B.S. in Business Administration

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Oregon State University

Program Overview

The B.S. in Business Administration at Oregon State University gives students a broad business education covering accounting, economics, finance, marketing, management, operations, entrepreneurship, information systems and quantitative analysis, while allowing them to add specialized options such as digital marketing, innovation and entrepreneurship, international business, or sports business. It is designed for students who want to become effective problem-solvers, decision-makers and leaders who can identify opportunities and make informed decisions across different types of organizations.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students build their business and quantitative foundation through BA 160 COB Career and Major Exploration, BA 161 Innovation Nation—Awareness to Action, and BA 169Z Data Analysis Using Microsoft Excel. They also study ECON 201Z Principles of Microeconomics, ECON 202Z Principles of Macroeconomics, and MTH 241 Calculus for Management and Social Science, developing early skills in business analysis, economics and quantitative decision-making.

Year 2: The second year develops core business knowledge through courses such as BA 211Z Principles of Financial Accounting, BA 213Z Principles of Managerial Accounting, and BA 223 Principles of Marketing. Students also study BA 252 Introduction to Organizational Behavior, BA 260 Foundations of the Entrepreneurial Mindset, BA 270 Business Process Management, and BA 240 Finance, connecting financial, managerial, entrepreneurial and operational concepts.

Year 3: Students move into more advanced business topics including BA 347 International Business, BA 357 Operations and Supply Chain Management, BA 354 Ethics in Organizations, and BA 375 Applied Quantitative Methods. BA 370 Business Information Systems Overview further develops their understanding of how information systems support organizations, while the Blueprint courses continue building career and professional skills.

Year 4: In the final year, students strengthen their professional and strategic capabilities through courses such as BA 411 Navigating Career Transitions, BA 412 Financial Planning I, and BA 413 Financial Planning II. They also complete an experiential-learning requirement and BA 466 Integrative Strategic Experience, bringing together their business knowledge through advanced, applied learning before graduation.

Focus Areas

Accounting, quantitative analysis, economics, finance, marketing, management, organizational behavior, entrepreneurship, business law, business information systems, operations and supply chain management, international business, ethics, strategic decision-making, professional development and business analytics.

Learning Outcomes

Students develop the ability to identify and evaluate business opportunities, communicate professionally, work collaboratively and lead teams, apply ethical and globally informed reasoning to business decisions, and use quantitative and qualitative tools to analyze organizational problems and support data-informed decisions.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

Oregon State University’s College of Business is accredited by AACSB International, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. The university states that the College of Business has maintained AACSB accreditation since 1960, and its accreditation was most recently reaffirmed through the 2030–31 academic year following a peer-review process.

Reputation (Employability)

The College of Business reports that 450 companies recruit its students each year, giving students access to a substantial employer network. Oregon State also reports that its online business programs are ranked No. 5 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, while the College of Business emphasizes career preparation through its Blueprint education-to-career model.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Oregon State makes hands-on experience a required part of its College of Business curriculum, giving Business Administration students opportunities to connect academic learning with professional, research and international experiences. The program includes a two-credit experiential-learning requirement, which can be completed through internships, supervised projects, research, study abroad, professional certificates or other approved activities; students can also use Austin Hall’s technology-equipped project rooms and research facilities for collaborative and applied work.

Students can build practical skills through these program-specific opportunities:

COB 004 Internship: Students can complete a non-credit internship that complements their business coursework and satisfies the experiential-learning requirement.
COB 410 Internship: Students can earn academic credit for an internship, with the course allowing up to 12 credits depending on the work undertaken.
COB 403 Thesis and COB 406 Projects: Students can fulfill experiential learning through faculty-supervised research or a defined business project, giving them experience in independent investigation and applied problem-solving.
International study: Students can use approved international business experiences, including BA 348 International Exchange Orientation and BA 349 Impact of Culture on Business, toward the experiential-learning requirement. The program page also lists study-abroad opportunities in Sydney, Vienna and Santiago.
MECOP internships: Oregon State business students can pursue MECOP, a competitive paid internship program sponsored by Oregon industries, providing an additional route into industry experience.
BA 169Z Data Analysis Using Microsoft Excel: Students gain hands-on experience using Microsoft Excel for business data analysis as part of the required curriculum.
Austin Hall project rooms: The 23 computer- and big-screen-equipped project rooms are available to College of Business students for collaborative coursework and projects, with teleconference equipment and software.
Business Research Suite: Students have access to the College of Business research suite in Austin Hall, which is equipped with technology for marketing and consumer research.
Blueprint: The College’s 12-course Blueprint series integrates career advising, student-employer interactions, professional development, financial literacy and work-based learning throughout the business degree.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The B.S. in Business Administration prepares graduates for a wide range of business careers by combining functional business knowledge with analytical, communication, leadership and problem-solving skills. Oregon State describes the degree as a starting point for many business careers and reports that 450 companies recruit College of Business students each year, while its Blueprint curriculum is designed to prepare students for the transition from college to the workplace.

Typical career directions include Business Analyst, Management Analyst, Marketing Specialist, Operations Manager:

Career Success Center: The College of Business provides dedicated career support through its Career Success Center, alongside academic advising and professional development resources.
Employer access: Oregon State reports that 450 companies recruit its students each year, creating opportunities for students to connect with prospective employers.
Career-focused curriculum: Blueprint is a 12-course education-to-career model that incorporates career advising, student-employer interactions, work-based learning, professional development and financial literacy.
Hands-on experience: Students graduate with a required experiential-learning experience that can include internships, research, projects, study abroad or other approved professional activities.
Business-industry connections: Austin Hall's Career Success Center and College of Business Corporate Partners include organizations such as adidas, Boeing, KPMG, Salesforce, Portland General Electric, Dell and Reser's, which have supported the building and career-related initiatives.
Accreditation value: The College of Business's AACSB accreditation was reaffirmed through 2030–31, providing an established external quality framework for its business education.
Graduate outcomes: The program's broad curriculum, required experiential learning and career-focused Blueprint sequence are designed to help students develop the knowledge, skills and professional network needed to enter the workforce.
Salary information: The official Business Administration program sources reviewed do not publish a current program-specific graduate salary figure, so no salary estimate is presented as an Oregon State Business Administration outcome.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can continue into graduate-level business education at Oregon State, including the Master of Business Administration (MBA) or Master of Science in Business (MSB). The College of Business also offers an Accelerated Master's Platform (AMP) through which eligible undergraduate business students can take graduate courses during their senior year and apply qualifying credits toward an MBA or MSB, potentially shortening the time required to complete the graduate degree.