Business Administration (BS)

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

North Carolina State University Raleigh

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at NC State provides a broad foundation across finance, marketing, operations, human resource management, information technology, entrepreneurship and business strategy, making it suitable for students who want flexibility across different areas of business. Students build their core business knowledge before choosing a concentration such as Business Analytics, Entrepreneurship, Finance, People Management, Information Technology, Marketing, or Operations and Supply Chain Management, while developing communication, analytical, ethical and strategic decision-making skills.

Curriculum Structure

First Year: Students begin with the fundamentals of business and university-level study through courses such as MIE 201 Introduction to Business, M 100 Personal and Professional Identity Development, and ACC 210 Concepts of Financial Reporting. Mathematics, economics, academic writing and communication courses complement this foundation, helping students develop the quantitative and communication skills needed for later business coursework.

Second Year: The curriculum expands into functional areas of business through ACC 220 Introduction to Managerial Accounting, BUS 340 Information Systems Management, BUS 351 Introduction to Business Analytics, and courses in finance, marketing, operations and supply chain management, entrepreneurship or people management. Students also study macroeconomics and statistics, giving them a stronger analytical understanding of how organizations operate and make decisions.

Third Year: Students continue developing their business specialization by taking additional courses in areas such as BUS 320 Financial Management, BUS 360 Marketing Methods, BUS 370 Operations and Supply Chain Management, MIE 305 Legal and Regulatory Environment, MIE 310 Introduction to Entrepreneurship, or MIE 330 Managing People. They also begin their selected concentration, allowing them to connect broad business knowledge with a more focused professional interest.

Fourth Year: The final year emphasizes advanced concentration study and strategic integration, culminating in MIE 480 Business Policy and Strategy alongside further concentration coursework. By completing the 120-credit degree, students bring together business functions, analytical skills and strategic thinking in preparation for professional roles or further study.

Focus Areas

Finance, marketing, operations and supply chain management, human resource management, information technology, entrepreneurship, business analytics, business strategy, accounting, business communication and quantitative analysis.

Learning Outcomes

Students learn to organize, analyze and apply information for business decisions, analyze data and business systems, apply financial principles, identify business opportunities, understand consumer needs, develop marketing strategies, manage distribution and supply-chain operations, integrate business functions and use business and quantitative skills to solve real-world problems.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

The program is offered through NC State’s Poole College of Management, which is fully accredited by AACSB International, providing an internationally recognized quality framework for business education.

Reputation (Employability Rankings)

Poole College reports a 91% employment rate and $67,508 average base salary across its accounting, business administration and economics undergraduate majors for the 2024–2025 graduating class. The college also highlights its employer connections, experiential learning and career-focused education.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

NC State's Business Administration program combines classroom learning with hands-on, project-oriented courses and labs where students apply business concepts to real-world challenges. Students can gain practical experience through company and industry projects, internships, student organizations, entrepreneurship activities, analytics projects and international opportunities, while the Poole College career team supports students with internship preparation and employer connections.

Students can put their business knowledge into practice through:

Company and industry projects: Students engage with actual companies and industry partners through projects, clubs and internship opportunities, applying business concepts to practical challenges.
Business Analytics Practicum: The Business Analytics Honors Program includes practicum projects involving business personnel, refinement of business issues, information gathering and development of business analytics or AI models, followed by presentations of findings and recommendations to organizations.
Entrepreneurship Clinic: Students in the Entrepreneurship concentration can take MIE 418 Social Entrepreneurship Clinic Practicum or MIE 419 Entrepreneurship Clinic Practicum, working with startup founders and helping ventures address specific business needs.
Entrepreneurship Venture Studio: Students can access the Venture Studio, which works with existing companies to expand their products, offerings or processes, while the Andrews Launch Accelerator provides startup-focused resources and guidance.
Internships and career preparation: Poole's dedicated Career Center supports students seeking internships and employment through career preparation, networking, career and internship fairs, and an online job and internship database.
Student organizations: More than 30 student organizations are housed in Poole College, providing opportunities for professional development, leadership development, networking and exposure to business practice.
International experiences: Poole supports international programs, including study-abroad opportunities; the college reports that approximately 1 in 3 Poole students study abroad.
Analytics and AI: The Business Analytics and AI Initiative connects students, faculty and industry around business analytics, machine learning and AI, supporting education, research and industry engagement.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Business Administration BS prepares graduates for roles across finance, marketing, analytics, operations, management, information technology, entrepreneurship and supply chain management, with the flexibility to specialize through a concentration. NC State reports that Poole College undergraduate graduates had a 91% employment rate six months after graduation for the 2024–2025 class, with an average base salary of $67,508 across its accounting, business administration and economics majors.

Typical career paths include Business Analyst, Financial Analyst, Marketing Analyst, Operations Analyst, Supply Chain Analyst, Management Analyst, Business Development Specialist, Human Resources Specialist, Information Systems Analyst, Sales Manager, Project Manager and Entrepreneur. The exact role will depend on the student's selected concentration, experience and career interests.

Students can strengthen their transition from study to employment through:

Career services: Poole College has its own Career Center with full-time career staff, networking opportunities, career and internship fairs, and an online job and internship database.
Employment outcomes: For the 2024–2025 graduating class, Poole reports a 91% employment rate six months after graduation and an average base salary of $67,508; the reported average signing bonus was $7,026.
Employer partnerships: Poole reports relationships with employers including Cisco, IBM, Bank of America, First Citizens Bank, Lowe’s, Toshiba, Amazon, Deloitte, EY, Forvis, KPMG and PwC, with more than 200 employers reported as having recruited directly from the college.
Industry engagement: The college's initiatives connect academic work with industry through areas including business analytics and AI, entrepreneurship, enterprise risk management, sustainability and supply chain management.
Graduation outcomes: Poole's outcomes reporting tracks employment, graduate-school plans, internships, compensation, industries and employers, giving students a view of the pathways followed by recent graduates.
Accreditation value: Poole College's AACSB accreditation provides an internationally recognized quality framework for its business education and supports the professional standing of the degree.

Further Academic Progression:
After completing the BS in Business Administration, graduates can pursue advanced study in areas such as business administration, economics, professional accounting, law or other specialized graduate business fields. NC State's Poole College specifically notes that graduates may pursue advanced studies upon graduation or after gaining professional experience, while its graduate offerings include programs such as the Jenkins MBA and specialized master's degrees.