Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Management with a Major in Entrepreneurship (BSBA)
Department website: https://www.odu.edu/management-a-major-entrepreneurship-bsba
Chair of Management Department:
Shaomin Li
SLi@odu.edu
Faculty Advisor & Entrepreneurship Area Coordinator:
Karen Eagle
KEagle@odu.edu
A major in entrepreneurship allows students to practice their own creative talents while applying fundamental business concepts. Students learn to embrace uncertainty, overcome challenges, create value, and develop an entrepreneurial mindset to make a difference in the world and in the marketplace. Courses give students the information, abilities, and entrepreneurial spirit necessary to start their own businesses, take on leadership roles in already-existing enterprises, manage small and family-owned firms, and approach difficult problems with new perspectives, making them more equipped to handle the demands of the modern economy, which is fast-paced and unpredictable, and where success is determined by the ability to see opportunities, innovate, and move quickly to market.
Strome College of Business (SCB) Center for Undergraduate Advising and Student Success
The mission of this office is to challenge and support students in self-exploration and, through advising, provide resources for them to develop an achievable plan for success. Our vision is for students to be aware of their academic, personal, and professional goals; empowered to pursue them; and confident in their ability to accomplish them.
Our professional advisors work with all Strome College of Business students regarding degree planning, changing majors, admissions, continuance, graduation requirements and required curricula for the majors and minors offered by the College.
Degree Requirements
Students in all of the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree programs must fulfill the University General Education requirements as well as the Strome College of Business’s core, major, and elective requirements. Students must choose at least one major area to meet requirements towards the degree.
To stay in compliance with AACSB accreditation standards, students receiving a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Old Dominion University must complete at least half of their business course work in residence with a minimum of four courses in their declared major. This equates to 10 business classes, thus meeting the University's residency requirement as well.
Majors in the college may not take business and public administration courses for pass/fail credit except those courses in which pass/fail is the only grading option (i.e., internships and practica).
Regulations for Continuance in the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
In addition to the Old Dominion University continuance policies, the following policies are specific to all declared Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) students. The Strome College of Business makes a reasonable effort to notify undergraduate students who are not in good academic standing in the BSBA program of their academic status. Each undergraduate student who is placed on BSBA Academic Alarm or BSBA Termination (explained below) will be sent an e-mail message to that effect at the student's Old Dominion University e-mail address, in accordance with the Electronic Communication Policy for Official University Business. Non-receipt of the e-mail messages by a student will not be considered grounds for granting exceptions or delays in enforcement of the BSBA continuance regulations.
BSBA Continuance Regulations
If a student’s Grade Point Average (GPA) in their BSBA Core courses falls below a 2.0, then they will be on Academic Alarm within the Strome College of Business (SCB). This policy is very similar to the University's academic continuance policy, the main difference being that it is based on the core Business courses and impacts acceptance and continuance within the SCB.
Academic Alarm
The first semester in which a student’s BSBA Core GPA drops to below a 2.0, they will be on Academic Alarm. Once considered on academic alarm within the college, taking courses within the BSBA Core is the only way to bring that GPA back up.
- If the student raises the BSBA Core GPA to above a 2.0, then they will no longer be on academic alarm.
- If the BSBA Core GPA does not reach a 2.0 but the semester average in the BSBA Core courses is a 2.0 or higher, then the student will remain on academic alarm and be able to continue within the SCB.
SCB Termination
While on academic alarm within the Strome College of Business, if the semester BSBA Core GPA falls below a 2.0, the student will be terminated from the SCB and their major coding will be changed from Business to Undecided. (Terminations will not be processed in summer semesters.)
Appeals
If you have been terminated, you may appeal the decision if you have extenuating circumstances and documentation to support your claim. To appeal, write a letter and include documentation of your circumstances to the Associate Dean of the Strome College of Business (Constant Hall, Suite 2004). There are specific details that need to be included with your appeal - for more information, please see the appeals process as described in the most recently issued catalog.
Guidelines for Filing a BSBA Termination Appeal
1. All students have the right to appeal their BSBA termination if they believe that extraordinary circumstances were the main reason for their poor academic performance. Notifications of pending BSBA termination are sent to the student's ODU email address and include information on the appeal process and deadlines. All BSBA termination appeals must be submitted electronically using the link provided in the email and will be reviewed by the SCB Termination Appeal Committee. Students are responsible for submitting their appeal by the stated deadline; late appeals will not be reviewed. Decisions of the Termination Appeal Committee may be appealed to the Associate Dean for Academic Programs in the Strome College of Business whose decision is final.
2. Appeals must be based on circumstances pertinent to the semesters in which the academic difficulty occurred that were beyond the control of the student and for which official withdrawal from the course(s) was not an option. Appeal letters must be legible and authored by the terminated student. The appeal letter must provide sufficient detail and explanation regarding the following points because there is no face-to-face meeting with the Associate Dean for Academic Programs in the Strome College of Business. The decision of the Associate Dean is final. Students without documentation will not be allowed to appeal their termination. In order to be reviewed, an appeal letter must:
a. Document the extraordinary circumstances such as a death in the family, medical complications or chronic conditions, personal or family emergency, overwhelming work schedules, dorm-mate conflict, or a personal relationship conflict that have adversely affected performance: i.e., a statement or letter from a physician, employer, family members, faculty, academic advisor, Counseling Services, or Educational Accessibility.
b. Explain how the extraordinary circumstances caused each semester of poor academic performance.
c. State the reasons why an official withdrawal was not requested.
d. Explain how the extraordinary circumstance(s) has been resolved.
e. Provide a plan of action to return to good BSBA academic standing.
3. Students who do not file a BSBA termination appeal or whose appeals are denied, are no longer eligible to pursue a bachelor's degree in Business Administration. Upon BSBA termination, the student's major in the Strome College of Business will be removed. (This does not affect a declared second major outside of the BSBA.) These students are advised to work with an advisor in the SCB Center for Undergraduate Advising to explore other major options, and for referrals to other advising departments for a new major declaration.
4. BSBA-terminated students who had pre-registered for a subsequent semester lose eligibility for continued enrollment in upper-level business courses.
Applying for Readmission to the BSBA Program
After a minimum of five years has passed since a student was terminated from the BSBA program, the student may apply for readmission to the program. There must be a high probability the student will successfully complete the degree program, and approval will be at the discretion of the Strome College of Business Associate Dean.
Requirements
Lower-Division General Education
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Written Communication | 6 | |
| Oral Communication | 3 | |
| Mathematics | 3 | |
| Language and Culture | 0-6 | |
| Information Literacy and Research | 3 | |
| Human Behavior | 3 | |
| Human Creativity | 3 | |
| Interpreting the Past | 3 | |
| Literature | 3 | |
| Philosophy and Ethics | 3 | |
| The Nature of Science | 8 | |
| Impact of Technology | 3 | |
Oral Communication: COMM 101R or MKTG 200R required. Additionally, all students majoring in business administration can expect to complete several courses in which individual and/or group oral presentations will be required.
Mathematics: MATH 162M and MATH 200 required. Students need to obtain a grade of C or better for MATH 162M.
Information Literacy and Research: IT 150G (recommended) or any "G" course from the approved general education information literacy and research course list.
Human Behavior: Met in the Business Administration core for all majors except Economics.
Philosophy and Ethics must be satisfied by completion of either PHIL 230E or an upper-level "E" course from the approved general education ethics course list. A philosophy course designated with a P will not meet this requirement for business administration students with the exception of a "P" course taken prior to fall 2010.
Impact of Technology requirement is satisfied within each BSBA degree major except Information Systems and Technology by IT 360T. In the Information Systems and Technology majors (excluding Business Analytics), the Impact of Technology requirement is satisfied by the coursework required for the major.
Transfer students with an applicable associate's degree from a Virginia Community College or another community college that has a seamless transfer agreement with ODU, and students with a prior bachelor's degree from another university, must nevertheless have a grade of C or better in the following to be able to transfer them:
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| COMM 101R | Public Speaking | 3 |
| or MKTG 200R | Professional Interactions and Negotiations | |
| PHIL 230E | Introduction to Ethics (Or an upper-level ethics course) | 3 |
| ENGL 211C | Writing, Rhetoric, and Research | 3 |
| or ENGL 231C | Writing, Rhetoric, and Research: Special Topics | |
| MATH 162M | Precalculus I * | 3 |
| MATH 200 | Calculus for Business and Economics | 3 |
- *
Students need to obtain a grade of C or better.
Upper-Division General Education
- Option A. Any University-approved minor, second degree, or second major.
- Option B. An interdisciplinary minor consisting of 12 credits, three of which can be in the major. Interdisciplinary minors are described in the University Catalog section labeled Requirements for Undergraduate Degrees, Upper-Division Requirements.
- Option C, An approved certification program, such as teaching licensure.
- Option D. Two Upper-Division Courses from outside the Strome College of Business and not required by the major (6 credits).
Requirements for Graduation
Requirements for graduation include the following:
- Minimum of 120 credit hours.
- Minimum of 30 credit hours overall and 12 credit hours of upper-level courses in the major program from Old Dominion University.
- Minimum overall cumulative grade point average of C (2.00) in all courses taken.
- Minimum overall cumulative grade point average of C (2.00) in all courses taken toward the major.
- Minimum overall cumulative grade point average of C (2.00) in all courses taken toward a minor.
- Completion of ENGL 110C, ENGL 211C or ENGL 231C, and the writing intensive (W) course in the major with a grade of C or better. The W course must be taken at Old Dominion University.
- Completion of Senior Assessment.
Business Administration Core
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ACCT 201 | Principles of Financial Accounting a, d | 3 |
| ACCT 202 | Principles of Managerial Accounting a | 3 |
| BNAL 206 | Business Analytics I a | 3 |
| BNAL 306 | Business Analytics II | 3 |
| ECON 201S | Principles of Macroeconomics a | 3 |
| ECON 202S | Principles of Microeconomics a, d | 3 |
| ECON 301 | Managerial Economics | 3 |
| FIN 323 | Introductory Financial Management | 3 |
| FIN 331 | Legal Environment of Business | 3 |
| IT 360T | Principles of Information Technology b | 3 |
| MGMT 325 | Contemporary Organizations and Management | 3 |
| MGMT 485W | Business Policy and Strategy c, d | 3 |
| MKTG 311 | Marketing Principles and Problems | 3 |
| OPMT 303 | Operations Management | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 42 | |
- a
Not automatically waived for transfer students with an applicable associate's degree from a Virginia Community College or another acceptable community college, or for students with a prior bachelor's degree from another university. A grade of C or better must be earned to transfer these courses to Old Dominion University.
- b
Students completing a major or minor in Information Systems and Technology (excluding the Business Analytics major) do not take this course.
- c
Students majoring in Economics must complete MGMT 485W, but meet the writing intensive requirement by earning a grade of C or better either in MGMT 485W or in one of the ECON Writing Intensive courses.
- d
Students need to obtain a grade of C or better in this course.
Entrepreneurship Major
Students must earn a grade of C- or better in all required Entrepreneurship Major core courses and Entrepreneurship Major Elective courses. To graduate, students will need at least a 2.0 GPA for their Entrepreneurship Major. Students in this major will take ENTR 490 - Entrepreneurship Capstone during their senior year at Old Dominion University.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education | ||
| Complete lower-division requirements | 35-41 | |
| Complete upper-division requirements | 6 | |
| BUSN 110 | Introduction to Contemporary Business (C or better) * | 1 |
| MATH 200 | Calculus for Business and Economics | 3 |
| Business Administration Core | ||
| Complete business administration core requirements | 42 | |
| Entrepreneurship Major Core Classes | ||
| ENTR 201S | Introduction to Entrepreneurship | 3 |
| ENTR 301 | Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship | 3 |
| MKTG 317 | New Product Planning and Commercialization | 3 |
| ENTR 490 | New Venture Creation | 3 |
| Entrepreneurship Major Electives | ||
| Select three of the following ENTR or MGMT Electives: | 9 | |
| Entrepreneurship Internship | ||
| Small Business Management | ||
| Digital Entrepreneurship: New Venture Creation | ||
| Business Communication | ||
| International Entrepreneurship | ||
| Employee Relations Problems and Practices | ||
| Leadership in Organizations | ||
| Business Development | ||
| Technology and Innovation Management | ||
| Negotiations and Change Management | ||
| 200-400 Level Free Elective | 3 | |
| 300-400 Level Free Elective | 3 | |
| Free Electives | 6 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120-126 | |
- *
A grade of C or better is required in BUSN 110. This course is not required for students with a prior bachelor's degree in business administration.
Additional Requirements and Information
Advanced Placement
The college accepts advanced placement credit in accordance with the rules and regulations outlined in the Academic Information section of this catalog. Students may take College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests to receive credit for:
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ACCT 201 | Principles of Financial Accounting | 3 |
| ACCT 202 | Principles of Managerial Accounting | 3 |
| ECON 201S | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
| ECON 202S | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| FIN 331 | Legal Environment of Business | 3 |
| MGMT 325 | Contemporary Organizations and Management | 3 |
| MKTG 311 | Marketing Principles and Problems | 3 |
Students are advised to contact the Office of Prior Learning Assessment for more information regarding CLEP and other prior learning assessment credit options. For advanced placement credit in any other business or public administration course, students are advised to contact the chair of the department offering the course. Additional information about credit awarded for qualifying scores on AP and IB subject examinations can be found on the ODU website: https://www.odu.edu/academics/academic-records/score-analysis/ap-ib.
Practical Work Experience for Business Administration Majors
Students may complement their major studies with a practical work experience, which may take the form of an internship, cooperative education experience or a class containing a real-world, hands-on project. Students must apply for internship or co-op participation through the Strome College of Business Career & Leadership Development Satellite Office. All work experiences must be approved by the faculty sponsor in the appropriate department prior to registering for credit. Students may not earn credit for previous or current work experiences. (However, academic credit for work experience may be approved in accordance with the policies for granting prior learning credit as defined in the section on Prior Learning Assessment Credit Options at the Undergraduate Level in this catalog.) For details see the Center for Career & Leadership Development section of this catalog.
Use of Internship and Similar Hours Toward Business Administration Majors
A student may apply no more than six hours of cooperative education, student internship or practicum courses to satisfy degree requirements. Students may not use more than three hours of cooperative education, student internship or practicum courses to satisfy major elective requirements in each of the students' majors. These courses are numbered 367, 368 or 369. Additional hours of cooperative education, student internship or practicum courses, however, can be used to satisfy other requirements such as free electives or general business electives. Additional internships must each involve substantially different kinds of work experiences. Internships must be approved by the Chief Departmental Advisor of the student's major and the CAP Coordinator of the internship.
Transfer of the Associate of Science in Business Administration Towards Degree Requirements
Students transferring to the college must complete a minimum of 10 business courses offered by the college to earn the degree from Old Dominion University, in accordance with AACSB regulations. Those transfer students holding the Associate of Science in Business Administration degree from a Virginia Community College must earn the grade of "C" or better in the following courses in order to satisfy requirements found in the first two years of the BSBA degree:
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| COMM 101R | Public Speaking | 3 |
| ENGL 211C | Writing, Rhetoric, and Research | 3 |
| or ENGL 231C | Writing, Rhetoric, and Research: Special Topics | |
| MATH 162M | Precalculus I | 3 |
| MATH 200 | Calculus for Business and Economics | 3 |
| ACCT 201 | Principles of Financial Accounting | 3 |
| ACCT 202 | Principles of Managerial Accounting | 3 |
| ECON 201S | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
| ECON 202S | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| BNAL 206 | Business Analytics I | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Ethics | ||
Upper-level ethics course | ||
With the exception of the courses listed above, the University's lower-division General Education requirements are deemed satisfied by the accepted AS degrees. These typically include all AS degrees from the Virginia Community College System except the applied science degrees. For more information about accepted AS degrees contact the Office of Admissions. Associate degree holders, although meeting lower-level General Education requirements, must ensure that 120 credits are completed to earn the BSBA degree. A minimum of 25% of the required credit hours must be completed through Old Dominion University, at least 12 of which are upper-level courses in the major program.
The Strome College of Business does not accept courses completed at the freshman and sophomore levels at other institutions for required courses at the junior and senior level at Old Dominion University. Please see the section on CLEP credits (Prior Learning Assessment Credit Options at the Undergraduate Level) for additional information.
Grade Average Requirements for Graduation
To graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree, students must present a minimum of 120 hours with a minimum overall grade point average of 2.00 in all courses taken at Old Dominion University. Students must also attain a minimum overall grade point average of 2.00 in courses taken toward the major (courses included in the major grade point average calculation are listed following the description of each major's course work).
Additionally, students must attain a minimum overall grade point average of 2.00 in the BSBA Core listed below. Only courses completed at Old Dominion University will be used to compute the BSBA Core average. Students with an Information Systems and Technology major (excluding Business Analytics) are not required to take IT 360T, so the BSBA Core grade point average is computed using the remaining courses. If the BSBA Core average is below the required 2.00 minimum, students are advised to utilize the Grade Forgiveness Policy or Adjusted Resident Credit option when appropriate to improve the grade point average.
Requirements for Completing a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
The following sections show the courses that are requirements for all business students, regardless of the chosen major: Lower-Division General Education, BSBA Core Courses, and Upper-Division General Education. Credit hours are listed after the course title. The student must also choose a major and complete the requirements listed for that major on the following pages.
Foundation Courses for Admission to the Strome College of Business
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 110C | English Composition (C or better) | 3 |
| MATH 162M | Precalculus I (C or better) | 3 |
| ACCT 201 | Principles of Financial Accounting (C or better) | 3 |
| ECON 202S | Principles of Microeconomics (C or better) | 3 |
| BUSN 110 | Introduction to Contemporary Business (C or better) * | 1 |
- *
Not required for students pursuing an Information Systems and Technology major (excluding Business Analytics) or for students with an associate's degree in business administration or with a prior bachelor's degree in business administration.
See the section on Admission to the Undergraduate Program in Business Administration, General Requirements.
Business Elective
A business elective is a course that is offered by an accredited college of business, including the Strome College of Business at Old Dominion University. Public Affairs and Service (PAS) courses offered by the Strome College of Business are not considered as business courses. However, because some business courses cannot be used to satisfy the requirements of certain majors, students must refer to their specific degree program requirements to make sure that they complete appropriate business elective courses. For example, ECON 200S cannot be used to satisfy an elective requirement for students majoring in business administration. Also, IT 360T cannot be used as an elective by students majoring in Information Systems and Technology. Refer to the course description section of this Catalog for full details of courses and their prerequisites.
Free Elective
In the majority of cases a free elective is any course offered by an accredited community college or university, including Old Dominion University. However, because some courses cannot be used to satisfy the requirements of certain majors, students must refer to their specific degree program requirements to make sure that they complete appropriate elective courses. For example, ECON 200S cannot be used to satisfy an elective requirement for students majoring in business administration. Also, IT 360T cannot be used as an elective by students majoring in Information Systems and Technology. Refer to the course description section of this Catalog for full details of courses and their prerequisites.
The Degree Program Guide is a suggested curriculum to complete this degree program in four years. It is just one of several plans that will work and is presented only as broad guidance to students. Each student is strongly encouraged to develop a customized plan in consultation with their academic advisor. Additional information can also be found in Degree Works.
| Freshman | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
| ENGL 110C | English Composition (C or better required) | 3 |
| MATH 162M | Precalculus I (C or better required) | 3 |
| Language and Culture I (May be waived; see requirement details) | 0-3 | |
| BUSN 110 | Introduction to Contemporary Business (C or better required) | 1 |
| Nature of Science I | 4 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 14-17 | |
| Spring | ||
| MATH 200 | Calculus for Business and Economics | 3 |
| ENGL 211C | Writing, Rhetoric, and Research (C or better required) | 3 |
| Language and Culture II (May be waived; see requirement details) | 0-3 | |
| Nature of Science II | 4 | |
| Interpreting the Past | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 13-16 | |
| Sophomore | ||
| Fall | ||
| Literature | 3 | |
| Oral Communication: COMM 101R or MKTG 200R required | 3 | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Ethics | ||
| Business Ethics | ||
| Environmental Ethics | ||
| Bioethics | ||
| Cybersecurity Ethics | ||
| Ethics and Data | ||
| Studies in Applied Ethics | ||
| ACCT 201 | Principles of Financial Accounting (C or better required) | 3 |
| ECON 202S | Principles of Microeconomics (C or better required) | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Human Creativity | 3 | |
| Information Literacy and Research | 3 | |
| ACCT 202 | Principles of Managerial Accounting | 3 |
| ECON 201S | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
| BNAL 206 | Business Analytics I | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Junior | ||
| Fall | ||
| BNAL 306 | Business Analytics II | 3 |
| ENTR 201S | Introduction to Entrepreneurship (C- or better required) | 3 |
| FIN 323 | Introductory Financial Management | 3 |
| IT 360T | Principles of Information Technology | 3 |
| MGMT 325 | Contemporary Organizations and Management (C- or better required) | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ECON 301 | Managerial Economics | 3 |
| ENTR 301 | Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship (C- or better required) | 3 |
| FIN 331 | Legal Environment of Business | 3 |
| MKTG 311 | Marketing Principles and Problems | 3 |
| OPMT 303 | Operations Management | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 18 | |
| Senior | ||
| Fall | ||
| MGMT 485W | Business Policy and Strategy (C or better required) | 3 |
| MKTG 317 | New Product Planning and Commercialization (C- or better required) | 3 |
| ENTR Major Elective (C- or better required) | 3 | |
| 200-400 Level Free Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-Division General Education | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENTR 490 | New Venture Creation (C- or better required) | 3 |
| ENTR Major Elective (C- or better required) | 3 | |
| ENTR Major Elective (C- or better required) | 3 | |
| 300-400 Level Free Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-Division General Education | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120-126 | |
BSBA to MBA (Master of Business Administration) Dual Dominion Program
Students interested in pursuing the MBA program after their undergraduate degree in business administration should contact the MBA Program Office as early as possible to discuss their plans for early entry. Once admitted to the program, the MBA program manager will act as the student’s co-advisor, along with the chief departmental advisor or chief discipline advisor in the student's undergraduate major. The MBA Program Office can be found on campus in 1026 Constant Hall, via phone at 757-683-3585, and through email at mbainfo@odu.edu.
BSBA to MPA (Master of Public Administration) Dual Dominion Program
The Dual Dominion BSBA to MPA program provides qualified Old Dominion University undergraduate students with the opportunity to earn a master's degree in public administration while taking 12 credits of the MPA program as an undergraduate student. The program is designed for highly motivated students with the desire to immediately continue their education after the bachelor's degree. The program is especially relevant to individuals seeking to work (or currently working) in the public or non-profit sectors, but is suitable for students from any undergraduate major. Graduate courses may be taken during the fall and spring semester of the student's senior undergraduate year. After receiving the undergraduate degree, a student will continue with the MPA program, taking MPA courses until completing the required 39 credit hours. Students in the Dual Dominion program must earn a minimum of 150 credit hours (120 discrete credit hours for the undergraduate degree and 30 discrete credit hours for the graduate degree). Requirements for admission to the graduate program can be found in the School of Public Service section of the Graduate Catalog. For additional information, please contact the School of Public Service in the Strome College of Business.