Business Administration — Management Concentration, BA

Introduction

The Business Administration program is designed to prepare students for leadership roles in business and the community. One program objective is to provide students with the perceptual and analytical skills necessary to make decisions and evaluate policies in business; another is to develop student understanding of the social, economic and regulatory environment of business. The program is designed for students with a variety of career goals, including opportunities with financial institutions, manufacturing and retail firms, service industries and the public sector.

Learning Competency Goals

• Demonstrate breadth of business knowledge
• Produce quality business documents
• Analyze problems using an ethical perspective
• Analyze the legal implications of business decisions
• Critically analyze problems and defend resolutions
• Solve business problems using quantitative techniques
• Apply a global perspective in conducting business
• Identify and analyze social consequences of business activities
• Understand the importance of environmental sustainability

Why Consider a Management Concentration in Business Administration Major?

A management concentration prepares students to work with people in a variety of contexts. While other business disciplines focus on business tasks, management focuses on how to motivate others to accomplish these tasks efficiently and effectively with high quality results. Students learn how to manage projects, work with teams, implement changes, and be effective leaders.

Student Resources

Department website: Management

Contact information: Cristina Nelson, Department Manager, Parks Hall 351, 360-650-2902, cristina.nelson@wwu.edu

Degree Works: Current students should also log on to Degree Works to check student-specific program progress.

Career Services Center: Connect major to a career

Sample careers: Project Management, Event Planning, Management Consulting, Non-profit Management, Government, Small Business

How to Declare (Admission and Declaration Process):

Category of Major: Major with minimum requirements

Open majors can be declared by new and continuing students in good standing without additional requirements. All students are eligible for Direct Admission to Major at the time of admission to the university, subject to space availability.

Students who began their studies at WWU before the 2026-2027 academic year may declare their major by completing the Student Academic Declaration & Change Form and meeting the major’s retention requirements (if applicable).

Retention Standards

To remain in good standing, students must meet the following academic requirements:

• Maintain a minimum WWU cumulative GPA of 2.50.
  • Students whose cumulative GPA falls below 2.50 will receive an academic warning and have one quarter to raise their GPA to 2.50 or higher.
  • Students whose cumulative GPA remains below 2.50 for two or more consecutive quarters will be dropped from CBE and will not be readmitted until their cumulative WWU GPA is 2.50 or higher.
• Students whose cumulative GPA fall below 2.00 will be dismissed immediately from CBE and will not be readmitted or permitted to register for CBE major restricted courses until their cumulative WWU GPA is 2.50 or higher.

Transfer students admitted without a WWU GPA (i.e., no graded coursework at WWU at the time of admission) are admitted to both WWU and CBE. They must maintain the GPA described in the retention standards above to remain in good standing.

Grade Requirements

A grade of C- or better is required for a student’s major or minor courses, and supporting courses for majors and minors.