The standard undergraduate business curriculum covers ~40 courses across business core (accounting, finance, organizational behavior), marketing concentration (principles, consumer behavior, IMC, brand management, research), and electives. This hub maps the typical four-year sequence so students can plan course selection, prepare for upcoming material, and connect concepts across courses.
The structure
The roadmap covers four years. Year 1: foundation (intro courses, calculus, statistics). Year 2: business core (financial accounting, microeconomics, marketing principles, OB). Year 3: marketing concentration (consumer behavior, marketing research, IMC, brand management). Year 4: integration (capstone strategy, electives, internships). Each year builds on previous; sequencing matters.
Step-by-step walkthrough
- Year 1: Foundation — calculus, statistics, intro economics
- Year 2: Business core — accounting, finance, organizational behavior, marketing principles
- Year 3: Marketing concentration — consumer behavior, research, IMC, brand management
- Year 4: Capstone — strategic management, electives, internship
- Plan course sequence based on prerequisites
- Connect concepts across courses (e.g., consumer behavior informs IMC)
- Track frameworks across courses (SWOT in OB, in marketing, in strategy)
- Use breaks for portfolio building and networking
Pitfalls when using this hub
- Skipping prerequisites
- Not connecting concepts across courses
- Treating capstone as standalone
- Skipping internship or research opportunities
- Not building portfolio across courses
How to use this hub
Use this hub for course selection, semester planning, and concept integration. The discipline of connecting frameworks across courses (e.g., recognizing that SWOT appears in OB, marketing, and strategy with different applications) builds the integrated thinking employers reward.