Business Administration Major, B.S.B.A.
The business administration program is considered a general management degree, and the UNC Kenan–Flagler Business School encourages breadth in both the business curriculum and in the continuation of study in fine arts, humanities, and natural and social sciences.
Admission to the program is required.
Students are subject to the requirements in place when they are admitted to the UNC Kenan–Flagler Business School; consequently, the requirements described in this catalog particularly apply to students admitted to the school during the 2025–2026 academic year.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the business administration program, students should be able to:
- Demonstrate a deep understanding of business fundamentals and apply core business concepts to address business challenges.
- Demonstrate effective communication and oral skills across various business contexts using multiple communication modes.
- Exhibit leadership through building strong relationships, a willingness to experiment, and the ability to inspire and engage others.
- Exhibit cultural and inclusive competence by navigating and respecting differences, fostering inclusivity, and engaging effectively in global contexts.
- Apply analytical and critical thinking skills to solve complex, unstructured problems.
- Understand how business impacts individual, social, and environmental well-being, and develop strategies for how business leaders can ethically serve the common good.
- Apply technological and analytic tools for business decision making.
Requirements
In addition to the program requirements, students must
- earn a minimum final cumulative GPA of 2.000
- complete a minimum of 45 academic credit hours earned from UNC–Chapel Hill courses
- take at least half of their major core requirements (courses and credit hours) at UNC–Chapel Hill
- earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.000 in the major core requirements. Some programs may require higher standards for major or specific courses.
For more information, please consult the degree requirements section of the catalog.
A maximum of 9 credit hours of online or remote coursework may be applied toward the undergraduate business program
Students are required to complete 27 credit hours of core business courses.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Business Courses | ||
| BUSI 401 |  Management and Corporate Communication 1 | 3 |
| BUSI 402 | Applied Microeconomics for Business 2 | 1.5 |
| or ECON 410 | Intermediate Microeconomics | |
| BUSI 403 | Operations Management | 3 |
| BUSI 404 | Business Ethics | 1.5 |
| BUSI 405 | Leading and Managing: An Introduction to Organizational Behavior | 3 |
| BUSI 406 | Marketing (prerequisite for marketing electives) 1 | 3 |
| BUSI 407 | Financial Accounting 1 | 3 |
| BUSI 408 | Corporate Finance (prerequisite for finance electives) 1 | 3 |
| BUSI 410 | Business Analytics | 3 |
| BUSI 411 | Strategy I: Competitive Strategy 3 | 1.5 |
| BUSI 412 | Strategy II: Global Corporate Strategy 3 | 1.5 |
| Business Electives | ||
| 19.5 credit hours of business electives 2, 4, 5, 6 | 19.5 | |
| Courses Outside the Kenan-Flagler Business School | ||
| At least five courses outside the Kenan–Flagler Business School and any additional business or nonbusiness courses needed to complete a minimum of 120 credit hours, including transfer credit, to graduate | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 61.5 | |
- 1
Recommended to be taken within the first two semesters of the program.
- 2
If taking ECON 410, students are subject to 18 total hours of BUSI electives.
- 3
BUSI 411 must be taken prior to BUSI 412; BUSI 412 must be taken in last 2 semesters.
- 4
An area core course, with an earned grade of at least a C (not C-), is a prerequisite course for any elective course in that area (e.g., BUSI 406 is a prerequisite for BUSI 562). Other restrictions may apply to certain business courses.
- 5
300-level courses are capped at a maximum of 9.0 credits.
- 6
9 elective credits can be fulfilled by completing an Area of Emphasis. Students can complete two Areas of Emphasis (18 credits)
Areas of Emphasis
Although not required, you may choose to complete up to two areas of emphasis (AOE) as part of your major electives. AOEs give you the opportunity to customize your major based on your interests and desired career trajectory. All AOEs are 9 credits.
Business of Health
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Requirements | ||
| Required course: | ||
| BUSI 510 | The Challenge of Healthcare: A System Overview | 1.5 |
| Highly encouraged course: | ||
| HPM 300 | The U.S. Health System 1 | 3 |
| Other Approved Elective Courses: | 4.5 | |
| Healthcare and Service Operations Management H | ||
| Global Healthcare Management | ||
| Introduction to Healthcare Management | ||
| Healthcare Brand Plan | ||
| Digital Health Innovation 1 | ||
| Advanced Health Econometrics 1 | ||
| The Economics of Health Care Markets and Policy 1 | ||
| Health Communication and Marketing 1 | ||
| Behavioral Science in Health Communication 1 | ||
| Bioethics 1, H | ||
| Special Topics in Biomedical Engineering 1, 2 | ||
| Global and Interprofessional Approaches to Solve Complex Cases 1 | ||
| Total Hours | 9 | |
| H | Honors version available. An honors course fulfills the same requirements as the nonhonors version of that course. Enrollment and GPA restrictions may apply. |
- 1
While this course counts towards AOE credits, it does not count towards BUSI elective credits
- 2
with approval, based on topic
Consulting
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Requirements | ||
| Required course: | ||
| BUSI 554 | Consulting Skills and Frameworks H | 3 |
| Required: Applied Learning Experience (select one): | 3 | |
| Entrepreneurial Consulting | ||
| STAR - Experiential Learning Project H | ||
| Business Internship Project I 2 | ||
| Remainig credits from the list below: | 3 | |
Finance | ||
| Entrepreneurial Finance | ||
| Mergers and Acquisitions H | ||
| Global Financial Markets | ||
Marketing | ||
| Data Science in the Business World | ||
| Consumer Behavior | ||
| Retail & E-tail Marketing | ||
| Design Thinking and Product Development | ||
| Marketing Strategy: Sustainable Competitive Advantage in Dynamic Environments | ||
| Customer Insights and Analytics | ||
| Product Management | ||
Operations | ||
| Creating Data-Driven Business Insights: Databases and Visualization | ||
| Healthcare and Service Operations Management H | ||
| Supply Chain Management H | ||
Organizational Behavior | ||
| Managerial Decision Making | ||
| Leadership for Wicked Problems | ||
| Groups and Teams in Organizations | ||
| People Analytics | ||
Entrepreneurship | ||
| Venture Capital Fundamentals | ||
Sustainability | ||
| Sustainable Business and Impact Entrepreneurship | ||
| Sustainable Business and Social Enterprise H | ||
Accounting | ||
| Taxes and Business Strategy | ||
| Financial Statement Analysis and Valuation | ||
Business of Health | ||
| Healthcare Brand Plan | ||
Management and Communication | ||
| Advanced Business Presentations | ||
| Corporate Communication: Social Advocacy and Activism | ||
| Business Topics 3, H | ||
| Total Hours | 9 | |
| H | Honors version available. An honors course fulfills the same requirements as the nonhonors version of that course. Enrollment and GPA restrictions may apply. |
- 2
While this course is repeatable, only 3 credits may count toward the AOE
- 3
with approval, based on topic
Entrepreneurship
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Requirements | ||
| At least three (3) credits from Group One: | 3 | |
| Entrepreneurship and Business Planning H | ||
| Entrepreneurs Lab: Advanced Entrepreneurial Insight and Leadership H | ||
| Venture Capital Fundamentals | ||
| Remaining credits from Group Two: | 6 | |
| Professional Selling Strategies and Skills | ||
| Entrepreneurial Finance | ||
| Family Business I: Introduction to Family Enterprise | ||
| Startup UNC | ||
| Entrepreneurial Consulting | ||
| Sustainable Business and Impact Entrepreneurship | ||
| Private Equity and Debt Markets | ||
| Design Thinking: The Innovation Process for Complex Problems | ||
| Design Thinking and Product Development | ||
| Taxes and Business Strategy | ||
| Introduction to FinTech - Blockchain Technologies and Cryptocurrencies | ||
| Total Hours | 9 | |
| H | Honors version available. An honors course fulfills the same requirements as the nonhonors version of that course. Enrollment and GPA restrictions may apply. |
Finance
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Requirements | ||
| At least one (1) course from Group One: | 3 | |
| Advanced Corporate Finance H | ||
| Entrepreneurial Finance | ||
| Venture Capital Fundamentals | ||
| Investments H | ||
| Mergers and Acquisitions H | ||
| At least two (2) courses from Group Two: | 4.5 | |
| Gateway into Capital Markets & Investments | ||
| Private Equity and Debt Markets | ||
| Applied Private Equity 2 | ||
| Financial Statement Analysis and Valuation | ||
| Projects for Investment Management Experiential-Learning | ||
| Financial Modeling for Leveraged Buyout Transactions | ||
| Applied Investment Management 2, H | ||
| Financial Modeling | ||
| Investment Banking H | ||
| Introduction to Derivative Securities and Risk Management H | ||
| Fixed Income H | ||
| Business Seminar (subject to approval) 3, H | ||
| Risk Management | ||
| Buyout Structures and Deals | ||
| Applied Trading Strategies H | ||
| Additional courses from Group Three: | 1.5 | |
| Regional Venture Capital Immersion | ||
| Taxes and Business Strategy | ||
| Sustainable Finance | ||
| Inside the Capital Markets - Institutions, Players and Regulators | ||
| Introduction to FinTech - Blockchain Technologies and Cryptocurrencies | ||
| Global Financial Markets | ||
| Thinking Creatively: Cognitive Tools for Individuals and Teams | ||
| Total Hours | 9 | |
| H | Honors version available. An honors course fulfills the same requirements as the nonhonors version of that course. Enrollment and GPA restrictions may apply. |
- 2
While this course is repeatable, only 3 credits may count toward the AOE
- 3
with approval, based on topic
Managing People and Organizations
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Requirements | ||
| Nine (9) credits from list below: | 9 | |
| Symposium Core Committee 2 | ||
| Storytelling to Influence and Inspire | ||
| Leadership for Wicked Problems | ||
| Diversity and Inclusion at Work | ||
| Gender at Work | ||
| Leadership Communication | ||
| Corporate Communication: Social Advocacy and Activism | ||
| Negotiations | ||
| Managerial Decision Making | ||
| People Analytics | ||
| Groups and Teams in Organizations | ||
| Thinking Creatively: Cognitive Tools for Individuals and Teams | ||
| Leadership in Action | ||
| Total Hours | 9 | |
- 2
While this course is repeatable, only 3 credits may count toward the AOE
Marketing
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Requirements | ||
| Nine (9) credits from list below: | 9 | |
| Data Science in the Business World | ||
| Professional Selling Strategies and Skills | ||
| Digital Marketing | ||
| Product Management | ||
| Consumer Behavior | ||
| Retail & E-tail Marketing | ||
| Design Thinking and Product Development | ||
| Marketing Research Design and Analysis | ||
| Marketing Strategy: Sustainable Competitive Advantage in Dynamic Environments | ||
| Customer Journeys | ||
| Customer Insights and Analytics | ||
| Healthcare Brand Plan | ||
| Total Hours | 9 | |
Operations Management
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Requirements | ||
| Required Course: | ||
| BUSI 533 | Supply Chain Management H | 3 |
| Remaining credits from list below: | 6 | |
| Creating Data-Driven Business Insights: Databases and Visualization | ||
| Advanced Spreadsheet Modeling for Business | ||
| Healthcare and Service Operations Management H | ||
| Project Management | ||
| Retail Operations | ||
| Consulting Skills and Frameworks H | ||
| Sustainable Operations | ||
| Product Management | ||
| Business Topics 3, H | ||
| Introduction to Decision Analytics 1 | ||
| Total Hours | 9 | |
| H | Honors version available. An honors course fulfills the same requirements as the nonhonors version of that course. Enrollment and GPA restrictions may apply. |
- 1
While this course counts towards AOE credits, it does not count towards BUSI elective credits
- 3
with approval, based on topic
Real Estate
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Requirements | ||
| Required courses: | ||
| BUSI 585 | Introduction to Real Estate | 3 |
| BUSI 601 | Real Estate Finance H | 1.5 |
| BUSI 603 | Real Estate Development | 1.5 |
| BUSI 604 | Real Estate and Capital Markets H | 1.5 |
| Remaining credits from the list below: | 1.5 | |
| Affordable Housing Practicum | ||
| Advanced Spreadsheet Modeling for Business | ||
| Financing Affordable Housing | ||
| Investments H | ||
| Fixed Income H | ||
| Applied Private Equity: Real Estate 2 | ||
| Real Estate Capstone | ||
| Cities of the Past, Present, and Future: Introduction to Planning 1 | ||
| Community Design and Green Architecture 1 | ||
| Total Hours | 9 | |
| H | Honors version available. An honors course fulfills the same requirements as the nonhonors version of that course. Enrollment and GPA restrictions may apply. |
- 1
While this course counts towards AOE credits, it does not count as BUSI elective credit
- 2
While this course is repeatable, only 3 credits may count toward the AOE
Sustainability
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Requirements | ||
| Required Course: | ||
| BUSI 507 | Sustainable Business and Social Enterprise 2, H | 3 |
| Remaining credits from this list: | 6 | |
| Business Topics 3, H | ||
| Leadership for Wicked Problems | ||
| Corporate Communication: Social Advocacy and Activism | ||
| Sustainable Operations | ||
| Sustainable Finance | ||
| Natural Hazards and Financial Risk 1 | ||
| Total Hours | 9 | |
| H | Honors version available. An honors course fulfills the same requirements as the nonhonors version of that course. Enrollment and GPA restrictions may apply. |
- 1
While this course counts towards AOE credits, it does not count towards BUSI elective credits
- 2
Or a UBP Sustainability Global Immersion elective.
- 3
with approval, based on topic
Transfer of Business Course Credits from Other Institutions
Without regard to a student’s prospective academic major or minor at UNC–Chapel Hill, the UNC Kenan–Flagler Business School will consider for transfer credit business administration courses that meet each of the following six criteria. No exceptions are made.
-
For upper-level courses (equivalent to those numbered 400–699 in the Kenan–Flagler undergraduate curriculum), the course was completed at
-
an accredited institution, including but not limited to AACSB International, or
-
a constituent four-year institution of the University of North Carolina, or
-
an international partner institution of Kenan–Flagler’s undergraduate business program.
-
-
The final course grade earned was at least C (not C-) as verified by an official transcript. Courses taken Pass/Fail are ineligible.
-
A comparable course is available in the Kenan–Flagler undergraduate curriculum.
-
The course is not approved for credit in other UNC–Chapel Hill departments (i.e., no double credits).
-
The student completed the course within the past three academic years.
-
The substantive coverage of material constitutes no less than 75 percent of coverage in the comparable Kenan–Flagler course, and there is sufficient indication of individual student evaluation (i.e., no fewer than two major examinations, including a final examination).
For students who wish to transfer to UNC–Chapel Hill, pre-approval of such courses is recommended. Requests for validation of course credits earned at another institution must be made no later than the end of the first semester of enrollment at UNC–Chapel Hill following completion of the course. The business school does not award transfer credits in excess of three upper-level courses.
For business majors who earn admission to UNC Kenan–Flagler Business School, no more than three upper-level courses taken at another institution may be applied to the undergraduate business major curriculum unless earned as part of a preapproved Kenan–Flagler overseas study program.
12 credits of minor courses must be completed at UNC Kenan-Flagler, except for courses taken while studying abroad through a Kenan-Flagler Program
To request review and validation of eligible courses, students should submit a Transfer Credit Request Form through Connect Carolina. A copy of the course syllabus must be included for all courses being evaluated. The syllabus must include the title and edition of textbook(s) as well as list explicitly the course content. If the syllabus lists only chapters covered, without a description of the chapter content, a copy of the textbook’s table of contents must be included.
Special Opportunities in the Kenan–Flagler Business School
Honors in Business
The Kenan–Flagler Business School honors thesis offers motivated undergraduate business students the opportunity to work closely with an individual faculty member on a specialized research topic of the student’s choice during the senior year. Undergraduate business majors with a 3.3 cumulative graduate point average and a 3.5 grade point average in business courses are invited to be considered for the opportunity to participate in this two-course program (BUSI 691H and BUSI 692H).
In the first semester (BUSI 691H), students become familiar with the mechanics, methodologies, and recent literature on topics of major interest. Each student formulates an honors thesis proposal and initiates work on the project. During the second semester (BUSI 692H), the thesis work is conducted under the supervision of a faculty advisor with expertise in the general topic’s area of research.
Students who successfully complete the second-semester course (BUSI 692H) will submit to an oral examination on the thesis. Upon successful completion of the program, the student receives the bachelor of science degree with honors or highest honors, as determined by the student’s committee.
Career Services
The Undergraduate Business Program provides career development resources and services tailored to business students, such as specialized training and professional development programming, targeted networking and career fair opportunities, function- and industry-specific career clubs, individualized career coaching, and a broad library of online resources. Undergraduate business students are expected to maintain an up-to-date profile on Handshake through University Career Services, which is the primary resource for all UNC–Chapel Hill students for job/internship postings.
As the job market remains highly competitive, the Undergraduate Business Program strongly encourages business students to undertake internships, leadership opportunities, global education, and other experiential learning opportunities to explore their interests and career options. These hands-on experiences provide great venues to develop the critical thinking, teamwork, communication, and technical skills that many employers seek in candidates. The Undergraduate Business Career Services team assists students with connecting the dots of their college experience to launch careers with positive impact.
STAR Program
Kenan–Flagler’s Student Teams Achieving Results (STAR) program fields teams of top M.B.A.s and undergraduate business students to build comprehensive and actionable strategies for eligible corporations and not-for-profits. STAR teams begin the project by developing a scope of work with the client and signing a confidentiality agreement. Over the life of the project, teams typically analyze the market, assess the competitive situation, develop a strategy, and define an action plan that covers financials, risk assessment, and implementation. STAR teams are guided throughout the course by a course professor, a team-specific faculty advisor, and client executives.
Student Community Engagement and Wellness
Students in the Undergraduate Business Program are encouraged to join a variety of student organizations during their time at Kenan–Flagler. These organizations include career-focused clubs (Accounting Club, Undergraduate Consulting Club, UNC Finance Society, Real Estate Club, Marketing Club, and others), affinity clubs (including Carolina Women in Business, Pride@KFBS, and Minority Business Student Alliance, the Community, Equity, and Inclusion Board, and the student-run affinity groups under their umbrella), and business interest groups (including Sustainability Club, Undergraduate Healthcare Club, and Family Business Club). All these organizations give students valuable professional networking opportunities with recruiters and alumni, community service activities, and a chance to connect socially with peers.
The program has two full-time wellness coaches who work to ensure students take care of their well-being throughout their time in the program. These coaches are available for 1-1 appointments and organize many wellness-focused initiatives and programs to support all students.
Global Programs
Kenan–Flagler undergraduate global programs are consistently highly ranked by students for the quality and variety of programs available. The Undergraduate Business Program provides a growing portfolio of academic and professional global programs in Europe, Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Oceania that offer students the opportunity to earn business core and/or elective credit. Business students can develop their global perspective and career readiness skills through participation in a semester abroad, business-focused faculty-led programs, summer study abroad, or international internships.
Over $750,000 is available in merit and financial-need scholarship funds for Kenan–Flagler students studying abroad through the Undergraduate Business Program. Additionally, Kenan–Flagler study abroad students are eligible for the Phillips Ambassador Program, which offers $6,000 scholarships for study abroad programs in Asia.
Undergraduate Awards
Each spring, Kenan–Flagler students, staff, and faculty nominate graduating seniors to be considered for academic excellence and core value awards. The core values of integrity, inclusion, impact, and innovation underpin everything the school stands for and the students who are given these awards have embodied these qualities throughout their time in Kenan–Flagler. The chosen students are recognized by their peers during the school’s commencement ceremony. Beta Gamma Sigma, the national business honorary society, offers top-performing students the chance to be inducted into that organization each spring.
Undergraduate Business Symposium
Since its inception in 1983, the Undergraduate Business Symposium continues to be the flagship career event for the Undergraduate Business Program and an annual highlight for the UNC Kenan–Flagler community. It is the largest and longest-running student-organized event of its kind. Each year the event brings together more than 425 undergraduates and 125 company representatives from a diverse set of industries and organizations from across the country. The Undergraduate Business Symposium provides students with the opportunity to learn about a variety of industries and organizations, the chance to network and interact with business representatives and UNC Kenan–Flagler faculty, obtain insights into the dynamic business landscape, and the opportunity to showcase their analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills.
Department Programs
Major
Minor
Graduate Programs
Courses
Dean
Mary Margaret Frank
Senior Associate Dean for Strategy and Academics
Bradley Staats
Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs
Shimul Melwani
Undergraduate Business Help Desk
