B.S. in Business and Enterprise Management

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Wake Forest University

Program Overview

The B.S. in Business and Enterprise Management at Wake Forest University is designed for students who want a broad business education while having the flexibility to shape their studies around their career interests. After completing the required pre-business coursework and gaining admission to the Undergraduate Business Program, students develop skills in management, marketing, operations, finance, leadership and strategy, while completing a required internship and a three-course concentration or customized area of study.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1 – Pre-Business Foundation: Students begin with Wake Forest’s university and liberal arts curriculum while preparing for business study. The foundation includes subjects that support later business coursework, with ECN 150 Introduction to Economics, ACC 111 Introductory Financial Accounting and MTH 111 Calculus with Analytic Geometry I forming key prerequisites for entry to the School of Business.

Year 2 – Business Preparation and Admission: During the second year, students complete the remaining business prerequisites and apply to the Undergraduate Business Program. BEM 201 Quantitative Analysis I develops quantitative business skills, while ACC 111 Introductory Financial Accounting and ECN 150 Introduction to Economics establish knowledge of financial and economic decision-making; students accepted into the program during sophomore spring follow the BEM major requirements beginning in junior fall.

Year 3 – Core Business and Leadership: Once students begin the BEM major, they build an integrated understanding of business through courses such as BEM 211 Organizational Behavior, BEM 221 Principles of Marketing, BEM 241 Productions and Operations Management and BEM 251 Management Information Systems. They also develop quantitative, financial and managerial skills through BEM 202 Quantitative Analysis II, ACC 221 Introductory Management Accounting and FIN 231 Principles of Finance, alongside professional development and leadership preparation.

Year 4 – Strategy, Experience and Specialization: Students progress into advanced subjects including BEM 371 Strategic Management, BEM 388 Management Simulation and BEM 365 Ethics and Business Leadership, bringing together concepts from across the business curriculum. They also complete the BEM 389 Management Internship and nine hours in a concentration such as Marketing, International Business, New Business Development or Management Consulting, or create an approved customized concentration.

Focus Areas

General Business Management, Marketing, International Business, New Business Development, Entrepreneurship, Management Consulting, Organizational Behavior, Strategic Management, Operations Management, Management Information Systems, Finance, Leadership, Business Ethics, Quantitative Analysis

Learning Outcomes

Students develop quantitative analysis, critical thinking, strategic decision-making, organizational behavior, marketing, operations, financial management, information systems, leadership, ethical reasoning, professional communication and problem-solving skills while learning to integrate different business functions when addressing organizational challenges.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

The Wake Forest University School of Business is accredited by AACSB International, a globally recognized accreditation body for business education. Wake Forest University is also accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees.

Reputation (Employability Rankings)

Wake Forest’s undergraduate business program was ranked Top 15 in the U.S. by Poets & Quants for Undergrads in 2026 and Top 10 for undergraduate business career outcomes, quality of teaching and career advising. The university also reports that its undergraduate business program was ranked No. 13 for Best Schools for Internships by The Princeton Review in 2025.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The B.S. in Business and Enterprise Management places substantial emphasis on applying business concepts in realistic professional settings. Students complete a required management internship, work on structured projects, receive faculty guidance and reflect on their experience through professional documentation, while the BEM 388 Management Simulation gives students the opportunity to make strategic decisions in a competitive simulated business environment.

Students also connect their internship experience to classroom learning through presentations and portfolio development, giving them opportunities to demonstrate what they have accomplished to faculty, peers and employers. The School of Business further supports professional preparation through Market Readiness & Employment, Handshake, career coaching and employer engagement.

Key practical experiences include:

BEM 389 Management Internship: Students complete a minimum of 200 hours over at least five weeks, with defined responsibilities and learning outcomes developed with the internship supervisor and Wake Forest Internship Advisor.
Internship Portfolio: Students prepare a professionally oriented portfolio showcasing their work and complete reports, journals and a final reflection connecting their workplace experience with their academic and professional development.
BEM Tabletop Tradeshow: Students return from their internships and present their experiences through comprehensive displays and presentations, giving them an additional opportunity to communicate their professional achievements.
BEM 388 Management Simulation: Student teams use knowledge from operations, marketing, finance, human resources and information systems to manage a simulated company and make strategic decisions in a competitive environment.
Calloway Leadership Experience: BEM 318 provides a dedicated leadership-development component within the major.
Professional Development Workshop Series: BEM 287 provides structured professional preparation as part of the major requirements.
Career technology: Handshake provides access to internships, job opportunities, employer events and interview opportunities, while the Market Readiness & Employment team provides individual career coaching.
International internship opportunities: Qualified BEM internships outside a student's country of residence may be eligible for support through the Coumantaros Global Exploration Internship Fund.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The B.S. in Business and Enterprise Management prepares graduates for a broad range of management-oriented careers because the curriculum combines general business knowledge with specialization, leadership development, professional experience and strategic decision-making. Depending on their concentration and interests, graduates can pursue opportunities in consulting, marketing, business development, operations, management and entrepreneurship.

Typical Job Roles: Management Analyst, Business Analyst, Management Consultant, Business Development Specialist

Career coaching and employment support: Wake Forest’s Market Readiness & Employment team provides individual career coaching, helps students assess career options, refine goals, strengthen interviewing and negotiation skills, and connect with the university’s alumni network across more than 8,000 companies.
Employer and career resources: Students have access to Handshake, career events, internship and job opportunities, employer connections and career-development resources through the School of Business.
Employment outcomes: For the Class of 2025, 77% of BS School of Business graduates had reached a first destination at graduation, increasing to 86% at three months and 98% at six months. The university defines this first-destination measure as employment, graduate school or non-seeking status.
Salary figures: Wake Forest’s current official School of Business outcome page provides the above first-destination figures but does not publish a current BEM-specific average salary figure, so no salary figure is added here rather than using an external estimate.
University–industry connections: The BEM internship program maintains a database of organizations that have hosted or expressed interest in hosting Wake Forest BEM interns, while the School of Business career platform lists employers including Accenture, Deloitte, JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, PwC, EY, BlackRock and General Mills.
Practical employer exposure: BEM internships require students to work in professional organizations and complete defined projects, while employers provide feedback and evaluations on student performance.
Long-term accreditation value: The School of Business's AACSB accreditation provides an internationally recognized quality framework for business education and supports the credibility of the business degree as graduates pursue careers or further study.
Graduation and career preparation: The combination of required internship experience, professional development, leadership training, management simulation and concentration coursework gives students multiple opportunities to build evidence of their business skills before graduation.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can continue into postgraduate business education such as Wake Forest's Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA), Master of Science in Management (MSM) or other relevant graduate programs, depending on their academic and career goals.