General Business

General Business is designed for those who desire a broad course of study in business and management. This degree is appropriate, for example, for those who plan to enter small-business management or entrepreneurship where general knowledge of the various fields of study may be preferred to a more specialized curriculum concentration. Because of an overlap of content and contradicting career development tracks, the General Business major cannot be declared in combination with another major within The Smith School. Students seeking a more specialized career track should consider one of the Smith School's other major options.

General Business majors at the at the College Park campus are offered the standard major track, and students attending the Shady Grove campus are able to declare the entrepreneurship track of General Business beginning in Fall 2006.

See below for details and curriculum outlines of both the standard track and entrepreneurship track of General Business.

Download complete degree requirements and/or a 4 year plan.

New Requirements - Effective for students entering UM in Spring 2009 and later. Students who entered UM prior to Spring 2009 have the option of adopting these new requirements. Please consult your Smith School Academic Advisor if you have questions.

  • Freshmen/Sophomore Requirements - both tracks [ PDF File ]
  • Junior/Senior Requirements - both tracks [ PDF file ]
  • 4 year Degree Plan - Standard track [ PDF file ]
  • 4 year Degree Plan - Entrepreneurship track [ PDF file ]

Old Requirements - Effective for students entering UM in Fall 2005 and later. Students who entered UM prior to Fall 2005 have the option of adopting these new requirements. Beginning in Fall 2006 an entrepreneurship track of the General Business major is available at the Shady Grove campus.

  • Freshmen/Sophomore Requirements - both tracks [ PDF File ]
  • Junior/Senior Requirements - both tracks [ PDF File ]
  • 4 year Degree Plan - Standard track [ PDF File ]
  • 4 year Degree Plan - Entrepreneurship track [ PDF File ]

Effective for students entering UM from Fall 1996 through Spring 2005

Links to Related Sites

Economics Requirements:

Two of the following courses:
ECON 305, 306, 330 (formerly 430), 340 (formerly 440)
Total 6 credits

Note: Students who have completed ECON 325 and ECON326 can substitute these courses for ECON305 and ECON306 respectively.

Major Requirements:

Marketing
One of the following courses: 3 credits

BMGT 353 - Retail Management
BMGT 450 - Integrated Marketing Communications

International Business/Public Policy
One of the following courses: 3 credits

BMGT 392 - Introduction to International Business
BMGT 482 - Business and Government
BMGT 496 - Business, Ethics and Society

Supply Chain Management
One of the following courses: 3 credits

BMGT 372 - Introduction to Logistics & Supply Chain Mgmt
BMGT 385 - Operations Management

Total 9 credits
In addition to the 9 credits of General Business major requirements listed above, General Business majors must complete 9-12 credits in one of the tracks listed below.
STANDARD TRACK (only offered at College Park campus)
Accounting/Finance
One of the following courses (3 credits):

BMGT 321 - Cost Accounting
BMGT 440 - Financial Management

Decision & Information Technologies
One of the following courses (3 credits):

BMGT 332 - Operations Research for Management Decisions
BMGT 485 - Project Management

Management and Organization
One of the following courses (3 credits):

BMGT 360 - Human Resource Management
BMGT 461 - Entrepreneurship

ENTREPRENEURSHIP TRACK - (only offered at the Smith School at Shady Grove)
One of the following (3 credits):

BMGT 361 Entrepreneurship: Starting and Managing the Entrepreneurial Venture
BMGT 461 Entrepreneurship

Plus three of the following courses (9 credits):

BMGT 365 Entrepreneurial Finance & Private Equity
BMGT 363 Leadership in Organizations
BMGT 465 Business Plan For The New Venture
Total 18-21 credits