Academics
Academic Excellence with Real-World Impact
At Fisher, your business education is personalized, practical and powerful. The Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) equips you with core business knowledge, leadership skills and hands-on experience to thrive in any career path.
You have the flexibility to shape your academic experience around your goals and interests. Choose from 11 business specializations to build deep expertise in a core area of business, enhance your degree with one of Ohio State’s 150+ minors and/or choose from several business certificate options. Whether you're narrowing your focus or broadening your perspective, these pathways let you customize your journey.
A specialization is a focused area of study within the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) degree that allows you to develop deep knowledge in a specific field of business—such as finance, marketing or accounting. All Fisher students choose one of 11 specializations to build the expertise needed for career readiness and industry impact.
Ohio State offers more than 150 minors, giving students the opportunity to broaden their academic experience and explore interests both within and beyond their major. Whether you’re looking to deepen your knowledge of business or complement another field of study, a minor can help you develop specialized skills and gain a competitive edge.
At Fisher, students can choose from six business-specific minors designed to enhance your understanding of key areas in business. These minors are open to students across the university, offering valuable insight into the business world—no matter your major. Explore Fisher's minors below:
- Business
- Business Analytics
- Entrepreneurship
- Insurance
- International Business
- Real Estate
Undergraduate business certificates offer focused, high-impact learning experiences that allow you to build expertise in specialized areas of business—without committing to a full major or minor. These for-credit credentials are ideal for students looking to deepen their knowledge, enhance their résumé or prepare for targeted career paths.
Whether you're pursuing business as a major or complementing another field of study, certificates provide flexibility and professional value.
Explore available programs below and talk with your academic advisor to see how a certificate can fit into your degree plan.
Business Curriculum
Successful completion of a Fisher degree requires a minimum cumulative GPA of a 2.0, and a minimum cumulative GPA of a 2.0 in your specialization. You will complete a minimum of 121 credit hours of coursework.
General Education (Gen Ed) courses are a vital part of your undergraduate business education. These courses are designed to help you build essential skills, broaden your knowledge, and become a well-rounded, informed citizen. You may complete Gen Ed requirements at any point during your four years to meet graduation requirements.
During your first two years at Fisher, you’ll complete foundational coursework in business and quantitative skills. These introductory courses include:
- Calculus (Math 1131/1151)
- Macroeconomics (ECON 2002)
- Microeconomics (ECON 2001)
- Statistics (STAT 1430)
- Computer Science & Engineering – Problem Solving with Excel (CSE 2111)
These courses lay the groundwork for your upper-level business curriculum and ensure you're equipped for success in your specialization.
Fisher’s Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) program combines a strong business foundation with the flexibility to focus your studies in one of 11 specialized areas. Most students begin their major-specific courses after their first year. These courses fall into two main categories:
Business Core
All BSBA students complete a common set of core courses in key business disciplines—including accounting, finance, marketing, operations, logistics, international business, business law, analytics and strategy—regardless of their chosen specialization.
Specialization Requirements
Each specialization includes 15 to 26 credit hours of focused coursework and typically takes 2 to 5 semesters to complete. Students should work closely with their academic advisor and use their curriculum worksheet to map out a successful path.
Electives are additional credit hours required to reach the 121 total hours needed for graduation. You can fulfill these by taking any approved college-level courses that interest you.
Electives also offer the flexibility to pursue one of Ohio State’s 150+ minors—a great way to broaden your skill set and personalize your degree. Most minors require about five courses and can fit within your four-year business plan. Talk with your academic advisor to explore options that align with your interests and goals.
Business Prerequisites
| Course Name | Prerequisites |
|---|---|
| ENGLISH 1110/01 First Year English (must earn C or higher) | EDUTL1902 or Placement Level 4 |
| MATH 1131/1151 Business Calculus/Calculus I (must earn C or higher) | MATH 1130, 1148, or 1150, or Placement Level L |
| ECON 2001.01 Microeconomics | No prerequisites |
| ECON 2002.01 Macroeconomics | No prerequisites |
| STAT 1430 Statistics for the Business Sciences | MATH 1131/1151 |
| CSE 2111 Modeling & Problem Solving with Spreadsheets & Databases | MATH placement L and/or MATH 1130 or above |
| ACCTMIS 2200 Intro to Accounting I | ECON 2001 |
| ACCTMIS 2300 Intro to Accounting II | ECON 2001 & ACCTMIS 2200 |
| BUSOBA 2320 Decision Sciences: Statistical Techniques | ECON 2001 & MATH 1131/1151 & CSE 2111 & STAT 1430; prereq/concur ECON 2002 |
| BUSOBA 2321 Business Analytics | ECON 2001 & ECON 2002 & MATH 1131/1151 & CSE 2111 |
| Course Name | Prerequisites |
|---|---|
| BUSMHR 2292 Business Skills & Environment | English 1110 & admission to business major |
| BUSMHR 2000 Intro to International Business | ECON 2001 & ECON 2002 |
| BUSFIN 3500 Legal Environment of Business | Sophomore standing |
| BUSML 3380 Logistics Management | ECON 2001 & ECON 2002 |
| BUSFIN 3220 Business Finance | ECON 2001 & 2002 & ACCTMIS 2200 ; prereq/concur ACCTMIS 2300 |
| BUSOBA 3230 Introduction to Operations Management | ECON 2001 & ECON 2002 & Stat 1430 |
| BUSML 3250 Principles of Marketing | ECON 2001 & ECON 2002 |
| BUSMHR 3200 Organizational Behavior | ECON 2001 & ECON 2002 |
| BUSMHR 4490 Strategic Management | BUSMHR 2000, 2292, 3200 , and BUSOBA 2320, 2321, 3230, and BUSFIN 3500, 3220, and BUSML 3250, 3380, and Sr standing |