Undergraduate Programs in the Kogod School of Business

The undergraduate business program provides students with a sound understanding of the major functional areas of business while focusing on the communication, teamwork, and real-world problem-solving skills needed for successful professional careers. Kogod School of Business (KSB) undergraduate programs include the Accounting (BS) , Business Administration (BSBA) , Business, Language & Culture Studies (BS) , Business and Entertainment (BS) , and Finance (BS) , as well as Accounting (Minor) , Business Administration (Minor) , Business and Entertainment (Minor) , Entrepreneurship (Minor) , Finance (Minor) , Information Systems and Technology (Minor) , International Business (Minor) , Leadership and Management (Minor) , Marketing (Minor) , and Sustainability (Minor) .

The American University Core Curriculum provides students with the necessary background knowledge, skills, and competencies that apply to the study of business. The AU Core includes courses that will engage students in college life, diversity, quantitative analysis, college-level writing, creative-aesthetic inquiry, cultural inquiry, ethical reasoning, natural-scientific inquiry, and socio-historical inquiry. The KSB business core courses emphasize broad business functions, global perspectives on commerce, and the essential role of technology in the marketplace. It also provides background in the production and marketing of goods, the financing of products and organizations, and the management of people and enterprises. During the first semester, freshmen take the KSB gateway course, KSB-100 Business 1.0 , which provides a unique, hands-on, and fun introduction to the study of business. Business 1.0 uses a variety of different learning tools including small group discussions, team presentations, and lectures. In later semesters, students study accounting concepts along with the legal and ethical dimensions of decision-making that impact contemporary organizations. The program also features coursework in organizational behavior, business finance, international business, operations management, and business strategy.

The KSB undergraduate business programs have a liberal arts-based curriculum with a business core that provides a broad knowledge of business functions while emphasizing the global business environment. In addition to the business core, students have the option to choose a specialization or a major.

The objectives of the business core are:

develop students’ intellectual curiosity and the ability to think creatively, reason logically and respect diverse ideas and people;
a global perspective on business operations and economics;
an understanding of how goods and services are produced and marketed;
a foundation in the concepts and applications of accounting, financial analysis, and business finance;
an understanding of basic management theory and organizational dynamics of the contemporary business enterprise;
an appreciation of the legal, ethical, and societal dimensions of business decision-making; and,
an ability to integrate learning across academic disciplines and to develop strategic decision-making skills.

In addition, each student is expected to:

demonstrate professional competence in oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills in a business setting;
understand how to use technology and analytical tools to improve efficiency, productivity, problem solving, and communication; and,
understand the nature of group dynamics and how teams of diverse individuals work together to analyze and solve business problems.

Several features of the program are important to these goals and distinguish it, including:

an emphasis on the development of an individual career strategy and the development of professional skill sets;
an integrated set of courses and co-curricular activities that develop managerial decision-making skills;
extensive opportunities for study abroad, internships (domestic and international), and interaction with international and national agencies that affect domestic and international business practices; and,
a learning environment composed of skilled faculty and students from all over the world.

Internship and Field Experience Courses

Qualified business majors are encouraged to participate in an internship course, which provides students the opportunity to apply theories learned in their coursework to a professional work setting integral to their academic programs and career goals. The course enables students to make career decisions and prepare for the professional job market while earning degree credit. Positions may be with businesses, local, state, or federal governments or community, social service, or not-for-profit organizations. To earn academic credit, undergraduate students must have completed 12 credit hours in business including KSB-101 Business Professionalism and the core course in the relevant department. The credit earned in an internship course cannot replace a core or area of specialization course. A student may count no more than three internship credits towards the 120 credit graduation requirement for an undergraduate business degree.

Students who do not meet the internship credit prerequisite may be eligible for a .25 credit field experience (KSB-191 Field Experience ) which has substantively different requirements from an internship. Field experience is defined as short-term experiential education completed on site at a professional organization and is considered integral to a business education (home offices do not meet the criteria). Students who have a declared or intended business major and have completed at least three KSB credit hours with a minimum 2.75 cumulative GPA, registered as a full-time student in the current semester (or in the case of the summer, registered for the fall semester), but are not eligible for upper-level internship credit may register for up to two field experiences (one field experience per organization). The field experience must be at least four weeks in length. Students must complete a pre- and post-field experience session facilitated by the Office of Career Engagement . Any student on an F-1 visa for immigration purposes will not be eligible for compensation until they have completed one full academic year.

Programs

Major Program (UG)

Minor (UG)

Certificate (UG)

Digital Technology Generalist (Undergraduate Certificate)