Business Administration

Degree Requirements

This information is intended only as a guideline. The undergraduate catalog lists the official requirements for the business administrations major.

The business administration major at W&L is unique among our peers. The Williams School is the only accredited business program offered at a top-tier liberal arts university. In addition to the major courses described below, business administration majors are encouraged to continue taking classes in the humanities, social sciences, mathematics, and natural sciences.

The business administration major is made up of six preparatory courses, four business core classes, one capstone class, and six elective courses.

The following six preparatory courses are required and are typically taken during the sophomore year:

• Principles of Economics (Economics 101 and 102)
• Principles of Accounting (Accounting 201 and 202)
• Information Technology Literacy (Interdepartmental 201)
• Applied Statistics (Interdepartmental 202)

In addition to any of the preparatory courses not taken during the sophomore year, at least three of the following business core courses are taken during the junior year:

• Private Law in a Market Economy (Business Administration 205)
• Marketing Management (Business Administration 211)
• Organizational Behavior (Business Administration 217)
• Managerial Finance (Business Administration 221)

Any of the 200-level business administration courses not taken during the junior year should be taken during the senior year along with one of the following two capstone courses:

• Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management (Business Administration 340)
• Strategic Management (Business Administration 375)

During the junior and senior years, business administration majors are also expected to complete three additional upper-level business administration electives and three additional upper-level economics and/or accounting electives. Of these six electives, at least one must be a course addressing international issues and at least one must be a course dealing with technology and information systems. The courses meeting both the international and technology course requirements may be found in the undergraduate catalog.

Beyond the business administration requirements, students are encouraged to continue to take courses, when possible, across the university.