Business Administration

Most years, business administration is Wesleyan’s top major, often graduating up to 20% of a class.

An undergraduate major in business is a great start to teaching the skills for success in many professions. The business major prepares students for a range of careers such as running their own business, working for a corporation or the government, or managing a non-profit organization. At some point most people need to know how a business works: a lawyer who is asked to be managing partner, a loan officer in a bank, a financial analyst on Wall Street, an actor or athlete who needs a trusted agent. One of the greatest benefits of studying business within a liberal arts environment is the unique combination of courses students take: humanities to fine tune communication; fine arts to encourage creativity; math and science because numbers really do matter; and social sciences to gain insights into human behavior.

Business majors can choose one of five concentrations to reach their career goals: digital marketing, healthcare administration, human resource management, organizational behavior, or strategic management.

Major: Business Administration
Minor: Business
Related Majors: International Business, Advertising and Marketing Communication, and Accounting
Related Minors: Accounting, Economics, Finance
Academic Catalogue

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Professional Development

All Wesleyan business students complete a professional development portfolio that includes a personal SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) - a structured planning method that evaluates those four elements of a project or business venture, and includes an investigation of career opportunities in a chosen field. A SWOT includes general education preparation, creation of a professional resume and traditional letter of application, a Weebly account where students place professional career documents, and a video.

Outside the Classroom

Wesleyan’s business department sponsors lectures featuring prominent leaders in business and government, conferences, seminars, and research that promote entrepreneurship and business career opportunities for women. These activities provide students the chance to discuss significant issues and experiences with successful women from the business community. Study abroad semesters fit into the major’s curriculum as programs in Korea, Ireland, and Spain offer business courses which satisfy required courses in the business major.

Sample Courses

BUS 105: Contemporary Business.
Students will analyze the business environment in the areas of economic, social, political, technological, and global issues.

BUS 106: Business Ethics and Society.
Major issues facing organizations in both the profit and nonprofit sector will be researched, analyzed, discussed, and evaluated. 
 
BUS 210: Women and Economic Development.
The effects of economic growth on the socioeconomic status of women. The means by which patriarchy has persisted in various parts of Africa, Asia and Latin America by redefining itself, even as economies have modernized.

BUS 303: Principles of Marketing.
The examination of the "4 P's" of marketing-product, price, promotion, and place. Practical application of these concepts by developing a global marketing plan.
 
BUS 310: Business Law.
Exploration of the differences between private and public law and also the differences between substantive and procedural law, with an emphasis on understanding the linkages between different areas of business law. 
 
BUS 313: Healthcare Policy and Economics.
Major debates related to healthcare legislation will be discussed. The course will also look at how basic economic principles influence policy decisions.
 
BUS 315: Principles of Management.
Examination of the principal functional areas of management-planning, organizing, directing, and controlling as well as environmental, legal, economic, ethical, statistical, international, and career issues.

BUS 320: Investments Analysis.
Basic concepts of investment management using risk/return analysis and empirical evidence to examine the securities valuation, the efficient markets hypothesis, portfolio diversification strategies, and investment decision-making in changing markets.

BUS 330: Strategic Management.
Students study environmental scanning (both external and internal), strategy formulation (strategic or long-range planning), strategy implementation, and evaluation and control.  Strategic management will also incorporate the integrative commit of business policy with a heavier environmental and strategic emphasis.
 
BUS 331: Employment and Labor Law.
OSHA requirements, risk management and loss prevention, management of safety & workers’ compensation, employee assistance plans, preventative health issues, emergency response and preparedness, and developing a culture of safety, amongst others.

BUS 332: International Business Management.
The changing nature of the global economy in differing political, economic, legal, and cultural differences throughout the world. Ethical issues trade flow, foreign direct investment, regional economic agreements, global monetary system, World Bank, strategic alliances, marketing mix, product development, performance appraisal systems and supply-chain management are among the topics which may be analyzed.

BUS 350: Entrepreneurship.
Class discussions and textbooks readings will explore entrepreneurial characteristics, entrepreneurial opportunities, and effective small business planning and management systems. 

More Details on the Business Major in our Academic Catalogue.

Career Outlook

Jobs in business administration include positions where workers help companies and organizations meet financial goals. The median salaries for these careers typically range from $50,000-$90,000 per year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects employment for these professionals to grow by 7% from 2018-2028, higher than the projected growth for ALL careers in the United States. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Business and Financial Occupations.

Examples of career paths with a Bachelor's in Business Administration*
  • Accountant and Auditor: Salary $71,550
  • Budget Analyst: Salary $76,540
  • Cost Estimator: Salary $65,250
  • Human Resource Specialist: Salary $61. 920
  • Logistician: Salary $74,750

* Source: BLS

Wesleyan's 4 1 Program

 

SAVE MONEY AND TIME BY COMPLETING YOUR BACHELOR’S AND MASTER’S DEGREES IN FIVE YEARS THROUGH WESLEYAN’S 4 + 1 PROGRAM

The 4+1 Graduate Bridge Program is open to Wesleyan students who have earned a cumulated grade-point average (GPA) of 3.00 or higher by the end of their junior year of study and have been accepted to the graduate program of their choice after completing the application requirements.

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A liberal arts education prepares you for your first job and your last. Wesleyan has a four-year plan to prepare students to make the connection between a liberal arts education and success in the workplace.

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Majors

Majors

Wesleyan offers 25 majors and 35 minors, including self-designed interdisciplinary studies, eight pre-professional programs and the bachelor of science in nursing and bachelor of fine arts degrees.

Major listings

 

Wesleyan Business Majors have studied at 
graduate schools around the world:

Vanderbilt, University of Michigan, Yale, Harvard, University of Georgia, Carnegie Mellon University, Moscow State University, National Cheng Kung University, London School of Economics, the Max Planck Institute

GRADUATES OF THIS PROGRAM HAVE GONE TO WORK FOR MAJOR LOCAL EMPLOYERS:

GEICO, Robins Air Force Base, Medical Center-Navicent Health, Georgia Power; national investment firms Merrill Lynch, Edward Jones, Ameriprise Financial; and global financial organizations NASDAQ and MGIMO.

 

Ying Zhen
Associate Professor of Business and Economics (478) 757-3917 Profile

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