Undergraduate Business Administration
Oliver Hahl, Associate Dean, Undergraduate Programs; Associate Professor of Organization Theory, Strategy and Entrepreneurship
Jennifer Wegner, Assistant Dean, Undergraduate Programs
Location: Tepper Quad, Suite 2400
Email: uba@andrew.cmu.edu
Advising Appointment Online Scheduler: https://meetme.so/TepperAdvising
The Business Administration Major in the Tepper School of Business is for students interested in a broad undergraduate education based on management science, quantitative reasoning, leadership development, and communications skills. The curriculum is rigorous and flexible to accommodate student interests, academic, and career goals.
Students who complete the B.S. in Business Administration will be able to: i) Demonstrate a depth of knowledge in business functional areas; ii) Solve business problems using analytic methods; iii) Use diverse and broad intellectual frameworks to solve problems; iv) Develop judgment and the ability to work in diverse environments; and v) Communicate effectively and persuasively.
Beyond the major in Business Administration, the Tepper School offers minors and additional majors to students in other programs of the university.
B.S. Degree in Business Administration
To receive the B.S. degree in Business Administration, students must complete at least 364 units, consisting of the requirements for the Business Foundations, Business Core, Concentration, Business Electives, University Core, and a Minor.
Business Foundations
Mathematics | Units | |
21-120 | Differential and Integral Calculus | 10 |
or 21-111 & 21-112 | Calculus I and Calculus II | |
21-256 | Multivariate Analysis | 9 |
or 21-259 | Calculus in Three Dimensions | |
70-257 | Optimization for Business | 9 |
or 21-257 | Models and Methods for Optimization | |
or 21-292 | Operations Research I |
Economics | ||
73-102 | Principles of Microeconomics | 9 |
or 73-104 | Principles of Microeconomics Accelerated | |
73-103 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 9 |
73-230 | Intermediate Microeconomics | 9 |
or 73-240 | Intermediate Macroeconomics |
Statistics | ||
70-207 | Probability and Statistics for Business Applications | 9 |
or 36-200 | Reasoning with Data | |
70-208 | Regression Analysis | 9 |
or 36-202 | Methods for Statistics & Data Science |
Business Core
Units | ||
70-106 | Business Science | 9 |
70-110 | Business Computing | 9 |
70-122 | Introduction to Accounting | 9 |
70-311 | Organizational Behavior | 9 |
70-332 | Business, Society and Ethics | 9 |
70-340 | Business Communications | 9 |
70-345 | Business Presentations | 9 |
70-371 | Operations Management | 9 |
70-381 | Marketing I | 9 |
70-391 | Finance | 9 |
70-104 | Business Leadership Endeavor I | 3 |
70-204 | Business Leadership Endeavor II | 3 |
70-304 | Business Leadership Endeavor III | 3 |
70-401 | Management Game | 12 |
or 70-447 | Client Consulting Project: Strategic Management of the Enterprise |
Concentration
Students must complete one concentration that allows them to gain knowledge and expertise in a particular area of business practice. For students electing to complete an additional major, the concentration requirement is waived (as is the minor requirement) and students must complete three business elective courses as part of the waived concentration requirement. Concentration courses cannot double-count with any other degree requirement including the minor requirement.
- Accounting
- Business Analytics and Technologies
- Entrepreneurship
- Finance
- Global Economics and Business
- Islamic Business Management
- Marketing Management
- Operations Management
- Product Management
- Strategic Management
Business Electives
Students must complete 18 units of Business Electives. A business elective course is any Business course (70-3xx) that is not being used to satisfy another degree requirement. This can include 21-270 Introduction to Mathematical Finance and upper-level Economics courses (73-3xx and above). Business Electives cannot double-count with any other degree requirement, including the minor.
Minor
In order to obtain the degree, students must complete a minor from another academic department. For students electing to complete an additional major or dual degree, the minor and concentration requirements are waived and the student must complete 9 additional units of business elective coursework.
university core
Students are required to complete Tepper School University Core, the general education coursework in the liberal arts and sciences.
CoRE @ Carnegie Mellon
All undergraduate students are required to take 99-101 CORE @ Carnegie Mellon to graduate (completed during the first year).
Business Concentrations
The business concentration allows students to gain knowledge and expertise in a particular area of practice. The concentration coursework prepares students with the knowledge and skills for their career pursuits and completing a concentration is part of the business degree requirements.
Business concentrations require at least 36 units beyond the Business Core. Courses taken to meet concentration requirements are not allowed to double count toward any other BA degree requirements, including the minor requirement. Business concentrations may require prerequisites from courses outside the concentration.
Accounting
Required:
70-424 Corporate Financial and Sustainability Reporting
Choose 3 remaining courses from:
70-422 Managerial Accounting
70-427 Modern Banks: Strategy and Regulation
70-428 Financial Statement Analysis
70-498 Business Language Analytics: Mining Financial Texts and Graphs
Business Analytics and Technologies
Required, choose 1 from:
70-374 Data Mining & Business Analytics
70-467 Machine Learning for Business Analytics
Choose 3 remaining courses from:
70-374 Data Mining & Business Analytics
70-387 Strategy for High-Tech Products and Services
70-455 Data Management Fundamentals
70-458 Advanced Data Management
70-460 Mathematical Models for Consulting
70-467 Machine Learning for Business Analytics
70-469 End to End Business Analytics
70-498 Business Language Analytics: Mining Financial Texts and Graphs
73-366 Designing the Digital Economy
73-374 Econometrics II
Entrepreneurship
Required:
70-415 Introduction to Entrepreneurship
70-416 New Venture Creation
Choose 2 remaining courses from:
70-395 Funding Entrepreneurial Ventures70-409 Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Emerging Markets
70-438 Commercialization and Innovation
70-443 Digital Marketing and Social Media Strategy
49-300 Integrated Product Conceptualization
70-509 Independent Study in Entrepreneurship (special permission required)
FINANCE
Required:
70-492 Investment Analysis
70-495 Corporate Finance
Choose 2 remaining courses from:
70-337 Business of Blockchain
70-353 Financial Regulation in the Digital Age
70-388 Islamic Finance
70-398 International Finance
70-484 Data Science for Finance
70-493 Valuation and Financial Modeling
70-497 Derivative Securities
70-498 Business Language Analytics: Mining Financial Texts and Graphs
Global Economics and Business
Required:
73-265 Economics and Data Science
Choose 1 course from:
73-347 Game Theory Applications for Economics and Business
73-421 Emerging Markets
Choose 2 remaining courses from:
70-398 International Finance
73-341 Managing through Incentives
73-354 Sports Economics
73-365 Firms, Market Structures, and Strategy
73-366 Designing the Digital Economy
73-427 Sustainability, Energy, and Environmental Economics
islamic BUSINESS management*
Required:
70-388 Islamic Finance
73-369 Islamic Economics
Choose 2 remaining courses from:
70-342 | Managing Across Cultures | 9 |
70-409 | Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Emerging Markets | 9 |
70-492 | Investment Analysis | 9 |
or 70-495 | Corporate Finance | |
73-421 | Emerging Markets | 9 |
*The Islamic Business Management concentration requires courses only available at CMU-Q.
MARKETING MANAGEMENT
Required:
70-481 Marketing Research
Choose 3 remaining courses from:
70-385 Consumer Behavior
70-387 Strategy for High-Tech Products and Services
70-443 Digital Marketing and Social Media Strategy
70-482 Pricing Strategy
70-483 Advertising and Marketing Communications
70-485 Product and Brand Management
OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
Required:
70-460 Mathematical Models for Consulting
70-471 Supply Chain Management
Choose 2 remaining courses from:
70-373 Sustainable Operations
70-422 Managerial Accounting
70-447 Client Consulting Project: Strategic Management of the Enterprise
70-462 Uncertainty and Risk Modeling
70-476 Service Operations Management
70-493 Valuation and Financial Modeling
PRODUCT MANAGEMENT
Required:
70-387 Strategy for High-Tech Products and Services
70-452 Introduction to Product Management
Choose 1 course from*:
05-391 Designing Human Centered Software
05-410 User-Centered Research and Evaluation
70-389 Design Thinking for Business: Creative Solutions for Complex Problems
*For business majors with an HCII minor or additional major the requirement is waived and students are required to take 2 courses from 70-385, 70-443, 70-481, 70-482.
Choose 1 course from:
70-385 Consumer Behavior
70-443 Digital Marketing and Social Media Strategy
70-481 Marketing Research
70-482 Pricing Strategy
Strategic Management
Required:
70-437 Strategic Management and Innovation
70-387 Strategy for High-Tech Products and Services
70-341 Team Dynamics and Leadership
70-432 Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion and Business Strategy
Additional Major in Business Administration
Students are eligible to apply for the Additional Major in Business Administration after completion of the Minor in Business Administration requirements plus 21-120 Differential and Integral Calculus and 70-207 Probability and Statistics for Business Applications (or equivalent course).
The following courses are required for the Additional Major:
Business Foundations
Mathematics | Units | |
21-120 | Differential and Integral Calculus | 10 |
or 21-111 & 21-112 | Calculus I and Calculus II | |
21-256 | Multivariate Analysis | 9 |
or 21-254 | Linear Algebra and Vector Calculus for Engineers | |
or 21-259 | Calculus in Three Dimensions | |
70-257 | Optimization for Business | 9 |
or 21-257 | Models and Methods for Optimization | |
or 21-292 | Operations Research I |
Economics | ||
73-102 | Principles of Microeconomics | 9 |
or 73-104 | Principles of Microeconomics Accelerated | |
73-103 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 9 |
73-230 | Intermediate Microeconomics | 9 |
or 73-240 | Intermediate Macroeconomics |
Statistics | ||
70-207 | Probability and Statistics for Business Applications | 9 |
or 36-200 | Reasoning with Data | |
70-208 | Regression Analysis | 9 |
or 36-202 | Methods for Statistics & Data Science |
Business Core
70-110 | Business Computing | 9 |
70-122 | Introduction to Accounting | 9 |
70-311 | Organizational Behavior | 9 |
70-332 | Business, Society and Ethics | 9 |
70-340 | Business Communications | 9 |
70-345 | Business Presentations | 9 |
70-371 | Operations Management | 9 |
70-381 | Marketing I | 9 |
70-391 | Finance | 9 |
70-401 | Management Game | 12 |
Business Electives
Students must also complete a minimum of 18 units with a maximum of 21 units in Business courses (70-3xx). The electives cannot include the Business Leadership Endeavor courses (70-104 Business Leadership Endeavor I, 70-204 Business Leadership Endeavor II, 70-304 Business Leadership Endeavor III) and Independent Study/Internship courses.
Double-Counting Restriction
Students pursuing the additional major may double-count two courses with any other major or minor requirements and are allowed unlimited double-counts for the business foundation courses. There are no double counting restrictions between the additional major and a student's home college general education requirements.
Minors
The Tepper School offers several minor options for students interested in studying business: Business Administration, Business Analytics and Optimization, Financial Management, Operations and Supply Chain Management, and Product Management.
The minor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship is offered by the Tepper School through the Integrated Design, Arts, and Technology (IDeATe) network. Students must follow IDeATe policies and procedures for this minor.
Application:
Students are eligible to apply for a minor upon completion of two required courses for the minor wherein they earn a 2.0 QPA or higher in said courses.
Double-Counting:
While there are no double counting restrictions between the minor and the student's home college general education requirements, only one minor course may double-count with any other major or minor requirements. The Minor in Operations and Supply Chain Management allows an additional double-count for a total of 2 courses that may double-count with any other major or minor requirements.
Minor in Business Administration
Required:
70-100 | Global Business 1 | 9 |
70-122 | Introduction to Accounting | 9 |
73-102 | Principles of Microeconomics 2 | 9 |
or 73-104 | Principles of Microeconomics Accelerated |
1 70-100 Global Business is intended for first-year and sophomore students only. Juniors and seniors who did not complete 70-100 and pursue the business minor replace the course with a constrained elective. 70-106 Business Science can substitute for 70-100 only if 70-106 has already been completed by a former primary business major.
2 If a student successfully passes the 73-102 waiver, this requirement is waived and the student must take an additional 9 units of either constrained or business electives as defined by the minor.
Constrained Elective (choose one):
70-311 | Organizational Behavior | 9 |
70-371 | Operations Management | 9 |
70-381 | Marketing I | 9 |
70-391 | Finance | 9 |
Business Electives: 18 units of 70-3xx courses.
- The electives cannot include: the Business Leadership Endeavor courses (70-104 Business Leadership Endeavor I, 70-204 Business Leadership Endeavor II, 70-304 Business Leadership Endeavor III), 70-207 Probability and Statistics for Business Applications, 70-208 Regression Analysis, and Independent Study/Internship courses.
Note: Students with a primary major in Information Systems using the Business Administration minor to complete the Information Systems concentration have restricted course options by the Information Systems major and should consult with their primary major advisor.
Minor in Business Analytics & Optimization
Students working toward the minor must take a Multivariate Calculus prerequisite course: 21-256 Multivariate Analysis or 21-259 Calculus in Three Dimensions or 21-254 Linear Algebra and Vector Calculus for Engineers.
Modeling Uncertainty (choose one):
70-207 | Probability and Statistics for Business Applications | 9 |
36-200 | Reasoning with Data | 9 |
36-220 | Engineering Statistics and Quality Control | 9 |
36-225 | Introduction to Probability Theory | 9 |
Business Analytics and Optimization Core (required):
70-467 | Machine Learning for Business Analytics | 9 |
or 70-374 | Data Mining & Business Analytics | |
or 15-388 | Practical Data Science | |
70-257 | Optimization for Business | 9 |
or 21-257 | Models and Methods for Optimization | |
or 21-292 | Operations Research I | |
70-469 | End to End Business Analytics | 9 |
Business Foundations Elective (choose one):
70-122 | Introduction to Accounting | 9 |
70-311 | Organizational Behavior | 9 |
70-371 | Operations Management | 9 |
70-381 | Marketing I | 9 |
70-391 | Finance | 9 |
73-102 | Principles of Microeconomics 1 | 9 |
or 73-104 | Principles of Microeconomics Accelerated |
1Students may not use the 73-102 prerequisite waiver to satisfy this requirement.
Technical Elective (choose one):
70-208 | Regression Analysis | 9 |
70-374 | Data Mining & Business Analytics | 9 |
70-455 | Data Management Fundamentals | 9 |
70-458 | Advanced Data Management | 9 |
70-460 | Mathematical Models for Consulting | 9 |
70-462 | Uncertainty and Risk Modeling | 9 |
70-467 | Machine Learning for Business Analytics | 9 |
73-374 | Econometrics II | 9 |
15-388 | Practical Data Science | 9 |
Minor in Financial Management
Required:
70-391 | Finance | 9 |
70-493 | Valuation and Financial Modeling | 9 |
70-207 | Probability and Statistics for Business Applications | 9 |
or 36-200 | Reasoning with Data | |
or 36-220 | Engineering Statistics and Quality Control | |
or 36-218 | Probability Theory for Computer Scientists | |
or 36-225 | Introduction to Probability Theory |
Elective Courses (choose three):
70-398 | International Finance | 9 |
70-428 | Financial Statement Analysis | 9 |
70-492 | Investment Analysis | 9 |
70-495 | Corporate Finance | 9 |
73-103 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 9 |
73-337 | Business of Blockchain | 9 |
21-270 | Introduction to Mathematical Finance | 9 |
Minor in Innovation & Entrepreneurship (IDeATe)
The minor in Innovation & Entrepreneurship is offered by the Tepper School of Business as part of the Integrative Design, Arts, and Technology network. Innovation & Entrepreneurship is for thinkers, dreamers, problem solvers, and realists. Students quickly learn the myth of the lone creative genius is just that, a myth, and the most transformative ideas and viable businesses come from creativity and repeatable innovation processes, business strategies and models, focused work, and a commitment to tackling real-world problems to bring value to people and the market. Through multidisciplinary coursework and a diverse cadre of faculty experts in business, technology, engineering, and design you will learn how to research, ideate, visualize, and strategize taking an idea or venture forward from multiple perspectives and collaborations. You can expect to expand as a critical thinker while adding hard and soft skills in your toolkit through hands-on learning experiences.
Specifically, you will take courses that emphasize:
- Experiential learning by doing through real-world problems, scenarios, case studies, etc.
- Critical thinking skills to understand problems, analyze strategies, determine approaches
- Multidisciplinary teamwork and collaboration
- Innovation processes, business models, strategies, and approaches
- 2D and 3D prototyping and visualizing of concepts and solutions
The IDeATe undergraduate curriculum consists of ten areas, all of which can also be taken as minors. The themes of these areas integrate knowledge in technology and arts: Game Design, Animation & Special Effects, Media Design, Design for Learning, Sonic Arts, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Intelligent Environments, Physical Computing, Soft Technologies, and Immersive Technologies in Arts & Culture. For more information about IDeATe, please see the Undergraduate Options section of the Catalog.
Innovation & Entrepreneurship Minor Requirements
Innovation Entrepreneurial Mindset Course
Units | ||
70-246 | Innovation & Entrepreneurial Mindset | 6 |
One Portal Course
For students without prior design or product design experience, one of the following: | Units | |
15-294 | Special Topic: Rapid Prototyping Technologies | 5 |
15-394 | Intermediate Rapid Prototyping | 5 |
51-236 | Information Design | 9 |
62-478 | IDeATe: digiTOOL | 9 |
For students without prior programming or computer science experience: | Units | |
15-104 | Introduction to Computing for Creative Practice | 10 |
One Entrepreneurship Course
Units | ||
70-415 | Introduction to Entrepreneurship | 9 |
One Venture Creation Course
Units | ||
70-395 | Funding Entrepreneurial Ventures | 9 |
70-416 | New Venture Creation | 9 |
One Innovation Process Course
Units | ||
70-438 | Commercialization and Innovation | 9 |
One Product Development Course
Units | ||
49-300 | Integrated Product Conceptualization | 12 |
Practice/Experience
Multiple possibilities, including:
- 70-416 New Venture Creation (if you did not take it as your Venture Creation option)
- The Swartz Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Innovation Scholars Program
- The Swartz Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Project Olympus Probe - Working on your own startup (12 weeks full-time in summer or throughout one full academic year);
- Students may also, with prior approval of Dave Mawhinney, fulfill this requirement through an internship with a qualifying startup or product design firm (12 weeks, full-time). If interested in this option, students should contact Dave Mawhinney during their internship search.
Double-Counting
No more than two minor courses may double-count toward a student's major core requirements or an additional minor's core requirements.
Minor in Operations & Supply Chain Management
Required:
73-102 | Principles of Microeconomics 1 | 9 |
or 73-104 | Principles of Microeconomics Accelerated | |
70-371 | Operations Management | 9 |
70-257 | Optimization for Business | 9 |
or 21-257 | Models and Methods for Optimization | |
or 21-292 | Operations Research I | |
70-471 | Supply Chain Management | 9 |
70-460 | Mathematical Models for Consulting | 9 |
or 70-477 | Real Options: Creating Value Beyond NPV |
1If a student successfully passes the 73-102 waiver, this requirement is waived and the student must take an additional 9 units of business electives (70-3xx). The electives cannot include the Business Leadership Endeavor courses (70-104 Business Leadership Endeavor I, 70-204 Business Leadership Endeavor II, 70-304 Business Leadership Endeavor III), 70-207 Probability and Statistics for Business Applications, 70-208 Regression Analysis and Independent Study/Internship courses.
Engineering Project Management (choose one):
06-421 | Chemical Process Systems Design | 12 |
12-411 | Project Management for Engineering and Construction | 9 |
18-540 | Rapid Prototyping of Computer Systems | 12 |
18-578 | Mechatronic Design | 12 |
19-451-19-452 | EPP Projects I-II | 12 |
24-370 | Mechanical Design: Methods and Applications | 12 |
42-402 | BME Design Project | 9 |
88-451-88-452 | Policy Analysis Senior Project-Policy Analysis Senior Project | 12 |
Minor in Product Management
Required:
70-381 | Marketing I | 9 |
70-387 | Strategy for High-Tech Products and Services | 9 |
70-452 | Introduction to Product Management | 9 |
73-102 | Principles of Microeconomics * | 9 |
or 73-104 | Principles of Microeconomics Accelerated | |
* If a student successfully passes the 73-102 waiver, this requirement is waived and the student must take an additional 9 units of minor coursework. |
Course in Design Thinking (choose one):
70-389 | Design Thinking for Business: Creative Solutions for Complex Problems | 9 |
05-391 | Designing Human Centered Software | 12 |
05-410 | User-Centered Research and Evaluation | 12 |
Marketing Course (choose one):
70-385 | Consumer Behavior | 9 |
70-481 | Marketing Research | 9 |
70-482 | Pricing Strategy | 9 |
70-483 | Advertising and Marketing Communications | 9 |