Founded in 1900, the School of Business established one of the first five business programs in the nation. That entrepreneurial spirit remains strong.
As a student in the School of Business, you will find yourself inspired by peers, staff, alumni, business leaders, and world-renowned faculty who are focused, collaborative, and engaged in every aspect of the student experience. You will join a highly-ranked program that equips you to meet both academic and career challenges. Employers value School of Business graduates because of the comprehensive preparation this learning environment provides. Graduates possess highly sought-after general management and specialized expertise in business.
Joining collaborative, inspiring, trustworthy, and progressive School of Business alumni, Business Badger graduates are prepared to lead their organizations to success and transform the world of business. Together Forward!
Bachelor of Business Administration in Business: Entrepreneurship
The BBA degree in Entrepreneurship (BBAE) prepares students to launch and grow their own ventures, join innovative startups, or work in established organizations that foster an entrepreneurial mindset. Students who pursue the BBAE degree will learn the essential skills and knowledge needed to identify, evaluate, and pursue new business opportunities as well as to manage and lead entrepreneurial teams and organizations. They will be prepared for roles such as a founder, a manager in a growth-oriented company, or a consultant supporting clients developing and de-risking new products and services.
The program is open to students who have completed the pre-business requirements and have been admitted to the School of Business. BBAE students will complete a core curriculum that covers the fundamentals of business, such as accounting, finance, marketing, operations, and strategy. In addition, BBAE students will choose from a variety of electives that focus on different aspects of entrepreneurship, such as creativity, innovation, social entrepreneurship, and venture capital. BBAE students will also have opportunities to participate in experiential learning activities, such as innovation competitions, accelerator programs, supportive student organizations, and more on campus.
The BBAE degree aims to develop students’ entrepreneurial mindset and capabilities as well as their professional and ethical values. Students will gain confidence in their ability to generate and implement innovative ideas as well as to overcome challenges and uncertainties in the entrepreneurial process. Students will also develop their communication and collaboration skills as well as an awareness of the social and environmental impact of their entrepreneurial endeavors.
The BBAE degree opens up a wide range of career paths for graduates who aspire to create value and make a difference in the world. Whether they choose to start their own businesses, join existing companies, or work in entrepreneurial organizations, BBAE graduates will be equipped with the skills and knowledge to succeed.
How to Get in
Current UW–Madison Students
| Requirements | Details |
|---|---|
| How to get in | Application required. Meeting the requirements listed below does not guarantee admission. (https://admissions.wsb.wisc.edu/BbaPreBusiness) |
| Courses required to get in | Students are required to complete each of the 4 requirements below. Requirements can be completed via coursework, test credit, transfer work, or placement exam (if applicable). Communication A Quantitative Reasoning A Economics Human Behavior |
| GPA requirements to get in | Minimum 3.0 UW-Madison GPA. |
| Credits required to get in |
|
| Other |
|
| Semester | Deadline to apply | Decision notification timeline |
|---|---|---|
| To apply for a fall start | Mid March | On or before July 1st. |
| To apply for a spring start | This program does not accept applications to start in the spring. | |
| To apply for a summer start | This program does not accept applications to start in the summer. |
Prospective First-Year Applicants
All prospective UW–Madison students must apply through the central Office of Admissions and Recruitment. Prospective high school students may be considered for direct admission to Business based on their application to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Simply list a Business interest as your top academic area of interest on the University application.
Prospective Transfer Applicants
Transfer students at University of Wisconsin System campuses or Wisconsin Technical Colleges may apply separately for admission to both the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the School of Business during the spring term for fall enrollment. Information for prospective transfer students can be found here: https://business.wisc.edu/undergraduate/admissions/transfer-students/.
Additional Information
Students declared in Business: Entrepreneurship cannot earn the Summer Certificate in Business Fundamentals, Certificate in Business, or the Certificate in Entrepreneurship due to curriculum overlap.
University General Education Requirements
All undergraduate students at the University of Wisconsin–Madison are required to fulfill a minimum set of common university general education requirements to ensure that every graduate acquires the essential core of an undergraduate education. This core establishes a foundation for living a productive life, being a citizen of the world, appreciating aesthetic values, and engaging in lifelong learning in a continually changing world. Various schools and colleges will have requirements in addition to the requirements listed below. Consult your advisor for assistance, as needed. For additional information, see the university Undergraduate General Education Requirements section of the Guide.
| General Education |
* The mortarboard symbol appears before the title of any course that fulfills one of the Communication Part A or Part B, Ethnic Studies, or Quantitative Reasoning Part A or Part B requirements. |
School of Business Requirements
The Wisconsin Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) program combines UW–Madison’s general liberal education requirements, broad coverage of core business disciplines, and cutting-edge signature courses to create a strong academic foundation upon which students delve deeply into their majors.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| School of Business BBA Requirements | ||
| Complete requirements: | ||
School of Business Liberal Studies Requirements | ||
Business Fundamentals Requirement | ||
Business Core Requirement | ||
Business Signature Requirement | ||
Business: Entrepreneurship
Students must take a minimum of 18 credits, distributed as follows:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| M H R 322 | Introduction to Entrepreneurship | 3 |
| M H R 415 | Strategic Management of Innovation and Corporate Entrepreneurship | 3 |
| M H R 422 | Advanced Entrepreneurship | 3 |
| Experiential/Applied Entrepreneurship Course (choose 3-6 credits from the following): | 3-6 | |
| Reading and Research-Management 1 | ||
| Venture Creation | ||
| Technology Entrepreneurship | ||
| Creative Destruction Lab I and Creative Destruction Lab II | ||
| Electives (choose 3-6 credits from the following): | 3-6 | |
| Financial Reporting I | ||
| Business Organizations and Negotiable Instruments | ||
| Investment Theory | ||
| Entrepreneurial Finance | ||
| Technology of Computer-Based Business Systems | ||
| Systems Analysis and Design | ||
| New Ventures in Business, the Arts and Social Entrepreneurship | ||
| Contemporary Topics | ||
| Leading Teams | ||
| Strategic Management | ||
| Negotiations | ||
| Introduction to Arts Entrepreneurship | ||
| Entrepreneurship in Arts & Cultural Organizations | ||
| Marketing Research | ||
| Information Technology in Supply Chains | ||
| New Product Innovation | ||
| Service Operations Management | ||
| Operations Analytics | ||
| Management of Insurance Enterprise | ||
| Risk Financing Techniques | ||
| Real Estate Finance | ||
| Residential Property Development | ||
| Total Credits | 18 | |
- 1
Double counting of M H R 399 Reading and Research-Management across other majors is prohibited.
University Degree Requirements
| Total Degree | To receive a bachelor's degree from UW–Madison, students must earn a minimum of 120 degree credits. The requirements for some programs may exceed 120 degree credits. Students should consult with their college or department advisor for information on specific credit requirements. |
| Residency | Degree candidates are required to earn a minimum of 30 credits in residence at UW–Madison. "In residence" means on the UW–Madison campus with an undergraduate degree classification. “In residence” credit also includes UW–Madison courses offered in distance or online formats and credits earned in UW–Madison Study Abroad/Study Away programs. |
| Quality of Work | Undergraduate students must maintain the minimum grade point average specified by the school, college, or academic program to remain in good academic standing. Students whose academic performance drops below these minimum thresholds will be placed on academic probation. |
Learning Outcomes
- Develop business ideas.
- Evaluate entrepreneurial opportunities with focus on appropriate use of both quantitative and qualitative analytical tools.
- Evaluate the skills, financing and other resources required for successfully managing innovation in startups and established organizations.
- Manage growth in startups and innovation in established organizations.
- Exercise appropriate leadership, value diverse perspectives, and work collaboratively to accomplish objectives in an entrepreneurial context.
Four-Year Plan
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| GEN BUS 110 | 1 | M H R 300 | 3 |
| GEN BUS 106 | 1 | ACCT I S 100 | 3 |
| MATH 211 or 221 | 4-5 | ECON 102 or 111 | 3-4 |
| ECON 101 or 111 | 4 | PSYCH 202, SOC 211, ANTHRO 104, GEN&WS 102, or HDFS 263 (Human Behavior) | 3-4 |
| Communications A | 3 | Science | 3 |
| Ethnic Studies | 3 | ||
| 16-17 | 15-17 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| GEN BUS 306 | 3 | GEN BUS 307 | 3 |
| FINANCE/ECON 300 | 3 | ACCT I S 211 | 3 |
| M H R 322 | 3 | M H R 422 | 3 |
| GEN BUS 360 | 3 | GEN BUS/DS 240, 250, or 308 (Take Two) | 4 |
| Elective | 3 | Science | 3 |
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| M H R Experiential/Applied Entrepreneurship Course or Major Elective Course | 3 | M H R Experiential/Applied Entrepreneurship Course or Major Elective Course | 3 |
| OTM 300 | 3 | GEN BUS 301 | 3 |
| MARKETNG 300 | 3 | PHILOS 241, 243, 341, or 441 (Ethics) | 3-4 |
| Literature | 3 | Humanities | 3 |
| R M I 300, REAL EST 306, INTL BUS 200, or INFO SYS 322 | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15-16 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| M H R 415 | 3 | M H R Experiential/Applied Entrepreneurship Course or Major Elective Course | 3 |
| GEN BUS 400 | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 1-3 |
| 15 | 13-15 | ||
| Total Credits 120-126 | |||
Advising and Careers
Advising
Advising is an integral part of any student’s educational journey in the School of Business Undergraduate Program. Starting at Student Orientation, Advising, and Registration (SOAR), we encourage all students to connect with academic advisors. Business academic advisors have a wealth of knowledge about courses on campus, as well as policies and procedures.
Business career coaches help students with career exploration, internships, resumes, job search, interviewing, and more. We encourage students to connect with their career coach once they arrive on campus.
Business academic advisors and career coaches are passionate about student success. Students experiencing academic difficulty or personal struggles are encouraged to talk to their advisor about how their individual situation may affect their academic performance.
Assigned Academic and Career Coaches
Admitted business students will have one assigned academic advisor. Career coaches are assigned by academic major to be able to provide industry-specific career guidance. If a student has more than one major, they may have more than one assigned career coach. Students can find their assigned advisor and coach by logging into the Starfish portal through MyUW.
For students not yet admitted to the School of Business, there is a team of pre-business advisors available.
Accessing Advising
Drop-in advising and scheduled appointments are available for admitted business students. Pre-business students may also schedule an appointment with a pre-business academic advisor or utilize drop-in academic advising.
For more information on accessing academic advising, please see our Academic Advising page.
For more information on accessing career coaching, please see our Career Coaching page.
People
For more information about the faculty and their research interests, please visit the directory.
Accreditation
AACSB International—The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
Accreditation status: Accredited. Next accreditation review: 2026–2027.