General Business
Kent State University’s online Bachelor of Business Administration in General Business is designed for individuals seeking a versatile business education that opens doors across multiple industries. This program covers fundamental business areas, including management, marketing, and finance, equipping students with a broad skill set for career success in various professional roles. Graduates are well-prepared to adapt and excel in today’s dynamic business landscape.
General Business Bachelor’s Degree Program Overview
The Bachelor of Business Administration degree in General Business is for students who desire a holistic understanding of all business areas rather than a specialized area of business, i.e., accounting, business management, computer information systems, economics, entrepreneurship, finance, human resource management, managerial marketing and marketing.
General Business students may apply early to the M.B.A. degree and double count 9 credit hours of graduate courses toward both degree programs. See the Combined Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree Program policy in the University Catalog for more information.
Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of the program will be able to:
- Demonstrate effective management and leadership ability when given an organizational dilemma
- Use financial tools to create budgets, prepare financial statements and report financial position
- Identify and analyze global considerations that affect business decisions
- Analyze, interpret and use data to solve problems and make decisions
- Create and communicate value for consumers
Graduates of the Bachelor of Business Administration degree will be able to:
- Core Business Knowledge - Recall strategic frameworks that are used to make business decisions.
- Analytical Skills - Use analytical methodologies and critical thinking skills to evaluate and solve business problems.
- Digital Technology - Demonstrate the technological skills necessary to analyze business problems and develop solutions.
- Written Communication - Write effective business communications.
- Oral Communication - Make effective business presentations, using appropriate technologies.
- Teamwork - Collaborate effectively with others to achieve a common business purpose.
- Business Ethics - Recognize ethical business dilemmas and use ethical decision making to resolve the dilemma.
- Global - Analyze the key global factors when making a business decision.
General Business Bachelor’s Degree Program Admissions Requirements
The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students who graduated from high school three or more years ago.
First-Year Students on the Kent Campus: First-year admission policy on the Kent Campus is selective. Admission decisions are based upon cumulative grade point average, strength of high school college preparatory curriculum and grade trends. Students not admissible to the Kent Campus may be administratively referred to one of the seven regional campuses to begin their college coursework. For more information, visit the admissions website for first-year students.
First-Year Students on the Regional Campuses: First-year admission to Kent State’s campuses at Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas, as well as the Twinsburg Academic Center, is open to anyone with a high school diploma or its equivalent. For more information on admissions, contact the Regional Campuses admissions offices.
International Students: All international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions) by earning a minimum 525 TOEFL score (71 on the Internet-based version), minimum 75 MELAB score, minimum 6.0 IELTS score or minimum 48 PTE Academic score, or by completing the ELS level 112 Intensive Program. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students.
Transfer Students: Students who have attended any other educational institution after graduating from high school must apply as undergraduate transfer students. For more information, visit the admissions website for transfer students.
Former Students: Former Kent State students or graduates who have not attended another college or university since Kent State may complete the reenrollment or reinstatement form on the University Registrar’s website.
Admission policies for undergraduate students may be found in the University Catalog’s Academic Policies.
Some programs may require that students meet certain requirements before progressing through the program. For programs with progression requirements, the information is shown on the program’s Coursework tab.
Transfer Student: A minimum 2.000 overall GPA is required for admission into this major. Students who have previously attended Kent State and have completed COMM 15000, ENG 21011 (or HONR 20197), MATH 11010 (or placement out of ENG 11011 and/or MATH 11010) must have earned a minimum C grade in the courses (or their equivalent).
Program Courses
Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Major Requirements (courses count in major GPA) | ||
| ACCT 33061 | FINANCIAL REPORTING ISSUES AND ANALYSIS (min C grade) | 3 |
| CIS 34054 | USING INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES FOR SOLVING BUSINESS PROBLEMS (min C grade) | 3 |
| ECON 32025 | MONEY, CREDIT AND BANKING (min C grade) | 3 |
| ECON 42075 | INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC RELATIONS | |
| ENTR 27056 | INTRODUCTION TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP (min C grade) | 3 |
| FIN 36063 | INDIVIDUAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES (min C grade) | 3 |
| HRM 34180 | HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (min C grade) | 3 |
| MGMT 34165 | DYNAMICS OF LEADERSHIP | |
| MGMT 34185 | ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR | |
| MGMT 44299 | MANAGEMENT CAPSTONE (ELR) (WIC) (min C grade) 1 | 3 |
| MKTG 35035 | CONSUMER BEHAVIOR (min C grade) | 3 |
| MKTG 45045 | ADVERTISING AND PROMOTION MANAGEMENT | |
| Major Elective, choose from the following: (min C grade) 2 | 3 | |
| BUS 30234 | INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS | |
| HRM 34180 | HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT | |
| MGMT 34157 | INTRODUCTION TO THE U.S. HEALTHCARE SYSTEM | |
| MGMT 34165 | DYNAMICS OF LEADERSHIP | |
| MGMT 34175 | LEARNING TO LEAD | |
| MGMT 44192 | INTERNSHIP IN MANAGEMENT (ELR) | |
| Additional Requirements (courses do not count in major GPA) | ||
| ACCT 23020 | INTRODUCTION TO FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING | 3 |
| ACCT 23021 | INTRODUCTION TO MANAGERIAL ACCOUNTING | 3 |
| BA 24056 | BUSINESS ANALYTICS I 5 | 3 |
| BA 34060 | OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT | 3 |
| BA 34156 | BUSINESS ANALYTICS II | 3 |
| BUS 10123 | EXPLORING BUSINESS 3 | 3 |
| BUS 30062 | ADVANCED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT | 3 |
| CIS 24053 | INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES | 3 |
| COMM 15000 | INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN COMMUNICATION (KADL) (min C grade) | 3 |
| ECON 22060 | PRINCIPLES OF MICROECONOMICS (KSS) | 3 |
| ECON 22061 | PRINCIPLES OF MACROECONOMICS (KSS) | 3 |
| FIN 26074 | LEGAL ENVIRONMENT OF BUSINESS | 3 |
| FIN 36053 | BUSINESS FINANCE | 3 |
| MATH 11010 | ALGEBRA FOR CALCULUS (KMCR) (min C grade) | 3 |
| MATH 11012 | INTUITIVE CALCULUS (KMCR) 4 | 3-5 |
| MATH 12002 | ANALYTIC GEOMETRY AND CALCULUS I (KMCR) | |
| MGMT 24163 | PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT | 3 |
| MKTG 25010 | PRINCIPLES OF MARKETING | 3 |
| UC 10001 | FLASHES 101 | 1 |
| UC 10162 | INTRODUCTION TO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT | 1 |
| Kent Core Composition 6 | 6 | |
| Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts (minimum one course from each) | 9 | |
| Kent Core Social Sciences (must be from two disciplines) | 3 | |
| Kent Core Basic Sciences (must include one laboratory) | 6-7 | |
| General Electives (total credit hours depends on earning 120 credit hours, including 39 upper-division credit hours) 7 | 16 | |
| Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 120 | |
1A minimum C grade is required to fulfill the writing intensive requirement.
2Students may fulfill major electives by selecting any remaining business courses listed above and/or approved upper-division courses from business or non-business disciplines. A course fulfilling the experiential learning requirement (ELR) is recommended if not already satisfied.
3A student changing to a program in the college, transferring, or an incoming student with college credits, may be waived out of BUS 10123 if: 30 or more credit hours have been earned and any two classes (from ACCT 23020, ACCT 23021, FIN 26074, MGMT 24163, MKTG 25010 or CIS 24053) have successfully been completed 60 or more credit hours have been earned and the student has successfully completed one course (from ACCT 23020, ACCT 23021, FIN 26074, MGMT 24163, MKTG 25010 or CIS 24053) At the discretion of the dean’s office, the student has sufficient breadth and depth of knowledge in a business field (as demonstrated by a CLEP score or Credit by Exam) but does not meet the requirements listed above
4Students can take MATH 10051 or PHIL 21002 in place of MATH 11012 or MATH 12002. Taking MATH 10051 or PHIL 21002 will not replace a low grade in either MATH 11012 or MATH 12002. Students are required to take MATH 11012 or MATH 12002 if they change their major to, or want to double major in, Economics or Finance and/or intend to declare a minor in Data Analytics. Students who intend to enroll in certain graduate programs and/or are working toward Phi Beta Kappa status are highly encouraged to take MATH 11012 or MATH 12002.
5Students who have taken MATH 10041 for another program may use it as a substitute for BA 24056.
6Minimum C grade required in ENG 21011 or HONR 20197.
7ECON 12060 is recommended as a general elective. Maximum 4 credit hours of Physical Activity, Wellness and Sport (PWS) courses allowed. An education abroad course is encouraged as a general elective.
Progression Requirements
- Minimum 2.000 overall GPA
- Minimum C grade in COMM 15000, ENG 21011 and MATH 11010 (or placement out of MATH 11010)
- Minimum C grade in all major requirements
Graduation Requirements
| Minimum Major GPA | Minimum Overall GPA |
|---|---|
| 2.000 | 2.000 |
- Students must complete at least 50 percent of business credit hours (required for the business degree) in-residence on a Kent State University campus.
- Students must complete at least 50 percent of their major credit hours in residence on a Kent State University campus.
- Students must complete two measures of outcomes assessment as specified by the college for complete satisfaction of the B.B.A. degree.
General Business Bachelor’s Degree Program Tuition and Fees
Ohio Residents
| Per Credit Hour | Per 3-Credit Course | Approximate Tuition Cost |
| $592.97 | $1,778.91 | $52,200 full-time1 |
Non-Ohio Residents
| Per Credit Hour | Per 3-Credit Course | Approximate Tuition Cost |
| $602.97 | $1,808.91 | $53,400 full-time2 |
1The flat-rate semester fee of $6,526.80 applies to full-time Ohio resident undergraduate students taking between 12-18 credit hours per semester. This program is calculated at 8 semesters. For part-time semesters: The $592.97 per-credit-hour tuition rate applies to part-time Ohio resident undergraduate students taking fewer than 12 credit hours per semester.
2The flat-rate semester fee of $6,526.80 applies to full-time non-Ohio resident undergraduate students enrolled in a fully online degree program and taking between 12-18 credit hours, PLUS a surcharge of $10 per credit hour of actual credits taken (between 12-18 or $120-$180). This program is calculated at 8 semesters plus $150 surcharge. For part-time semesters: The $602.97 per-credit-hour tuition rate applies to part-time non-Ohio resident undergraduate students enrolled in a fully online degree program and taking fewer than 12 credit hours per semester, PLUS a surcharge of $10 per credit hour.
An additional Distance Learning fee for all students enrolled in a distance learning course is $15 per credit hour.
Total program cost based on Tuition Guarantee Program for a full-time student taking 12-18 credit hours for 8 semesters. Actual tuition costs may vary based on a student’s chosen academic plan. For a complete listing of tuition rates for approved online programs, please contact Kent State’s Financial, Billing & Enrollment Center at 330-672-6000 or via our website Contact Us link.
The total program costs are estimates and are not final or binding. Program costs are based on standard fees, but fees may vary based on the actual classes taken. Kent State University disclaims any liability arising from the use of or reliance upon these program cost estimates by any person. Program costs are subject to change without notice.
Careers
- 6.5% faster than the average
- 325,900 number of jobs
- $98,890 potential earnings
- 8.5% much faster than the average
- 476,700 number of jobs
- $97,180 potential earnings
- 5.8% faster than the average
- 2,486,400 number of jobs
- $103,650 potential earnings
- 10.7% much faster than the average
- 876,300 number of jobs
- $87,660 potential earnings
- 3.5% about as fast as the average
- 433,800 number of jobs
- $132,290 potential earnings
Notice: Career Information Source
* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook. Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.
Related Reading from the Kent State Online Blog
