BS in Business Administration

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Boston University

Program Overview

Boston University’s BS in Business Administration (BSBA) at Questrom School of Business gives students a broad business foundation while allowing them to develop deeper expertise through a concentration such as Business Analytics, Finance, Marketing, Information Systems, Strategy, or Operations & Supply Chain Management. The four-year program combines business coursework, BU Hub education, career development, global experiences, team-based learning, and real-world projects, making it well suited to students who want flexibility across business functions and industries.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students begin with QST SM 131 Business, Markets & Society, which introduces the functions of business and examines the relationship between businesses, markets, governments, and society. Alongside this foundation, students begin developing critical and analytical thinking, communication, teamwork, business technology awareness, and professional-development skills.

Year 2: Students move into core functional areas including QST AC 221 Financial Accounting, QST BA 221 Introduction to Data and Business Analytics, QST MO 221 Leading People & Teams, QST MK 223 Marketing: Concepts to Consumers, and other business disciplines. They also take part in the QST XP 298 Innovation Project, a semester-long project involving a real company client where teams apply finance, operations, marketing, data analytics, and innovation concepts to a business challenge.

Year 3: Students deepen their knowledge through their chosen concentration while continuing to build integrated business skills. Courses such as QST IS 223 Information Systems and Emerging Technologies in Business, QST FE 223 Introduction to Corporate Finance, and concentration-level courses help students connect technology, finance, management, analytics, and strategy; students can also complete the QST XP 301 Global Business Experience through approved study abroad, global internship, or experiential coursework.

Year 4: Students bring their business knowledge together through advanced concentration study and QST SI 422 Strategy, Innovation, and Global Competition, where teams conduct a strategic analysis of a public company and recommend responses to its strategic challenges. Students also complete concentration requirements, including an Action Learning Project, while the career-development sequence culminates in QST ES 310 Implement Your Career Plan.

Focus Areas

Accounting, Business Analytics, Business Law & Policy, Finance, Global Business, Independent Concentration, Information Systems, Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Management & Organizations, Marketing, Operations & Supply Chain Management, Real Estate, Strategy.

Learning Outcomes

Students develop fundamental business knowledge, expertise in at least one business area, business analytics capabilities, leadership and collaboration skills, a global perspective, an innovative approach, and an ethical perspective. The program also emphasizes responsible decision-making, value creation, navigating market dynamics, and managing relationships with diverse stakeholders in complex global environments.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

All undergraduate and graduate degree programs at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business are accredited by AACSB International, providing an internationally recognized quality framework for business education.

Reputation (Employability Rankings)

Questrom’s official BSBA page reports that the program is ranked No. 38 among Best Undergraduate Business Programs by U.S. News & World Report, No. 17 among private universities by U.S. News & World Report, and Top 20 among undergraduate business schools by Poets & Quants. Questrom also reports that 99% of graduates secured full-time jobs within six months of graduation, while its Class of 2025 profile reports $87K+ average total compensation in the United States.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Questrom builds practical experience directly into the BSBA rather than treating it as an optional addition. Students work with live company clients, complete action-learning projects, participate in company visits and competitions, and can undertake global internships and study-abroad experiences; the program also provides dedicated technology, data and research resources through the Hariri Building and Pardee Management Library.

Students can develop practical skills through:

Core Innovation Project (QST XP 298): Students work in teams with corporate partners or executives on a real-world innovation challenge, considering strategic, financial, operational, and marketing factors before presenting recommendations to company representatives.
Action Learning Projects: Concentrations include an Action Learning Project focused on solving a current real-world problem for an external client or business, with student teams reporting their recommendations to the client.
Company visits: Questrom students have participated in company visits such as a visit to Little Leaf Farms, where students explored finance, operations, marketing, and entrepreneurship and heard directly from the company's CEO.
Competitions and business treks: Students can participate in hands-on courses, student-led and class company treks, internal and external competitions, and other practical business activities.
Global internships and study abroad: Questrom offers business internship and exchange opportunities in locations including Ireland, Singapore, London, Dublin, Shanghai, Sydney, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C.
Global Management Experience: QST IM 475 combines analytical coursework with an in-country experience, allowing students to observe management principles and strategies in an international setting.
Business technology: Questrom's computer facilities provide course software, Microsoft Office, Excel plug-ins and SPSS, while students can also access Bloomberg terminals and remote virtual-computing resources.
Pardee Management Library: Students have access to business databases and research resources including Bloomberg, Factiva, Frost & Sullivan, IBISWorld, Mintel Academic, ProQuest One Business, and Business Source Complete.
Team-based facilities: The Rafik B. Hariri Building contains dedicated team rooms designed for collaborative student work, supporting Questrom's strong emphasis on team learning.
SharkNinja AI & Analytics Lab: Questrom highlights the SharkNinja AI & Analytics Lab, a partnership through its Center for Action Learning that provides another setting for students to engage with contemporary analytics and business challenges.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The BSBA prepares graduates for careers across finance, consulting, analytics, marketing, technology, operations, accounting, healthcare management, and other business fields. Questrom's official program information identifies roles such as financial analyst, data analyst, market researcher, and equity researcher, while graduates also enter rotational development and leadership programs.

Typical career directions include: Financial Analyst, Data Analyst, Market Research Analyst, Equity Research Analyst

Career development and graduate outcomes are supported through:

Career Journey: Students complete QST ES 110 Explore Your Career, QST ES 210 Build Your Career Toolkit, and QST ES 310 Implement Your Career Plan, covering career exploration, professional tools, networking, internships, interviews, and implementation of an individual career plan.
Career support: Questrom's career team provides customized career support from the beginning of the undergraduate experience and continues to provide career support to alumni.
Employment outcomes: Questrom reports 99% of graduates secured full-time jobs within six months of graduation and reports $87K+ average total compensation for the Class of 2025 in the United States.
Employer connections: Questrom's 2025 employer information documents organizations hiring Questrom students for full-time and internship positions, providing a direct reference point for students researching employers and career opportunities.
Industry-linked learning: Students gain industry exposure through live-client projects, company visits, Action Learning courses, competitions, and partnerships such as the SharkNinja AI & Analytics Lab.
Alumni network: Questrom reports a global network of more than 54,000 alumni, creating a broad professional community for students and graduates.
Professional accreditation: Questrom's undergraduate degree programs are AACSB accredited, providing an internationally recognized business-school accreditation framework.
Graduate destinations: Official Questrom alumni profiles include graduates working as a Product Growth Lead at Meta, Senior Analyst at Boston Consulting Group, Financial Consultant at Deloitte, and Business Analyst at Censeo Consulting Group, illustrating the range of directions available after the BSBA.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the BSBA, students can continue into graduate-level business and related programs at Boston University or elsewhere, depending on their academic and career goals. Questrom offers graduate programs including the MS in Business Analytics, MS in Finance, MS in Mathematical Finance, Master in Management Studies, MBA programs, and PhD programs, while the undergraduate BSBA also allows students to explore minors, honors, study abroad, directed studies, and dual-degree options during their undergraduate journey.