Gain a strong business foundation with the accelerated bachelor in business degree program. This well-rounded program focuses on the fundamental competencies that you need to grow in your current job, or take on new challenges.
This adult-focused program offers:
• scheduling flexibility and shorter course schedules
• a high degree of faculty-student interaction
• options to earn credit for military and other experiences
• a tailored degree to match your career goals
Designed with flexibility in mind:
Earn your degree as you work full-time, taking courses when it works for you — evenings, daytime, and weekends — online and on campus.
Great for adults who are:
first-time college students
College courses can give you new tools to use in your job, and increase your confidence. And as an adult student, you bring a lot of experience to the table. If you manage multiple projects, write reports, discuss ideas, and work in teams, college is not so different.
You can start slowly by working on an associate degree — then ”step up” to the bachelor’s degree program. You can also talk to an adviser about earning business certificates along the way.
returning students
You may already have credits under your belt that count toward this degree, especially if you have an associate degree. Talk to an adviser to see if credits that you earned earlier, either at Penn State or at another university, can be applied toward the business degree.
Program description
The program includes basic and intermediate business courses. You will also select 18 additional credits to shape your degree to the industry sector of your choice. Finally, you will complete a research assignment, collaborative business project, or internship toward the end of the program.
Core degree competencies
—refine interpersonal and technical communications skills
—create and deliver presentations
—lead cross-functional teams
—use spreadsheet and project management software
—improve productivity, and creatively solve problems
—make management and marketing decisions
Choose an area of emphasis to customize your degree.
Management/Marketing Option (18 credits)
The management and marketing emphasis is ideal for careers involving marketing, sales, distribution, and planning for business or the public sector. Your adviser will help you choose these 18 credits
from courses in leadership and organizational behavior, human resource management, entrepreneurship and selling techniques, public relations, consumer behavior, and marketing strategy and research.
Individualized Option (18 credits)
This option that you design, assisted by your adviser, allows you develop a program of study based on your career needs. Students have used this option in a variety of business settings, including the start-up and management of a small business.
Degree Requirements
Program Curriculum (minimum 120 credits)
Required Courses (32–37 credits)
| ACCTG 211 | Financial and Managerial Accounting for Decision Making | 4 credits |
| B A 321 | Contemporary Skills for Business Professionals | 1–3 credits |
| B A 322 | Individual and Interpersonal Effectiveness for the Business Professional | 1–3 credits |
| B A 420 | Planning for Internship, Collaborative Project, and Research in Business | 1 credit |
| B A 421 | Project Management and Planning for Business | 1–2 credits |
| B A 422W | Strategic Business Planning | 3 credits |
| ECON 002 | Introductory Microeconomic Analysis and Policy | 3 credits |
| ECON 004 | Introductory Macroeconomic Analysis and Policy | 3 credits |
| FIN 301 | Corporation Finance | 3 credits |
| MGMT 301 | Basic Management Concepts | 3 credits |
| MIS 204 | Introduction to Business Information Systems | 3 credits |
| MKTG 301 | Principles of Marketing | 3 credits |
| SCM 301 | Supply Chain Management | 3 credits |
Additional Required Courses (21–24 credits)
| B A 243 | Social, Legal, and Ethical Environment of Business | 4 credits |
| OR | ||
| B A 241 | Legal Environment of Business | 2 credits |
| AND | ||
| B A 242 | Social and Ethical Environment of Business | 2 credits |
| B A 323 | Regional Economies of Pennsylvania | 3 credits |
| OR | ||
| I B 303 | International Business Operations | 3 credits |
| MATH 110 | Techniques of Calculus I | 4 credits |
| OR | ||
| MATH 140 | Calculus With Analytic Geometry I | 4 credits |
| SCM 200 | Introduction to Statistics for Business | 4 credits |
| OR | ||
| STAT 200 | Elementary Statistics | 4 credits |
Select from one of the following courses:
| B A 495A | Internship in Business | 6 credits |
| OR | ||
| B A 495B | Collaborative Project in Business | 6 credits |
| OR | ||
| B A 495C | Undergraduate Research in Business | 6 credits |
General Education and Elective Courses (41–49 credits)
In addition to the major requirements, students must complete 33 General Education credits and 8–16 elective credits.
Transfer credits may apply. Contact an adviser for more information.
For more information, contact:
David Chavira
Adult Enrollment Coordinator
dec5137@psu.edu
570-385-6286
Additional information is available at: www.degrees.psu.edu/business