BA Business

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Rochester

Program Overview

The BA in Business at the University of Rochester is designed for students who want to combine business with another academic discipline, making it particularly suitable for students interested in connecting business knowledge with fields such as economics, political science, engineering, or other areas. The program develops a strong foundation in economics, accounting, finance, marketing, information systems, operations, and strategy, while students complete three approved business electives and a second major.

Curriculum Structure

First Year: Students build their quantitative and economic foundation through courses such as MATH 141-142: Calculus I and Calculus II, ECON 108: Principles of Economics, and ECON 207: Intermediate Microeconomics. They also complete the required statistics preparation, giving them the mathematical and analytical background needed for upper-level business study.

Second Year: Students move into the core business curriculum with subjects including ACC 201: Financial Accounting, MKT 203: Principles of Marketing, and BUS 103: Business Communication. These courses introduce financial reporting, marketing principles, and professional communication while students continue developing their second major.

Third Year: The curriculum expands into financial management, information systems, and operations through FIN 205: Financial Management, CIS 220: Business Information Systems and Analytics, and OPS 221: Operations Management. Students can also begin using their three business electives to explore areas such as business analytics, entrepreneurship, finance, marketing, AI, or business law.

Fourth Year: Students complete STR 203/ECON 214: Economics of Strategy and Organization alongside their remaining business electives and requirements for their second major. Depending on their interests, electives can include CIS 278: Foundations of AI & Business, FIN 246: Cryptocurrencies, Blockchain, and FinTech, MKT 237: Digital Marketing Strategy, or ENT 230: Ignite Impact Lab, allowing students to shape the business component around their intended career direction.

Focus Areas

Accounting, Business Analytics, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Information Systems, Marketing, Operations Management, Business Strategy, Economics, Artificial Intelligence and Business, FinTech, Digital Marketing, Business Law, Real Estate, International Finance, Social Entrepreneurship.

Learning Outcomes

Students develop quantitative and analytical approaches to business problems, knowledge of finance, accounting, marketing, operations and organizational strategy, professional communication skills, and the ability to apply business concepts to opportunities and challenges in for-profit and nonprofit organizations.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

The University of Rochester's undergraduate business program is AACSB accredited, providing an internationally recognized quality framework for business education. The BA in Business is also a STEM-designated degree, and the university states that eligible international students on F-1 visas can qualify for up to three years of U.S. work authorization through the applicable STEM OPT provisions.

Reputation (Employability)

The University of Rochester reports that 95% of its business graduates have reported a positive career outcome, defined by the university as working in a preferred industry or continuing with graduate school. Reported employers of business graduates include Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Deloitte, Goldman Sachs, Apple, J.P. Morgan, IBM, Bloomberg, and Bank of America.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The BA Business program combines quantitative business education with hands-on opportunities such as internships, client-based research, study abroad, student organizations, and entrepreneurship activities. Students can also benefit from the University's collaboration with Simon Business School, whose faculty contribute to undergraduate curricular, co-curricular, and experiential learning opportunities, while career advising helps students turn these experiences into professional opportunities.

Students can gain practical experience through:

Client-based Business Research: BUS 389: Business Research allows eligible junior and senior business majors to work in teams to develop, create, and analyze a research project for an actual client and present the results to that client.
Internships: The business program encourages students to gain real-world experience through internships, with dedicated business career advising to help students identify opportunities, prepare applications, improve résumés and LinkedIn profiles, and prepare for interviews.
Business Career Advising: Students receive support across career exploration, internship searches, job searches, résumé development, LinkedIn profiles, interviewing, offer evaluation, and long-term career planning.
Business Analytics and Technology: Students can select electives such as CIS 191: Introduction to Programming for Business Analytics, CIS 211: Business Modeling Using Excel, CIS 240: Data Management and Descriptive Analytics for Business, CIS 242: Predictive Analytics, CIS 278: Foundations of AI & Business, and CIS 279: Generative AI and Business Applications.
Entrepreneurship: Students can explore venture creation through courses including ENT 101: Introduction to Entrepreneurship, ENT 223: Planning and Growing Business Ventures, and ENT 230: Ignite Impact Lab.
Study Abroad: More than half of the university's business majors and minors study abroad, and business advisors can help students plan international study while meeting degree requirements.
Simon Business School Collaboration: Undergraduate students benefit from curricular, co-curricular, and experiential opportunities developed in collaboration with Simon Business School faculty, including faculty who also teach MBA and MS courses.
Business Hub: Beginning in fall 2026, the undergraduate business program is joining Simon Business School, with the Evans Lam Undergraduate Business Hub being developed as a dedicated facility for undergraduate business students, supporting innovation and collaboration.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The BA Business degree gives students a flexible business foundation that can be combined with a second major, supporting career paths across finance, consulting, analytics, marketing, operations, entrepreneurship, and other business functions. The University of Rochester reports that 95% of business graduates have reported a positive career outcome, while graduates have gone on to organizations including Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Deloitte, Goldman Sachs, Apple, J.P. Morgan, IBM, and Bloomberg.

Typical career directions include: Business Analyst, Financial Analyst, Management Consultant, Marketing Analyst

Business Career Advising: Dedicated business career advising supports career exploration, internship searches, résumé and LinkedIn development, interview preparation, job searches, offer evaluation, and long-term career planning.
Internship Preparation: Students are encouraged to gain professional experience through internships, with university resources available to help them identify suitable opportunities and develop the skills required for recruitment.
Graduate Outcomes: The university reports that 95% of business graduates have reported a positive career outcome, meaning they are working in a preferred industry or continuing with graduate school.
Employer Connections: Reported employers of Rochester business graduates include Amazon, L3 Harris Technologies, EPIC Systems, Google, EY, ASML, Microsoft, Deloitte, Lockheed Martin, Goldman Sachs, Apple, FactSet Research Systems, Bank of America, M&T Bank, Deutsche Bank, Jefferies, Intel, IBM, Bloomberg, and J.P. Morgan.
Professional Recognition: Eligible high-achieving BA and BS business majors may be invited to Beta Gamma Sigma, the international business honor society associated with AACSB-accredited business schools.
Accreditation: The undergraduate business program is AACSB accredited, giving the business education an internationally recognized quality framework.
International Career Opportunity: The BA Business degree is STEM-designated; the University states that eligible F-1 international students can qualify for up to three years of U.S. work authorization through the applicable STEM OPT provisions.
Business Master's Pathway: Students can pursue the University's five-year BA/BS + MS Business Master's Pathway, providing a streamlined route into Simon's full-time MS programs in Accountancy, AI in Business, Business Analytics, Marketing Analytics, or Finance.

Further Academic Progression: Students can continue into graduate business education through Simon Business School's master's programs, including the Business Master's Pathway, or pursue other graduate/professional programs aligned with their second major and career interests. The undergraduate business program specifically identifies preparation for graduate work in specialized business disciplines as one of its learning objectives.