Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) Major in General Business

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Oklahoma State University

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) in General Business at Oklahoma State University is designed for students who want a broad understanding of business while keeping the flexibility to explore different areas of the Spears School of Business. Students build knowledge across accounting, economics, entrepreneurship, finance, management, marketing, business data science and analytics, while using upper-division business courses to shape their studies around their interests and career goals.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students begin by developing their academic and business foundation through courses such as Business Data Science Technologies, Introduction to Entrepreneurship, and Business Analytics Fundamentals, alongside composition, history, government and quantitative coursework. This combination introduces students to business technology and analytical thinking early while also building the communication and general-education skills needed for advanced business study.

Year 2: The second year expands into the major areas of business through Survey of Accounting, Microeconomic Principles for Business, Fundamentals of Management, Marketing, Principles of Finance, and Legal and Regulatory Environment of Business. Students also begin taking upper-division business coursework, giving them an opportunity to explore different business disciplines before developing their individual area of focus.

Year 3: Students move further into professional preparation with Professional Development for Business Success, Practical Business and Interpersonal Skills, and Principles of Data Analytics. Much of the year is devoted to upper-division business courses, which can be selected from areas including accounting, business communications, economics, entrepreneurship, finance, hospitality and tourism management, management, marketing and management information systems.

Year 4: The final year focuses on advanced business knowledge and strategic thinking. Students complete Strategic Management alongside additional upper-division business courses and electives, allowing them to bring together concepts from different business disciplines and tailor the final stage of their degree to their professional or academic goals.

Focus areas

General business, accounting, economics, entrepreneurship, finance, management, marketing, business data science, data analytics, management information systems, legal and regulatory studies, strategic management

Learning outcomes

Students develop broad business knowledge, analytical and data skills, financial understanding, marketing and management knowledge, entrepreneurial thinking, professional communication, interpersonal skills, strategic decision-making and the ability to apply business concepts across different organizational settings.

Professional alignment (accreditation)

The program is offered through the Spears School of Business, which has been accredited by AACSB International since 1958. AACSB accreditation provides an internationally recognized quality framework for business education and applies to the academic programs within Spears Business.

Reputation (employability rankings)

Spears School of Business is officially described by Oklahoma State as being among the top 6% of business schools worldwide. Its undergraduate business programs were ranked 77th out of more than 530 programs in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

General Business students can combine their broad classroom preparation with professional development, internships, mentoring and international experiences. The Eastin Center for Career Readiness supports students with career coaching, résumé reviews, mock interviews, career fairs, internship searches and professional mentoring, while the CAGLE Center provides short-term study-abroad opportunities that can count toward degree requirements.

The program's flexible curriculum also gives students room to select upper-division courses from multiple Spears Business disciplines, allowing practical interests to be incorporated into the degree. OSU's official General Business material specifically highlights internship experience, including a General Business graduate who completed a management trainee internship with Enterprise Rent-A-Car.

Students can put these opportunities into practice through:

Internships: The Eastin Center actively helps Spears Business students pursue internships and connects employers with students through career events and internship programs.
Career preparation: Students receive résumé and cover-letter support, mock interviews, career coaching, job-search assistance and access to career fairs.
Professional mentoring: The Spears Network provides a structured Mentor Match program connecting students with professionals based on major, industry, career goals and interests.
Study abroad: Through the CAGLE Center, students can take short-term international trips lasting approximately 1–3 weeks, meet professionals and gain exposure to different business environments and cultures; OSU states that the center offers approximately 20+ trips each year.
Business analytics and technology: Required courses such as Business Data Science Technologies, Business Analytics Fundamentals and Principles of Data Analytics give students exposure to data-driven business methods as part of the General Business curriculum.
Industry engagement: The Eastin Center works with employer partners through career fairs, interviews, mentoring, job-shadow opportunities and other career-readiness activities. Its Employer Advisory Board includes representatives from organizations such as Boeing, BOK Financial, CBIZ Stinnett, Chick-fil-A and ConocoPhillips.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The General Business degree is intentionally broad, allowing graduates to pursue different business and professional directions rather than preparing for only one specialized occupation. Oklahoma State identifies career paths including law, public office, account representative, personnel recruiter, small/family business and consulting, while the broad curriculum also provides foundations for management, marketing, finance, analytics and other business roles.

Typical career roles include Business Consultant, Management Trainee, Account Representative, Personnel Recruiter.

Students can strengthen their transition from university to employment through:

Career services: The Eastin Center provides career coaching, résumé and cover-letter development, mock interviews, job and internship searches, career fairs, professional mentoring and networking support.
Employment outcomes: Oklahoma State reports that 91% of Spears Business BSBA graduates for whom post-graduation information was available had employment, job offers or other plans within six months of graduation for the 2023 graduating class. The university reports that 68.5% of the 1,120 unique BSBA graduates were included in the available data.
Salary information: Oklahoma State's official Spears Business sources reviewed for this program do not publish a current General Business-specific average starting salary, so a program-specific salary figure should not be assumed.
University–industry connections: Employer engagement includes career fairs, on-campus interviews, résumé events, mentoring and job-shadow opportunities. The Eastin Employer Advisory Board includes representatives from Boeing, BOK Financial, CBIZ Stinnett, Chick-fil-A and ConocoPhillips.
Professional accreditation: Spears Business has maintained AACSB accreditation since 1958, providing an internationally recognized quality framework for business education.
Further career development: Students can build professional networks through the Spears Network, including semester-long one-to-one mentoring with professionals matched according to career interests and goals.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the BSBA in General Business, students can pursue graduate-level business or related programs at Oklahoma State or elsewhere. The broad undergraduate preparation can provide a foundation for advanced study in areas such as an MBA, business analytics, management information systems, accounting, finance, management or other specialized business fields, depending on the student's interests and the admission requirements of the chosen graduate program.