At Clarkson, Business Studies is your first step toward majoring in one of our five undergraduate business degree programs.

Whether you want to go into supply chain management, financial analysis, entrepreneurship, data analytics, accounting, management and leadership, project management, human resources, marketing, or anything in between, Business Studies will start your path to success in the business world.

Every student in the David D. Reh School of Business, with the exception of Engineering and Management students, starts their Clarkson academic journey In the Business Studies program. Why? It's simple: employers want students with a broad background in all areas of business, including finance, accounting, data analytics, ethics, marketing, operations, leadership and teamwork, human resources and organizational behavior, and innovation and entrepreneurship. By starting with Business Studies, you'll not only get the well-rounded business education that employers are looking for, but you'll also explore each of the five specific majors offered through our Reh School of Business to find what's right for you, including:

With the guidance of faculty members and our professional advising team, you will be able to identify your major, as well as consider some of our minors, such as communication, corporate innovation, economics, human resource management, information technology, law studies, product development and marketing, and quality-based project management. 

Request More Info Apply Now Contact Admissions Contact the Reh School of Business

Business Studies Curriculum

In the first two years of study in the Reh School of Business, undergraduate students take a common curriculum to create a well-rounded business understanding and help students find their true interests and passions. All undergraduate business students take the following courses: 

  • Financial Accounting
  • Managerial Accounting
  • Principles of Microeconomics
  • Principles of Macroeconomics
  • Introduction to Econometrics
  • Introduction to Enterprise Information Systems
  • Law & Society I
  • Introductory College Mathematics
  • Basic Calculus
  • Principles of Marketing
  • Operations & Supply Chain Management
  • Organizational Behavior
  • Entrepreneurship & Business Innovation I
  • Statistics
  • Two science courses (one with laboratory)
Spotlight On: Small Business 113

One of the most unique aspects of Clarkson's undergraduate business programs is Small Business 113: Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation. All first-year Business Studies students this course, in which they are tasked with forming teams and developing a new business venture. Throughout the semester, the teams form a real company and fine tune a business plan to pitch to actual investors for real funding. So, within the first semester, our students add letters like CEO, CFO, CMO, and CIO to their resumes and can officially consider themselves entrepreneurs, whether their ambitions are in entrepreneurship or not. 

Clarkson offers this course at the beginning of our curriculum to give students a hands-on, real world experience that they build from and reference as they continue their studies. Their learning experiences, successes and failures drive their perspective, decision-making and career interests over the next several semesters. 

Business Studies > Business Intelligence & Data Analytics

Using problems and opportunities shared from industry partners that focus on technology, management and operations, the Business Intelligence and Data Analytics (BIDA) major transforms students into process-oriented information managers with the ability to develop keen data-driven insights into business analytics problems and solutions.

Business Intelligence & Data Analytics major

What can you do with a BIDA degree?

Recent Business Intelligence and Data Analytics graduates have gone on to start a variety of careers across all industries in roles such as:

  • SAP analyst
  • IT analyst
  • software consultant
  • IT instructor/trainer
  • information management program manager
  • database manager
  • accessibility specialist
  • business analyst
  • help desk analyst
  • computer technician
  • UNIX system administrator
  • e-commerce engineer
What kinds of classes do BIDA students take?

Business Intelligence and Data Analytics majors take courses such as:

  • Intro to Application Development
  • Database Design and Management
  • Big Data Architecture
  • Project Management
  • Process and System Analysis and Modeling
  • Information Design
  • Data Warehousing for Analytics
  • Accounting Information Systems
  • Database Systems
  • Elements of Operations Research
  • Information Systems for Supply Chain Management
  • Project Management

Business Studies > Financial Information and Analysis

Our Financial Information and Analysis (FI&A) major combines finance, accounting, technology and economics to gain a fundamental knowledge of managerial accounting, cost accounting and financial statement analysis, and prepare students for graduate work or a successful career in industry.

Financial Information & Analysis major

What can you do with a FI&A degree?

Recent Financial Information and Analysis graduates have gone on to start a variety of careers across all industries in roles such as: 

  • accounting information systems designer
  • financial manager/financial analyst/certified financial planner
  • investment manager
  • certified public accountant/management accountant
  • comptroller/controller
  • accounting analyst/credit analyst
  • replenishment consultant or human capital management consultant
  • IRS investigator/agent
  • bank manager
  • budget analyst
  • business manager
  • commodity trader
What kinds of classes do FI&A students take?

 Financial Information and Analysis majors take courses such as:

  • Taxation of Business Entities
  • Accounting Information Systems
  • Advanced Accounting: Investment & Ownership Interests
  • Auditing
  • Financial Markets & Institutions
  • Venture Capital & Private Equity
  • International Finance
  • Models for Financial Analysis
  • Portfolio Management
  • Professional Fund Management I and II
  • Law & Society II

Business Studies > Global Supply Chain Management

Clarkson's Global Supply Chain Management (GSCM) undergraduate program has been ranked as one of the Top 20 Supply Chain Management programs in the country by U.S. News & World Report. This is in part because the Global Supply Chain Management major involves a collaborative systems approach, including concepts and faculty from operations management, marketing, information systems, human resource management, strategic management and economics.

Global Supply Chain Management major

What can you do with a GSCM degree?

Recent Global Supply Chain Management graduates have gone on to start a variety of careers across all industries in roles such as:

  • sourcing agent
  • supply chain manager
  • corporate procurement personnel 
  • business development specialist
  • supply chain consultant
  • logistics manager
  • logistics analyst
  • material coordinator
  • planner/buyer
  • commodity manager
  • technical support specialist
  • operations development
What kinds of classes do GSCM students take?

Global Supply Chain Management majors take courses such as:

  • Operations and Supply Chain Management
  • Supply Chain Design & Management
  • Strategic Sourcing
  • Project Management
  • Quality Management & Lean Enterprise
  • Management of Technology
  • Global Sourcing and Supply Chain Design
  • Industrial Supply Chain Economics
  • Marketing Research
  • Retail Marketing & New Product Development

Business Studies > Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Our Innovation and Entrepreneurship major provides the knowledge and skills to develop and manage innovation opportunities and processes, including planning and commercializing innovations, understanding the product development process, marketing products and services, understanding the legal and policy issues associated with new ventures and managing the creation of new business enterprises within an existing corporate structure and as a start-up enterprise.

Innovation and Entrepreneurship major

What can you do with an I&E degree?

Recent Innovation and Entrepreneurship (I&E) graduates have gone on to start a variety of careers across all industries in roles such as:

  • brand manager
  • consultant
  • product design specialist
  • marketing analyst
  • new business processor
  • director of internet marketing
  • entrepreneur
  • innovation strategist
  • project director
  • inside sales executive
  • marketing director
  • advertising sales
What kinds of classes do I&E students take?

Innovation and Entrepreneurship majors take courses such as:

  • Marketing Research
  • Economics of Innovation
  • Creativity, Innovation and New Product Development
  • Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation I & II
  • Introduction to Customer-Focused Design
  • Designing and Leading Innovative Ventures
  • Commercializing Innovation
  • Innovation and Entrepreneurship Strategy
  • Venture Capital and Private Equity
  • Management of Technology
  • Taxation of Business Entities
  • Project Management
What's your purpose? Achieve it here.

Request Info Visit Us Apply Now