Caldwell School of Business
Business Administration Bachelor of Business Administration
- 4 years
- On campus · optional co-op · evening sections in upper years
- September + January intakes
- First-year core classes capped at 60
Most business degrees save the real work for a capstone. Caldwell's BBA puts you in front of an actual Arden Falls small business in first year — and every year after — so by graduation you have four consulting engagements on your résumé, not one.
Why this program is built this way
- A real client project every year through the Arden Falls Small Business Studio
- Concentrations in marketing, finance, or people & operations from third year
- Optional co-op adds three paid four-month work terms
- Evening sections of most upper-year courses for students who work
The four years, year by year
Year 1
Foundations, plus your first real client
- BUSN 101 — How Organizations Work
- ACCT 110 — Financial Accounting Fundamentals
- ECON 120 — Markets & Decision-Making
- COMM 115 — Persuasive Business Communication
- STUD 100 — Small Business Studio I (client project)
Year 2
The functional toolkit
- MKTG 210 — Marketing Principles & Research
- FINC 220 — Corporate Finance I
- MGMT 230 — Managing People & Teams
- DATA 215 — Business Analytics with Spreadsheets & SQL
- STUD 200 — Small Business Studio II
Year 3
Choose your concentration
- Concentration core (marketing, finance, or people & operations)
- BUSN 310 — Business Law & Ethics
- OPNS 320 — Operations & Supply Fundamentals
- STUD 300 — Small Business Studio III
- Open elective or first co-op work term
Year 4
Strategy and the exit ramp
- BUSN 410 — Strategic Management Capstone
- Concentration seminars (two)
- ENTR 420 — New Venture Planning
- STUD 400 — Small Business Studio IV (lead consultant role)
What it takes to get in
- High-school diploma with senior-level math (minimum 70% average — illustrative)
- Transfer applicants: minimum 2.5 GPA on prior post-secondary work
- Mature applicants (21+, two years out of school): résumé + intent letter replaces the average requirement
- International applicants: English proficiency (e.g. IELTS 6.5 overall, no band below 6.0)
Full requirements by applicant type — transfer, mature, international — on the admissions page.
Where graduates actually land
- Marketing coordinator
- Financial analyst
- Operations & logistics coordinator
- Account manager
- Founder — about 6% of grads start something within two years
Reported starting salary $48,000–$58,000 reported median starting range
Class of 2024 survey, 71% response rate. Business outcomes vary widely by concentration and co-op participation — co-op grads reported offers roughly 15% higher. Illustrative figures.
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