Business administration includes all aspects of overseeing and supervising a company’s operations from accounting to marketing. Our Business Administration program delivers the world-class education you’ll need to become an influential professional anywhere in the world.
The Business Administration major will enable you to master the skills necessary to succeed in any aspect of business. In the program, you’ll have the unique opportunity to customize your education by choosing multiple business emphases or declaring a second major in Accounting, Economics or other relevant programs to get the dynamic skillset you’ll need to fulfill your personal and professional goals.
The popularity of our Business Administration program is a testament to the outstanding, personalized education that Western Colorado University offers. Through a combination of intimate class sizes, competitive internship opportunities and our start-up incubator lab, we’ll help you become a well-prepared professional leader who thrives.
A springboard for success
The versatility of the Business Administration program allows you to tailor your degree around your interests and strengths, all while preparing you with all the skills you’ll need to be a competent leader in a fulfilling career.
At Western, course rotations are crafted to encompass a variety of subject fields for a comprehensive education and versatile degree. For required courses and degree plans, visit the official University Catalog. Below is a general overview of courses at Western Colorado University related to this area of study.
All standard majors require a minor in a second discipline or a second major.
The Standard Program requires a minimum of 45 credits including the 21-credit Base Curriculum, the 15-credit Business Administration Nucleus, BUAD 491 Strategic Management , and six credits of Business Administration electives. At least three credits of the six credits must be upper-division Business Administration electives, and no more than three credits may be from: BUAD 101 Business of Life , BUAD 150 Introduction to Sustainable Tourism & Hospitality , or BUAD 499 Internship in Business Administration . Electives should be chosen in consultation with an advisor. BUAD 397 Special Topics or BUAD 497 Special Topics courses are allowed to count toward the six-credit requirement only with departmental approval.
The 15-credit Business Administration Nucleus forms the core for each of the emphasis areas and also comprises the bulk of the Standard Program. It is important that the student achieve a high level of understanding of the basic fundamental concepts represented by these courses to be successful in the completion of the required upper- level course work and in their business career. If BUAD 350 Human Resource Management Human Resource Management is used to satisfy the requirements of the Business Administration Nucleus, then it cannot be used to satisfy the elective requirement within the major.
If a student elects to complete a Business Administration Major: Standard Program and the coordinated Environmental Studies Major: Standard Program, the student must complete the six credits of upper-division Business Administration electives by taking two of the following: ECON 370 Natural Resource Economics , BUAD 363 Business and the Environment , or BUAD 410 Water Law .
The following courses in the Business Administration Major fulfill the capstone course requirement: BUAD 491 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT.
Undergraduate programs require a minimum of 120 semester credits for graduation. Of those 120 credits, 40 credits must be in upper-division courses (those marked 300 and above). Fifteen of these 40 upper-division credits must be earned in courses that are part of the standard or comprehensive major program being pursued.
Students are expected to review all graduation requirements, which can be found in the Western Undergraduate Catalog: Graduation Requirements.
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| BUAD 101 | Business of Life | 3 |
| ENG 102 | Writing and Rhetoric I (GT-CO1) | 3 |
| Gen Ed | Natural Sciences w/lab | 4 |
| HWTR 100 | First Year Seminar | 1 |
| MATH 140 | College Algebra (GT-MA1) | 3 |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| ACC 201 | Introduction to Financial Accounting | 3 |
| ECON 201 | Macroeconomics (GT-SS1) | 3 |
| ENG 103 | Writing and Rhetoric II (GT-CO2) | 3 |
| Gen Ed | Natural Sciences w/lab | 4 |
| Gen Ed | Area III | 3 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| ACC 202 | Introduction to Managerial Accounting | 3 |
| ECON 216 | Statistics for Business and Economics | 3 |
| Elective | Elective | 3 |
| Gen Ed | Area I | 3 |
| Gen Ed | Area III | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BUAD 220 | Spreadsheets and Analysis | 3 |
| BUAD 270 | Principles of Marketing | 3 |
| ECON 202 | Microeconomics | 3 |
| Gen Ed | Area I | 3 |
| Gen Ed | Area III | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall | ||
| BUAD 185 | Business Communication | 3 |
| BUAD 210 | Legal Environment of Business | 3 |
| Elective | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | Minor course | 6 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BUAD 333 | Organizational Behavior | 3 |
| BUAD | Upper Division Elective | 3 |
| Elective | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | Minor course | 6 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Summer | ||
| BUAD 499 | Internship in Business Administration ( optional, but recommended ) | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall | ||
| BUAD 360 | Managerial Finance | 3 |
| Elective | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | Minor course | 6 |
| Elective | Minor course OR Elective | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BUAD 491 | Strategic Management | 3 |
| Elective | Elective | 12 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 123 | |
Assistant Professor of Business Administration – Business Law
Associate Professor of Business Administration
Lecturer of Business Administration
Professor of Banking & Finance
Professor of Business Administration
Interim Director of the Energy Management Program, Lecturer
Professor of Business Administration, Graduate Faculty for Outdoor Industry MBA
Associate Professor of Marketing, Graduate Faculty for Outdoor Industry MBA
Director of the Professional Selling Program
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“The professors here are really encouraging when it comes to making your time at Western unique. It has been so easy for me to take opportunities and it’s easy for anyone to start their own club.”
“Western did a fantastic job of preparing me for my career."
“Western has started this transition to a school where we use our past and our privilege and connect it to what we are learning now to allow ourselves to better understand our world and ourselves.”
Top Skills
Career Pathways
Fostering your intellectual development is the primary focus of every academic program at Western. Our professors and Office of Career Services will help you identify your strengths, hone your skills, define your goals, and prepare for a fulfilling and enriched life after graduation. Wondering how you can apply your program of choice to your intellectual and personal journey? Check out our “What Can I Do With This Major?” tool to explore the diverse opportunities and pathways within any degree program.
Western’s Scholarship Application portal allows you to search for, apply to and manage your scholarship opportunities. This platform houses over 300+ departmental and privately funded scholarship opportunities available to both new and returning students. Through the scholarship portal, students may identify scholarship opportunities based on academic program, campus involvement, academic standing, specific keywords and more. Students may click below to begin learning about what scholarship opportunities are available to them.
Please check individual scholarship opportunity start dates and deadlines as there are exceptions.
Western’s Scholarship Application portal allows you to search for, apply to and manage your scholarship opportunities. This platform houses over 300+ departmental and privately funded scholarship opportunities available to both new and returning students. Through the scholarship portal, students may identify scholarship opportunities based on academic program, campus involvement, academic standing, specific keywords and more. Students may click below to begin learning about what scholarship opportunities are available to them.
Please check individual scholarship opportunity start dates and deadlines as there are exceptions.
Alumni Association Future Alumni ScholarshipThe Alumni Association Scholarship is a one-time scholarship of $1,000 and is applicable for the student’s junior or senior year at Western.
Any child or grandchild of an alumni is eligible to receive the Future Alumni Scholarship.
Due date has been extended to April 30 for 2024. An Alumni selection committee, appointed by the Alumni Advisory Council, will review applicants and select awardee by June 1.
Alumni Legacy ScholarshipThe Alumni Legacy Scholarship is a one-time non-renewable scholarship and is only applicable for the student’s first year at Western (incoming freshman or new transfer students are eligible).
Do you have a son or daughter looking at college? Have they considered attending Western? As an alumni, your son, daughter and/or grandchildren are eligible for certain benefits distributed through this scholarship, as follows:
The applicant must fill out the application form found below. Application forms are accepted year-round. If the applicant meets the GPA guidelines, the scholarship will be awarded.
Mountaineer Alumni Recommendation ScholarshipThe Mountaineer Alumni Recommendation Scholarship is a one-time non-renewable scholarship and is only applicable for the student’s first year at Western. This scholarship is not available to midyear transfers or students beginning in the spring semester.
Are you an alumni or employee of Western and know a prospective (or incoming) student who would be a great fit at Western? A recommendation from alumni and employees can support any new student and provide them a $500 scholarship their first year. (Western employees may not recommend a spouse or dependent receiving tuition benefits).
The applicant must fill out the application form found here. The nominating alumni/employee must fill out the application form and submit the required documents by June 1. The recommended student must meet university admissions acceptance standards and complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Presidential PromiseThe Presidential Promise is guaranteed to students who have received a scholarship through the Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) and/or GearUp—and are eligible for a Pell Grant.
For students who meet these criteria, Western will cover the cost of tuition and fees through the combination of federal, state and institutional aid. For more information on the Presidential Promise, visit our scholarships page.
Tuition Discount ProgramsWestern Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) or Central Plains (CP) tuition represents a substantial savings relative to normal, out-of-state tuition. Students eligible for the WUE or CP program will be charged 150% of Western’s total in-state tuition. For 2018-19, total in-state tuition was $8,934. WUE/CP tuition was $13,401. The WUE/CP discount is valued at $4,695.
For more information about the WUE and CP geography-based programs, visit Western’s Tuition Discount Programs Page.
Western Merit ScholarshipImmediately upon acceptance at Western, every student is considered for a merit scholarship worth between $2,500-$4,500 per year for in-state students and $8,000-$10,000 for out-of-state students. The amount is based on the student’s GPA and ACT/SAT scores. Visit our Net Price Calculator at western.edu/cost to determine whether you qualify for a merit scholarship.
For more information about merit scholarships at Western, visit our scholarships page.
Note: Students enrolled in a Western-CU Boulder Partnership Program (i.e. major) do not qualify for Western Merit Scholarship programs. See the Rady Merit Scholarship section above for scholarship opportunities.
