BSBA Major in General Business

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Drexel University

Program Overview

The BSBA Major in General Business at Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business gives students a broad foundation across management, marketing, finance, operations, accounting, economics and other business disciplines, making it a strong option for students who want flexibility rather than a narrowly specialized business degree. Students develop analytical reasoning, communication, teamwork and strategic decision-making skills while using case studies, team projects, consulting experiences and experiential learning to connect business concepts with real organizational challenges.

Curriculum Structure

First Year: Students begin by building their core business and analytical foundation through courses such as BUSN 101 – Foundations of Business I, BUSN 102 – Foundations of Business II, and BUSN 105 – Applied Business Analysis. They are introduced to business organizations, professional communication, teamwork and spreadsheet-based problem solving, while courses such as ECON 201 – Principles of Microeconomics and BSAN 160 – Business Analytics and Data Visualization develop their understanding of economic and data-driven decision-making.

Second Year: Students broaden their understanding of the major business functions through subjects such as ACCT 115 – Financial Accounting Foundations, ECON 202 – Principles of Macroeconomics, and ORGB 300 – Organizational Behavior. The flexible structure also allows students to begin selecting General Business Major Electives from areas such as finance, marketing, management, international business, human resources, business law, operations and management information systems.

Third Year: Students move further into cross-functional business knowledge and can combine disciplines according to their career interests. Courses such as FIN 301 – Introduction to Finance, MKTG 201 – Introduction to Marketing Management, and MIS 200 – Management Information Systems allow students to understand financial decisions, customer and market activity, and the role of information systems in organizations.

Fourth Year: The final stage emphasizes strategic thinking and the application of business knowledge through advanced electives and MGMT 450 – Strategy and Competitive Advantage. Students can use their remaining General Business Major Electives and Business Impact Elective to create a personalized academic pathway, while co-op or other experiential opportunities can provide professional exposure before graduation.

Focus Areas

Management, marketing, finance, accounting, economics, operations management, business analytics, management information systems, human resource management, international business, business law, organizational behavior, entrepreneurship, strategic management

Learning Outcomes

Students develop core business knowledge, analytical reasoning, data-informed decision-making, business problem-solving, professional communication, teamwork, ethical judgment, adaptability and career-readiness skills. The program also develops students' ability to understand business challenges from multiple functional perspectives and formulate practical solutions.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business maintains international business accreditation from AACSB International. In July 2025, LeBow announced that its AACSB business accreditation had been extended for another six years following a peer-review process, providing an established external quality framework for its business education.

Reputation (Employability Rankings)

Drexel University was ranked No. 2 for Best Co-ops/Internship Programs by U.S. News & World Report in 2026, while Forbes ranked Drexel among its Top 15 Colleges for Launching Your Career in 2025. For the LeBow Class of 2025, the university reports a 96% successful career outcome rate, while General Business majors had an average starting salary of $73,455 according to LeBow's Class of 2025 data.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

General Business students at Drexel LeBow can apply their broad business knowledge through case studies, team projects, consulting experiences, practicum courses, industry-specific site visits and Drexel's signature co-op model. Depending on their chosen plan of study, students can complete up to three co-ops and gain as much as 18 months of full-time professional experience with university-approved employers, while the Dornsife Office for Experiential Learning provides additional consulting, project-based and international learning opportunities.

Students can gain practical experience through:

Drexel Co-op: Students can alternate academic study with full-time professional employment and potentially graduate with up to 18 months of workplace experience. General Business co-op placements have included CHUBB, Comcast Corporation, Cigna Corporation, FMC Corporation, FS Investments, Publicis Health, Exelon Company, Estée Lauder/Northtec and Urban Outfitters.
Business consulting projects: Through the Dana and David Dornsife Office for Experiential Learning, students can work with organizations on real business challenges and develop practical recommendations.
Case studies and team projects: The General Business curriculum uses case studies, collaborative projects and applied assignments to connect business theory with organizational situations.
BUSN 105 – Applied Business Analysis: Students use spreadsheets to solve business problems and work with functions such as formulas, tables, charts, sorting, filtering and data organization.
Industry site visits: General Business majors can participate in industry-specific site visits and meet LeBow alumni, giving them direct exposure to professional environments.
Business-intensive week abroad: Students have the opportunity to participate in a business-focused international experience that extends classroom learning into a global setting.
Competitions and simulations: LeBow's experiential-learning activities include business competitions and simulations designed to bridge theoretical learning with practical decision-making.
Gerri C. LeBow Hall: The college's facilities include a Finance Trading Lab with Bloomberg Terminal Room, computer classrooms, seminar rooms, group study rooms, experiential-learning simulation areas and business consulting spaces.
Industry partnerships: LeBow's experiential-learning activities have involved organizations such as Unilever, the Philadelphia 76ers, KPMG and PwC, as well as nonprofit and governmental partners.
Career preparation: LeBow and Drexel's career resources connect students with employers through career events, networking opportunities and co-op preparation.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The BSBA in General Business gives graduates a flexible business background that can support careers across finance, marketing, sales, consulting, human resources, accounting, operations and entrepreneurship. Drexel specifically identifies career outcomes such as Account Manager, Analyst, Business Owner, Consultant, Human Resource Manager, Purchaser, Recruiter and Store Manager, while recent General Business graduates have joined organizations including Morgan Stanley, Netflix, New York Life, TD Bank and Vanguard.

Typical career roles: Account Manager, Business Analyst, Management Consultant, Human Resource Manager

Students can build their professional future through:

Center for Career Readiness: LeBow provides résumé reviews, interview preparation, career guidance and networking opportunities to help students prepare for employment.
Co-op career preparation: Drexel's co-op system allows students to gain substantial professional experience before graduation. LeBow reports a $20 median co-op hourly pay for General Business majors during the 2024–2025 academic year, with 91.3% of General Business major co-ops being paid positions.
Employment outcomes: LeBow's General Business graduates from the Class of 2025 reported an average starting salary of $73,455. Across LeBow's Class of 2024, 96% achieved a successful outcome, with 86% employed and 11% pursuing graduate degrees.
Employer connections: Recent General Business graduates have worked at Morgan Stanley, Netflix, New York Life, Pennoni Associates, TD Bank, TMNA and Vanguard.
Large employer network: Drexel Co-op has more than 1,500 unique employer partners, including Fortune 500 companies, startups and other industry organizations.
Industry engagement: LeBow connects students with employers through co-op, consulting projects, industry events, site visits, alumni engagement and other experiential-learning activities.
Professional accreditation: LeBow's continued AACSB accreditation provides an externally reviewed quality framework for its business education and remains in effect for six years following its 2025 extension.
Career development: Students can develop professional networks and gain career clarity through co-op, employer interactions, career events and applied projects before graduation.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can continue into advanced business education, including an MBA, MS in Business Analytics, MS in Economics or MS in Marketing at Drexel, depending on their academic and career interests. Drexel also offers an accelerated BS/MBA pathway, allowing eligible students to combine their undergraduate business degree with an MBA through a structured five-year program.