Business Administration, B.A.
The Business Administration major offers students a well-rounded education in the core disciplines that drive modern business, including management, finance, marketing, accounting, and economics. Grounded in real-world application, the curriculum is designed to help students understand how organizations operate, how decisions are made, and how value is created. With an emphasis on ethical leadership, effective communication, and strategic thinking, the program provides a flexible framework for exploring the role of business in society and the global economy.
The Business Administration major at UC Merced prepares students for a wide variety of career paths in today’s rapidly evolving economy. This includes roles in management, marketing, financial services, entrepreneurship, accounting, sales, and operations. With a curriculum grounded in core business and management classes students develop the skills needed to lead teams, solve real-world business problems, and make data-informed decisions.
What sets this program apart is its accessible, hands-on approach. Students engage in business decision-making through case studies, simulations, and practical projects, with less emphasis on economic theory or quantitative analytics. The Business Administration major is ideal for those seeking to apply business principles across a wide range of industries and organizational settings.
Students in this program explore how business can drive economic opportunity and social progress, and learn to navigate challenges related to leadership, innovation, and ethics. Whether launching a startup, managing a team, improving business operations, or entering business school, graduates leave UC Merced prepared to make meaningful contributions in a wide range of fields.
The top 10 industries that CA graduates of Business Administration degrees work in:
Business Administration is a new major, so there are no UCM alumni yet. CA graduates of similar programs from other universities have been hired at well-known companies such as Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Kaiser Permanente, Google, Apple, Oracle, and Deloitte.