Integrated Business and Engineering (IBE)

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Michigan Ann Arbor

Program Overview

The Integrated Business and Engineering dual degree at the University of Michigan combines a Bachelor of Business Administration from Michigan Ross with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Michigan Engineering, giving students the opportunity to develop business leadership alongside technical engineering expertise. Designed for students interested in technology, innovation, entrepreneurship, consulting, manufacturing, finance and other technology-driven industries, the program allows students to explore engineering during their first year before selecting one of 18 engineering programs.

Curriculum Structure

First Year:
Students establish the foundation for both degrees through BA 100: Introduction to Ross School of Business — Foundations in Learning Business and the engineering curriculum, including ENGR 100: Introduction to Engineering and ENGR 101, which develops computing skills for engineering applications. Students also complete mathematics, science and distribution requirements while using the required Personal Development Plan in BA 100 to map their individual business-and-engineering pathway.

Second Year:
Students progress into the Ross BBA core while beginning more specialized engineering coursework based on the engineering field they have selected. Business study follows the BBA core, while engineering requirements vary by major; students receive dedicated advising to coordinate prerequisites, sequencing, electives and opportunities across both schools.

Third Year:
The third year combines upper-level Ross business coursework with increasingly specialized engineering subjects. Depending on the chosen engineering discipline, students continue developing technical expertise while applying business concepts to technology, operations, product development, innovation or other engineering-related contexts; selected coursework can overlap between the two degrees, with up to 21 credits of overlap permitted between business and engineering requirements.

Fourth Year:
Students complete advanced requirements for both the BBA and their chosen B.S.E. program, including designated business and engineering electives and capstone experiences. Ross capstone coursework can involve action-based projects, while engineering students can complete major-specific design, project or experiential requirements, bringing together the technical and business skills developed throughout the degree.

Focus Areas

Business administration, engineering, technology and innovation, entrepreneurship, business strategy, engineering design, analytics, operations, leadership, finance, consulting, manufacturing, product development, computer science, robotics, sustainability and interdisciplinary problem-solving.

Learning Outcomes

Students develop the ability to combine business decision-making with engineering analysis, quantitative reasoning, technical problem-solving, communication, teamwork and leadership. The engineering component develops capabilities in mathematics, science, engineering design and computing, while the Ross component builds business knowledge and professional decision-making skills.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

The dual degree combines a Ross BBA with one of 18 Michigan Engineering B.S.E. programs. Michigan Ross is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), while 12 of the 18 current undergraduate engineering programs have specialized ABET Engineering Accreditation Commission accreditation; therefore, the specific ABET status depends on the engineering major selected by the student.

Reputation & Employability

The official IBE site reports Michigan Ross as #4 in undergraduate business and Michigan Engineering as #5 in undergraduate engineering in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report rankings. The site also describes the program as combining two active alumni networks and preparing graduates for opportunities across technology startups, consulting, manufacturing, finance and other industries.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The IBE program is designed around an integrated business-and-engineering experience rather than two completely separate degrees. Students receive access to action-based learning, engineering project environments, Ross business experiences, student teams, career resources and dedicated advising, allowing them to connect technical design with business decision-making throughout their degree.

Specific opportunities and facilities include:

ENGR 100: Students begin with a project-based introduction to engineering that simulates an authentic engineering environment and introduces practical design and problem-solving.
ENGR 101: Students develop computing skills and learn to apply programming and computational methods to engineering problems.
Ross action-based learning: The BBA component includes experiential opportunities such as capstone MAP courses, where student teams work directly with real-world clients and develop solutions through observation, analysis, hypothesis formation and experimentation.
Engineering student teams: The Wilson Student Team Project Center provides space and equipment for multidisciplinary student projects, including printers, lathes, vinyl cutters, soldering and welding equipment.
Robotics Makerspace: Students can access approximately 4,500 square feet of design, fabrication, assembly and testing resources supporting student project teams and engineering courses.
Duderstadt Center: Engineering students can use facilities including an XR lab, laser cutters and 3D printers, supporting digital and physical prototyping.
C-SED Lab: The Center for Socially Engaged Engineering & Design provides collaborative project space with woodshop machinery, 3D printers, sewing and embroidery equipment, and soldering/electronics equipment.
Engineering Immersed: Michigan Engineering provides experiential opportunities spanning engineering abroad, human-centered design, leadership development, organizations and teams, research and teaching, and work experience.
Dedicated IBE advising: Students receive coordinated advising from Ross and Michigan Engineering, including help with course sequencing, engineering prerequisites, major selection, experiential goals and career interests.
Global opportunities: Study abroad remains available with advance planning, including short-term programs and selected semester opportunities through Ross and Engineering.
Business-and-engineering cohort: Students share selected Ross and Engineering introductory experiences and participate in IBE-specific community activities, alumni events and career-focused programming.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates receive two degrees and can combine technical engineering knowledge with business training when pursuing careers in technology, consulting, manufacturing, finance, product development, entrepreneurship and other industries. The program specifically emphasizes the ability to lead innovation and work across business and engineering environments, supported by access to the career and recruiting resources of both Ross and Michigan Engineering.

Typical career directions include:

Technology Consultant
Management Consultant
Product Manager
Engineering Project Manager

Other potential roles include business analyst, operations analyst, supply chain analyst, engineering analyst, technology strategy analyst, product development specialist, technical program manager, innovation consultant and entrepreneur.

Career Development & Industry Opportunities

Ross Career Development Office: IBE students have access to Ross career support and recruiting opportunities, including professional career coaches, peer coaches, career exploration, job-search coaching, resume preparation, mock interviews and offer-decision support. Ross reports having more than 65 peer coaches and more than 280 companies recruiting from Ross each year.
Michigan Engineering career support: The engineering side provides career support services designed to help students transition from university into employment, alongside engineering experiential and work-experience opportunities.
Employment context: There are not yet separate employment statistics for the new IBE cohort because the program is beginning with students entering as first-years in Fall 2026. As a relevant reference for the Ross component, Michigan Ross reports that 98% of BBA graduates received a job offer by September 30, 2025, with a $100,000 median base salary, while 471 companies hired a BBA graduate or intern in 2025. These figures are for Ross BBA graduates generally, not specifically IBE graduates.
Industry exposure: The IBE program identifies technology startups, consulting firms, manufacturing and finance among the industries where graduates can apply their combined business and engineering background.
Two alumni networks: Graduates gain access to alumni communities connected with both Michigan Ross and Michigan Engineering, expanding professional connections across business and engineering fields.
Accreditation value: The business component is delivered through AACSB-accredited Michigan Ross, while the engineering component may carry ABET accreditation depending on the specific engineering major selected. This distinction is important when recording the program in a database.
Graduation outcome: Students completing the IBE requirements graduate with two bachelor's degrees: a Bachelor of Business Administration from Michigan Ross and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Michigan Engineering. The program requires a minimum of 150 credits, with permitted overlap between selected business and engineering requirements.

Further Academic Progression:
After completing the dual degree, students can continue into graduate study in engineering, business, technology or interdisciplinary fields. Michigan Engineering offers graduate degrees including the M.S., M.S.E., M.Eng., Ph.D. and D.Eng., while Michigan Ross provides postgraduate business pathways including MBA and specialized master's study.