Certifying into the major

Students on all campuses must meet the following requirements to qualify for certification into a business major:

• Complete the following certification courses with a GPA of 2.50 or better (EconS 101 and 102, Engl 101, Acctg 230 and 231, B Law 210, MgtOp 215, Math 201 and 202, MIS 250) and
• Have a cumulative WSU GPA of at least 2.5 and
• Have earned at least 60 credits

On the Pullman campus, certifying as a business major is competitive and course enrollments are limited.  Pullman campus students are required to apply online to be considered for certification.  If the applicant meets the minimum requirements above, he or she is then ranked by academic performance.  The top students are then certified based on the number of spots available that semester.

On all campuses, transfer course grades will be used to calculate the certification GPA, but they are not included in the WSU cumulative GPA.

Students desiring to certify their business major on the Online, Tri-Cities, or Vancouver campuses should contact a business advisor on that campus for specifics about certifying their major.

Note: Certification is required for enrollment in all 300- and 400-level business courses.

Signature Courses

Management and Operations majors must choose a track.  The Operations track emphasizes the statistical side of management.  The Organizational track emphasizes the management of personnel.  All management and operations majors must take MgtOp 401 - Leadership Skills.

Courses in the Organizational Track

MgtOp 412 - Data Analysis & Business Forecasting
MgtOp 418 - Quality Improvement for Management
MgtOp 452 - Supply Chain Management in the Digital Age
MgtOp 470 - Business Modeling with Spreadsheets

Courses in the Operations Track

MgtOp 315 - Women in Management and Leadership
MgtOp 450 - Personnel & Human Resources Management
MgtOp 453 - Comparative International Management
MgtOp 455 - Staffing
MgtOp 456 - Compensation Administration
MgtOp 487 - Business Ethics
MgtOp 489 - Entrepreneurial Management

Note: See the WSU Catalog for degree requirements and talk with your academic advisor about planning and scheduling your courses. All students must meet requirements as outlined in the catalog in order to graduate.

• Four full-time advisors are available to assist in students' academic planning.
• WSU has one of about 100 business programs in the U.S. where all business and accounting programs are fully accredited by AACSB International at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels.
• All business and economics courses are in a centralized, state-of-the-art building with wireless computing capability throughout.
• Learn from internationally recognized professors. Management and Operations faculty was ranked #18 for published research in 2004.
• WSU's management and operations faculty form close relationships with students, bring current research into courses, and provide career guidance.

—Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a Major in Management and Operations

REQUIREMENTS FOR JOINING PROGRAM
After taking 60 credit hours, completing 10 required business courses (Econ 101 and 102, Engl 101, Acct 230 and 231, B Law 210, MgtOp 215, Math 201 and 202, MIS 250), and earning a 2.5 GPA, students can certify into a specific major within business, such as management and operations.

• NOTE: Certification is required for enrollment in all 300- and 400-level business courses.

REQUIRED BUSINESS COURSES
In addition to University general education requirements, management and operations students must take the following courses:
Econ 101—Fundamentals of Microeconomics
Econ 102—Fundamentals of Macroeconomics
Engl 101—Introduction to Writing
Acctg 230—Introduction to Financial Accounting
Acctg 231—Introduction to Managerial Accounting
B Law 210—Law and the Legal Environment of Business
MgtOp 215—Statistics
Math 201—Introduction to Finite Math for Business and Economics
Math 202—Introduction to Math Analysis for Business and Economics
MIS 250—Managing Information Technology
MgtOp 340—Operations Management
Fin 325—Finance
MgtOp 301—Principles of Management and Organization
Mktg 360—Marketing
Engl 402—Technical and Professional Writing
     or Engl 403—Technical and Professional Writing ESL
MgtOp 491—Business Strategy and Policy
     or 492—Small Business Policy
Any [C] ComSt or HD class
Any three-credit Pol S class
Any [D or S] Soc or Psych class

REQUIRED MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS COURSES
MgtOp 401—Leadership Skills
Choose six from:
MgtOp 315—Women in Management & Leadership
MgtOp 412[M]—Data Analysis & Business Forecasting
MgtOp 418—Quality Improvement for Management
MgtOp 440[M]—Adv Operations for Management
MgtOp 450—Personnel & Human Resources Management
MgtOp 452[M]—Supply Chain Management
MgtOp 453—Comparative International Management
MgtOp 455—Staffing
MgtOp 456[M]—Compensation Administration
MgtOp 470—Business Modeling
MgtOp 483[M]—Macro Organizational Behavior
MgtOp 485—Negotiation Skills
Mgtop 487—Business Ethics
MgtOp 489—Entrepreneurial Management
MgtOp 496—Seminar
Or one Bus/Econ 300-400 level elective
     The Operations Management career track requires at least four courses from: MgtOp 412, 418, 440, 452, 470. The Organization Management career track requires at least four courses from: MgtOp 315, 450, 453, 455, 456, 483, 485, 487, 489, 496.

Note: See the WSU Catalog (http://www.catalog.wsu.edu/Pullman) for degree requirements and talk with your academic advisor about planning and scheduling your courses. All students must meet requirements as outlined in the catalog in order to graduate.

The Department of Management and Operations provides scholarships to students each year. Many business college scholarships are also available to management and operations students. For information, see the College of Business scholarships Web page.

A variety of state, federal, and university-sponsored programs are available to help students with educational costs. Washington State University awards millions of dollars in financial aid and scholarships to students every year based on financial need, academic merit, or a combination of the two.

Students should complete the Washington State University general scholarship application and the FAFSA to ensure their eligibility for the widest range of scholarships and need-based financial aid.

For information or to apply for financial aid and scholarships from WSU, see the Scholarships and Finances section of the WSU website.

The Management and Operations Club hosts guest speakers from industry who, among other things, provide advice on resume writing and interview techniques. The club also provides a link with the Department of Management and Operations and the College of Business for information on internship and job opportunities.
Management and operations students are welcome to join College of Business student clubs.

A major in Management and Operations prepares students for work in manufacturing, service, for-profit, non-profit, and government organizations. Typically, graduates start in entry-level positions that can include, but are not limited to, management-training programs, supervisory positions, section or team leaders, or junior management positions. Graduates have accepted jobs at large organizations such as Battelle, Boeing, Boise Cascade, Enterprise, Ferguson, Microsoft, and Weyerhaeuser. They have also accepted jobs at smaller organizations, gone into family firms, or started their own business.

A wide variety of internships are available for juniors and seniors for a summer, semester, or full academic year. The new Carson Center for Professional Development provides numerous options for students to develop personal and professional skills that go beyond academics, and to seek internships and jobs. WSU students can benefit from career fairs that bring recruiters to campus and the region each year to talk about opportunities. The University also maintains a database of organizations seeking student interns.

Salaries vary widely, from those who start their own business and sacrifice present income for future growth to those who enter large organizations with established pay scales. Typical starting salaries may range between $35-55,000.