2022-2023

Business Administration, Bachelor of Business Administration

Business and Administration

Provost Office

The core curriculum of the BBA program is offered in-person at Chandler-Gilbert Community College, Paradise Valley Community College, Yuma, and Online.

The emphasis areas are available Online and may be available in-person at the campuses listed.

This program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)

  • Available Emphasis Areas:
  • Entrepreneurship and Small Business - Emphasis (ending Summer 2023)
  • Global Business - Emphasis (ending Summer 2023)
  • Human Resource Management - Emphasis
  • Logistics and Supply Chain Management - Emphasis
  • Management - Emphasis
  • Marketing - Emphasis
  • Project Management - Emphasis (beginning Fall 2023)

  • 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:

  • At least 36 units of BBA core requirements
  • At least 23 units of emphasis requirements

  • Up to 9 units of major prefix courses may be used to satisfy Liberal Studies requirements; these same courses may also be used to satisfy major 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
Highest Mathematics Required MAT 131
Additional Admission Requirements Required
Fieldwork Experience/Internship Required
Study Abroad Optional
Some online/blended coursework Required
AZ Transfer Students complete AGEC-B Recommended
Progression Plan Link View Progression Plan
Emphasis Required

An emphasis is required for this major.

Purpose Statement

The purpose of the Northern Arizona University Bachelor of Business Administration Program is to provide excellent business management and related higher education using the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award standards for education as applied through the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) accreditation. We seek to be a premier provider of Baldrige-Quality business management and related higher education with an emphasis on value and accessibility. We focus on core business competencies within a global context.

The global context for the core competencies 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 Lamda, 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.

Student Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to:

  •  think creatively, analyze and synthesize data from multiple perspectives
  •  analyze and use financial information
  • solve problems using decision-making tools and theories,
  • engage others through effective interpersonal skills
  • communicate effectively in oral and written formats,
  • work well in team settings
  • design and implement effective strategies for the global marketplace, and
  • discern the underpinning ethical issues in local and global business decision-making, including those involving social responsibility, environmental sustainability, and profitability.

Additional Admission Requirements

  • Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.


  • Prerequisites for Admission to the Professional Program
    You must meet the following requirements to enter our professional program with a Grade of "C" or better in each course:
Transfer Block
    • Students transferring into the program may meet admission requirements by completing an ABUS degree from an Arizona Community College. The ABUS includes the AGEC-B, which satisfies the Northern Arizona University liberal studies Distribution Blocks and Foundation requirements as well as the US Ethnic and Global Diversity requirements. 
    • Students transferring into the program from California may meet the Northern Arizona University liberal studies Distribution Blocks and Foundation requirements as well as the US Ethnic and Global Diversity requirement by completing the IGETC or CSUGE at a California community college.
Major Requirements

    • Global Business Emphasis (23-33 units)
      For this emphasis, students select one region of the world to use as a focus for all projects and like-kind assignments across the curriculum.
      • BBA 400, BBA 410, BBA 420, BBA 471C (12 units)
      • Language - Two semesters of a foreign language or study abroad, recommended courses are listed below (8-15 units)
      • One or two electives, with a regional international focus are recommended. Courses used to satisfy the foreign language requirement may not be used to satisfy this recommendation. This requirement may also be satisfied by a study abroad (3-6 units)
      • BBA 303 is not permitted.

  • *Students who are unable to complete an internship due to work/life circumstances may do an intensive guided study project on a specific industry and region under the guidance of a faculty member. A proposal for the project must be approved in advance by a BBA full-time faculty member.

    The foreign language requirement may be met by successfully completing a CLEP test for the appropriate number of units.

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.