Business Degree Online - BS, major in General Business

Program Overview

Through The University of Alabama’s 100% online bachelor’s in General Business degree program, you’ll learn a variety of practical and applicable skills to help you make a lasting impact on companies around the world or grow your own business. Students will have the opportunity to study trends in marketing, management, accounting and finance.

Online Program Format

120 Credit Hours

$399 Tuition Per Hour

Your Future Is Our Business

Our flexible and affordable courses are designed to provide you with an essential understanding of business, problem analysis, management, marketing and economic conditions. Through tailoring your degree to your interests and professional goals, this degree can lead to a career in fields like management (hotel, business, operations or product management), leadership, entrepreneurship, finance, human resources, analytics, marketing, sales, communications, nonprofits and beyond.

By earning an online business degree from The University of Alabama, you are making a significant investment in yourself and your future, becoming well-prepared to excel in your career. Our online bachelor’s program is AACSB accredited, a benchmark of quality that’s widely sought by business schools. Less than 5% of institutions worldwide have earned the achievement.

Application Deadline	The department recommends applying by July 15 for fall admission, November 15 for spring admission and April 15 for summer admission.
Ranking	Ranked 8th nationwide for best online bachelor's in business programs by US News and World Report (2024)
Accreditation	Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Are test scores required?	ACT and SAT scores are not required through the Fall 2026 entry term
Scholarships and Grants Available	Discover a range of scholarships and grants to support your educational journey

Curriculum

The BS, major in General Business program requires 120 hours. Students will major in General Business and can begin coursework any semester. Convenient courses allow you to continue your education towards a business degree online without interrupting your career or your busy life.

Please note that courses are subject to change.

Lower-Division Courses

AC 210 Introduction to Accounting
EC 110 Principles of Microeconomics
EC 111 Principles of Macroeconomics
GBA 146 Professional Development Series I: Exploring Your Path
GBA 246 Professional Development Series II: Choosing Your Path
LGS 200 Legal Environment of Business
MATH 121 Calculus and Applications
MIS 200 Fundamentals of Management Information Systems
ST 260 Statistical Data Analysis

Functional Field Courses

A minimum grade of C- is required in each course.

FI 302 Business Finance
GBA 300 Business Communications
GBA 346 Professional Development Series III: Pursuing Your Path
MGT 300 Organizational Theory and Behavior
MKT 300 Marketing
OM 300 Introduction to Operations Management

Culverhouse Capstone & International Courses

GBA 490 Strategic Management*
International Focus: See advisor for a list of approved courses

Major in General Business

Accounting Course Requirement, choose one:
- AC 351 Managerial Accounting Decisions
- AC 352 Corporate Financial Reporting
- AC 361 Cost Analysis for Planning and Control
Finance Course Requirement, choose one:
- FI 301 Intro Financial Institutions & Markets
- FI 400 Financial Institutions, Markets, and Investments
Economics Course Requirement, choose one:
- EC 308 Intermediate Microeconomics
- EC 309 Intermediate Macroeconomics
- EC 400 Analysis of Economic Conditions at the Micro/Macro Level
Management Course Requirement, choose one
- IBA 250 Context of Global Business
- MGT 301 Introduction to Human Resource Management
- MGT 320 Leadership and Ethics
- MGT 386 Foundations of Entrepreneurship
- MGT 423 Effective Negotiations*
Marketing Course Requirement, choose one
- MKT 313 Consumer Behavior
- MKT 321 Retail Management
- MKT 337 Personal Selling
- MKT 440 Digital and Social Media Marketing
Electives Course Requirement, choose one approved 300-400 level business elective

General Education and Core Curriculum Requirements

In addition to completing lower-division requirements, students must complete the following general education and core curriculum requirements prior to enrolling into upper-division courses. To learn more about these requirements, students should review UA’s general education and core curriculum section in the UA Catalog.

Transfer students considering admission should review UA’s transfer information and policies.

Foundational Core

First-Year Compass (2-6 credit hours):
- UA 101 (1 credit hour) OR UA 201 (1 credit hour that transfer students take this course instead of UA 101)
- College-Specific Compass Courses (1-5 credit hours)
Written Composition (3-6 credit hours)
- 6 hours of English Composition (satisfied by EN 101 and EN 102) OR
- EN 103 Advanced English Composition (3 credit hours) OR
- EN 101 English Composition I AND EN 102 English Composition II/EN 103 Advanced English Composition (NOTE: Students with a high school GPA below 3.0 will complete a sequence of EN 101 and EN 102 or EN 103.)
History and Social and Behavioral Sciences (9 credit hours)
- 9 credit hours of courses approved for either the History or Social and Behavioral Sciences designation with at least 3 credits from courses approved for the History designation.
Humanities, Literature, Fine Arts and World Languages (9 credit hours)
- 9 credit hours of courses approved for the Humanities, Literature, Fine Arts or World Language designations with at least 3 credits from courses approved for the Literature designation.
Natural Science and Mathematical Science (11 credit hours)
- 8 credits in courses approved for the Natural Science designation.
- 3 credits in courses approved for the Mathematical Science designation.

Upper Division Core

US and Global Citizenship (3 credit hours)
- 3 credits in courses approved for the US and Global Citizenship designation. (NOTE: The US and Global Citizenship requirement mist be satisfied by coursework taken at UA.)
Writing
3 credits in courses approved for the Writing designation (NOTE: The Writing requirement must be satisfied by coursework takem at UA; It can be satisfied by GBA 300 or GBA 490.)

Upper-Division Courses

Upper-division courses include all 300- and 400-level courses in Culverhouse College of Business that are not defined as lower-division or functional field courses. These can include major program courses, concentration courses, minor courses and the required Culverhouse College of Business capstone course. Junior or senior standing is required to take upper division courses (61 credit hours or more).

*This course has a synchronous online component.

Students may contact the Culverhouse Online Services Office with questions related to academic plans and advising by email businessbydistance@ua.edu.

Many students who choose the online business degree BS, major in General Business degree program also choose a minor. A list of available minors can be found on the UA Online website.

Admission

To apply for formal admission to any of the undergraduate degree programs offered through UA Online, you must complete an admissions application and submit transcripts from all colleges previously attended. Transfer students considering admission should review UA’s transfer information and policies.

Applicants must meet one of the following admission requirements:

If you have earned more than 24 college-level credit hours at the time of your application to the University, you will need to meet the transfer student admission requirement of a minimum 2.0 overall college GPA.
If you have earned less than 24 college-level credit hours at the time of your application to the University, you will need to meet both the 2.0 overall college GPA required for transfer students, as well as Admission Requirements for Freshmen Students. If high school graduation was more than four years ago, ACT/SAT scores are not required.

The Culverhouse College of Business recommends applying before the dates below to ensure you receive advising and transfer credit evaluation prior to enrolling in your required courses. This evaluation is separate from University Admissions, and the Culverhouse College of Business cannot guarantee course availability or that your transfer work will be evaluated for your desired start term if you apply after these dates.