BA Business Administration

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Oregon

Program Overview

The BA in Business Administration at the University of Oregon gives students a flexible business education that combines core knowledge with the freedom to explore areas such as accounting, entrepreneurship, finance, marketing, operations and business analytics, or sports business. Designed for students who want to lead organizations, build businesses, solve business problems, or work across industries, the program develops analytical thinking, communication, leadership, teamwork, ethical decision-making, and practical business skills.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students begin by developing a broad understanding of business and its role in society while building quantitative and analytical foundations. Courses such as BA 101Z: Introduction to Business, EC 201Z: Principles of Microeconomics, and BA 169Z: Data Analysis Using Microsoft Excel introduce accounting, finance, management, marketing, economics, Excel-based data analysis, and evidence-based business decision-making.

Year 2: Students continue through the pre-business core and strengthen their understanding of financial information, economics, mathematics, and global business. Courses such as BA 211Z: Principles of Financial Accounting, BA 213Z: Principles of Managerial Accounting, EC 202Z: Principles of Macroeconomics, and BA 252: Global Perspectives in Business develop financial-analysis, managerial decision-making, economic, intercultural, and global-business skills.

Year 3: After admission to the business administration major, students move into upper-division business study and begin developing leadership, marketing, finance, management, analytics, and sustainability expertise. Core courses include BA 308: Leadership and Communication, MKTG 311: Marketing Management, FIN 316: Financial Management, MGMT 311: Managing People in Organizations, and BA 322: Fundamentals of Business Sustainability.

Year 4: Students complete the remaining upper-division business core and select approved electives from at least two business departments, allowing them to tailor the degree toward their interests and career plans. Courses such as OBA 311: Business Analytics I, OBA 312: Business Analytics II, OBA 335: Operations Management, and BA 453 help students apply analytical, operational, strategic, and managerial concepts to complex business decisions.

Focus areas

General Business, Accounting, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Marketing, Operations and Business Analytics, Sports Business, Business Sustainability, Leadership, Management, Global Business

Learning outcomes

Creative and analytical problem solving, effective communication, multicultural professional collaboration, leadership and teamwork, ethical and legal decision-making, sustainability awareness, fundamental business knowledge, concentration-specific business knowledge

Professional alignment (accreditation)

The BA in Business Administration is offered through the Lundquist College of Business, which is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). The college states that its undergraduate business program was first AACSB accredited in 1923, providing a long-standing internationally recognized quality framework for business education.

Reputation (employability rankings)

The University of Oregon identifies Lundquist College of Business as a Top 5 Best Undergraduate Business School on the West Coast according to U.S. News. The university also highlights alumni working with organizations such as Amazon, while graduates pursue careers in business analysis, marketing, finance, entrepreneurship, sports business, sustainability, and operations.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The BA in Business Administration has a strong learning-by-doing approach, with students able to work on real projects, participate in business competitions, engage with executives, complete internships, and gain experience through student-run organizations. Lundquist College specifically provides opportunities to work with companies and nonprofit organizations, tour companies and factories, attend executive lectures, participate in case competitions, and develop practical consulting, investment, entrepreneurship, and professional skills.

Students can turn classroom knowledge into professional experience through opportunities such as:

Oregon Consulting Group: Students work in a professionally managed, student-run consulting organization that undertakes projects for companies and nonprofit organizations, developing research, analysis, strategy, and business-plan skills.
University of Oregon Investment Group: Students gain practical investment-management experience by conducting fundamental equity valuation, actively managing two portfolios, and participating in educational trips.
Oregon Real Estate Investment Group: Students explore real-estate careers through guest speakers, case studies, site visits, and professional networking.
Business competitions: Students can participate in business-plan, financial, case, and hackathon competitions, providing opportunities to solve business problems in competitive settings.
Company and factory visits: Lundquist students can tour companies and factories and attend lectures delivered by executives from leading firms, connecting classroom concepts with real business environments.
Internships: Business students can receive academic credit for qualifying internships through the University's internship-for-credit options, while Lundquist also provides internship funding opportunities.
Professional Edge: Students can develop current workplace skills through Lundquist's Professional Edge workshops, trainings, and immersive experiences.
Executive engagement: Hundreds of business leaders visit campus each year for workshops, lectures, guest-speaker programs, and executive-in-residence activities, giving students opportunities to interact directly with industry professionals.
Sales and professional development: The University of Oregon Sales Club provides learning, networking, and experiential opportunities for students interested in professional sales.
Global experiences: Business students can participate in study-abroad and site-visit opportunities to develop international business perspectives.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The BA in Business Administration gives graduates the flexibility to pursue careers across business analysis, marketing, finance, operations, entrepreneurship, sports, sustainability, and management. The University of Oregon specifically identifies career possibilities including business analyst, marketing manager, financial planner, entrepreneur, sports marketing specialist, sustainability consultant, and operations manager, while graduates can also continue into graduate study or launch their own ventures.

Typical career roles include:

Business Analyst
Marketing Manager
Financial Planner
Operations Manager

Students can build their transition from university into professional employment through:

Mohr Career Services: Provides career advising, networking opportunities, industry connections, and access to internship and job opportunities through Handshake.
University Career Center: Students receive career coaching for résumés, cover letters, interviews, LinkedIn profiles, job searches, and internships, with additional opportunities to earn academic credit for internships.
Industry connections: Recent undergraduate employers listed by Lundquist include adidas, Amazon, Bloomberg, Boeing, Deloitte, ESPN, Frito-Lay, Intel, Merrill Lynch, and Wasserman, giving students exposure to employers across technology, consulting, sports, finance, manufacturing, and consumer industries.
Real-company projects: The Oregon Consulting Group works with companies and nonprofits, giving students experience developing research, analysis, strategies, and business plans for real clients.
Professional networking: Lundquist's industry and alumni engagement team connects students and employers through career activities, mentoring, guest speakers, and recruitment opportunities.
Career preparation: Professional Edge, student organizations, internships, competitions, and employer events provide additional opportunities to build professional skills and résumé experience.
Accreditation value: AACSB accreditation provides an internationally recognized quality benchmark for the business school and its undergraduate business education.
Graduation flexibility: Students can graduate with a general business administration degree or use the available concentration options to build a more specialized academic and professional profile.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can continue their education through graduate-level business programs at the University of Oregon, including the Oregon MBA and specialized graduate business programs. Students interested in accelerating their education can also explore the Lundquist 3+1 Scholars pathway, which allows eligible students to complete an undergraduate degree in three years and a master's degree in the fourth year; Business Administration students may participate through the 3+1 Accounting pathway when pursuing the required accounting concentration.