3150 Grainger Hall
975 University Avenue
Madison, WI 53706-1323
608-262-0471
Undergraduate Academic Services (UAS) Office
3150 Grainger Hall
608-262-0471
fax 608-265-6041
busundergrads@bus.wisc.edu
www.bus.wisc.edu/undergrad/advising
Majors
History and Philosophy
The Learning Environment
Business Learning Center
Business Leadership Education and Student
Organizations
Business Career Center
Undergraduate Study in Business
Admission
Post-Baccalaureate Students
Dean's List
Freshman Program
Advising
Pre-Business Requirements
Liberal Studies Requirements
Undergraduate Program
Admission Policy
Credits for BBA Degree
Business Foundation Requirements
Academic Regulations
Courses
The Wisconsin School of Business undergraduate program is frequently rated among the top business schools nationally. The school's undergraduate and graduate programs were reaccredited in 2001 by the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the standard-setting organization for collegiate business education.
In 1900, UW-Madison established one of the first six commerce programs in the country, beginning as a department in the College of Letters and Science, and receiving separate school status by a 1944 act of the Wisconsin Legislature. The School of Business was a founding member of the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB); Beta Gamma Sigma, a national professional business honor society; and the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, a national equal opportunities program.
The School of Business is dedicated to providing a professional business education. The rigorous degree programs aim to foster development of analytical, communication, leadership, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. Generally, it combines a strong business foundation with exposure to a variety of advanced analytical methods, social and technological system perspectives, and varied classroom experiences.
After undergraduate students complete their freshman year in the College of Letters and Science and are accepted into the School of Business, they may select from ten different majors and several specializations while working toward the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree.
Classes are taught in a variety of ways—cases, lectures, seminars, group-study projects, simulations, or hands-on experience. A variety of international study opportunities are available to undergraduate business students.
The School of Business is located in Grainger Hall. To support classroom work and research, the school has several instructional computer labs, its own research computer, a minicomputer network, and access to a number of business databases. The specialized Business Library serves both undergraduate and graduate students. Enrollment has been capped in the undergraduate program to ensure quality in the face of heavy demand for business school degrees.
The Business Learning Center (BLC) is an academic support resource available to students enrolled in pre-business and business courses. The Learning Center's primary focus is to assist underrepresented students, but is open to all students taking business or business-related courses. The program is designed to reinforce lectures, text materials, and discussion sections. Students interested in the Learning Center may call 608-262-1186 for more information, or stop by the Learning Center Office, 2240 Grainger Hall. Please check the BLC Web site for additional information.
Business students will find leadership education opportunities and student organizations open to them. Student members and their elected officers are responsible for the operation and planning of activities for each organization. These opportunities are coordinated through the Accenture Leadership Center.
The School of Business maintains its own career center to help students achieve their career goals. The Business Career Center (BCC) is known for the strength of its career development and placement assistance.
Each year more than 500 regional, national, and international employers come to the school to interview students seeking internships and full-time employment. In addition, more than 4,000 current job openings are posted online each year.
Each fall the BCC sponsors Business Career Awareness Month which includes the annual Career Forum attended by over 600 corporate representatives from more than 225 organizations. In addition to mock interviews, over 50 seminars are offered which focus on career opportunities and the development of effective job search skills.
The BCC takes advantage of new technology and is able to offer employers interactive interviews using state-of-the-art videoconferencing equipment.
The BCC's Career Resource Room provides information on potential employers, career opportunities, and employment projections. Placement information and salary data from previous graduating classes are also available in the BCC, 3290 Grainger Hall; 608-262-2550; bccenter@bus.wisc.edu; or on the BCC Web site.
Applications must be filed by November 1 for spring semester and April 1 for fall semester.
Transfer students who intend to enter the School of Business must apply to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions (apply.wisconsin.edu) by October 1 for spring semester and February 1 for fall semester. Admission to the university does not guarantee admission to the School of Business. Transfer students may indicate their intentions for a business major on their university admissions application.
Pre-business and admission requirements for transfer students are dictated by the semester a student first matriculated at a post-secondary institution. For more information, visit our prospective student Web site.
Admission to the School of Business depends on academic success in college course work and nonacademic strengths including leadership, work experience, and campus involvement. Business courses taken elsewhere are strictly evaluated by the UW Office of Admissions for equivalency to UW-Madison business courses.
Due to enrollment limits, the Undergraduate Program is unable to admit students who have already completed a bachelor's degree.
Business students who achieve a grade point average of 3.75 for any semester in which they complete 12 graded degree credits will have their names on the Dean's List. A permanent record of this achievement is entered on the student's transcript. Students with I, P, or U on their grade report will automatically be ineligible for the Dean's List. Subsequent academic action may change eligibility.
The Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree program is based on a broad educational foundation combined with courses in business and economics. This curriculum is designed for those students who wish to prepare for careers in business.
A student planning to earn a Bachelor of Business Administration degree enrolls for freshman year in the College of Letters and Science.
Successful completion of the pre-business program does not guarantee admission to the School of Business.
Students interested in the School of Business use the School of Business Undergraduate Academic Services Office for academic advising services.
The following requirements are for students who began course work at any
institution in summer 2008 and after. Students who began course work
before summer 2008 should consult their academic advisor.
Economics 101 Principles of Microeconomics, 4 cr or
Economics 111 Principles of Economics - Accelerated Treatment, 4 cr
(Honors)
Psychology 202 Introduction to Psychology, 3 cr
Students who complete Psychology 201, 3 cr or Psychology 281 Honors Course
- Introduction to Psychology, 4 cr satisfy the Psychology requirement
Math 211 Calculus, 5 cr or
Math 217 Calculus with Algebra and Trigonometry II, 5 cr or
Math 221 Calculus and Analytic Geometry, 5 cr
More information can be found at this link.
Note: Students will be responsible for knowing the following:
Liberal Studies requirements must be completed before graduation. Students may not use a single course to fulfill multiple requirements.
Communication Part B
One 3 (or more) credit course designated Comm B (b)
Literature
One 3 (or more) credit course designated Literature (L)
Science
Six credits designated Biological, Natural, or Physical Science (B, N, or
P). Courses with W, X, or Y designators, or courses in Computer Science,
Math, Statistics, and the Wisconsin School of Business WILL NOT satisfy the
science requirement
Foreign Language
3 units (or more) of the same foreign language
One unit = 1 high school year or 1 college semester
Ethics
Philosophy 241 Introductory Ethics, 3-4 cr or
Philosophy 243 Ethics in Business, 3-4 cr or
Philosophy 341 Contemporary Moral Issues, 3-4 cr or
Philosophy 441 Environmental Ethics, 3-4 cr
Humanities
One 3 (or more) credit course designated Humanities (H or Z)
Note: If a student completes an additional Literature
(L) course, this requirement will be satisfied.
Ethnic Studies
One 3 (or more) credit course designated Ethnic Studies (e)
Social Science
One 3 (or more) credit course designated Social Science (S or Z)
Advanced Math/Statistics
Math 213 Calculus and Introduction to Differential Equations, 3 cr
or
Math 222 Calculus and Analytic Geometry II, 5 cr or
General Business 304 Intermediate Business Statistics, 3 cr or
Statistics 310 Introduction to Mathematical Statistics, 4 cr or
Statistics 312 Introduction to Mathematical Statistics, 4 cr or
Statistics 333 Applied Regression Analysis, 3 cr or
Economics 410 Introduction to Econometrics, 4 cr or
Actuarial Science 654 Seminar in Actuarial Science, 3 cr
Students who first entered a postsecondary institution in summer 2008 or later are eligible for sophomore admission to the Wisconsin School of Business. Sophomore admission applicants can apply to the School of Business during the semester in which they will complete 24 credits in residence and all required Pre-Business courses.
Students who first entered a postsecondary institution before summer 2008 will be evaluated under previous requirements, which include a minimum of 54 college credits and required Pre-Business courses. Students who began college before summer 2008 should consult their academic advisor.
Admission to the School of Business depends on academic success in college course work and nonacademic strengths including leadership, work experience, campus involvement and any other experiences outside of academics.
Because the undergraduate program is currently at full capacity, admission is limited and competitive. In most application cycles, the number of applicants far exceeds the number of open spaces for admission.
The Bachelor of Business Administration degree is awarded only to students who have been admitted to the School of Business.
A minimum of 120 credits is required for the Bachelor of Business Administration degree. Among these 120 credits:
These BBA degree credits must include the pre-business requirements outlined earlier, the business foundation courses (Preparatory, Core, and Breadth Requirements), courses within a major selected by the student from fields of study described in the following sections, and electives.
All degree candidates in the School of Business are required to complete foundation courses in business and economics. The foundation courses, in conjunction with a broad educational base, are designed to integrate the student's specialized training with an understanding of the structure and functions of business and its role in the larger social system.
Preparatory Business Requirements must be taken within the first two semesters after admission to the Wisconsin School of Business
Economics 102 Principles of Macroeconomics, 3 cr or
Economics 111, Principles of Economics - Accelerated Treatment, 4 cr
Accounting 100, Introduction to Financial Reporting, 3 cr
General Business 300 Professional Communication, 3 crGen Bus 303 Business Statistics, 3 cr or
Econ 310 Stats: Measurement in Economics, 4 cr or
Stat 201 Principles of Statistics, 3 cr or
Stat 224 Intro Stats for Engineers, 3 cr or
Stat 301 Statistics, 3-4 cr or
Stat 309 Intro to Math Statistics, 4 cr or
Stat 324 Intro Applied Statistics for Engineers, 3 cr or
Stat 371 Introductory Applied Statistics for the Life Sciences, 3 cr or
Math 431 Intro Theory of Probability, 3 cr
Students in the Wisconsin School of Business must complete the
Preparatory Business Requirements (above) and at least two Core Business
courses prior to enrolling for Advanced Business Courses. All Core
Business courses should be completed by the end of a student's junior
year.
Advanced business courses are all courses at the 300 level or above, but
do not include the following:
Accounting 301
Actuarial Science 303
Information Systems 371
International Business 200
Real Estate 306
Risk Management and Insurance 300
Acct I S 211 Principles of Managerial Accounting, 3 cr
Finance 300 Introduction to Finance, 3 cr
Marketing 300 Marketing Management, 3 cr
MHR 300 Organizational Behavior, 3 cr
OTM 300 Management of Service and Manufacturing Operations, 3 cr
Students must take at least one course in each of two School of Business departments outside their major area for a total of 6 credits. Courses taken to satisfy this requirement may not include core courses, courses required by or crosslisted with the student's major, General Business 100, General Business 450, any 399 (Readings and Research) course, or international business courses crosslisted with language departments. Additionally, students cannot take both breadth courses from the same department.
Note: Students with two majors in business or students with one major and a specialization in supply chain management need one course (3 credits) outside their majors/supply chain management specialization to satisfy this requirement. Students with three or more majors or two majors and the supply chain specialization are not required to take additional breadth courses.
General Business 301 Business Law, 3 cr
Two additional 3-credit courses, 6 credits
The student is expected to be familiar with university requirements and School of Business regulations, some of which follow.
Each student is expected to attend all assigned classes during the regular meeting times, and to take all examinations for those courses at the regularly scheduled times. In the case of excused absences the student is expected to make up the work within a reasonable time.
Changes in course enrollment may be made without an advisor's approval. A course may be added within the first two weeks of a semester; a course may be dropped during the first nine weeks of a semester. Please check current class schedule for the last day to drop courses or withdraw from the university without grades of DR or W on transcript.
It is recommended that undergraduates admitted to the School of Business possess the skills necessary to operate a personal computer, including a basic knowledge of word processing, spreadsheets, data management, and presentation software. Students are encouraged to have their own personal computers.
Undergraduates usually enroll for 12 to 18 credits per semester. Students who need to carry more than 18 credits per semester or more than 12 credits during summer sessions must secure Dean's approval. Students will be assessed additional fees per credit for all credits above 18.
Acct IS 300 Accounting Principles
Cnsr Sci 275 Consumer Finance
Cnsr Sci 665 Household Risk Management
Ind Engr 313 Engineering Economic Analysis
Students are allowed a total of 8 degree credits of physical education/dance/kinesiology toward a BBA degree.
For academic probation and drop policy, see this Web site.
Undergraduate business students who are in good academic standing may take only one (1) course as pass/fail per semester including the summer session.
A maximum of 12 total credits may be completed as pass/fail to count towards completion of the 120 degree credits required for the BBA.
The following courses cannot be taken pass/fail:
Students can earn one pass/fail credit for practical experience acquired through an internship position. To earn this credit, students must enroll for General Business 450. This course is repeatable for a total of 3 credits. More information about General Business 450 can be found here.
Undergraduate students may not take more than 75 credits of School of Business courses.
Students admitted to the School of Business at UW-Madison who transfer from another college or university, must complete a minimum of 30 credits in business courses. These courses must be offered by the School of Business and taken as a UW-Madison student to satisfy degree requirements for the BBA. Students can use a maximum of two courses taken at another school to satisfy requirements of the UW-Madison School of Business major that are not part of the School of Business core. Individual departments may have a more restrictive policy on transfer courses.
The School of Business will graduate a student at the end of the semester (spring, summer or fall) in which all BBA degree and business major requirements are complete. Graduation will not be postponed for any incomplete School of Business certificate(s), specialization(s), or honors program(s); or additional certificate(s) or major(s) outside the School of Business.
A student who finds it necessary to withdraw during a semester or summer session must drop all their courses and complete a withdrawal form. Failure to do so may result in a recording of Failure for all courses and a "may not continue" action. Any student may withdraw with permission and without grades being recorded at any time up to the last three weeks of a semester or up to the last two weeks of a summer session.