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4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program
University of California RiversideThe Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at the University of California, Riverside, provides a broad business education with the flexibility to specialise in areas such as Accounting and Auditing, Business Analytics, Finance, Information Systems, Management, Marketing, and Operations and Supply Chain Management. Designed for students interested in developing careers across business and management, the program combines foundational knowledge with specialised coursework to build analytical, communication, leadership and strategic decision-making skills.
Curriculum Structure
Note: The university publishes major requirements and concentration-specific degree plans rather than a single fixed year-by-year curriculum. The following is a general progression based on the published requirements.
Year 1 – Building a Business Foundation
Students begin with introductory business and quantitative subjects such as BUS 010: Introduction to Business, BUS 020: Financial Accounting and Reporting, and ECON 002: Introduction to Macroeconomics. Mathematics and statistics courses, including MATH 022: Calculus for Business and STAT 008: Statistics for Business, help students develop the numerical and analytical skills needed for advanced business study.
Year 2 – Preparing for the Major
Students continue developing their foundation through subjects such as ECON 003: Introduction to Microeconomics and BUS 021: Generation of Financial Accounting Information, where applicable to the Accounting and Auditing concentration. First-year students apply to UCR as Pre-Business and progress into the School of Business major after meeting the lower-division admission requirements, generally between the second and third year.
Year 3 – Core Business Studies and Specialisation
Students complete upper-division core courses such as BUS 100W: Management Writing and Communication, BUS 101: Information Technology Management, and BUS 103: Marketing and Distribution Management. They also begin concentration-specific study, with options such as BUS 124: Business Analytics, BUS 132: Foundations of Finance, or BUS 155: Managing Human Resources, depending on their chosen pathway.
Year 4 – Advanced Business Knowledge and Career Preparation
Students complete advanced concentration courses and upper-division electives while strengthening their strategic and professional skills through subjects such as BUS 108: Financial Evaluation and Managerial Analysis and BUS 109: Competitive and Strategic Analysis. The final stage allows students to connect their chosen specialisation with business decision-making and prepare for professional opportunities or postgraduate study.
Focus Areas
Business Administration, Accounting and Auditing, Business Analytics, Finance, Information Systems, Management, Organisational Behaviour, Human Resource Management, Strategy and Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Operations Management, Supply Chain Management, Business Economics, Financial Management, Strategic Analysis
Learning Outcomes
Students develop the ability to analyse business problems, interpret financial and statistical information, communicate effectively, apply information technology to business activities, understand ethical and legal responsibilities, evaluate organisational performance, manage business operations and make informed strategic decisions.
Professional Alignment (Accreditation)
The UCR School of Business provides a professional undergraduate business education through its Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. The official program information reviewed does not specify a separate accreditation for this individual degree, so a program-specific accreditation claim should not be added without confirmation from the university.
Reputation (Employability and Rankings)
U.S. News & World Report: UCR’s School of Business undergraduate program is listed at No. 83 among undergraduate business programs in the United States on the university’s undergraduate page.
Graduate outcomes: The School of Business reports a 95% graduation success rate for students in its two-year upper-division program. This is a graduation measure, not an employment rate.
UC Riverside encourages Business Administration students to connect classroom learning with professional experience through internships, career development activities, student organisations and faculty-guided opportunities. Students can build workplace skills through the BUS 198i Individual Internship in Business course, which carries four academic units and is offered every quarter, including summer. The School of Business also provides career preparation resources to help students develop professional profiles, explore industries and connect with alumni and industry professionals.
Students can strengthen their practical knowledge through the following opportunities:
BUS 198i – Individual Internship in Business: A four-unit course that allows students to apply classroom learning in a workplace setting.
City of Riverside Internship Opportunities: Students can explore internships in areas such as Innovation and Technology, Finance, and Parks, Recreation and Community Services.
UC Center in Sacramento: Academic internship opportunities through UCCS allow students to gain professional experience and earn academic credit.
UC Washington Center: Students can pursue internship-based learning in Washington, D.C., while developing career readiness skills.
Career Development Center: Students receive support with résumé preparation, LinkedIn profiles, elevator pitches, interview preparation and career planning.
Business Career Pathway Resources: Concentration-specific career pathway sheets help students explore job roles, salary ranges, required skills and professional development opportunities.
Faculty-Mentored Research: Eligible students, particularly those in the honors program, can participate in faculty-guided research, scholarship and creative activities.
Case Competitions and Leadership Activities: Students can develop teamwork, communication and problem-solving skills through professional development opportunities and leadership experiences.
Student Ambassador Program: Students can represent the School of Business at events while building leadership and networking experience.
Business Student Organisations: UCR offers more than 400 student organisations across campus, providing opportunities to connect with peers and develop professional skills.
Graduates of UC Riverside’s Business Administration program can explore career opportunities across accounting, finance, marketing, management, information systems, analytics and supply chain operations. The program’s concentration structure allows students to build specialised knowledge while retaining a broad understanding of business functions, preparing them for entry-level professional roles and further education.
Potential career roles include:
Business Analyst, Financial Analyst, Accountant, Marketing Coordinator, Human Resources Specialist, Management Trainee, Operations Analyst, Business Intelligence Analyst, Supply Chain Analyst, Investment Analyst, Information Systems Analyst, Financial Reporting Associate
Career Development and Graduate Outcomes
Career Development Center: Students receive support with résumé development, LinkedIn profiles, interview preparation and professional networking.
Internship opportunities: BUS 198i provides a structured four-unit business internship option, while UCR also identifies internship opportunities through the City of Riverside and UC-based internship programmes.
Career pathway guidance: The School of Business provides concentration-specific career resources covering potential roles, salary ranges, professional skills and development opportunities.
Graduate outcomes: UCR reports a 95% graduation success rate for students in its two-year upper-division business program. This is a graduation statistic and should not be interpreted as an employment rate.
Industry engagement: Students are encouraged to connect with alumni, faculty and industry professionals through networking and career development activities.
Professional development: Student organisations, ambassador opportunities, research and case competitions help students develop leadership, teamwork and communication skills.
Accreditation: The reviewed official program information does not identify a specific accreditation for this individual degree. No additional accreditation claim is included.
Salary information: UCR provides salary-range information through its career pathway resources, but a verified program-wide median starting salary was not identified in the reviewed official sources.
Further Academic Progression: After completing the B.S. in Business Administration, graduates may consider postgraduate study such as a Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Science in Business Analytics, Master of Finance, or specialised graduate study in accounting, management or information systems. Students interested in professional qualifications may also explore relevant pathways such as CPA, CMA or CIA preparation, particularly through the Accounting and Auditing concentration. Admission to postgraduate programs and professional certifications depends on the relevant institution or certification body's requirements.
Applicants must complete the required A-G college-preparatory subjects and meet the minimum GPA requirement of 3.0 for California residents or 3.4 for non-California residents.
Submit the UC application and respond to four of the eight Personal Insight Questions. SAT and ACT scores are not considered for admission decisions.
Students initially enter as Pre-Business and must meet the School of Business progression requirements to enter the Business Administration major. US universities use a holistic admissions review. Beyond grades and standardized test scores, they weigh the strength of your overall profile to understand who you are as a student and a person.
Profile Assessment: Business-related applicants are assessed on academic performance, quantitative preparation, communication, initiative and evidence of engagement with organisations or economic issues. Mathematics is particularly important for Finance, Economics, Business Analytics and other quantitative programs. Entrepreneurship, business competitions, investment or economics clubs, internships, case studies, market research and community projects may strengthen the profile.Advanced Placement(AP) Guidance: AP availability depends on the student's school. Relevant APs can strengthen an application and may earn university credit, but are not compulsory unless the university or programme explicitly requires them.Essays & recommendations: Personal essays and teacher/counselor recommendations give context to your achievements and help demonstrate fit with the program.Business AnalystFinancial AnalystAccountantMarketing CoordinatorHuman Resources SpecialistManagement TraineeOperations AnalystBusiness Intelligence AnalystSupply Chain AnalystInvestment AnalystInformation Systems AnalystFinancial Reporting AssociateBusiness Development AssociateMarket Research AnalystProject Coordinator
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