies.
Summer Program: Minor in Business +
A minor in business consists of 22 semester hours successfully completed in addition to any prerequisite courses.
| Required Courses | Semester Hours |
| BCOR 1010 Intro to Business | 3 |
| BCOR 1020 Business Statistics | 3 |
| BCOR 2000 Accounting and Financial Analysis | 4 |
| BCOR 2200 Introductory Finance | 3 |
| BCOR 2300 Adding Value with Management | 3 |
| BCOR 2400 Fundamentals of Marketing | 3 |
| BCOR 2500 Operations and Information Management | 3 |
In addition to the required 22 semester hours of course work, the following requirements apply to the minor program in business:
• No pass/fail work may be applied toward the minor.
• The cumulative GPA for all minor degree course work must equal 2.000 or higher.
• Students will be allowed to apply no more than 9 credit hours of transfer work to BCOR requirements.
• Students must complete prerequisite courses as stated in the course descriptions.
• Successful completion of a computing skills course or successful completion of the Excel assessment exam.
