Academic Programs Catalog

The Eli Broad College of Business and The Eli Broad Graduate School of Management

Undergraduate Programs

Undergraduate students are required to complete a core curriculum that exposes them to diverse subjects and develops a well-rounded business background. Within the undergraduate program, area requirements include writing, mathematics, integrative studies, basic disciplines and functional fields in business, and elective courses enhancing a student’s course of study. An important component of the business curriculum is the major field of concentration. Students are strongly encouraged to meet with their academic advisor to discuss major fields of concentration, electives, education abroad, community service, work experience and leadership development opportunities.

Students completing undergraduate programs in the Broad College receive the Bachelor of Arts degree.

Direct Admission for First-Year Students
 
Direct admission to the Broad College of Business is only offered to first-year students who are entering MSU in the fall semester.  Students who matriculate in the spring semester and transfer students are not eligible for direct admission. 

High school seniors are offered the opportunity to enter the Broad College of Business as first-year students or as a first-year student accepted into the Broad College.  To be considered for Direct Admission, applicants must:

  1. Be admitted to Michigan State University as a first-year student matriculating in the fall semester.
  2. List one of the following business majors (accounting, finance, management, human resource management, marketing, supply chain management) as the intended major when applying to MSU.
  3. Complete and submit the Broad Direct Admission supplemental application.

To maintain admission to the Broad College, a direct admit student must meet the following requirements no later than the end of a student’s 3rd semester at MSU:

  1. Achieve a 3.0 minimum cumulative grade-point average.
  2. Achieve a 3.0 minimum grade-point average in specific Broad College pre-core courses.  Pre-core requirements are Tier 1 Writing (WRA 101 or equivalent), EC 201 and/or EC 202, STT 200 or approved substitution. 
  3. Earn credit in CSE 102. 

Admission to the College

Admission to the Broad College of Business and a specific major provides access to enroll in certain courses required for the major. Enrollment in the Broad College of Business is limited, and admission to the College is competitive.

Current MSU students and transfer students must apply for Broad College admission by April 1 for a fall semester admission. When needed an off-cycle admission process can be added.

Admission is a holistic process that is based primarily on the cumulative grade-point average and grades in the pre-core courses listed below. Non-academic factors and experiences will also be considered.

Students seeking admission should contact the Eli Broad College Undergraduate Academic Services.


Minimum criteria for admission to the college are:

  1. Completion of 28 credits.
  2. Completion of Computer Science and Engineering 102.
  3. Completion of the following pre-core courses which will be used to calculate a student's pre-core grade-point average:
    1. Statistics 200 or approved substitution.
    2. University's Tier I writing requirement. One course from WRA 101, WRA 195H, LB 133, MC 111, MC 112, or RCAH 111.
    3. Economics 201 or 202. If both Economics 201 and 202 are completed at the time of admission consideration, both courses will be considered in the admission decision.

Students who are admitted to the college with fewer than 56 credits designate their major preference as Business-Admitted. Students selecting this major preference are advised by faculty members and advisors in the Eli Broad College of Business. Through careful selection of courses, students are encouraged to explore a variety of areas to help in selecting a major. Students remain in Business-Admitted until they attain junior standing and are admitted to a Broad College major through the major application process. Some majors may have limited enrollment and require a competitive process. Students may re-enter the competitive process in the college during subsequent admission periods to change majors. Students must be admitted to a degree-granting college by the time they have completed 56 credits.


Admission to Hospitality Business
 

For information about the admission requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree in Hospitality Business, refer to the statement on The School of Hospitality Business.


Academic Standards and Policies
 

A Policy Statement for Undergraduate Students is shared with each student with the notice of admission to the college and is available on the Broad College Web site. Each student is responsible for knowing and adhering to these college policies.

The student's academic advisor plays a major role in helping a student develop an academic progression plan. Students are encouraged to discuss the major field of concentration requirements with their faculty. It is important for each student to take a proactive approach in selecting the area of concentration. At the onset of the senior year, students are advised to visit the Undergraduate Academic Services office for a careful review of their progress, and to plan a program for their senior year. Responsibility for meeting graduation requirements rests with the student.

Graduation Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts Degree

1. The University requirements for bachelor's degrees as described in the Undergraduate Education section of the catalog.
The completion of Mathematics 103 and Statistics 200, 201, or 315 [referenced in item 2. a. below] may also satisfy the University mathematics requirement.
2. The requirements for the BUSINESS CORE PROGRAM that consists of (55 or 56 credits):
a. All of the following courses (18 or 19 credits):
CSE 102 Algorithmic Thinking and Programming 3
EC 201 Introduction to Microeconomics 3
EC 202 Introduction to Macroeconomics 3
MKT 250 Business Communication: Oral and Written Skills 3
MTH 103 College Algebra 3
STT 200 Statistical Methods 3
or
STT 201 Statistical Methods 4
or
STT 315 Introduction to Probability and Statistics for Business 3
Students who place into Statistics 200, 201, or 315 on the mathematics placement test and who complete Statistics 200, 201, or 315 will not be required to complete Mathematics 103.
b. All of the following courses (31 credits):
ACC 201 Principles of Financial Accounting 3
ACC 202 Principles of Management Accounting 3
BUS 100 Business Major and Career Exploration 1
FI 311 Financial Management 3
GBL 385 Business Law and Ethical Leadership 3
IBUS 310 International Business 3
ITM 209 Business Analytics and Information Systems 3
MGT 315 Managing Human Resources and Organizational Behavior 3
MKT 300 Managerial Marketing 3
MKT 317 Market Analytics 3
SCM 303 Introduction to Supply Chain Management 3
c. An approved course or experience with international content (3 credits):
To foster the development of a global mindset, the Broad College requires an approved 3-credit 300-level or higher course or experience with significant international content. The Broad College’s Undergraduate Academic Services (UAS) unit maintains an approved list of courses and experiences for satisfying this requirement. An approved course may not be used to satisfy a University Integrative Studies requirement. Along with MKT 310 and MGT 409, this 3-credit international requirement assures that Broad undergraduates have sufficient exposure to global issues that affect business decisions.
d. A senior-level capstone course to integrate competencies (3 credits):
MGT 409 Business Policy and Strategic Management 3
3. The requirements for one of the majors identified below.
4. A minimum grade–point average of 2.00 in courses in the Major Field of Concentration.
5. At least 9 credits of general elective courses outside the Broad College. Courses that are used to satisfy University requirements [referenced in item 1. above] and courses that are used to satisfy BUSINESS CORE PROGRAM requirements [referenced in item 2. a., b., and d. above] may not be used to satisfy this requirement.
6. A maximum of 3 credits of internship or other work experience may be earned towards a Bachelor of Arts degree in the college.

The majors to which the requirements that are referenced in the Graduation Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts Degree statement apply are listed below by the units that administer them:

Department of Accounting and Information Systems
        Accounting
Department of Finance 
        Finance
Department of Management
        Management
        Human Resource Management
Department of Marketing
        Marketing
Department of Supply Chain Management
        Supply Chain Management

Graduation Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Hospitality Business

For information about the requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Hospitality Business, refer to the statement on The School of Hospitality Business.

Transfer Course Credit

The Office of Admissions in the Eli Broad College of Business evaluates transfer-course credit in business fields based on guidelines provided by its academic units for courses of similar content and level taken at accredited colleges and universities of comparable academic quality. Courses similar in title to those offered by the Broad College at the 300–400 level are not authorized to receive specific course credit if taken at the 100–200 level at another institution; general course credit may be granted for such courses transferred from an accredited institution. Students who request the transfer of a 300-400 level business course must work with their academic advisor. A maximum of 9 transfer credits may be applied and must have been taken at an AACSB accredited institution.

Honors Study

The Broad College encourages honors students to develop distinctive undergraduate programs in the fields offered by the several departments. A member of the faculty is selected to serve as advisor to Honors College students in each major field, and it is their responsibility to help each student plan a rigorous and balanced program that also will reflect the student's special interests and competencies. Independent study experience is strongly encouraged when relevant to the student's total program.

Entrepreneurship and Innovation Experiences Option (this program is in moratorium Fall 2024 through Summer 2026)

An Entrepreneurship and Innovation Experiences Option (E and I) is a project consisting of original work that builds on the content of a course in which a student is enrolled but extends the experience of that course beyond the typical scope and content. E and I Experiences Options allow undergraduates the opportunity to add entrepreneurial content to courses already in the student’s program, thus providing a flexible alternative for those interested in exploring entrepreneurial ideas beyond the normal course requirements. An E and I Experiences Option can be in any course in any discipline. Students propose the E and I Experiences Option to the instructor of record for the course. E and I Experiences Option requests must be accompanied by the Application for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Experiences Option form. E and I Experiences Options that are approved and completed will be designated on the student’s transcript. For more information, students should contact the undergraduate advising office of their college.