Core Course Requirements – BBA

In Fall 2014, the Ross School of Business launched an updated curriculum for students entering the BBA degree program. Please review the appropriate curriculum below that aligns with your admittance into the Ross School of Business BBA degree program:

For BBA Curriculum for Students Admitted Between Fall 2006 and Fall 2013, please see the Archived Bulletins for your class year.

BBA Curriculum for Students Admitted Fall 2022 and Later (BBA Freshmen and Preferred Admission Students)

CREDITS ACCEPTED FOR TRANSFER TO THE BBA PROGRAM

For students who matriculate into Ross as BBA First Years: the BBA program will apply a maximum of 30.0 transferable credits earned prior to the start of the BBA program toward the 120.0 credits required for the BBA degree, even if a student has earned more than this. Individual courses may be applied to general degree requirements, such as distribution and the 54.0 non-business credit requirement beyond this 30.0 credit hour cap. AP credits will not count toward the Ross distribution requirements with the exception of some foreign language credits.

For PA students who matriculate into Ross at the start of Sophomore year: the BBA program will apply a maximum of 45.0 transferable credits earned prior to the start of the BBA program toward the 120.0 credits required for the BBA degree, even if you have earned more than this.  Individual courses may be applied to general degree requirements, such as distribution and the 54.0 non-business credit requirement beyond this 45.0 credit hour cap. AP credits will not count toward the Ross distribution requirements with the exception of some foreign language credits.

BBA CORE COURSES AND SCHEDULE

The BBA degree requires a minimum of 120.0 credits. 61.0 of these credits must be business credits, and 54.0 of the 120.0 total credits must be non-business credits (including credits used to meet distribution requirements). The remaining 5.0 credits may be either business or non-business coursework.

First Year BBA and PA students: The BBA program is organized to include 45.0 credits of required core (fixed and floating) courses, 34.5 credits of which must be taken in the prescribed (fixed) order.  All BBA students complete those fixed core courses in an assigned cohort (or section) of students and may not drop or complete required fixed core courses out of sequence. 10.5 credits of core coursework is designated as “floating core.” Students may elect to complete the floating core coursework in any sequence between the Winter term of Sophomore year and the Fall term of Senior year. A required capstone course (credits vary) must also be completed in the Winter term of Senior year.

If a cross-campus transfer student completes a BBA course at the Ross School of Business prior to entering the BBA program and a minimum course grade of C was earned, those credits will count toward the Ross program requirements and the course may not be repeated for additional credit toward the BBA degree. Students who complete courses offered specifically for non-business students (typically catalog number 302), prior to entering the BBA program will NOT earn credit for those courses toward the BBA degree.

Please click here to browse course descriptions.

FIRST-YEAR

Fall term coursesCredits
BA 100: Introduction to Ross: Foundations in Learning Business*0.5 (if taken in Fall 2018 or earlier)

1.0 (if taken in Fall 2019 or later)
Winter term coursesCredits
BA 100: Introduction to Ross: Foundations in Learning Business*0.5 (if taken in Winter 2019 or earlier)

1.0 (if taken in Winter 2020 or later)
BCOM 250: Introduction to Business Communication**1.5
Fall or Winter term courses
  • First Year courses: Calculus, FYWR, ECON 101
  • Non-business coursework (to meet distribution and/or 54.0 required non-business credits)​

​*Students who enter the BBA program at the start of Fall term Sophomore year:

  • You will take a specialized version of BA 100 (BA 102 for 1.0 credit).  This course will begin prior to the start of classes and will also require two additional meetings during the Fall term to complete the requirement.
  • You will take BCOM 250 during Winter term of Sophomore year.

SOPHOMORE YEAR

Fall term coursesCredits
ACC 300: Financial Accounting3.0
BA 200: Businesses & Leaders: The Positive Differences3.0
TO 301: Business Analytics and Statistics4.0
Winter term coursesCredits
ACC 301: Managerial Accounting3.0
STRATEGY 290: Business Strategy1.5
Optional: floating core course(s)varies
Optional approved business elective(s)varies
Fall or Winter term courses and additional requirements
  • ECON 102: Principles of Economics II (Macroeconomics)
    • ECON 102 must be completed (and grade posted to a student’s transcript) by the start of Junior Fall term.
  • Non-business coursework (to count toward distribution and/or 54.0 required non-business credits)
  • Complete “Identity” milestone toward Identity and Diversity in Organizations (IDO) milestone requirements

JUNIOR YEAR

Fall term courses – Ross Integrative SemesterCredits
BCOM 350: Professional Communication Strategies1.5
BL 300: Business Law and Ethics3.0
MO 300: Behavioral Theory in Management3.0
TO 313: Operations Management3.0
Winter term courses
UM-Ann Arbor coursework to meet degree requirements, or International Semester Exchange
Fall or Winter term courses and additional requirements
  • Non-business coursework (to count toward distribution and/or 54.0 required non-business credits)
  • Complete “Diversity” milestone toward Identity and Diversity in Organizations (IDO) milestone requirements
  • Business electives and floating core course(s)

SENIOR YEAR

Fall term coursesCredits
STRATEGY 390: Corporate Strategy3.0
All remaining floating core course(s)varies
Winter term coursesCredits
Senior capstone coursevaries
BA 4003.0
Fall or Winter term courses and additional requirements
  • Non-business coursework (to count toward distribution and/or 54.0 required non-business credits)
  • Complete “Organizations” milestone toward Identity and Diversity in Organizations (IDO) milestone requirements
  • Business electives

FLOATING CORE COURSES: must be completed Winter term of Sophomore year through Fall term of Senior year

BE 300: Applied Economics3.0
FIN 300: Financial Management3.0
MKT 300: Marketing Management3.0
TO 300: Business Information Systems1.5

Waiving Core Business Courses

  • BE 300: Effective Fall 2018, if a student has successfully completed ECON 401 at UM-Ann Arbor with a final grade of A- or higher, they can request to waive the BE 300 floating core requirement.  To make such a request, the student must complete and submit a Core Course Waiver form to the Ross Registrar’s Office (rossregistrarsoffice@umich.edu) by the end of Winter term of their Junior year in the BBA program.  Please note: a waiver signifies the student has met competency in the material and does not grant credit.  Therefore, a student who waives BE 300 would need to complete additional business coursework toward the 58.0 credits required for a BBA degree.  No BBA core (fixed or floating) course other than those listed in this section may be waived.

ADDITIONAL DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

  • ECON 102: ECON 102 must be completed (and the grade posted ot the student’s transcript) prior to the start of Junior Fall term and the Ross Integrative Semester (RIS) core.  ECON 102 must be taken on a graded basis if completing the course at UM-Ann Arbor.  Transfer courses that are equivalents based on the Office of Undergraduate Admissions transfer guide (http://www.ugadmiss.umich.edu/TCE/Public/CT_TCESearch.aspx) will be accepted.​  
  • BBA Distribution Requirements: Ross distribution is similar to the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA), with exceptions noted below. Students should refer to the LSA Course Guide (https://lsa.umich.edu/cg/) to see if a course meets the requirements for a distribution area.  Courses may have one of the following designations:
    • Foreign Language (Lang Req) ​
    • Humanities (HU) 
    • Natural Science (NS)
    • Mathematical and Symbolic Analysis (MSA) 
    • Social Science (SS) ​

Classes without one of the above designations may not be used toward an area distribution plan.  Ross students must complete three of the following four requirements: 

Foreign Language (fourth-term proficiency in a language other than English: Fourth-term proficiency in a foreign language is determined by successful completion of a proficiency examination administered by UM or by completion of a fourth-term college-level foreign language course. The language requirement cannot be satisfied by out-of-residence credit which is elected after the student has begun degree enrollment at the University of Michigan unless the appropriate language department has approved that plan in advance. AP, IB, A-level, and transfer coursework that meets fourth-term proficiency, as determined by the appropriate language department, fulfills this requirement. The final course in an elementary language sequence used to satisfy the language requirement must be elected on a graded basis.

0-20.0 credits

Humanities (HU)*
*Fourth term of a second foreign language may be used for HU credits (e.g., if an English-speaking student met Foreign Language requirement with Spanish and then took French classes through FR 232, FR 232 may count toward HU).  The course must cover at least 4 credits of fourth-term material and be recognized as a course that fulfills the fourth-term foreign language proficiency to be accepted as HU.

9.0 credits

Natural Sciences (NS) and/or Mathematical and Symbolic Analysis (MSA) 

9.0 credits

Social Sciences (SS) (excludes ECON 101 & 102)

9.0 credits

  • The Inclusive Leaders Pathway is a degree requirement that is designed to introduce Ross students to the concepts of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in the contexts of their business education and roles as future business leaders.  Students must complete all four components of the milestone requirement to receive the BBA degree. This year, you will complete your first Inclusive Leaders Pathway Milestone through BA 100. Your BA 100 Canvas site will have information about how to fulfill the requirement. You can also reference the BBA Bulletin, talk with your academic advisor, or reach out to BBAmilestone@umich.edu.
  • Business Elective Credits: Students must complete enough business elective courses so that their fixed core, floating core, capstone, and business electives total 61.0 credits or more.  Business elective courses cross-listed with other schools will count only as business credit.  Students who complete business courses offered specifically for non-business students (e.g., BA 201, ES 212, FIN 275, MKT 302, etc.) prior to entering the BBA program will NOT earn credit for those courses toward their 61.0 business credit requirement nor toward their 54.0 non-business requirement.  The course(s) will count toward a student’s 120.0 total degree credit requirement and their cumulative GPA.  
  • Ross Capstone Course Requirement: Students must elect one required Ross capstone course in the Winter term of their Senior or final year in the BBA program.  Capstone courses make connections between academic learning and the professional world; they include topics that address complex concepts, require diverse skills and perspectives, and are relevant to future professional endeavors.  Some capstone courses also include an Action-Based Learning (or ABL) component, allowing students to have a direct customer/stakeholder interaction and a deliverable that integrates learning and analysis and applies it to a real-world situation.  Students can discuss their course selection and planning for a capstone course with their academic advisor.  See the BBA capstone requirement website for current course offerings.  All fixed core and floating core business coursework must be completed prior to taking a capstone course, with the exception of BA 400 which is to be taken during the Winter term of Senior year, as well.

BBA Curriculum for Students Admitted Fall 2017 through Fall 2021 (BBA Freshmen and Preferred Admission Students)

CREDITS ACCEPTED FOR TRANSFER TO THE BBA PROGRAM

For students who matriculate into Ross as BBA First Years: the BBA program will apply a maximum of 30.0 transferable credits earned prior to the start of the BBA program toward the 120.0 credits required for the BBA degree, even if a student has earned more than this. Individual courses may be applied to general degree requirements, such as distribution and the 54.0 non-business credit requirement beyond this 30.0 credit hour cap.

For PA students who matriculate into Ross at the start of Sophomore year: the BBA program will apply a maximum of 45.0 transferable credits earned prior to the start of the BBA program toward the 120.0 credits required for the BBA degree, even if you have earned more than this.  Individual courses may be applied to general degree requirements, such as distribution and the 54.0 non-business credit requirement beyond this 45.0 credit hour cap.

BBA CORE COURSES AND SCHEDULE

The BBA degree requires a minimum of 120.0 credits. 58.0 of these credits must be business credits, and 54.0 of the 120.0 total credits must be non-business credits (including credits used to meet distribution requirements). The remaining 8.0 credits may be either business or non-business coursework.

First Year BBA and PA students: The BBA program is organized to include 42.0 credits of required core (fixed and floating) courses, 31.5 credits of which must be taken in the prescribed (fixed) order.  All BBA students complete those fixed core courses in an assigned cohort (or section) of students and may not drop or complete required fixed core courses out of sequence. 10.5 credits of core coursework is designated as “floating core.” Students may elect to complete the floating core coursework in any sequence between the Winter term of Sophomore year and the Fall term of Senior year. A required capstone course (credits vary) must also be completed in the Winter term of Senior year.

If a cross-campus transfer student completes a BBA course at the Ross School of Business prior to entering the BBA program and a minimum course grade of C was earned, those credits will count toward the Ross program requirements and the course may not be repeated for additional credit toward the BBA degree. Students who complete courses offered specifically for non-business students (typically catalog number 302), prior to entering the BBA program will NOT earn credit for those courses toward the BBA degree.

Please click here to browse course descriptions.

FIRST-YEAR

Fall term coursesCredits
BA 100: Introduction to Ross: Foundations in Learning Business*0.5 (if taken in Fall 2018 or earlier)

1.0 (if taken in Fall 2019 or later)
Winter term coursesCredits
BA 100: Introduction to Ross: Foundations in Learning Business*0.5 (if taken in Winter 2019 or earlier)

1.0 (if taken in Winter 2020 or later)
BCOM 250: Introduction to Business Communication**1.5
Fall or Winter term courses
  • First Year courses: Calculus, FYWR, ECON 101
  • Non-business coursework (to meet distribution and/or 54.0 required non-business credits)​

​*Students who enter the BBA program at the start of Fall term Sophomore year:

  • You will take a specialized version of BA 100 (BA 102 for 0.5 credits).  This course will begin prior to the start of classes and will also require two additional meetings during the Fall term to complete the requirement.
  • You will take BCOM 250 during Winter term of Sophomore year.

SOPHOMORE YEAR

Fall term coursesCredits
ACC 300: Financial Accounting3.0
BA 200: Businesses & Leaders: The Positive Differences3.0
TO 301: Business Analytics and Statistics4.0
Winter term coursesCredits
ACC 301: Managerial Accounting3.0
STRATEGY 290: Business Strategy1.5
Optional: floating core course(s)varies
Optional approved business elective(s)varies
Fall or Winter term courses and additional requirements
  • ECON 102: Principles of Economics II (Macroeconomics)
    • ECON 102 must be completed (and grade posted to a student’s transcript) by the start of Junior Fall term.
  • Non-business coursework (to count toward distribution and/or 54.0 required non-business credits)
  • Complete “Identity” milestone toward Identity and Diversity in Organizations (IDO) milestone requirements

JUNIOR YEAR

Fall term courses – Ross Integrative SemesterCredits
BCOM 350: Professional Communication Strategies1.5
BL 300: Business Law and Ethics3.0
MO 300: Behavioral Theory in Management3.0
TO 313: Operations Management3.0
Winter term courses
UM-Ann Arbor coursework to meet degree requirements, or International Semester Exchange
Fall or Winter term courses and additional requirements
  • Non-business coursework (to count toward distribution and/or 54.0 required non-business credits)
  • Complete “Diversity” milestone toward Identity and Diversity in Organizations (IDO) milestone requirements
  • Business electives and floating core course(s)

SENIOR YEAR

Fall term coursesCredits
STRATEGY 390: Corporate Strategy3.0
All remaining floating core course(s)varies
Winter term coursesCredits
Senior capstone coursevaries
Fall or Winter term courses and additional requirements
  • Non-business coursework (to count toward distribution and/or 54.0 required non-business credits)
  • Complete “Organizations” milestone toward Identity and Diversity in Organizations (IDO) milestone requirements
  • Business electives

FLOATING CORE COURSES: must be completed Winter term of Sophomore year through Fall term of Senior year

BE 300: Applied Economics3.0
FIN 300: Financial Management3.0
MKT 300: Marketing Management3.0
TO 300: Business Information Systems1.5

Waiving Core Business Courses

  • BE 300: Effective Fall 2018, if a student has successfully completed ECON 401 at UM-Ann Arbor with a final grade of A- or higher, they can request to waive the BE 300 floating core requirement.  To make such a request, the student must complete and submit a Core Course Waiver form to the Ross Registrar’s Office (rossregistrarsoffice@umich.edu) by the end of Winter term of their Junior year in the BBA program.  Please note: a waiver signifies the student has met competency in the material and does not grant credit.  Therefore, a student who waives BE 300 would need to complete additional business coursework toward the 58.0 credits required for a BBA degree.  No BBA core (fixed or floating) course other than those listed in this section may be waived.

ADDITIONAL DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

  • ECON 102: ECON 102 must be completed (and the grade posted ot the student’s transcript) prior to the start of Junior Fall term and the Ross Integrative Semester (RIS) core.  ECON 102 must be taken on a graded basis if completing the course at UM-Ann Arbor.  Transfer courses that are equivalents based on the Office of Undergraduate Admissions transfer guide (http://www.ugadmiss.umich.edu/TCE/Public/CT_TCESearch.aspx) will be accepted.​  
  • BBA Distribution Requirements: Ross distribution is similar to the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA), with exceptions noted below. Students should refer to the LSA Course Guide (https://lsa.umich.edu/cg/) to see if a course meets the requirements for a distribution area.  Courses may have one of the following designations:
    • Foreign Language (Lang Req) ​
    • Humanities (HU) 
    • Natural Science (NS)
    • Mathematical and Symbolic Analysis (MSA) 
    • Social Science (SS) ​

Classes without one of the above designations may not be used toward an area distribution plan.  Ross students must complete three of the following four requirements: 

Foreign Language (fourth-term proficiency in a language other than English: Fourth-term proficiency in a foreign language is determined by successful completion of a proficiency examination administered by UM or by completion of a fourth-term college-level foreign language course. The language requirement cannot be satisfied by out-of-residence credit which is elected after the student has begun degree enrollment at the University of Michigan unless the appropriate language department has approved that plan in advance. AP, IB, A-level, and transfer coursework that meets fourth-term proficiency, as determined by the appropriate language department, fulfills this requirement. The final course in an elementary language sequence used to satisfy the language requirement must be elected on a graded basis.

0-20.0 credits

Humanities (HU)*
*Fourth term of a second foreign language may be used for HU credits (e.g., if an English-speaking student met Foreign Language requirement with Spanish and then took French classes through FR 232, FR 232 may count toward HU).  The course must cover at least 4 credits of fourth-term material and be recognized as a course that fulfills the fourth-term foreign language proficiency to be accepted as HU.

9.0 credits

Natural Sciences (NS) and/or Mathematical and Symbolic Analysis (MSA) 

9.0 credits

Social Sciences (SS) (excludes ECON 101 & 102)

9.0 credits

  • IDO: Identity and Diversity in Organizations (2015 admits and beyond): This requirement has instructional and assessment components.  For the instructional component, each student must attend and write corresponding reflection papers for IDO-certified experiences.  The first experience must address identity and is due by the end of the student’s Sophomore year in the BBA program.  The second experience must address diversity and is due by the end of the student’s Junior year in the BBA program.  The third experience and all of its components (i.e., attending a session, submitting the reflection paper, and having the reflection paper approved) must address organizations and be completed by March 1 of the student’s Senior year.  Each experience must be completed in order – Identity before Diversity, and Diversity before Organizations.  Students who fail to complete the IDO milestone segment during the required academic year will be placed on Academic Probation.  Students must have all parts of IDO complete in order to receive the BBA degree.  Each IDO experience will highlight one of the following topics:
    • Identity: This multifaceted concept includes a person or group’s conception and expression of who they are and how society describes and affects them.  Understanding intersectionality, individuality, saliency, and self-awareness are key features of this topic. 
    • Diversity: A compilation of various identities that, together, contribute to the unique makeup of individuals and groups.  In business, recognizing and promoting diversity allows organizations to better-serve their clients/customers, employees, and other stakeholders.
    • Organizations: Units composed of individuals who share common goals.  These IDO programs will address how identity and diversity affect organizational performance and how firms leverage them for success. 

In order to gain access to the follow-up writing assignment, students must attend the IDO experience in full (i.e., students will not be allowed to arrive late or leave early).  The corresponding reflection paper must address the points presented in the IDO Reflection Paper Guidelines and will be due no later than two weeks after the start date and time of the IDO experience attended.  Reflection papers will be reviewed by a Ross trained evaluator.  By following a standard rubric, these evaluators have the authority to approve or not approve the completion of this milestone requirement.  If a student’s paper is not satisfactory, they will be notified of specific follow-up steps they need to complete in order to satisfy this requirement.  A student’s “I” milestone will be marked as complete on their transcript when that student has completed the first CQ Assessment, described below, in addition to attending an “I” experience and having that “I” experience’s reflection paper submitted and approved.  After a student has completed the “D” experience and had the corresponding reflection paper approved, that milestone will be marked as complete on the student’s transcript.  A student’s “O” milestone will be marked as complete on their transcript when that student has completed the second CQ Assessment, described below, in addition to attending an “O” experience and having that “O” experience’s reflection paper submitted and approved. For more information, see the IDO webpage.

The assessment component of the IDO milestone requirement has students completing a Cultural Intelligence (CQ) Assessment during the summer before Sophomore year.  Students will then be required to complete a second CQ Assessment upon completion of the Organizations milestone, as described above, or when instructed by the Office of Undergraduate Programs in the event of 5-year and off-cycle students.  Please note that the CQ Assessment taken through the BBA program is separate from the CQ Assessment that students may complete through Global Initiatives’ programs.

  • ​​Business Elective Credits: Students must complete enough business elective courses so that their fixed core, floating core, capstone, and business electives total 58.0 credits or more.  Business elective courses cross-listed with other schools will count only as business credit.  Students who complete business courses offered specifically for non-business students (e.g., BA 201, ES 212, FIN 275, MKT 302, etc.) prior to entering the BBA program will NOT earn credit for those courses toward their 58.0 business credit requirement nor toward their 54.0 non-business requirement.  The course(s) will count toward a student’s 120.0 total degree credit requirement and their cumulative GPA.  
  • Ross Capstone Course Requirement: Students must elect one required Ross capstone course in the Winter term of their Senior or final year in the BBA program.  Capstone courses make connections between academic learning and the professional world; they include topics that address complex concepts, require diverse skills and perspectives, and are relevant to future professional endeavors.  Some capstone courses also include an Action-Based Learning (or ABL) component, allowing students to have a direct customer/stakeholder interaction and a deliverable that integrates learning and analysis and applies it to a real-world situation.  Students can discuss their course selection and planning for a capstone course with their academic advisor.  See the BBA capstone requirement website for current course offerings.  All fixed core and floating core business coursework must be completed prior to taking a capstone course.

BBA Curriculum for Students Admitted Fall 2014 through Fall 2022 (Sophomore Start)

PREREQUISITES FOR ADMISSION AND CREDITS ACCEPTED FOR TRANSFER TO THE BBA PROGRAM

In preparation for admission to Ross, students must have a minimum of 27.0 transferable credit hours, including a C or better in the following prerequisites: 1) any course in Calculus I, II, or III [includes AP credit for MATH 120 or 121 or IB, A-level or transfer credit for an exact UM course equivalent (not departmental credit, e.g., MATH 101X)], 2) Economics 101 [includes IB, A-level, or transfer credit for the exact UM course equivalent (not departmental credit, e.g., ECON 101X)], and 3) any course approved as First Year Writing in LSA [includes transfer credit for any course approved as First Year Writing at UM (not departmental credit, e.g., ENGLISH 101X or ENGCMPTC 101X)]. See Ross Admissions for more details regarding prerequisites.

The BBA program will transfer in a maximum of 45.0 transferable credits earned prior to start of BBA program, although a student may have earned more than this. Review our Transfer Credit page for details on what courses are accepted by Ross.

BBA CORE COURSES AND SCHEDULE

The BBA degree requires a minimum of 120.0 credits. 58.0 of these credits must be business credits, and 54.0 of the 120.0 total credits must be non-business credits (including credits used to meet distribution requirements). The remaining 8.0 credits may be either business or non-business coursework.

The BBA program is organized to include 40.0 credits of required core (fixed and floating) courses, 29.5 credits of which must be taken in the prescribed (fixed) order. Students complete those fixed core courses in an assigned cohort (or section) of students and may not drop or complete required fixed core courses out of sequence.

10.5 credits of core coursework is designated as “floating core.” Students may elect to complete the floating core coursework in any sequence between the Winter term of Sophomore year and the Fall term of Senior year.

A required capstone course (credits vary) must also be completed in the Winter term of Senior year.

If a BBA core course (e.g., ACC 300) was completed at the Ross School of Business prior to entering the BBA program and a minimum course grade of C was earned, those credits will transfer into the Ross program requirements and the course may not be repeated for additional credit toward the BBA degree. Students who complete courses offered specifically for non-business students (typically catalog number 302), prior to entering the BBA program will NOT earn credit for those courses toward the BBA degree.

Please click here to browse course descriptions.

SOPHOMORE YEAR

Fall term coursesCredits
ACC 300: Financial Accounting3.0
BA 200: Businesses & Leaders: The Positive Differences3.0
TO 301: Business Analytics and Statistics4.0
BA 102: Introduction to Ross: Foundations of Learning Business0.5 (FA17-19
1.0 (FA20 and beyond)
Winter term coursesCredits
ACC 301: Managerial Accounting3.0
BCOM 250: Introduction to Business Communication
(formerly LHC 250)
1.5
STRATEGY 290: Business Strategy1.5
Optional: floating core course(s)varies
Optional: approved business elective(s)varies
Fall or Winter term courses and additional requirements
  • BA 102: Business Foundations is a required course for students who enter the BBA program at the start of Fall term Sophomore year (FA17 and beyond).  This course will begin prior to the start of classes and there will also be two additional meetings during the Fall term to complete this requirement.
  • ECON 102: Principles of Economics II (Macroeconomics)
    • For students admitted as Sophomores between Fall 2014 and Fall 2017: ECON 102 must be completed by the end of Junior Winter term at the latest.
    • For students admitted as Sophomores in Fall 2018 and later: ECON 102 must be completed before the start of Junior Fall term.
  • Non-business coursework (to count toward distribution and/or 54.0 required non-business credits)
  • Complete “Identity” milestone toward Identity and Diversity in Organizations (IDO) milestone requirements

JUNIOR YEAR

Fall term courses – Ross Integrative SemesterCredits
BCOM 350: Professional Communication Strategies1.5
BL 300: Business Law and Ethics3.0
MO 300: Behavioral Theory in Management3.0
TO 313: Operations Management3.0
Winter term coursesCredits
UM-Ann Arbor coursework to meet degree requirements, or International Semester Exchange
Fall or Winter term courses and additional requirements
  • ECON 102: Principles of Economics II (Macroeconomics)
    • For students admitted as Sophomores between Fall 2014 and Fall 2017: ECON 102 must be completed by the end of Junior Winter term at the latest.
    • For students admitted as Sophomores in Fall 2018 and later: ECON 102 must be completed before the start of Junior Fall term 
  • Non-business coursework (to count toward distribution and/or 54.0 required non-business credits)
    • Complete “Diversity” milestone toward Identity and Diversity in Organizations (IDO) milestone requirements
    • Business electives and floating core course(s)

SENIOR YEAR

Fall term courses
STRATEGY 390: Corporate Strategy3.0
All remaining floating core course(s)varies
Winter term coursesCredits
Senior capstone coursevaries
Fall or Winter term courses and additional requirements
  • Non-business coursework (to count toward distribution and/or 54.0 required non-business credits)
  • Complete “Organizations” milestone toward Identity and Diversity in Organizations (IDO) milestone requirements
  • Business electives

FLOATING CORE COURSES: must be completed Winter term of Sophomore year through Fall term of Senior year

BE 300: Applied Economics

3.0

FIN 300: Financial Management

3.0

MKT 300: Marketing Management

3.0

TO 300: Business Information Systems

1.5

ADDITIONAL DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

  • ECON 102: For students admitted as Sophomores between Fall 2014 and Fall 2017: ECON 102 must be completed (and the grade posted ot the student’s transcript) by the end of Junior Winter term at the latest.  For students admitted as Sophomores in Fall 2018 and later: ECON 102 must be completed before the start of Junior Fall term.  ECON 102 must be taken on a graded basis if completing the course at UM-Ann Arbor.  Transfer courses that are equivalents based on the Office of Undergraduate Admissions transfer guide (http://www.ugadmiss.umich.edu/TCE/Public/CT_TCESearch.aspx) will be accepted.​
  • BBA Distribution Requirements: Ross distribution is similar to the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA), with exceptions noted below. Students should refer to the LSA Course Guide (https://lsa.umich.edu/cg/) to see if a course meets the requirements for a distribution area.  Courses may have one of the following designations:
    • Foreign Language (Lang Req) ​
    • Humanities (HU) 
    • Natural Science (NS)
    • Mathematical and Symbolic Analysis (MSA) 
    • Social Science (SS) ​

Classes without one of the above designations may not be used toward an area distribution plan.  Ross students must complete three of the following four requirements: ​​​

Foreign Language (fourth-term proficiency in a language other than English: Fourth-term proficiency in a foreign language is determined by successful completion of a proficiency examination administered by UM or by completion of a fourth-term college-level foreign language course. The language requirement cannot be satisfied by out-of-residence credit which is elected after the student has begun degree enrollment at the University of Michigan unless the appropriate language department has approved that plan in advance. AP, IB, A-level, and transfer coursework that meets fourth-term proficiency, as determined by the appropriate language department, fulfills this requirement. The final course in an elementary language sequence used to satisfy the language requirement must be elected on a graded basis.

0-20.0 credits

Humanities (HU)*
*Fourth term of a second foreign language may be used for HU credits (e.g., if an English-speaking student met Foreign Language requirement with Spanish and then took French classes through FR 232, FR 232 may count toward HU).  The course must cover at least 4 credits of fourth-term material and be recognized as a course that fulfills the fourth-term foreign language proficiency to be accepted as HU.

9.0 credits

Natural Sciences (NS) and/or Mathematical and Symbolic Analysis (MSA) 

9.0 credits

Social Sciences (SS) (excludes ECON 101 & 102)

9.0 credits

  • IDO: Identity and Diversity in Organizations (2015 admits and beyond): 
  • This requirement has instructional and assessment components.  For the instructional component, each student must attend and write corresponding reflection papers for IDO-certified experiences.  The first experience must address identity and is due by the end of the student’s Sophomore year in the BBA program.  The second experience must address diversity and is due by the end of the student’s Junior year in the BBA program.  The third experience and all of its components (i.e., attending a session, submitting the reflection paper, and having the reflection paper approved) must address organizations and be completed by March 1 of the student’s Senior year.  Each experience must be completed in order – Identity before Diversity, and Diversity before Organizations.  Students who fail to complete the IDO milestone segment during the required academic year will be placed on Academic Probation.  Students must have all parts of IDO complete in order to receive the BBA degree.  Each IDO experience will highlight one of the following topics:
    • Identity: This multifaceted concept includes a person or group’s conception and expression of who they are and how society describes and affects them.  Understanding intersectionality, individuality, saliency, and self-awareness are key features of this topic. 
    • Diversity: A compilation of various identities that, together, contribute to the unique makeup of individuals and groups.  In business, recognizing and promoting diversity allows organizations to better-serve their clients/customers, employees, and other stakeholders.
    • Organizations: Units composed of individuals who share common goals.  These IDO programs will address how identity and diversity affect organizational performance and how firms leverage them for success. 

In order to gain access to the follow-up writing assignment, students must attend the IDO experience in full (i.e., students will not be allowed to arrive late or leave early).  The corresponding reflection paper must address the points presented in the IDO Reflection Paper Guidelines and will be due no later than two weeks after the start date and time of the IDO experience attended.  Reflection papers will be reviewed by a Ross trained evaluator.  By following a standard rubric, these evaluators have the authority to approve or not approve the completion of this milestone requirement.  If a student’s paper is not satisfactory, they will be notified of specific follow-up steps they need to complete in order to satisfy this requirement.  A student’s “I” milestone will be marked as complete on their transcript when that student has completed the first CQ Assessment, described below, in addition to attending an “I” experience and having that “I” experience’s reflection paper submitted and approved.  After a student has completed the “D” experience and had the corresponding reflection paper approved, that milestone will be marked as complete on the student’s transcript.  A student’s “O” milestone will be marked as complete on their transcript when that student has completed the second CQ Assessment, described below, in addition to attending an “O” experience and having that “O” experience’s reflection paper submitted and approved. For more information, see the IDO webpage.

The assessment component of the IDO milestone requirement has students completing a Cultural Intelligence (CQ) Assessment during the summer before Sophomore year.  Students will then be required to complete a second CQ Assessment upon completion of the Organizations milestone, as described above, or when instructed by the Office of Undergraduate Programs in the event of 5-year and off-cycle students.  Please note that the CQ Assessment taken through the BBA program is separate from the CQ Assessment that students may complete through Global Initiatives’ programs.

  • ​​Business Elective Credits: Students must complete enough business elective courses so that their fixed core, floating core, capstone, and business electives total 58 credits or more.  Business elective courses cross-listed with other schools will count only as business credit.  Students who complete business courses offered specifically for non-business students (e.g., BA 201, ES 212, FIN 275, MKT 302, etc.) prior to entering the BBA program will NOT earn credit for those courses toward their 58 business credit requirement nor toward their 54 non-business requirement.  The course(s) will count toward a student’s 120 total degree credit requirement and their cumulative GPA.
  • Ross Capstone Course Requirement: Students must elect one required Ross capstone course in the Winter term of their Senior or final year in the BBA program.  Capstone courses make connections between academic learning and the professional world; they include topics that address complex concepts, require diverse skills and perspectives, and are relevant to future professional endeavors.  Some capstone courses also include an Action-Based Learning (or ABL) component, allowing students to have a direct customer/stakeholder interaction and a deliverable that integrates learning and analysis and applies it to a real-world situation.  Most capstone courses are three (3) credits.  Students can discuss their course selection and planning for a capstone course with their academic advisor.  See the BBA capstone requirement website for current course offerings.  All fixed core and floating core business coursework must be completed prior to taking a capstone course.