Business Management Emphasis (with a 3+2 Outdoor Industry Master in Business Administration)

The Business Management emphasis allows students to complete the B.A. in Business Administration (BUAD) and the Outdoor Industry Master in Business Administration (OI MBA) at Western in five years. To remain qualified for the 3+2, upon earning 66 credits each student must have:

  • maintained at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA;
  • provided three letters of recommendation, at least one of which is to be a professional reference and at least one of which is to be an academic reference from the student’s major at Western;
  • written a Statement of Purpose to the OI MBA program, detailing work experience in the outdoor industry, early career ambitions, and ideas and connections for the eventual master’s capstone.

At this point, if any aspect of a student’s performance is found to be insufficient, the OI MBA Director may reject a 3+2 student from the OI MBA program, in which case the student will need to find a new emphasis or minor in order to complete the undergraduate degree. Upon meeting the requirements above, and after Junior Year holding to the same GPA and general performance standards outlined above, the School of Graduate Studies will designate students as “OI MBA candidates with provisional acceptance.” Students who have completed all other requirements of the 3+2 program and all Western undergraduate requirements, yet choose to leave the OI MBA program before Year 5, will still have completed the undergraduate emphasis in Business Management and have earned the 120 credits necessary for a Western undergraduate degree.

The Business Management Emphasis requires a minimum of 48 credits including the 21-credit Base Curriculum, the 15-credit Business Administration Nucleus, BUAD 491 Strategic Management, and nine credits of Business Administration electives. 

Base Curriculum
ACC 201Introduction to Financial Accounting3
ACC 202Introduction to Managerial Accounting3
ECON 201Macroeconomics (GT-SS1)3
ECON 202Microeconomics3
Select one of the following mathematics courses:3-4
College Algebra (GT-MA1)
Precalculus (GT-MA1)
Calculus I (GT-MA1)
One of the following:3
Spreadsheets and Analysis
Professional Computer Skills
One of the following:3
Probability and Statistics (GT-MA1)
Statistics for Business and Economics
Total Credits21-22

The 15-credit Business Administration Nucleus forms the core for each of the emphasis areas and also comprises the bulk of the Standard Program. It is important that the student achieve a high level of understanding of the basic fundamental concepts represented by these courses to be successful in the completion of the required upper- level course work and in their business career. If BUAD 350 Human Resource Management Human Resource Management is used to satisfy the requirements of the Business Administration Nucleus, then it cannot be used to satisfy the elective requirement within the major.

Business Administration Nucleus
BUAD 185Business Communication3
BUAD 210Legal Environment of Business3
BUAD 270Principles of Marketing3
BUAD 360Managerial Finance3
One of the following:3
Organizational Behavior
Human Resource Management
Total Credits15

At least six credits of the nine credits must be upper-division Business Administration electives, and no more than three credits may be from: BUAD 101 Business of Life and BUAD 150 Introduction to Sustainable Tourism & Hospitality. An internship, BUAD 499 Internship in Business Administration, is required. Electives should be chosen in consultation with an advisor. BUAD 397 Special Topics or BUAD 497 Special Topics courses are allowed to count toward the nine-credit requirement only with Business School approval.

Core MBA courses:
MBA 600Sustainability Accounting3
MBA 601Managerial Economics3
MBA 603Leadership, Ethics, and Organizational Behavior3
MBA 605Project Management3
MBA 606Marketing and Brand Strategy in the Outdoor Industry3
MBA 611Topics in Outdoor Industry0
One of the following (based on desired concentration):3
Sustainable Outdoor Product Development and Material Sourcing (Product Concentration)
Sales and Customer Experience (Service Concentration)
Total Credits18

Upon successful completion of the prescribed courses listed above, University defined General Education, and elective requirements totaling 120 credits (with 40 at the 300-level or higher), students are eligible for their B.A. conferral. Students electing to complete the MBA program must follow the balance of their declared emphasis curriculum.

For a full description of the required Graduate coursework, please see the appropriate MBA program in the Western Graduate Catalog.

Capstone Course Requirement

The following courses in the Business Administration Major fulfill the capstone course requirement: BUAD 491 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT.

Graduation Requirements

Undergraduate programs require a minimum of 120 semester credits for graduation.  Of those 120 credits, 40 credits must be in upper-division courses (those marked 300 and above).  Fifteen of these 40 upper-division credits must be earned in courses that are part of the standard or comprehensive major program being pursued. 

Students are expected to review all graduation requirements, which can be found in the Western Undergraduate Catalog: Graduation Requirements

Major: B.A. in Business Administration and Master of Business Administration (3 + 2)

Plan of Study Grid
Year One
FallCredits
MATH 140 College Algebra (GT-MA1) 3
BUAD 101 Business of Life 3
Gen EdGeneral Education Courses (Non-Science) 3
HWTR 100 First Year Seminar 1
ENG 102 Writing and Rhetoric I (GT-CO1) 3
BUAD 185 Business Communication 3
 Credits16
Spring
ENG 103 Writing and Rhetoric II (GT-CO2) 3
ACC 201 Introduction to Financial Accounting 3
Gen EdGeneral Education Course 3
Gen EdScience Course with Lab 4
ECON 202 Microeconomics 3
 Credits16
Year Two
Fall
ACC 202 Introduction to Managerial Accounting 3
Gen EdScience Course with Lab 4
Gen EdGeneral Education Course 3
BUAD 220 Spreadsheets and Analysis 3
ECON 216
Statistics for Business and Economics
or Probability and Statistics (GT-MA1)
3
 Credits16
Spring
BUAD 350
Human Resource Management
or Organizational Behavior
3
BUAD 210 Legal Environment of Business 3
ECON 201 Macroeconomics (GT-SS1) 3
ElectiveBusiness Elective 3
Gen EdGeneral Education Course 3
 Credits15
Summer
BUAD 499 Internship in Business Administration 3
66 credit mark completed. Submit 3+2 application materials by July 1.
 Credits3
Year Three
Fall
BUAD 270 Principles of Marketing 3
BUAD 360 Managerial Finance 3
Gen EdGeneral Education Course 3
Electives 6
 Credits15
Spring
BUAD 363 Business and the Environment 3
BUAD 491 Strategic Management 3
Electives 9
 Credits15
Year Four
Fall
MBA 601 Managerial Economics 3
MBA 603 Leadership, Ethics, and Organizational Behavior 3
MBA 606 Marketing and Brand Strategy in the Outdoor Industry 3
ElectivesUndergraduate Electives - Upper Division 3
 Credits12
Spring
MBA 600 Sustainability Accounting 3
MBA 605 Project Management 3
MBA 611 Topics in Outdoor Industry 0
ElectivesUndergraduate Electives - Upper Division 3
MBA 609
Sustainable Outdoor Product Development and Material Sourcing
or Sales and Customer Experience
3
 Credits12
Summer
MBA 607 Sustainable Strategic Management in the Outdoor Industry 3
 Credits3
Year Five
Fall
MBA 602 Managerial Finance 3
MBA 604 Business Law for the Outdoor Industry 3
MBA 610
Supply Chain and Logistics in the Outdoor Industry
or Resort and Hospitality Management
3
 Credits9
Spring
MBA 607 Sustainable Strategic Management in the Outdoor Industry 3
MBA 691 Capstone Project 3
MBA 613
Natural Resource Regulation and Economics
or Sustainable Finance
3
 Credits9
 Total Credits141