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Business Majors (Academics)

The Mendoza College of Business offers the six* majors listed below.  Students declare their business major during the spring semester of their first year and should utilize the many resources available to them to explore the majors.  The introductory business classes in each major are a valuable piece of the discernment process but there are many other factors that should be taken into consideration.

Upperclassmen wishing to change their business major should meet with an advisor to discuss the impact of this decision on their course scheduling and graduation plans.

• Accountancy (ACCT)
  

Beginning in 2019, there is a new Accounting Immersion Program (AIP) that allows non-Accounting majors interested in a career in Accounting to pursue the Masters of Science in Accountancy (MSA) immediately following graduation.

• Business Analytics (BAN)
• Business Technology (BTEC)

Effective May 2019, the name of this major changed from Information Technology Management (ITM) to Business Technology (BTEC).

*The BTEC major will no longer be available beyond Year Group 2025.

• Finance (FIN)

• Management Consulting (MGTC) Beginning with the Class of 2026: renamed Strategic Management
• Marketing (MARK)

The Mendoza College of Business values the well-rounded, well-educated student. Beginning for the Year Group 2026, business majors may double major in two business disciplines. As in previous years, still many of your graduation requirements will come from outside the business curriculum as we feel the exposure to a wide variety of perspectives is important in meeting the College's Learning Objectives.  If you wish to broaden your base knowledge within business, however, there are options.  There is the ability to request a second major in any of the business disciplines, except Business Analytics.

In addition, there are minors that can be added to any business major curriculum:  1) Innovation and Entrepreneurship minor (MIEN); 2) Real Estate (MRE); 3) Business Technology (MBTC); 4) Business and the Common Good (MBCG); 5) Impact Consulting (MIC); and 6) Finance (MFNC). Students should meet with the appropriate DUS to discuss these minors: Prof. Sam Miller for MIEN, Prof. Geno Acosta for MRE, Prof. Jen Waddell for MBTC, Prof. David O'Connor for MBCG, Prof. Wendy Angst for MIC, and Prof. Jim Leady for MFNC.

 Additionally, students may seek departmental approval to take a business class outside their major on a space available basis.  Business Communications courses (found under MGTO) and general business courses listed under BAUG also offer opportunities to expand your business knowledge and skillset.  See an advisor for more information.

• Last Edited April 16, 2024

Second Majors and Minors (Academics)

If you have a very specific passion outside of business, adding a second major or minor may be a great way to learn deeply about that subject area and connect it to your business knowledge and goals. Keep in mind that the downside of the double major is that you will have many specific requirements to fulfill and it can limit your ability to try out courses of interest across a variety of disciplines. Your four years at ND will go very quickly and you owe it to yourself to fill your days with classes that expand your mind and soul in meaningful ways.

Approximately 39% of Mendoza students do carry a second major, typically from an Arts & Letters or Science discipline.  Many more will choose to pursue a minor on top of their business curriculum.  We asked the departments offering minors to explain why they feel each one is a good match with the business curriculum. See their connections here to help you narrow down your interests, then read up on the requirements. More information on options can also be found on the college websites:

Arts & Letters majors & minors

Keough School of Global Affairs

Science majors & minors

Engineering majors & minors

Be sure to explore the requirements carefully using the links above and the What If?  feature of the Graduation Progress System.  Update your plan of study with placeholders for the second major requirements to see if heavy loads are required and/or summer school is advisable.  We also recommend you meet with the Career Center to see how to leverage your specific major combination to land your dream job.  And, of course, advisors in 101 stand ready as sounding boards for these big decisions. 

Follow these steps to explore and, if applicable, add a 2^nd major or minor:

1. Read the departmental website and run a What If? audit using your GPS to give you a good idea of what is required. 
2. Meet with an advisor in that department to clarify any questions and discuss the recommended sequencing of courses. 
3. Use this information to update the plan of study that resides on your Google Drive. 
4. The department will initiate an eForm to make it official. 
5. You need to approve the eForm via the link on your Student Academic Tab on insideND.  Please attach your updated plan of study to the eForm, confirming that you can complete all the requirements during a four year period. 
6. The eForm and attached plan of study will be reviewed by an advisor in 101 Mendoza and, if approved, sent to the Registrar to be added to your official record.  This creates a new section on your GPS to help you track completion of your requirements.

Sample Plans

To give you an idea of how the requirements fit together with your business curriculum, sample plans of study are also provided on tabs on your personalized plan of study for ACMS, ECON, DESN and a representative sample for most Arts & Letters majors. Used in conjunction with the What If? feature on your GPS, the sample plans make it easy adjust your future schedules to accommodate the requirements. Please meet with an advisor in 101 Mendoza to review your revised plan of study and clarify any questions or concerns. 

Second majors in Economics and ACMS require careful planning due to classes with overlapping content (specifically Stats) and double counting of courses.  Be sure to work with advisors in both departments to ensure you have a clear picture of the best path.

Students who have decided not to complete a declared second major should drop it from their official record. Email a Mendoza Advisor, so they can initiate an eform on insideND, which you will approve.  This will "clean up" your GPS and eliminate confusion prior to graduation.

• Last Edited February 18, 2022

CPA Advising (Advising)

A CPA license is the accounting profession's highest standard of competence, a symbol of achievement and assurance of quality.  While Notre Dame and the Mendoza College of Business certainly encourage Accountancy majors to pursue this credential, the curriculum may not include all the coursework required as each of the 50 states have different licensing requirements.  It is important for students pursuing this path to research carefully the requirements for the state where they plan to sit for the exam. Professor Tim Morrison is our resident CPA advisor.  He can be reached for consultation at tmorris6@nd.edu.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1.  Do all Notre Dame Accountancy majors sit for the CPA exam?

No, but the majority of ND Accountancy majors do sit for and pass the CPA exam.  The rigorous ND curriculum positions accounting graduates to succeed not only in employment situations but also with regard to the professional examination for accountants, the CPA exam.  More information on the CPA exam may be found on the AICPA website.

2.  How do Notre Dame students perform on the CPA exam?

ND accounting graduates are among the top performers in the country on the CPA exam with pass rates approximately double the national average. Most ND Accountancy graduates sit for the CPA examination shortly after graduation.

3.  What is the 150 hour requirement?

Currently, all states require that students have the equivalent of 150 semester hours of college credit to become a CPA.  Many states have specific course requirements within the 150 hours – for instance, required semester hours in accounting and general business (and possibly required hours of these courses in upper level classes) or required course topics (auditing, cost accounting, communications, ethics, taxation, accounting research, etc.).

4.  May I take required accounting courses at other colleges and universities?

If your state requires accounting courses beyond the courses required by Notre Dame to complete the BBA degree with a major in Accountancy, those additional courses may be taken elsewhere, but they cannot be duplicative of what you have already taken.  

5.  How do AP hours impact the 150 hour requirement?

AP hours ‘count’ if they are accepted by the student’s school and thus are reported on a transcript and if they are not duplicative.  That means if a student earns 4 credits from the AP examination(s) for Calc but then takes Calc at ND, the student cannot ‘count’ the AP hours.

6.  May I sit for the CPA exam before I complete my coursework?

Some states permit students to sit for the exam prior to completing their course work and some states require the student complete all coursework prior to sitting for the CPA exam.  For instance, New York permits students to sit for the CPA exam after they completed 120 semester hours (including courses in their required content areas), but before completing the 150 hours of course work.  However, not every state treats this the same way.

7.  Should I participate in a CPA review course?

Most students who are successful in passing the CPA examination on the first attempt have participated in an organized review.  It is not a requirement but certainly can help students prepare.

8.  What is the Masters of Accountancy (MSA) Program?

One path to meeting the academic requirements for the CPA exam is to earn a graduate accountancy degree.  Notre Dame has one of the top programs – the Masters of Accountancy Program – in the country.  Even students who have 150 hours of college credit have earned the MSA degree in order to enhance their academic knowledge and expedite their careers.  Students are encouraged to visit the Notre Dame MSA office and discuss the program – even if they can meet the academic requirements without the degree. Students may begin this program in August or January depending on when they complete their undergraduate work.

9.  How should I get started?

The first step is to understand the education requirements for a CPA license in the state(s) you are considering working.   For many states the education requirements are included on the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) website (NASBA CPA Exam link).  If the NASBA website does not include the education requirements for your desired state(s), it will include a link to the website for the applicable state board.  Once you understand the requirements for the state(s) you are considering, assess if your scheduled courses will meet the requirements.

HELPFUL RESOURCES/LINKS

Due to constantly changing rules, always go to the website for your state to verify you have the most recent version.

National Information

AICPA CPA exam toolkit – provides a CPA exam overview

NASBA  provides links to the state requirements for the CPA exam for all 50 states

State specific Information(for a few states)

California - CPA Requirements(license)

Florida – Process to be a CPA(sit and license)

Illinois - CPA requirements(sit and license)

Illinois – New applicant process overview

Illinois – Template for approved classes: Illinois requires approved ethics and business communications classes. Find the Notre Dame template for approved courses on this website

New York - CPA requirements(license): be aware that they have separate requirements for new license applications before 8/1/27 and after (and you need 1 year of experience before you can apply for your license - which is different from applying to "sit" for the CPA exam)

Texas - CPA requirements (sit)

• Last Edited October 28, 2024