http://www.bus.miami.edu

Introduction

The University of Miami Herbert Business School offers courses leading to the degrees of

  • Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA),
  • Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA), and
  • Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance (BSAF).

Undergraduate degrees in business are administered by the Vice Dean for Undergraduate Business Education.

Mission

The mission of the University of Miami Herbert Business School is to develop innovative ideas and principled leaders that transform global business and society.

Accreditation 

All Business degree programs, including individual Accounting programs are fully accredited by AACSB International — The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

Academic Policies

Academic Integrity

Miami Herbert Business School regards academic integrity as fundamental to our mission of developing and educating principled leaders.  Academic integrity is a core institutional value at the University of Miami.  Please refer to the University of Miami Undergraduate Academic Integrity Policy.

Student Responsibilities

  • Miami Herbert Business School students are responsible for planning their own academic programs and for meeting degree requirements.
  • It is the students' responsibility to understand fully, and to comply with, all the provisions of this Bulletin and any written changes to their program of study.
  • Students are provided assistance by academic advisors and faculty members.
  • Deviations from department, program, or school requirements are granted only by written approval from the Vice Dean or, in some cases, the relevant department chairperson.
  • A student who is in violation of the provisions of this Bulletin may be administratively withdrawn from a class or classes, dismissed from Miami Herbert Business School, and/or have an electronic hold placed upon future enrollment.
  • A student who is disruptive in class as determined by assigned faculty and the Vice Dean will be administratively dropped from the class.
  • Information regarding appeal procedures and special requests relative to academic matters is available in Merrick 104, Miami Herbert Business School, Office of Undergraduate Business Education.

Admission to Miami Herbert Business School

Admission to the University for undergraduate study as a new first year student is sufficient for admission to Miami Herbert Business School prior to matriculation. However, strong quantitative skills are typically needed for success. Students who do not matriculate into Miami Herbert Business School in their first semester of study at the University may request an internal transfer to Miami Herbert Business School thereafter only according to the policies and procedures set out in the subsection below titled "Internal Transfer to Miami Herbert Business School."

Transfer Admission to Miami Herbert Business School

Transfer applicants from outside the University of Miami must submit a satisfactory academic record in compliance with the standards of the University of Miami Office of Admission. Admitted applicants will be in good academic standing at all institutions previously attended and have a minimum transfer cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0. All previous transfer courses must be from an accredited institution, and a minimum grade of "C" (2.0) must be earned in all transfer courses for UM credit to be awarded. This includes repeated courses under a forgiveness policy at any previous institution. Credit hours more than 12 years old are not recognized for degree purposes.

All transfer students to Miami Herbert Business School must have completed and received college credit for a calculus course equivalent to either MTH 161 (4 credit hours) or MTH 140/MTH 141 (8 credit hours), and earned a grade of “B” or better in the(se) course(s). The transfer calculus course must be approved by submitting the syllabus and textbook title to the University of Miami Department of Mathematics for evaluation.

All transfer coursework taken outside the University of Miami will be reviewed on a course-by-course basis for equivalency to Miami Herbert Business School course requirements.  Not all business courses taken at other institutions serve as equivalents to Miami Herbert courses.  For example, any business class that is from a non-AACSB accredited institution will be accepted only as elective credit toward the overall degree requirements. Transfer applicants may appeal to have such classes from non-AACSB accredited institutions reviewed for possible application toward business course requirements by submitting the course syllabus and textbook title to the Office of Undergraduate Business Education.

A transfer student’s overall coursework must also meet specific curricular and residency requirements. Pursuant to Miami Herbert Business School policy, transfer students must complete a minimum of 50 percent of the Business Core at the University of Miami. Transfer students must also complete a minimum of 50 percent of all major and a minimum of 50 percent of all minor courses at the University of Miami. University Residency and other requirements, applicable to all students, are set out below in the section headed Requirements for Graduation. 

Internal Transfer to Miami Herbert Business School

Students seeking internal transfer to Miami Herbert Business School from other UM Schools or Colleges must meet the following conditions prior to making a formal internal transfer request:

  • an earned grade of "B" or better in MTH 161 (4 credit hours) or MTH 151 (5 credit hours) or MTH 140 and MTH 141 (8 credit hours). If a student does not initially earn a "B" or better in the calculus course, the student may repeat the calculus course to try to satisfy the required minimum "B" grade.  The second grade will be considered for purposes of meeting the criteria to transfer to Miami Herbert Business School. For information on repeated courses and grades, please refer to the section below entitled Repeat Rules at Miami Herbert Business School, as well as University Policies on Repeat Rules.
  • an earned minimum cumulative UM GPA of 3.0.
  • completion of the online "Transfer to Miami Herbert Business School information Module."  This process is initiated by student request. After completion of the module, the student will receive a response as to his/her eligibility to transfer to Miami Herbert Business School.

Academic Progress, Probation, and Dismissal  

When a student’s semester or cumulative GPA is below 2.0, or progress toward degree completion is unsatisfactory, the student’s academic status will be reviewed and determined in accordance with the policies and procedures of the University of Miami and the Miami Herbert Business School.

  • Warning: semester GPA lower than 2.0 but cumulative GPA above 2.0
  • Probation: cumulative GPA lower than 2.0
  • Subject to Dismissal: two consecutive semesters with cumulative GPA lower than 2.0, or failure to make progress toward degree completion 

Failure to make progress toward degree completion includes, but is not limited to:

  • failure to complete enough credit hours in the business degree program to graduate after ten regular semesters of enrollment.
  • failure to maintain a GPA sufficiently high to permit graduation in the ordinary course with the required minimum 2.5 GPA.
  • failure in any business course the student repeats pursuant to the University’s General Repeat Rule or otherwise.
  • failure to pass the required calculus course (MAS 110 or MTH 161 for the BBA degree, MTH 161 for the BSBA degree) by the fourth semester.

A student on probation or subject to dismissal may have an electronic hold placed upon future enrollment until grades for work-in-progress are reviewed by the Academic Standards Committee of the Miami Herbert Business School.

A student who fails to satisfactorily complete required business core courses or make progress toward the degree, and who wishes to continue studies at the University of Miami, will be required to submit an Academic Change Form and apply to transfer to another School or College within the University. If then accepted for internal transfer, the student may continue as an undergraduate student at the University of Miami.  A student who is not accepted for internal transfer by another School or College, will be stopped from future enrollment by a Business Dean’s hold. This may have the incidental effect of dismissal from the University of Miami.

  • All business students who are subject to dismissal shall have their status reviewed and determined by the Academic Standards Committee of the Miami Herbert Business School.
  • Students may formally appeal a decision rendered by the Academic Standards Committee by submitting a written appeal letter to the Associate Dean for Business Programs. The formal appeal must be received within thirty days after notification of the decision.

Repeat Rules at Miami Herbert Business School

The following policies apply to business students taking advantage of the University’s Repeat Rules, which also dictate treatment of grades in repeated courses for purposes of GPA calculation. Please note that in all cases, grades earned in both the first and second attempts in a course remain on the student’s transcript as a permanent record.

General Repeat Rules

  • The student may not repeat any business course more than once. (Two completions in total).
  • Repeated business course(s) must be taken for a grade; the student may not elect “credit/no credit” for a repeated course.
  • The student may repeat a threshold course(s) to demonstrate the qualifying grade for continuing in the major or minor.
  • Business courses in which a C- is insufficient to earn credit toward the major or minor must be repeated using the General Repeat Rule and may not be repeated using the Undergraduate Repeat Rule.

Undergraduate Repeat Rule

  • The summer sessions are not counted as semesters, either individually or together, in determining the last semester in which a student may elect to repeat a course in which a “D” or “F” grade is earned under the Undergraduate Repeat Rule. 
  • A student who wishes to take advantage of the Undergraduate Repeat Rule policy must complete a Repeat Rule Request Form, which is available from the student's academic advisor in Miami Herbert Business School, Office of Undergraduate Business Education. For additional information about the application of the Undergraduate Repeat Rule in Miami Herbert Business School, consult an academic advisor in the Office of Undergraduate Business Education.
  • The repeated course must be taken in residence at the University of Miami.
  • The student may not use the Undergraduate Repeat Rule if the initial grade is C- or higher.

Readmission

The requirements for readmission may be viewed in the Student Status - Readmission section of this Bulletin. The following special conditions related to readmission are also in effect for Miami Herbert Business School:

  • A student requesting readmission, who was previously dismissed for academic reasons or who had below a 2.0 cumulative GPA, must present adequate evidence that the conditions and/or factors that caused the prior poor academic performance have changed sufficiently and that there is a reasonable expectation of satisfactory performance if the student is permitted to resume study at Miami Herbert Business School.
  • A student dismissed for nonacademic reasons must provide written authorization from the Dean of Students’ Office before re-enrollment will be permitted.
  • A business student who did not earn at least a C grade in MAS 110 or MTH 161 will not be readmitted to Miami Herbert Business School.
  • A student seeking readmission may have conditions placed upon any such readmission.  Failure to satisfactorily accomplish the stated conditions may result in dismissal or the student otherwise not being permitted to register for future semesters.

Changes to Academic Requirements

Miami Herbert Business School reserves the right to change academic requirements including course offerings, minimum grade requirements, and minimum required grade point averages, to ensure that students are receiving the latest knowledge and are maintaining the standards necessary to be professionally competitive. Changes are communicated to students either by written or electronic notice, or personally by their academic advisors.

Residency and Graduation Requirements

In addition to meeting the graduation requirements as set out in Degree Programs, below, a candidate for the BBA, BSBA, or BSAF degree must complete the last 45 credit hours consecutively and exclusively in degree-seeking status in residence at Miami Herbert Business School, University of Miami. Credit by examination may not be used to meet the residency requirement. In addition, a minimum of 120 credit hours is required for graduation with the BBA or BSBA degree, and a minimum of 125 credit hours is required for graduation with the BSAF degree. WRS 103, TAL 191, MTH 099, and UMI 105 - UMI 410 are offered for credit but do not count toward degree requirements at Miami Herbert Business School. The student's last 56 credit hours must be completed at a four-year institution.    

After being admitted to the University of Miami, students must complete all business coursework in residence, including coursework required by the Business Core and specific coursework for the business major and minor areas of specialization. This policy applies equally to non-business students completing minor areas of specialization at Miami Herbert Business School.  Any appeal for an exception to this policy must be submitted in writing to the Office of Undergraduate Business Education.

Grade Point Average (GPA)

To graduate, business students pursuing the BBA or BSBA degree must earn a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 in all undergraduate courses taken (combined UM and transfer coursework) and must also earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 in all undergraduate courses taken at the University of Miami. (See the General University Information page in this Bulletin regarding Grades.) Each major for the BBA or BSBA degree and/or minor area of specialization within Miami Herbert Business School requires a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA in the specific coursework required for the major/minor area of specialization. The minimum grade for individual courses in the major/minor area of specialization may vary, but is specified for each major and minor.  Students are responsible for understanding the minimum GPA requirements for their proposed major/minor area(s) of specialization.

To graduate with the BSAF degree, students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in all Accounting courses and in all Finance courses. Students pursuing the BSAF degree must maintain a minimum overall cumulative GPA of 3.0.  Any additional minor declared within Miami Herbert Business School must meet the minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA in the specific coursework required for the minor area of specialization, as well as all grade minima specified for the minor area of specialization.


Degree Programs

Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)

All BBA students must complete areas A, B, C, D, and E as listed below. All courses, except some of those in area D, must be taken for graded credit. (See the General University Information page in this Bulletin regarding Credit Only Option.)

A.  University of Miami’s General Education Requirements

Miami Herbert Business School participates in the University’s General Education requirements.  All undergraduate students must satisfy the University’s general education Areas of Proficiency: Written Communication Skills (WRS 105 and WRS 106 or ENG 106), Advanced Writing and Communication Skills, and Quantitative Skills (Department of Mathematics course numbered MTH 108 or higher or a quantitative skills course approved by the student’s college/school and the University Curriculum Committee in consultation with appropriate academic units). 

In addition, all undergraduate students must satisfy the University’s general education distribution requirements by completing cognates in each of three Areas of Knowledge:  Arts & Humanities (A&H); People & Society (P&S); and Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM).  Every BBA student must complete a cognate designated Arts & Humanities (A&H) outside Miami Herbert Business School. Each business major and minor area of specialization fulfills either the People & Society (P&S) Area of Knowledge or the Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) Area of Knowledge.  For specific information about majors/minors and Area of Knowledge designations, please refer to the chart of Majors and Minors for the BBA Degree that follows or the relevant Academic Bulletin page for each major/minor area of specialization.  

Depending on the Area of Knowledge of the student’s major(s) and any minor(s), a cognate in either People & Society (P&S) or Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) may also be required of the BBA student. Students are required to declare their cognates with the Office of Undergraduate Business Education prior to the start of the junior year.

Written Communication Skills

The University's General Education requirement for written communication skills states:

Effective writing skills advance ideas efficiently and persuasively, so the expectation is that students become adept at using writing as an effective communication tool. Students fulfill this requirement by satisfactorily completing WRS 105 together with WRS 106, ENG 106 or WRS 107, or the equivalent. Appropriate Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) scores in written communication skills may be used to satisfy this requirement. An appropriate score on the SAT or ACT examination may earn a student exemption from, but not credit for, WRS 105.

Students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate effective written communication skills in relation to specific rhetorical tasks.
  • Construct original, well-reasoned arguments using a range of materials.
  • Integrate and synthesize appropriate and relevant primary and secondary sources in their writing.
Effective Fall 2017, new students without prior college credit in Written communication skills will be placed as follows:
 
  • WRS 103: ACT English score below 18 or SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing or Critical Reading score below 430, or TOEFL iBT Writing score below 18.
  • WRS 105: ACT English score 18-31 or SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing or Critical Reading score 430-690, or TOEFL iBT Writing score 18 or above.
  • WRS 106, ENG 106, or WRS 107: ACT English score 32 or above or SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing or Critical Reading score 700 or above

Written Communication Skills General Education Requirements must be completed prior to attaining junior year classification.

Miami Herbert Business School's program establishing Advanced Writing and Communication Skills proficiency for business requires students to successfully complete the following courses beyond the basic Written Communication Skills courses, WRS 105 and WRS 106 or ENG 106:  BSL 212 and  BUS 300. Any student who does not complete WRS 106 or ENG 106 with at least a C- is required either to repeat WRS 106 or ENG 106 and earn at least a C- or complete WRS 230, Advanced Professional Communication, with at least a C- before enrolling in BUS 300.

Quantitative Skills 

The Miami Herbert Business School Quantitative Skills Requirement provides students with the fundamental skills, tools, and training required for success in the modern business environment.  Critical thinking, problem solving, statistical analysis, and data interpretation, essential elements of our quantitative skills curriculum, are indispensable in helping companies make well-informed, strategic decisions about day-to-day and long-term business operations.

The University Quantitative Skills proficiency requirement is satisfied within the BBA degree requirements upon successful completion of MAS 110 or MTH 161 (or a MTH 161 equivalent). 

B.  BBA Business Core

ACC 211Principles of Financial Accounting3
ACC 212Managerial Accounting3
BSL 212Introduction to Business Law and Ethics3
BTE 210Fundamentals of Business Technology and Innovation3
BUS 150Business Analytics3
BUS 300Critical Thinking and Persuasion for Business3
ECO 211Principles of Microeconomics (Microeconomics)3
ECO 212Principles of Macroeconomics (Macroeconomics)3
FIN 302Fundamentals of Finance3
MAS 110Quantitative Applications in Business (minimum grade of C- required; fulfills Quantitative Skills Requirement)3
or MTH 161 Calculus I
MAS 201Introduction to Business Statistics (minimum grade of C- required)3
MAS 202Intermediate Business Statistics3
MGT 100Managing for Success in the Global Environment3
MGT 199Professional Development and Success in the Workplace (or other approved Miami Herbert Business School career course)1
or BUS 211 Professional Development for Finance and Accounting
MGT 303Operations Management3
MGT 304Organizational Behavior3
MGT 401Strategic Management (taken in final semester)3
MKT 201Foundations of Marketing3
or MKT 301 Marketing Foundations
Total Credit Hours52

NOTE:   WRS 105 and WRS 106 or ENG 106, or their equivalents, must be completed prior to attaining junior year classification, per the University General Education Requirements. Additionally, all 100 and 200-level Business Core courses must be completed by the end of the fifth semester of college work or during the semester in which the student is completing 75 credit hours.

NOTE:  MAS 110/MTH 161 and MAS 201 must be completed with a “C-” or better, except in Business Analytics and Supply Chain Analytics which require a higher minimum grade for these courses.

C.  Major and Minor Areas of Specialization - Requirements

All BBA students must complete at least one major area of specialization in the Miami Herbert Business School. Additionally, students may elect to complete a minor area of specialization either at Miami Herbert Business School or in another School or College within the University. For specific information on minors offered by other Schools and Colleges of the University of Miami, please refer to the applicable College, School, or Department section within this Academic Bulletin.  

Requirements for the major and minor areas of specialization are specified by each academic department. Every course completed in satisfaction of either a major or minor area of specialization must be taken for a grade and a grade of “C-” or higher earned, unless specified differently by the department. GPA minima for each business area of specialization are set by the departments.  Please refer to the relevant Academic Bulletin page for the major/minor area of specialization.  

Business students are permitted to pursue more than one (business or other) major in distinct areas of specialization; however, completion of all required coursework is dependent upon careful sequencing. No course may be counted toward more than one major area of specialization or toward a major and a minor area of specialization, except a course that is specifically listed by number as required for both major areas of specialization and/or a major and a minor area of specialization. In this case, an alternate course or courses may be required for the additional major and/or minor.  The courses of choice required for one major or minor area of specialization may not be utilized to satisfy courses of choice requirements for a second major and/or minor area of specialization. Consequently, students should understand that completion of more than one major and/or minor area of specialization may necessitate the completion of more than 120 credit hours or more than eight semesters of study for graduation.

Business students may choose to pursue a second major (also referred to as an additional major) from the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Communication, or the School of Education (certain majors only). No courses used to satisfy an additional major may be used to satisfy the requirements for a business major or minor area of specialization.

Students are required to declare their major area of specialization and minor area of specialization with the Office of Undergraduate Business Education prior to the start of their junior year.

Majors and Minors for the BBA Degree
Major Areas of Specialization Responsible Department
Accounting (P&S) Accounting
Business Analytics (STEM) Management Science
Business Technology (STEM) Business Technology
Economics - Political Economy (P&S) or Quantitative Economics (STEM) Economics
Entrepreneurship (P&S) Management
Finance (STEM) Finance
Global Business Co-Major (P&S) Management
Health Management and Policy (P&S) Health Management and Policy
Human Resource Management (P&S) Management
Individualized General Business Major (P&S or STEM) Undergraduate Business Education
Legal Studies (P&S) Business Law
Management (P&S) Management
Marketing (P&S) Marketing
Organizational Leadership (P&S) Management
Real Estate (STEM) Finance
Supply Chain Analytics (STEM) Management
Sustainable Business Co-Major (P&S) Economics
Minor Areas of Specialization Responsible Department
Accounting (P&S) Accounting
Business Analytics (STEM) Management Science
Business Law (P&S) Business Law
Business Technology (STEM) Business Technology
Economics - Political Economy (P&S) or Quantitative Economics (STEM) Economics
Entrepreneurship (P&S) Management
Finance (STEM) Finance
Financial Technology (FinTech) (STEM) Business Technology/Finance
Health Management and Policy (P&S) Health Management and Policy
International Business (P&S) Management
Management (P&S) Management
Marketing (P&S) Marketing
Real Estate (STEM) Finance
Sustainable Business (P&S) Economics

D.  Electives (as needed to meet the minimum 120 credit hours)

All undergraduate courses offered by the University may be used as electives, with the following exceptions:

  • WRS 103, TAL 191, MTH 099, and UMI 105-UMI 410, are offered for credit but do not count toward degree requirements. Nonetheless, the grade, if any, earned in any of these courses is included in the student’s cumulative GPA, and credit for the course is included in the student’s overall credit hours earned. Accordingly, these courses will serve to increase the total number of credit hours required to graduate.
  • No more than 8 credit hours in applied music, including band, may be used.
  • Any science course taken as an elective and used as preparation for entrance to medical school must be taken for a grade.

E.  International Focus Within the Curriculum

At least one course with an international focus must be completed within the degree requirements. The appropriateness of the course is determined by the Vice Dean for Undergraduate Business Education.


Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA)

The BSBA degree at Miami Herbert Business School emphasizes quantitative foundation courses. All BSBA majors at Miami Herbert Business School must complete areas A, B, C, D, and E as listed below. All courses, except some of those in area D, must be taken for graded credit.  (See the General University Information page in this Bulletin regarding Credit Only Option.)

A.  University of Miami’s General Education Requirements

Miami Herbert Business School participates in the University’s General Education requirements.  All undergraduate students must satisfy the University’s general education Areas of Proficiency: Written Communication Skills (WRS 105 and WRS 106 or ENG 106), Advanced Writing and Communication Skills, and Quantitative Skills (Department of Mathematics course numbered MTH 108 or higher or a quantitative skills course approved by the student’s college/school and the University Curriculum Committee in consultation with appropriate academic units). 

In addition, all undergraduate students must satisfy the University’s general education distribution requirements by completing cognates in each of three Areas of Knowledge:  Arts & Humanities (A&H); People & Society (P&S); and Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM).  Every BSBA student must complete a cognate designated Arts & Humanities (A&H) outside Miami Herbert Business School. Each business major and minor area of specialization fulfills either the People & Society (P&S) Area of Knowledge or the Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) Area of Knowledge.  For specific information about majors/minors and Area of Knowledge designations, please refer to the chart of Majors and Minors for the BSBA Degree that follows or the relevant Academic Bulletin page for each major/minor area of specialization.  

Depending on the Area of Knowledge of the student’s major(s) and any minor(s), a cognate in either People & Society (P&S) or Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) may also be required of the BSBA student. Students are required to declare their cognates with the Office of Undergraduate Business Education prior to the start of the junior year.

Written Communication Skills

The University's General Education requirement for written communication skills states:

Effective writing skills advance ideas efficiently and persuasively, so the expectation is that students become adept at using writing as an effective communication tool. Students fulfill this requirement by satisfactorily completing WRS 105 together with WRS 106. ENG 106, or WRS 107, or the equivalent. Appropriate Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) scores in written communication skills may be used to satisfy this requirement. An appropriate score on the SAT or ACT examination may earn a student exemption from, but not credit for, WRS 105.

Students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate effective written communication skills in relation to specific rhetorical tasks.
  • Construct original, well-reasoned arguments using a range of materials.
  • Integrate and synthesize appropriate and relevant primary and secondary sources in their writing.
EFFECTIVE FALL 2017, NEW STUDENTS WITHOUT PRIOR COLLEGE CREDIT IN WRITTEN COMMUNICATION SKILLS WILL BE PLACED AS FOLLOWS:
 
  • WRS 103: ACT English score below 18 or SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing or Critical Reading score below 430, or TOEFL iBT Writing score below 18.
  • WRS 105: ACT English score 18-31 or SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing or Critical Reading score 430-690, or TOEFL iBT Writing score 18 or above.
  • WRS 106, ENG 106, or WRS 107: ACT English score 32 or above or SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing or Critical Reading score 700 or above

Written Communication Skills General Education Requirements must be completed prior to attaining junior year classification.

Miami Herbert Business School's program establishing Advanced Writing and Communication Skills proficiency for business requires students to successfully complete the following courses beyond the basic Written Communication Skills courses, WRS 105 and WRS 106 or ENG 106:  BSL 212 and BUS 300. Any student who does not complete WRS 106 or ENG 106 with at least a C- is required either to repeat WRS 106 or ENG 106 and earn at least a C- or complete WRS 230, Advanced Professional Communication, with at least a C- before enrolling in BUS 300.

Quantitative Skills

The Miami Herbert Business School Quantitative Skills Requirement provides students with the fundamental skills, tools, and training required for success in the modern business environment.  Critical thinking, problem solving, statistical analysis, and data interpretation, essential elements of our quantitative skills curriculum, are indispensable in helping companies make well-informed, strategic decisions about day-to-day and long-term business operations.

The University Quantitative Skills proficiency requirement is satisfied within the BSBA degree requirements upon successful completion of MTH 161 (or a MTH 161 equivalent). 

B.  BSBA Business Core

ACC 211Principles of Financial Accounting3
or ACC 221 Accelerated Principles of Financial Accounting
ACC 212Managerial Accounting3
or ACC 222 Accelerated Managerial Accounting
BSL 212Introduction to Business Law and Ethics3
BTE 210Fundamentals of Business Technology and Innovation3
BTE 320Python Programming: Fundamentals and Algorithms3
BUS 150Business Analytics3
BUS 300Critical Thinking and Persuasion for Business3
ECO 211Principles of Microeconomics3
ECO 212Principles of Macroeconomics3
FIN 302Fundamentals of Finance3
MAS 311Applied Probability and Statistics (minimum grade of C- required)3
MAS 312Statistical Methods and Quality Control3
MTH 161Calculus I (minimum grade of C- required; fulfills Quantitative Skills Requirement)4
MTH 162Calculus II4
MGT 100Managing for Success in the Global Environment3
MGT 199Professional Development and Success in the Workplace (or other approved Miami Herbert Business School career course)1
or BUS 211 Professional Development for Finance and Accounting
MGT 303Operations Management3
MGT 304Organizational Behavior3
MGT 401Strategic Management (taken in final semester)3
MKT 201Foundations of Marketing3
or MKT 301 Marketing Foundations
Quantitative Choice Course
Select one of these suggested courses or other course approved by the Vice Dean for Undergraduate Business Education:3
Object-Oriented Programming
Database Management Systems
Applied Econometrics
Mathematical Economics and Applications
Introduction to Optimization and Decision Making
Stochastic Models in Operations Research
Computer Simulation Systems
Supply Chain Modeling and Analysis
Supply Chain Strategy
Total Credit Hours63

NOTE:   WRS 105 and WRS 106 or ENG 106, or their equivalents, must be completed prior to attaining junior year classification, per the University General Education Requirements. Additionally, all 100 and 200-level Business Core courses must be completed by the end of the fifth semester of college work or during the semester in which the student is completing 75 credit hours.

NOTE:  MTH 161 and MAS 311 must be completed with a “C-” or better. 

C.  Major and Minor Areas of Specialization - Requirements

All BSBA students must complete at least one major area of specialization at Miami Herbert Business School. Additionally, students may elect to complete a minor area of specialization either at Miami Herbert Business School or in another School or College within the University. For specific information on minors offered by other Schools and Colleges of the University of Miami, please refer to the applicable College, School, or Department section within this Academic Bulletin.  

Requirements for the major and minor areas of specialization are specified by each academic department. Every course completed in satisfaction of either a major or minor area of specialization must be taken for a grade and a grade of “C-” or higher earned, unless specified differently by the department. GPA minima for each business area of specialization are set by the departments.  Please refer to the relevant Academic Bulletin page for the major/minor area of specialization.  

Business students are permitted to pursue more than one (business or other) major in distinct areas of specialization; however, completion of all required coursework is dependent upon careful sequencing. No course may be counted toward more than one major area of specialization or toward a major and a minor area of specialization, except a course that is specifically listed by number as required for both major areas of specialization and/or a major and a minor area of specialization. In this case, an alternate course or courses may be required for the additional major and/or minor.  The courses of choice required for one major or minor area of specialization may not be utilized to satisfy courses of choice requirements for a second major and/or minor area of specialization. Consequently, students should understand that completion of more than one major and/or minor area of specialization may necessitate the completion of more than 120 credit hours or more than eight semesters of study for graduation.

Business students may choose to pursue a second major (also referred to as an additional major) from the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Communication, or the School of Education (certain majors only). No courses used to satisfy an additional major may be used to satisfy the requirements for a business major or minor area of specialization.

Students are required to declare their major area of specialization and minor area of specialization with the Office of Undergraduate Business Education prior to the start of their junior year.

Majors and Minors for the BSBA Degree
Major Areas of Specialization Responsible Department
Accounting (P&S) Accounting
Business Analytics (STEM) Management Science
Business Technology (STEM) Business Technology
Economics - Political Economy (P&S) or Quantitative Economics (STEM) Economics
Entrepreneurship (P&S) Management
Finance (STEM) Finance
Global Business Co-Major (P&S) Management
Health Management and Policy (P&S) Health Management and Policy
Human Resource Management (P&S) Management
Individualized General Business Major (P&S or STEM) Undergraduate Business Education
Legal Studies (P&S) Business Law
Management (P&S) Management
Marketing (P&S) Marketing
Organizational Leadership (P&S) Management
Real Estate (STEM) Finance
Sustainable Business Co-Major (P&S) Economics
Minor Areas of Specialization Responsible Department
Accounting (P&S) Accounting
Business Analytics (STEM) Management Science
Business Law (P&S) Business Law
Business Technology (STEM) Business Technology
Economics - Political Economy (P&S) or Quantitative Economics (STEM) Economics
Entrepreneurship (P&S) Management
Finance (STEM) Finance
Financial Technology (FinTech) (STEM) Business Technology/Finance
Health Management and Policy (P&S) Health Management and Policy
International Business (P&S) Management
Management (P&S) Management
Marketing (P&S) Marketing
Real Estate (STEM) Finance
Sustainable Business (P&S) Economics

D.  Electives (as needed to meet the minimum 120 credit hours)

All undergraduate courses offered by the University may be used as electives with the following exceptions:

  • WRS 103TAL 191MTH 099, and UMI 105-UMI 410, are offered for credit but do not count toward degree requirements. Nonetheless, the grade, if any, earned in any of these courses is included in the student’s cumulative GPA, and credit for the course is included in the student’s overall credit hours earned. Accordingly, these courses will serve to increase the total number of credit hours required to graduate.
  • No more than 8 credit hours in applied music, including band, may be used.
  • Any science course taken as an elective and used in preparation for entrance to medical school must be taken for a grade.

E.  International Focus Within the Curriculum

At least one course with an international focus must be completed within the degree requirements. The appropriateness of the course is determined by the Vice Dean for Undergraduate Business Education.


Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance (BSAF)

The Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance (BSAF) degree is designed for students who arrive at the business school with a clear interest in careers in the financial services industry or in corporate financial management. The content of the degree is equivalent to a BBA with a double major in Finance and Accounting and a minor in Business Analytics.  Because of its emphasis on the development of quantitative skills in data analytics, the degree is intended for quantitatively-oriented students. In order to prepare students for industry internships during their junior year, the BSAF degree is designed to facilitate accelerated coursework in Finance, Accounting, and data analytics during the freshman and sophomore years.

Because of the accelerated sequencing and unique course requirements, the BSAF program is lockstep in the first two years.  Therefore, it is open only to first year students starting in fall who are prepared to successfully complete Calculus I (MTH 161) and Introduction to Business Statistics (MAS 201) in their first semester.  Except in rare cases, the BSAF program is not open to transfer students.

Students must maintain a minimum overall cumulative GPA of 3.0 in order to remain eligible for the BSAF degree, calculated at the end of each semester or term, including the first. The University Repeat Rule may be utilized by BSAF students to replace a D or F only if the cumulative GPA meets the requisite 3.0 GPA without the repeat. Given the accelerated pace of the BSAF core, repeated courses are not to be used to retroactively reinstate a student into the program.

Every course completed in satisfaction of the BSAF degree (with the possible exception of some electives) must be taken for a grade. A minimum grade of "C-" or higher must be earned for all BSAF Business Core Requirements, except for ACC 223 and FIN 302 for which a grade of “B” or higher is required. (A grade of "B-" is not sufficient in either course.) To graduate with the BSAF degree, students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in all Accounting courses and in all Finance courses.  Students who do not meet program requirements at any point in the degree’s completion will be converted to the BBA or BSBA program, as appropriate.

A minimum of 125 credits is needed to graduate with the BSAF degree.


A.  University of Miami’s General Education Requirements

Miami Herbert Business School participates in the University’s General Education requirements.  All undergraduate students must satisfy the University’s general education Areas of Proficiency: Written Communication Skills (WRS 105 and WRS 106 or ENG 106), Advanced Writing and Communication Skills, and Quantitative Skills (Department of Mathematics course numbered MTH 108 or higher or a quantitative skills course approved by the student’s college/school and the University Curriculum Committee in consultation with appropriate academic units). 

In addition, all undergraduate students must satisfy the University’s general education distribution requirements by completing cognates in each of three Areas of Knowledge:  Arts & Humanities (A&H); People & Society (P&S); and Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM).  The specific coursework of which the BSAF degree is comprised satisfies both the People and Society (P&S) and the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Areas of Knowledge.  Students pursuing the BSAF degree must complete any Arts & Humanities (A&H) cognate outside the Miami Herbert Business School. Students are required to declare their cognate with the Office of Undergraduate Business Education prior to the start of the junior year.

Written Communication Skills

The University's General Education requirement for written communication skills states:

Effective writing skills advance ideas efficiently and persuasively, so the expectation is that students become adept at using writing as an effective communication tool. Students fulfill this requirement by satisfactorily completing WRS 105 together with WRS 106, ENG 106, or WRS 107, or the equivalent. Appropriate Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) scores in written communication skills may be used to satisfy this requirement. An appropriate score on the SAT or ACT examination may earn a student exemption from, but not credit for, WRS 105.

Students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate effective written communication skills in relation to specific rhetorical tasks.
  • Construct original, well-reasoned arguments using a range of materials.
  • Integrate and synthesize appropriate and relevant primary and secondary sources in their writing.
EFFECTIVE FALL 2017, NEW STUDENTS WITHOUT PRIOR COLLEGE CREDIT IN WRITTEN COMMUNICATION SKILLS WILL BE PLACED AS FOLLOWS:
 
  • WRS 103: ACT English score below 18 or SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing or Critical Reading score below 430, or TOEFL iBT Writing score below 18.
  • WRS 105: ACT English score 18-31 or SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing or Critical Reading score 430-690, or TOEFL iBT Writing score 18 or above.
  • WRS 106, ENG 106,  or WRS 107: ACT English score 32 or above or SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing or Critical Reading score 700 or above

Written Communication Skills General Education Requirements must be completed prior to attaining junior year classification.

Miami Herbert Business School's program establishing Advanced Writing and Communication Skills proficiency for business requires students to successfully complete the following courses beyond the basic Written Communication Skills courses, WRS 105 and WRS 106 or ENG 106:  BSL 212 and  BUS 300. Any student who does not complete WRS 106 or ENG 106 with at least a C- is required either to repeat WRS 106 or ENG 106 and earn at least a C- or complete WRS 230,  Advanced Professional Communication, with at least a C- before enrolling in BUS 300.

Quantitative Skills

The Miami Herbert Business School Quantitative Skills Requirement provides students with the fundamental skills, tools, and training required for success in the modern business environment.  Critical thinking, problem solving, statistical analysis, and data interpretation, essential elements of our quantitative skills curriculum, are indispensable in helping companies make well-informed, strategic decisions about day-to-day and long-term business operations.

The University Quantitative Skills proficiency requirement is satisfied within the BSAF degree requirements upon successful completion of MTH 161 (or a MTH 161 equivalent). 

B.  BSAF Requirements

BSAF Business Core Requirements
Foundational Courses
ACC 223Principles of Financial and Managerial Accounting (minimum grade of B required)4
BSL 212Introduction to Business Law and Ethics3
BUS 150Business Analytics3
BUS 211Professional Development for Finance and Accounting1
BUS 300Critical Thinking and Persuasion for Business3
ECO 213Principles of Economics4
FIN 302Fundamentals of Finance (minimum grade of B required)3
FIN 433Case Studies for Financial Professionals1
MAS 201Introduction to Business Statistics (minimum grade of C- required)3
MAS 202Intermediate Business Statistics3
MGT 304Organizational Behavior3
MKT 201Foundations of Marketing3
or MKT 301 Marketing Foundations
MTH 161Calculus I (minimum grade of C- required; fulfills Quantitative Skills Requirement)4
BSAF Core Business Principles Choice Courses
Select three courses:9
The Law of Financial Transactions 1
Fundamentals of Business Technology and Innovation
Operations Management
Negotiation Strategies
Negotiation
Strategic Management
Leading Teams
Professional Selling
Accounting Courses
ACC 301Cost Accounting3
ACC 311Intermediate Accounting I3
ACC 312Intermediate Accounting II3
ACC 402Auditing3
ACC 403Fundamentals of Taxation3
ACC 406Accounting Systems3
Finance Required Courses
FIN 303Intermediate Financial Management3
FIN 320Investment and Security Markets3
Finance Choice Courses
Select two approved courses (6 credit hours) at the 300-500 level from the Finance departmental offerings.6
Select two approved courses (6 credit hours) at the 400-500 level from the Finance departmental offerings.6
Additional Required Courses and Electives
BTE 320Python Programming: Fundamentals and Algorithms3
MAS 332Data Acquisition, Preparation and Visualization3
MAS 342Introduction to Optimization and Decision Making3
or MAS 548 Machine Learning for Analytics
MAS 432Data Analysis3
WRS 105First-Year Writing I3
WRS 106First-Year Writing II3
or ENG 106 Writing About Literature and Culture
UMX 100The University of Miami Experience0
Arts and Humanities Cognate Courses9
Electives 115
Total Credit Hours125
1

Students who intend to sit for the CPA exam should take BSL 401 as one of their Business Principles Choice Courses or as one of their electives.

NOTE:   WRS 105 and WRS 106 or ENG 106, or their equivalents, must be completed prior to attaining junior year classification, per the  University General Education RequirementsMTH 161 and MAS 201 must be completed with a “C-” or better. 

Students who wish to change from the BSAF to the BBA or BSBA after completing ACC 223 will receive credit for ACC 211 and must complete ACC 212 to satisfy the BBA or BSBA business core requirements. Students who wish to change from the BSAF to the BBA or BSBA after completing ECO 213 will receive credit for ECO 211 and must complete ECO 212 to satisfy the BBA or BSBA business core requirements. Conversely, BSAF students who have completed both ECO 211 and ECO 212 do not need to complete ECO 213, and BSAF students who have completed both ACC 211 and ACC 212 do not need to complete ACC 223.

C.  Major and Minor Areas of Specialization - Requirements

Upon fulfilling the requirements for the BSAF degree, students will have completed the required coursework for both the Accounting major area of specialization and the Finance major area of specialization, as well as for the cognate or minor in Business Analytics. Students must maintain a minimum overall cumulative GPA of 3.0 in order to remain eligible for the BSAF degree, calculated at the end of each semester or term, including the first. The University Repeat Rule may be utilized by BSAF students to replace a D or F only if the cumulative GPA meets the requisite 3.0 GPA without the repeat. Given the accelerated pace of the BSAF core, repeated courses are not to be used to retroactively reinstate a student into the program.

Every course completed in satisfaction of the BSAF degree (with the possible exception of some electives) must be taken for a grade. A minimum grade of "C-" or higher must be earned for all BSAF Business Core Requirements, except for ACC 223 and FIN 302 for which a grade of “B” or higher is required. (A grade of "B-" is not sufficient.). To graduate with the BSAF degree, students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in all Accounting courses and in all Finance courses.  Students who do not meet program requirements at any point in the degree’s completion will be converted to the BBA or BSBA program, as appropriate.

Additionally, students may elect to complete a minor area of specialization either at Miami Herbert Business School or from another School or College within the University. For specific information on minors offered by other Schools and Colleges of the University of Miami, please refer to the applicable College, School, or Department section within this Academic Bulletin.  

Requirements for minor areas of specialization are specified by each academic department. Every course completed in satisfaction of a minor area of specialization must be taken for a grade and a grade of “C-” or higher earned, unless specified differently by the department. GPA minima for each business area of specialization are set by the departments.  Please refer to the relevant Academic Bulletin page for the minor area of specialization.  

No course may be counted toward more than one major area of specialization or toward a major and a minor area of specialization, except a course that is specifically listed by number as required for both major areas of specialization and/or a major and a minor area of specialization. In this case, an alternate course or courses may be required for the additional major and/or minor.  The courses of choice required for one major or minor area of specialization may not be utilized to satisfy courses of choice requirements for a second major and/or minor area of specialization. Consequently, students should understand that completion of more than one major and/or minor area of specialization may necessitate the completion of more than the required credit hours for graduation or more than eight semesters of study for graduation.

Business students may choose to pursue an additional major from the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Communication, or the School of Education (certain majors only). No courses used to satisfy an additional major may be used to satisfy the requirements for a business major or minor area of specialization.  BSAF degree students may also pursue the co-major in Sustainable Business.

Minors for the BSAF Degree

Minor Areas of Specialization Responsible Department
Business Analytics (STEM) Management Science
Business Law (P&S) Business Law
Business Technology (STEM) Business Technology
Economics - Political Economy (P&S) or Quantitative Economics (STEM) Economics
Entrepreneurship (P&S) Management
Financial Technology (FinTech) (STEM) Business Technology/Finance
Health Management and Policy (P&S) Health Management and Policy
International Business (P&S) Management
Management (P&S) Management
Marketing (P&S) Marketing
Real Estate (STEM) Finance
Sustainable Business (P&S) Economics

D.  Electives (as needed to complete the minimum 125 credit hours)

All undergraduate courses offered by the University may be used as electives with the following exceptions:

  • WRS 103TAL 191MTH 099, and UMI 105-UMI 410, are offered for credit but do not count toward degree requirements. Nonetheless, the grade, if any, earned in any of these courses is included in the student’s cumulative GPA, and credit for the course is included in the student’s overall credit hours earned. Accordingly, these courses will serve to increase the total number of credit hours required to graduate.
  • No more than 8 credit hours in applied music, including band, may be used.
  • Any science course taken as an elective and used in preparation for entrance to medical school must be taken for a grade.

E.  International Focus Within the Curriculum

At least one course with an international focus must be completed within the degree requirements. The appropriateness of the course is determined by the Vice Dean for Undergraduate Business Education.


Dual Undergraduate Degrees

Major areas of specialization at Miami Herbert Business School are available only with completion of the relevant required degree Business Core.  A student in another School or College at the University of Miami pursuing a business degree as a "second degree” or "dual degree" student, must meet the minimum requirements for transfer to Miami Herbert Business School, although the student is not required to formally transfer to Miami Herbert Business School.  

  • The student must meet with the Assistant Dean for Advising in the Office of Undergraduate Business Education in order to construct an academic plan and complete the Dual Degree Memorandum
  • A minimum of 150 credit hours of undergraduate coursework is required for graduation with the dual degree. 
  • The student must meet for academic planning with the appropriate advising administrator in his/her University of Miami home School or College.  Satisfaction of degree requirements in each School or College may vary.  
  •  The Dual Degree Memorandum, with all signatures, must be submitted to the University's Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Education for final approval.

Honors

Foote Fellows Honors Program

The Foote Fellows Honors Program recognizes the most educationally accomplished incoming students at the University of Miami. Select incoming students will receive an invitation to the Foote Fellows Honors Program.  

To graduate with the Foote Fellows Honors Program distinction, Foote Fellow students must achieve a minimum GPA of 3.5 by the completion of the final semester. Eligibility for the Foote Fellows Honors Program transcript distinction for each student is determined by the lower of two GPAs:

  1.     UM cumulative graduation GPA
  2.     Combination GPA (UM cumulative graduation GPA + Transfer GPA)

Graduation (Latin) Honors

  • Students who qualify based on their cumulative GPA (combined UM GPA and transfer course GPA) and class rank will graduate with University Honors: cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude .
  • For details consult an academic advisor in the Office of Undergraduate Business Education and the Office of Academic Enhancement.

General Business Honors, Miami Herbert Business School

Graduation with General Business Honors requires:

  • Completion of all of the requirements of the BSBA or BSAF degree program; and
  • A minimum 3.75 cumulative GPA (combined UM GPA and transfer course GPA) at graduation.

For details, consult an academic advisor in the Office of Undergraduate Business Education.

Departmental Honors in Business

Graduation with Departmental Honors requires:

  • A minimum cumulative 3.9 GPA at the end of the junior year; and
  • Completion of a 3-credit hour research project during the entire senior year on a topic that is of interest to both the faculty member supervising the research and the student responsible for completing it. The research and written deliverable must be deemed to be of exceptional quality, consistent with the workload of a 3-credit upper level independent study course, and worthy of a designation that is only open to the top 1% of Business School undergraduates; and
  • A minimum cumulative 3.9 GPA at graduation; and
  • Any other requirements, if any, established by the Department granting honors, as set forth in this Academic Bulletin.

Students who major in two distinct areas of specialization may complete their honors research project in the department of either business major specialization. 

The 3-credit hour research project class is taken for "credit only" and does not count toward the 120 credit hours required for graduation with the BBA or BSBA degree or toward the 125 credit hours required for graduation with the BSAF degree. Students who begin a research project but do not complete it will be retroactively withdrawn from the research course. Students receive credit for the project only if the work is deemed to be of exceptional quality.  Details related to Departmental Honors are available in the Office of Undergraduate Business Education.

Business Honor Societies

Students may be nominated for or elected into an honor society based on specific criteria. Contact the listed department for additional information.

Majors for Business Students

Co-Majors for Business Students

Minors for Business Students

Minors for Non-Business Students

Due to sequencing and space constraints, it is not feasible to complete a business minor in two semesters.  Moreover, business courses may not be completed outside Miami Herbert Business School.  Therefore, students desiring to complete business minors must plan well ahead. 

The Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance (People & Society and STEM)

The Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance (BSAF) degree is designed for students who arrive at the business school with a clear interest in careers in the financial services industry or in corporate financial management. The content of the degree is equivalent to a BBA with a double major in Finance and Accounting and a minor in Business Analytics.  Because of its emphasis on the development of quantitative skills in data analytics, the degree is intended for quantitatively-oriented students. In order to prepare students for industry internships during their junior year, the BSAF degree is designed to facilitate accelerated coursework in Finance, Accounting, and data analytics during the freshman and sophomore years.

The General Business Program:  An Individually-Designed Major for BBA and BSBA Students (People & Society or STEM)

The Individualized General Business major allows students at Miami Herbert Business School to tailor an area of business specialization creatively and to seek and develop connections among the business disciplines in ways that will suit their own academic interests and graduate school or career objectives.  Building upon the strong foundation provided by the Business Core, students pursuing this program of study will be motivated to craft a unique business specialization that enhances their ability to respond to and compete in a dynamic economic marketplace.

Any BBA or BSBA degree-seeking student may pursue the customized Individualized General Business major.  No additional admission or application is required.  The student, however, must consult with his/her Business School academic advisor in order to select the Individualized General Business major.  A three‐person committee comprised of at least one faculty member and at least one undergraduate business academic advisor will be appointed by the Undergraduate Business Education Committee to oversee the student’s chosen academic program, provide feedback and assistance with course choices, and to connect the student to other relevant faculty or administrators for advice where indicated.

Curriculum for the Individualized General Business Major Area of Specialization

The student who wishes to pursue the BBA or BSBA in General Business must complete:

  1. all University general education requirements, unless exempt (e.g. Foote Fellows), and
  2. the Business Core requirements for either the BBA or the BSBA, including the international focus course, and
  3. a minimum of 18 additional credit hours of upper-level (300-500 level) coursework chosen from among the course offerings of Miami Herbert Business School.  The specific coursework selected to satisfy the Individualized General Business major may not be utilized to also satisfy the Business Core or the specific coursework requirements for any other major or minor area of specialization in Business.  All coursework must be taken for a grade and within the current pre-requisite structure.

A minimum of 120 credit hours is required for graduation. The Individualized General Business major area of specialization may fulfill either the People & Society or the STEM general education Area of Knowledge, based upon the preponderance of the specific coursework pursued and with the approval of the advising committee.


The Global Business Co-Major (People & Society)

The curriculum for the Global Business Co-Major consists of 18 credit hours of required and elective course choices. The Global Business Co-Major is available only to BBA or BSBA students who are also completing another undergraduate business major area of specialization.

Students completing the Global Business Co-Major will:

  • Apply interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approaches, including in relevant cases, foreign language skills, to critical analysis of business topics at the country or regional level.
  • Evaluate and apply diverse perspectives to complex issues of comparative and/or global significance, in the face of multiple and sometimes conflicting positions (e.g., cultural, disciplinary, ethical)
  • Engage in meaningful interaction with other culture(s) and gain an in-depth understanding of a country and/or region of the world where the student may expect to commence his or her global business career

Curriculum Requirements

Each student will work with an advisor to design an individualized course of study that enhances the student’s global perspective and provides an intellectual framework and immersive environment for studying a new country or region of the world.  Each program of study will consist of a minimum of 18 credit hours, including coursework distributed among the following areas:

  1. Economics related to the country or region
  2. Political or regulatory environment of the country or region
  3. Historical/cultural perspective on the country or region
  4. Exposure to a language of the country or region, demonstrated by completion of a business course in the language of the region, or if unavailable, completion of a course in the language at the 200 level or above.  Where the country or region that is studied is English speaking, the student may complete this requirement by demonstrating language proficiency at the 200 level or above in another language, or by taking an additional course related to economics, political/regulatory environment, or history/culture of the country or region.
  5. One international/global focused upper level business elective, outside the student’s other business major 
  6. Capstone Global Business course:  choose from MGT 459, MGT 371, or MGT 498.

 In order to further advance and integrate his/her regional, functional and pragmatic expertise, and to hone the student’s global mindset, there is a required Experiential Learning component.

  • students must complete a learning experience in the country or region (i.e. study abroad).
  • students must complete an approved international internship.
  • students’ participation will be encouraged in any MBS Immersion Course that is offered for undergraduates in the region studied.  These may take the form of summer or spring break study.
  • students’ participation in programming on and off campus related to their region and career track will be encouraged and facilitated.

The Global Business Studies Program: Latin America (People & Society)

The Global Business Studies Program is a co-major option for incoming Miami Herbert Business School freshmen, who apply and are selected as GBS Scholars/Foote Fellows.  Students in the program simultaneously pursue a major in a functional area of business and, in the co-major, region-specific global studies coursework.

Curriculum for Co-major in Global Business Studies (21-27 credit hours)

  1. Introduction to the region (3 credit hours)
  2. Demonstrated proficiency in the language of the region, or where this is not feasible, at least one language course at the 200 level or above (min. 3 credit hours)  Students may demonstrate language proficiency by completing business coursework delivered in the language of the region selected.
  3. Economics of the region (3 credit hours) 
  4. Political and/or Regulatory Environment of the region (3 credit hours) 
  5. History of the region (3 credit hours)
  6. Introduction to International Business (Standard course is MGT 349.  Recommended alternatives:  MGT “Doing Business in [the Region]” where available, or other approved business course in-country) (total of 3 credit hours)
  7. Seminar & Senior Thesis (6 credit hours)   ​
  8. Culminates in a written research paper examining a significant problem or proposal for a particular country, approached from an interdisciplinary stand point  
  9. Carried out under the supervision of one or more faculty members  
  10. Oral presentation of the student's findings and recommendations also required  
  11. Required internship or directed study in-country may allow for field research 
   12. Minimum of one semester “study abroad” in the studied region is required. 
  • Students may choose to satisfy the co-major’s economics and/or history and/or politics/regulation course requirement in-country.  

GBS Scholars are also invited to participate in a wide array of co-curricular activities, intentionally designed to enhance the Global Business Studies co-major. These include a faculty-led, international travel course in the summer following freshman year and cultural activities and events throughout the program, curated by the GBS Academic Program Director.  

Please note that any student who does not complete these curricular and co-curricular requirements, or who is unable to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.5, will be asked to exit the program and co-major.


The Sustainable Business Co-Major (People & Society)

The curriculum for the Sustainable Business Co-Major consists of 18 credit hours of required and elective course choices and is available to Miami Herbert Business students.  The co-major in Sustainable Business is designed to be a complement to the business student's major functional area of specialization and required Business Core coursework.

Interdisciplinary in nature, the coursework will provide students with an introduction to the business concepts of sustainability, background in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards for financial decision-making, sustainability reporting, impact investing, environmental economics, and additional perspectives from the science/technology or policy/social fields.

It concludes with an integrative, experiential, project-based capstone course that requires students to apply their knowledge to pressing current business problems and prepares them for careers in the field. 

Interested students should consult with an academic advisor to declare the co-major in Sustainable Business. 


Dual Degree Undergraduate-Graduate Business Options:

Miami Herbert Business School students who are interested in completing both an undergraduate and a graduate business degree within 4½ years have various options that require careful planning with the academic advisor.  Please refer to each program for details:


International Business Minor Area of Specialization  (People & Society)

The International Business minor provides Miami Herbert Business School students an interdisciplinary perspective of international business to augment their studies in other areas of business specialization. The International Business minor may not be selected by non-business students. Students must complete all pre-requisite courses before enrolling in required International Business minor courses. 

The International Business minor consists of 12 credit hours as follows:

Core Courses 1
Select two or three courses (6-9 credit hours) from the following:6-9
International Finance
International Business
International and Multinational Management
International Marketing
Choice Courses for the Minor: 1
Select one or two courses (3-6 credit hours) to equal 12 total credit hours for the minor from the following:3-6
International Business Law
Economics of Development
Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Global Economy
International Trade Theory
International Monetary Economics
International Financial Management
Comparative Management
Doing Business in Latin America
International Marketing Management
U.S.-Latin American Relations
American Foreign Policy
United States Relations with the Middle East
West European Politics (Previous Title: European Politics and Government)
Postcommunist Russian Politics
Politics and Society in Latin America
Politics of the Middle East
International Terrorism
Chinese Foreign Policy
International Development Policy
Politics in China
International Security
International Relations of the Middle East
Total Credit Hours12
1

 All specific coursework for the International Business minor must be completed with a grade of "C-" or higher.  A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 is required for all specific coursework in this minor area of specialization.

All courses must be taken within the current pre-requisite structure.

Business Cognates Available to Non-Business Students

Understanding Business  (People & Society)

The University of Miami Herbert Business School offers a general business cognate to non-business students: Understanding Business. Completion of this cognate fulfills the University’s General Education requirement of a cognate in the Area of Knowledge labeled People & Society (P&S). 

This cognate offers students an overview of the business environment with the goal of promoting awareness and understanding of the real-world issues that affect the global economy in the twenty-first century. Courses in the cognate deliver the essential business concepts that enable critical consideration of the questions that confront decision makers in the various functional areas of business. Students declare the cognate via their advisor at their home School or College.

Please note that no course may double count for any major, minor, or cognate.


Business Analytics: Transforming data into insights for better informed decisions (STEM)

Professionals with deep analytical skills are in high demand across a variety of industries and organizations. Business analytics solutions use quantitative analysis to measure past performance and to guide and organization's future business planning. The Business Analytics cognate offers a selection of courses that cover important tools and techniques to help understand and analyze data, predict outcomes, and to improve decision-making in increasingly complex and interconnected business environments. 

Completion of this cognate fulfills the University’s General Education requirement of a cognate in the Area of Knowledge labeled Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). Students declare the cognate via their advisor at their home School or College. 

Please note that no course may double count for any major, minor, or cognate.


Development Economics (People & Society)

The core courses in the Development Economics cognate, ECO 211 Principles of Microeconomics and ECO 212 Principles of Macroeconomics, introduce the study of the economic behavior of individuals, firms, and markets,  as well as the analysis of the economy as a whole, both in terms of short-run fluctuations (the business cycle) and long-run determinants of economic growth. Additionally, the student chooses an elective from a set of courses related to the economic aspects of the development process based on their specific interests. Students completing this cognate will acquire the tools and techniques to analyze and solve economic problems, and will learn to apply the theory to real-world economic events in their area of interest. 

Completion of this cognate fulfills the University’s General Education requirement of a cognate in the Area of Knowledge labeled People & Society (P&S).  Students declare the cognate via their advisor at their home School or College. 

Please note that no course may double count for any major, minor, or cognate.


Methods for Economic Analysis (STEM)

Recommended for students who have completed MTH 130 or Higher.

The core course in the Methods for Economic Analysis cognate, ECO 211 Principles of Microeconomics, introduces the study of the economic behavior of individuals, firms, and markets. Additionally, students choose two electives from a set of courses based on their specific interests in the areas of mathematical modeling and empirical analysis. Students completing this cognate will acquire the tools and techniques to analyze and solve mathematical economics and econometric problems, and will learn to apply the theory to real-world economic events in their area of interest. 

Completion of this cognate fulfills the University’s General Education requirement of a cognate in the Area of Knowledge labeled Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). Students declare the cognate via their advisor at their home School or College

Please note that no course may double count for any major, minor, or cognate.


Minors for Non-Business Students

Due to sequencing and space constraints, it is not feasible to complete a business minor in two semesters.  Moreover, business courses may not be completed outside Miami Herbert Business School.  Therefore, students desiring to complete business minors must plan well ahead. 

Students in other schools and colleges of the University may choose to pursue any of the following minor areas of specialization at Miami Herbert Business School by officially declaring the minor at their home School or College:

Minor Areas of Specialization

Students interested in completing a minor offered by the University of Miami Herbert Business School should consult with an academic advisor in the School or College of their degree/major to determine if a business minor is acceptable. Neither advice nor consent from either the Office of Undergraduate Business Education or the relevant Miami Herbert Business School department is necessary for a student to choose or complete a Business minor. Instead the non-business student should simply declare the minor in CaneLink and complete the necessary specific coursework, according to the details listed in the appropriate department’s section of this Academic Bulletin and the following supplemental guidelines, which are applicable to all minors unless otherwise provided by the department offering the minor area of specialization: 

All courses within the minor must be taken for a grade and completed with a grade of “C-” or higher unless a higher minimum grade is prescribed by the department offering the minor.  To be awarded the minor, the student must also achieve a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 in all minor courses, unless a higher grade or GPA is prescribed by the department offering the minor, as set out in that department’s section of this Academic Bulletin. All courses taken by the student in the department offering the minor will count toward the GPA in the minor.

General Overview

The Foote Fellows Honors Program recognizes the most educationally accomplished incoming students at the University of Miami.  Foote Fellows have distinguished themselves both in and out of the classroom, are self-motivated, and think independently.  Admission to the Foote Fellows Honors Program is by invitation. 

Within the curricular framework of their school or college, Foote Fellows enjoy maximum freedom to explore a multitude of educational resources.  Many Foote Fellows leverage this opportunity to take additional majors and/or minors and to study abroad.  

At each of the nine undergraduate schools at the University of Miami, a dedicated advisor helps Foote Fellows chart their academic path and attain access to distinctive learning opportunities and educational guidance, such as special school-based seminars, faculty-mentored research, networking opportunities, and off-campus internships.  

In addition, Foote Fellows have access to opportunities outside their school.  Special Foote Fellow lectures are held throughout the academic year. “Books That Matter,” a rigorous, multidisciplinary seminar in reading and analyzing significant works of nonfiction, is offered to Foote Fellows. Foote Fellows also benefit from focused advising regarding post-baccalaureate distinguished fellowships and awards, support and information about co-curricular opportunities from a dedicated program manager, and networking events with other Foote Fellows from all disciplines.

To graduate with the Foote Fellows Honors Program distinction, Foote Fellow students must achieve a minimum GPA of 3.5 by the completion of the final semester. 

Eligibility for the Foote Fellows Honors Program transcript distinction for each student is determined by the lower of two GPAs:

1.         UM cumulative graduation GPA

2.         Combination GPA (UM cumulative graduation GPA + Transfer GPA)

The Foote Fellows Honors Program reflects the educational vision of former University of Miami President Edward T. Foote, who retired in 2000 after serving the University for twenty years.

Foote Fellows in Business

As the best and brightest of each incoming class, Miami Herbert Business School Foote Fellows are afforded the most stimulating academic and co-curricular experiences the School has to offer.  They are invited to take part in Foote-only seminars, exclusive workshops on a variety of academic and career-oriented themes, and networking events with some of Miami Herbert Business School’s most honored speakers and guests.

Miami Herbert Business School Foote Fellows enroll in specially-designated sections of selected classes, such as BSL 212, MGT 102, and MKT 201.  Business Foote Fellows also enjoy dedicated academic and co-curricular/career advisors, as well as opportunities for unique mentorship by prominent alumni.