The undergraduate business program prepares students to participate in a global economy. The program provides the broad education necessary for successful business management in a rapidly changing environment and is designed to develop skills and attitudes of mind that will enable students to cope successfully with the emerging problems of business management.
School/Departmental Requirements:
To earn a B.S. in Business Administration at least 50% of the total credits earned in business and economics as well as the majority of the specialized courses in the major (i.e., 4 out of 6 in accounting and 3 out of 5 for finance, management, and marketing) must be taken at the University of Maine. Business and economics coursework must be completed with a 2.0 (“C”) cumulative average.
A C- or better is required in all business core classes and those classes may be repeated only once.
Students wishing to transfer from other institutions or from other programs within UM must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5. In addition to University-wide policies for transfer of credit, MBS, as an institution accredited by AACSB International, evaluates transfer credit according to AACSB standards. Rarely do business courses from a non-AACSB accredited institution transfer to the MBS other than as electives. Thus the transfer student may be required to take more than 120 credit hours to graduate. Such students are strongly encouraged to check with MBS well in advance about how business courses will transfer.
First year students may take BUA 201 and BUA 202. Sophomores (24 or more degree hours) may take BUA 235, BUA 262, BUA 268, BUA 325, BUA 220, BUA 301, BUA 302 and BUA 367. Juniors (54 or more degree hours) may take any other 300- or 400-level business course for which prerequisites have been met unless the course specifies “Senior Standing”. Class standing requirements are never waived.
The Business Program has three components:
- The General Foundation (60 credits). Throughout the program students acquire a broad education in the liberal arts and sciences. Through courses in English, communications, international studies, mathematics, computer science, economics and psychology, as well as electives, students build a strong foundation for lifelong learning. Within this component, the student will satisfy the University’s general education requirements.
- The Business Core (30 credits). The core business courses provide an understanding of the functional areas common to most businesses: accounting, finance, law, marketing, management, management information systems, production and operations, international business and strategy.
- The Major Fields (15-18 credits). Students acquire advanced knowledge of a major field (accounting, finance, management, or marketing) by taking five courses (six in accounting) beyond the introductory level in a chosen major. A concentration in International Business can be elected in addition to a major.
Note: The remaining 12-15 credits needed to qualify for graduation can be filled with any course offered at the University.
Prospective CPA students:
Students who intend to sit for the CPA (Certified Public Accounting) examination must have completed 150 credits including a baccalaureate degree and a minimum of 15 credits in accounting. One option recommended for University of Maine students is to complete the baccalaureate degree in business with a major in accounting and then complete the UMaine MBA. Students should strongly consider an internship in accounting sometime during their program.
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