The Discover Business program in the University of Dayton’s School of Business Administration is built for curious, open-minded students like you who are ready to find where they belong. From day one, you'll be part of a first-year cohort, a built-in community of peers exploring business right alongside you, backed by a full range of support designed to help you discover your path with confidence.
Coming in unsure is something to celebrate, not stress over. Keeping your options open is the mindset that leads to the best-fit decisions. The Discover Business program turns your open-mindedness into an advantage, giving you personalized guidance and hands-on experiences to explore with intention instead of guessing.
Your first-year cohort takes both BIZ 101 (fall) and BIZ 103 (spring) together, giving you a consistent community of peers to explore, ask questions and grow with all year long. You can also stack the Business Honors DoUBLE leadership experience with your Discover Business cohort.
You are paired with a holistic advisor from day one who gets to know you personally. Your advisor guides your exploration in and out of the classroom by teaching your first two Career Flight Plan courses (BIZ 101 and BIZ 103).
Through co-curricular deep dives into different business fields, you get hands-on exposure to diverse career paths — empowering you to make an informed choice, not a guess.
Go beyond the classroom with site visits and up-close experiences with professionals in regional business hubs, giving you a real feel for what different careers actually look like.
You'll work directly with a faculty micro-mentor who is invested in your personal success, academic growth and long-term goals.
UD Career Services works alongside your cohort from your very first semester, helping you connect your interests to real professional opportunities well before senior year.
Officially declaring your major is a moment to celebrate. Mark the milestone at an end-of-year celebration alongside your peers, faculty and the dean of the School of Business Administration.
The University of Dayton School of Business Administration is dual-accredited by AACSB International — the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business — with additional specialized accreditation for our accounting program. Fewer than 2% of business schools worldwide hold this prestigious dual-accreditation of accounting and business.
Read the Discover Business program FAQ for information on careers, student involvement, skills gained and more.
Explore admission options or schedule an academic visit to learn more about business analytics at UD.
At the University of Dayton, applying is free and test scores are optional. When you apply, you'll automatically be considered for a merit scholarship.
Learn about our admission process, then apply using UD's application or the Common App.
Rooted in our Catholic, Marianist traditions, the University of Dayton is dedicated to being transparent and ensuring student success. And with high graduation and success rates, UD is an excellent value.
To help you cover your costs, a variety of scholarships, grants, loans and part-time work study are available. The University also accepts transfer credits and credit by exam for undergraduates, giving you more flexibility to add a double major or minor or participate in a transformational experience like study abroad or co-op.
You should be prepared to declare a major by the end of your second year, and will follow the plan for the selected major.
A Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree requires a total of 120 credit hours. See the Academic Catalog for official major requirements, prerequisite(s), course descriptions and more.
In the Discover Business program, you'll work toward a degree and attend courses like BIZ 101 (Launching Your Business Career and Foundations for Success) and BIZ 103 (Develop Your Vocation and Career Flight Plan) during your first year while deciding their major. These courses cover the curriculum and careers of each program, as well as ways you can achieve other academic goals, like finding complementary minors, double majors and abroad and away opportunities. Holistic academic advisors teach these courses to provide you with additional support outside of the classroom and can make referrals to faculty micro-mentors for added academic and industry insights.
Once a major is declared, that will determine the coursework required and degree awarded upon graduation.
This is a sample plan of study for students starting at UD in the 2026-27 academic year. This is a recommended course sequence, but your schedule may vary depending on previously earned college credits, course availability, advisor recommendations and your personal goals and interests. Please contact the recruitment and admission team (prospective students) or your holistic advisor (current students) with questions.
Students should be prepared to declare a major by the end of their second year, and will follow the plan for the selected major.
Note: A Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree requires a total of 120 credit hours. See the Academic Catalog for official major requirements, prerequisite(s), course descriptions and more.
At the University of Dayton, our flexible undergraduate curriculum, known as the Common Academic Program (CAP), encourages you to integrate knowledge — and put it to use.
Wondering how college credits you've already earned (e.g., transfer credit, CCP, AP/IB/CLEP exams) will apply to your undergraduate degree? Use our online Transfer Credit Evaluation tool to find out.
Wondering how college credits you've already earned (e.g., transfer credit, CCP, AP/IB/CLEP exams) will apply to your undergraduate degree? Use our online Transfer Credit Evaluation tool to find out.
Get more than your foot in the door — get ready for success. At our School of Business Administration, you will have the opportunity to combine the classroom and business world together in a way that allows you to further sharpen your skills. It’s a key reason why employers love hiring our students — they can hit the ground running.
At the University of Dayton, you'll have a supportive community dedicated to fueling your success. Through guaranteed, real-world experience, you'll build the skills and confidence needed to be workforce ready.
Let’s explore the possibilities. Now you know what we’re about: community, personal attention, hands-on learning, integrity and global thinking. Take the next step and connect with us today.
The Discover Business program is a pathway designed for students who know they want a career in business but are still deciding on a specific field. You're directly admitted into the School of Business Administration with a clear plan of study for the first few semesters so you can stay on track to graduate.
Yes, absolutely. The curriculum is intentionally structured so that your first-year coursework satisfies general education and core business requirements. As you transition into your second year, you can easily tailor and modify your coursework to align with the specific majors you are considering. This flexible approach ensures you can explore your options deeply while still graduating in four years, just like students who declared their major on day one.
This exploration is built directly into the core coursework completed by all first-year business students, specifically through foundational classes, where you'll engage in structured self-assessments to identify your unique strengths and professional interests. You'll hear directly from faculty, alumni and industry professionals to gain a realistic, practical understanding of career paths.
Yes. Every Discover Business student is paired with a dedicated holistic academic advisor who specializes in helping students navigate their options. Because we believe in consistent, personal connections, you'll also see your holistic academic advisor in the classroom; they teach BIZ 101 (Launching Your Business Career) during the fall of your first year and BIZ 103 (Develop Your Vocation and Career Flight Plan) in the spring, allowing them to truly get to know you and support your journey from day one.
Yes! Relationships are important at UD. All holistic academic advisors in the School of Business Administration can support your pathway to any business major.
During your first year, you will build a solid foundation with BIZ 201 (Business Cases and Communications), ECO 203 (Principles of Microeconomics), ECO 204 (Principles of Macroeconomics), MGT 101 (Entrepreneurial, Innovative and Creative Mindsets) and MGT 201 (Legal and Ethical Environment of Business). Designed to maximize your degree path, three of these courses also satisfy requirements under the Common Academic Program (CAP), meaning you fulfill general education and business core elements simultaneously.
You will also complete Career Flight Plan courses BIZ 101 (Launching Your Business Career) during the fall of your first year and BIZ 103 (Develop Your Vocation and Career Flight Plan).
Definitely. From your very first semester, you'll have full access to all School of Business Administration resources, since you have been directly admitted. This includes professional student organizations, business-specific networking events, case competitions and career services to help you secure internships.
Because our business majors share a common core curriculum during the first two years, transitioning from Discover Business to a declared major rarely impacts your graduation timeline, if you declare your major by your third semester. We always recommend discussing your plans with your holistic academic advisor as early as possible to ensure you stay on schedule for your specific goals.
Unlike general undecided programs, you are a fully admitted business student from day one. You will take business courses immediately, learn from business faculty and participate in business-specific professional development, all within a highly supportive, close-knit community.
Most Discover Business students declare their specific major by the end of their first year, though you have until the middle or end of your sophomore year to make a formal decision, depending on the business major you plan to pursue.
If you discover your passions lie elsewhere, your holistic academic advisor will help you transition smoothly to another unit within UD.
Our advising staff are here to support you throughout your Discover Business program journey at UD.