2020-2021

Interdisciplinary Studies - Administration, Bachelor

Business and Administration

Provost Office

This flexible undergraduate program offers students an opportunity to design a plan of studies, in consultation with an advisor that meets individual educational needs. Students attracted to this degree may be planning: on entering an occupation that requires a broad general education, on advancing their current career, on pursuing personal intellectual enrichment, or a prelude to further professional degrees

This plan will not be available to new students after Summer 2023

University Requirements

  • To receive a bachelor's degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete at least 120 units of credit that minimally includes a major, the liberal studies requirements, and university requirements as listed below.

    • All of Northern Arizona University's diversity, liberal studies, junior-level writing, and capstone requirements.
    • All requirements for your specific academic plan(s).
    • At least 30 units of upper-division courses, which may include transfer work.
    • At least 30 units of coursework taken through Northern Arizona University, of which at least 18 must be upper-division courses (300-level or above). This requirement is not met by credit-by-exam, retro-credits, transfer coursework, etc.
    • A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 on all work attempted at Northern Arizona University.

    The full policy can be viewed here.

In addition to University Requirements:

  • 24 units of Administration specialization requirements

  • Completion of a Concentration, Minor, or Certificate

  • Completion of Computer Literacy, Communication Skills, and Science or Language Requirements

  • Up to 9 units of specialization prefix courses may be used to satisfy Liberal Studies requirements; these same courses may also be used to satisfy specialization requirements.

  • Elective courses, if needed, to reach an overall total of at least 120 units.

Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.

Minimum Units for Completion 120
Major GPA C
Highest Mathematics Required MAT 114
Additional Admission Requirements Required
Foreign Language Optional
Some online/blended coursework Required
AZ Transfer Students complete AGEC-A Recommended
Progression Plan Link View Progression Plan

Purpose Statement

The purpose of the Northern Arizona University Bachelor of Administration Program is for students who do not seek a traditional bachelor’s degree in business but need to develop basic knowledge, skills and competencies that will enable them to hold a variety of administrative and management positions in the private sector. Students who lack the technical preparation will take two prerequisite leveling courses designed by the faculty to prepare them for the upper-division coursework included in the Administration Degree Programs. A significant feature of these programs is that they provide flexible transfer options for students holding a wide range of associate degrees in the arts and humanities, social sciences and technical/occupational fields as well as students who have not completed an associate degree but have earned transfer credits from community colleges and other four-year institutions.

Administration students will be able to (1) communicate business information professionally (oral and written), (2) recognize and solve business problems in an ethical manner, (3) understand core management principles (human resources, organizational behavior, global dimensions, information systems, and leadership, as well as accounting, finance, economics and legal environment), and (4) work well in teams, including virtual settings. A global context will be addressed in all relevant classes across the curriculum. We provide online and hybrid classes for learning through the application of technology, as well as opportunities to study as part-time students. We provide opportunities for students to apply leadership skills through Phi Beta Lambda, as well as competitive challenges involving other business programs in Arizona and nationally. We collaborate with other universities globally and within the region to provide direct international experience. We facilitate regional business development through our innovative incubator program.

Our faculty is selected for their scholarly and business management experience. We contribute to the body of knowledge primarily through engaged scholarship, including research, publications, and scholarly professional activities regarding teaching, discovery, integration, and application.

We value visionary and innovative leadership; lifelong student, faculty & organizational learning; ethical and socially responsible behavior; creating and improving excellent quality & value – personal and societal; and diversity of people and ideas.
 

Additional Admission Requirements

  • Specialization Prerequisities

    Students who have not completed the prerequisites for BBA 300 must complete the following two leveling courses before beginning the Specialization in Administration:

Liberal Studies Requirement
    • Students who have completed the Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC) from an Arizona public or tribal community college, the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC), or California State University General Education (CSUGE) from a California public community college are considered to have satisfied NAU’s Liberal Studies Distribution Blocks and Foundation requirements as well as the US Ethnic and Global Diversity requirements.
    • Up to 9 units of specialization prefix courses may be used to satisfy Liberal Studies requirements; these same courses may also be used to satisfy specialization requirements.
    • You may not use the specific courses in your Concentration to satisfy liberal studies requirements.
Major Requirements

  • This major requires 30 to 80 units distributed as follows:

    • Administration Specialization Prerequisites: 6 units
    • Administration Specialization: 24 units
    • Interdisciplinary Studies Requirements: 24 to 25 units
      • Communication Requirement: 6 units
      • Foreign Language or Science Requirement: 18 to 19 units
    • Minor, Concentration or Certificate: 15 to 25 units 
      • Minors: 18 to 24 units
      • Concentration: 15 units
      • Certificates: 15 to 25 units

  • Multi-use of coursework is not permitted within the Major Requirements. Major Requirements include Specialization, Communication, Computer Literacy, Language and Science.

Interdisciplinary Studies Requirements

  • Communication Requirements (6 units)

    Select 6 units in the following two categories. 

    • Performance-based courses, select one from the following (3 units)
      • CST 111, CST 311, CST 312, CST 314, CST 315, CST 318 (Performance-based courses are defined as having at least 51 percent of the evaluation of the student being based upon oral performance.)
      • Or advisor approved
    • Theory-based courses, select one from the following (3 units)

  • Please note that you cannot use CLEP or locally prepared exams to satisfy this requirement. Transfer credit used to satisfy this requirement must be approved by the program director.

  • Foreign Language Requirement Option (19 units)

    • Foreign Language Requirement (16 units)
      • You must demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English that is equivalent to four terms of university coursework in the same language. You may satisfy this requirement by taking language courses or by testing out of all or part of it by taking CLEP, or other exams.
    AND
    • Computer Literacy (3 units)
      • This coursework must help you to understand, in general, the technical components of computers and information systems, how to solve problems using information systems technology, word processing, spreadsheet use, database management, graphic information software, website development, graphic design and use of statistical analysis software. Subject to advisor approval.
      • Select one from the following (3 units)
        • [BBA 293]
        • [ISM 120]
  • OR

    Science Requirement Option (18 units)

  • Science Requirement, select from the following (12 units):

    • ANT 101, ANT 250
    • GSP 130, GSP 150
    • Courses with Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Sciences, Geology, Mathematics, Nutrition, Physical Science, Physics, Statistics prefixes. Please note that other courses must be approved by the program director.

  • AND

    Computer Literacy (6 units)

    This coursework must help you to understand, in general, the technical components of computers and information systems, how to solve problems using information systems technology, word processing, spreadsheet use, database management, graphic information software, website development, graphic design and use of statistical analysis software. Subject to advisor approval.

    • Select ISM 120 or BBA 293 (3 units)
    • BBA 340 or Advisor Approved coursework including the CIS or CS prefix (3 units)

     
  • Minor, Concentration, or Certificate

  • Select one of the following (15-18 units):

    Concentration (15 units)
    Take at least 15 units that include a minimum of 3 units in each of the follow ing blocks: Ethical Reasoning; Creative Inquiry; Scientific Reasoning; Changing Worlds; and Cultural Perspectives. Courses used to satisfy this requirement may not have been used to satisfy any other requirement for this degree. At least 9 units must be taken at Northern Arizona University and at least 6 units of the 9 units must be upper-division (300 or 400-level).

  • Minor (18 units)

    You may also fulfill this requirement by completing a minor outside your specialization field, instead of either a concentration or certificate.

    The minor, which will require at least 18 units, must be completed according to the requirements listed in your catalog of graduation. Refer to specific academic areas within this catalog for information about the coursework requirements for specific minors you may be interested in.

    Not all minors are available statewide or online.

  • Certificate (15 units)

    You may also fulfill this requirement by completing a certificate outside your specialization field, instead of either a concentration or a minor.

    The certificate, which will require at least 15 units, must be completed according to the requirements listed in your catalog of graduation. Refer to specific academic areas within this catalog for information about the coursework requirements for specific certificate(s) you may be interested in.

    Not all certificates are available statewide or online.

General Electives

  • Additional coursework is required if, after you have met the previously described requirements, you have not yet completed a total of 120 units of credit.

    You may take these remaining courses from any of the academic areas, using these courses to pursue your specific interests and goals. You may also use prerequisites or transfer credits as electives if they weren't used to meet major, minor, or liberal studies requirements.

    We encourage you to consult with your advisor to select the courses that will be most advantageous to you.

Additional Information

  • Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.