Business Administration (General Business) BSBA

Earn your online Business Administration degree from Southern Miss!

Program-at-a-Glance (Undergraduate)

Credit Hours:

Total Hours: 120

Major Area of Study: 21

Additional Requirements: 55-58

Cost per Credit Hour:

$389.59

Calculate Your Tuition

Completion Time:

2-4 years full-time

Accreditation:

AACSB

Special Requirements:

No additional requirements

Learn more about this program:

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and submit the form again.

Thank you for your interest in Online at Southern Miss!

Ready to take the next step?

Apply Now!
Apply By JAN 11 To Begin By JAN 18 | No Out-of-State Tuition

If you’re looking to explore the ever-changing nature of the economy, an online Business Administration Degree (BSBA) from The University of Mississippi will help you make your mark on the business world. This emphasis is appropriate for students who wish to obtain a business degree but who do not wish to specialize in a specific area of emphasis. The online business degree also allows students the most flexibility to custom design their program of study.

This online business degree allows you to focus on a general business plan of study, giving you the flexibility to dive into a range of opportunities. Instead of focusing on one specialization, you can cast a wider net, and experience more aspects of the business sector, including retail, merchandising, management, hotel operations, and so many more. You can take classes in tourism, e-commerce, and you’ll even be introduced to marketing within health care. If you’re looking to be able to handle anything, a Business Administration degree will help you do more!

This is your opportunity to excel in the limitless world of business. With this affordable online program, you can advance your career and open the door to more opportunities in the workforce without having to come to campus! Are you ready to take the next step in your career? Join The University of Southern Mississippi today! Looking for more? Our enrollment coaches are standing by. Click here for more info! This is your life, plus college.

If you’re looking for a BSBA that focuses more on business management, visit our Management BSBA page. We also have programs for Human Resources, and Marketing as well.

A number of scholarship opportunities are available for online students! Our Online Student Scholarship gives first time, fully online students an opportunity for $500 towards their first semester. To get started with our Online Student Scholarship, or to view our list of available scholarships for which you may qualify, visit our Student Scholarship page now!

Your Future

Check out some of the jobs our graduates landed after earning this degree:
  • Branch/Store Manager
  • Customer Service Manager
  • Business Analyst
  • Business Operations Specialist
  • General Manager
  • Business Continuity Planner
  • Project Manager
  • Consultant
  • Purchasing Manager
  • Executive Assistant
  • Human Resource Administrator
  • Insurance Sales Agent
National Salary Averages* image of the career salaries for business professions
A picture of our enrollment coach ready to help you find your online degree

We are here to help! Our enrollment coaches are standing by to help you take the next step.

We’ll call you soon! In the meantime, learn more about us from our blog or start your application.

General Education Curriculum

Written Communication (6 hours)

Course Credits
Composition One
3 hrs.
Composition Two
3 hrs.

Natural Science (8-10 hours minimum)

Select 2 courses with labs:

Course Credits
Biology and Society *
3 hrs.
Principles of Biological Science I *
3 hrs.
Principles of Biological Science II *
3 hrs.
Chemistry and Our Environment *
3 hrs.
Weather and Climate *
3 hrs.
General Physics I *
3 hrs.
General Physics II *
3 hrs.

Humanities (9 hours)

Course Credits
World Literature
3 hrs.

Select 2 courses, 1 history required:

Course Credits
World Civilizations: Beginnings to 1500 C.E.
3 hrs.
World Civilizations: 1500 C.E. to present
3 hrs.
Introduction to Philosophy
3 hrs.
Ethics and Good Living
3 hrs.
Comparative Religion
3 hrs.

Aesthetic Values (3 hours)

Select 1 Course:

Course Credits
Art Appreciation
3 hrs.
Dance Appreciation
3 hrs.
The Enjoyment of Music
3 hrs.

Social and Behavioral Sciences (6 hours)

Select 2 courses:

Course Credits
The Human Experience: A Global Perspective on Human Diversity
3 hrs.
Concepts of Wellness
3 hrs.
Basic Economics
3 hrs.
World Geography: Dynamics of a Changing Earth
3 hrs.
American Government
3 hrs.
General Psychology
3 hrs.
Understanding Society: Principles of Sociology
3 hrs.

Mathematic (3 hours)

Course Credits
Cognitive Reasoning
3 hrs.
College Algebra
3 hrs.
Higher-level MAT course
3 hrs.

Writing-Intensive Requirement (Major Area)

Select 1 course:

Course Credits
Technical Writing
3 hrs.
Organizational Communications
3 hrs.
Business Communications
3 hrs.

ENG 101 & ENG 102 prerequisites

Capstone Requirement (Major Area)

Course Credits
Global Managerial Policy and Strategy
3 hrs.

Must be taken Senior year, ENG 101 & ENG 102 prerequisites

Program Curriculum

Major Area of Study Requirements (21 hours)

Select 21 hours of 300 or 400 level College of Business courses beyond the College of Business Core with no more than 15 hours from any one discipline.

The following courses have been approved for online delivery and satisfy the requirements above.

Professional Selling Certificate

Course Credits
Professional Selling
3 hrs.
Advanced Professional Selling
3 hrs.
Sales Management
3 hrs.

Select 1 course:

Course Credits
Supply Chain Management
3 hrs.
Business-to-Business Marketing
3 hrs.
Supervised Field Experience in Marketing
3 hrs.
Retail Management and Strategy
3 hrs.
Marketing in the Health Care Industry
3 hrs.
Strategic Hospitality Sales
3 hrs.

Retail Merchandising Certificate

Course Credits
Principles of Merchandising
3 hrs.
Retail Promotion
3 hrs.
Retail Buying and Assortment Planning
3 hrs.

Select 1 course:

Course Credits
Retail Merchandising Internship
3 hrs.
Supervised Field Experience in Marketing
3 hrs.
Retail Management and Strategy
3 hrs.

Casino Resort Management & Marketing Certificate

Course Credits
Casino and Resort Operations
3 hrs.
Casino and Resort Marketing
3 hrs.

Select 2 courses:

Course Credits
Customer Services Management
3 hrs.
Hotel Operations
3 hrs.
E-Commerce in Hospitality and Tourism
3 hrs.
Revenue Management in Hospitality Operations
3 hrs.
Integrated Marketing Communications
3 hrs.
Sales Management
3 hrs.
Retail Management and Strategy
3 hrs.

*HTM 378 is the prerequisite for HTM 472.

** MKT 300 is the prerequisite for MKT 355, MKT 430 and MKT 444.

Apparel Construction and Design Certificate

Course Credits
Textiles
3 hrs.
Introduction to Costume *
3 hrs.

Select two courses:

Course Credits
Societal Influences on Consumer Behavior
3 hrs.
History of Apparel
3 hrs.
Consumer Product Development
3 hrs.
Costume Design
3 hrs.
Costume Technology Studio
3 hrs.
Advanced Costume Design
3 hrs.

Supply Chain Management Certificate

Course Credits
Supply Chain Management
3 hrs.
Operations and Logistics Concepts
3 hrs.

Select two courses:

Course Credits
Business-to-Business Marketing
3 hrs.
Retail Buying and Assortment Planning
3 hrs.
Sustainability and Global Sourcing
3 hrs.
Global Supply Chain Management
3 hrs.
Financial Management
3 hrs.
Short-Term Financial Management
3 hrs.

Management Essentials Certificate

Course Credits
Human Resource Management
3 hrs.
Introduction to Entrepreneurship
3 hrs.
Organizational Behavior
3 hrs.
International Management
3 hrs.

Personal Finanance Certificate

Course Credits
Personal Finance
3 hrs.
Financial Analysis
3 hrs.
Estate and Business Planning
3 hrs.
Real Estate Principles
3 hrs.

Additional Requirements (55-58 hours)

College of Business Core Courses

Course Credits
Introduction to Financial Accounting
3 hrs.
Introduction to Managerial Accounting
3 hrs.
The Legal Environment of Business
3 hrs.
Applied Business Analytics
3 hrs.
Business Analytics II
3 hrs.
Principles of Macroeconomics
3 hrs.
Principles of Microeconomics
3 hrs.

Select and approved College of Business international course

Course Credits
Principles of Finance
3 hrs.
Management of Organizations
3 hrs.
Operations Management
3 hrs.
Global Managerial Policy and Strategy
3 hrs.
Management Information Systems
3 hrs.
Principles of Marketing
3 hrs.

Select 1 course:

Course Credits
Business Analytics I
3 hrs.
Introduction to Statistics of the Behavioral Sciences
3 hrs.
Statistical Methods I
3 hrs.
Elementary Statistics
3 hrs.

Additional BSBA Requirements

Select 1 course:

Course Credits
Technical Writing
3 hrs.
Organizational Communications
3 hrs.
Business Communication
3 hrs.

Select 1 course:

Course Credits
Business English
3 hrs.
Computer Applications in Business Technology
3 hrs.
Advanced Grammar
3 hrs.

a single foreign language course

Select 2 course (MAT 102 required):

Course Credits
College Algebra
3 hrs.
Brief Applied Calculus
3 hrs.
Calculus for the Arts of Sciences
3 hrs.

Electives

Choose electives as needed with adviser’s approval. Non-business courses recommended. (See Hours to Degree below.)

Additional Note

Please note that the above information is meant to be a guide and is not official. For further information regarding courses for this degree, see the University Bulletin. Please be aware that not all course choices listed in the University Bulletin are available online. However, sufficient online options are available to complete this degree.

* Requires additional 1 hour lab
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my credits transfer?

Southern Miss allows you to transfer up to 62 credit hours from an accredited institution.

Yes, there are lab fees which range from $20 – $50 for this degree.

The Undergraduate Admissions website will provide information for the steps you’ll need to complete in order to be admitted to Southern Miss.

As an online student, you may complete an online application to Southern Miss and do not have to make an in-person visit to the campus. The online student academic adviser for the College of Business and Economic Development will advise you via e-mail, phone, Skype or by other mutually agreeable methods. Once you’ve been advised and cleared to register for classes, you may add classes via SOAR (Southern’s Online Accessible Records).

To find pricing information, visit our pricing page. For financial aid information, view our financial aid page. For detailed tuition information, visit our business services page.

Follow this link and choose the term that applies to view the costs associated with part-time enrollment.

You should NOT be charged out-of-state fees, because the online classes are considered in-residence.

Contact the online Business Administration degree academic adviser, Linda Jordan, at linda.jordan@usm.edu or 228.214.3433. In your correspondence please include your USM student ID# and the semester for which you are seeking advisement as well as the number of classes or credit hours you want to take.

You may not be able to enroll in an online Business Administration degree course if you do not have the necessary pre-requisite(s), all sections of the class are full, or the class is not offered that semester.

An online academic adviser from the College of Business can perform an Unofficial Transfer Evaluation if you email (linda.jordan@usm.edu) or fax (228.214.3475) a copy of all college-level courses completed at other institutions. However, the evaluation is only an estimate of possible transfer of classes and only the official Southern Miss transcript reflects the courses that the university accepts.

Yes, the College of Business has a career services office that assists students in finding career positions after earning your online Business Administration degree.

All students in the College of Business are encouraged to be advised prior to enrolling in classes for the next semester. Please contact your academic adviser, Linda Jordan, at linda.jordan@usm.edu or 228.214.3433. Once you have been advised you will be given access to register for courses in SOAR (Southern’s Online Accessible Records).

Follow this link and choose the term that applies.

You must enroll in at least 12 credit hours in order to have full-time status in the spring and fall semesters and at least 9 credit hours in order to have full-time status in the summer semester.

No, as an online student, you will not need to provide MMR immunization documentation for admission to the University.

Yes, you’ll start and end classes on the same dates as face-to-face students.

Admission Requirements

The following is required from all undergraduate applicants:

  • Application for Undergraduate Admission
  • $45 non-refundable application fee
  • An official high school transcript for freshman (high school) applicants OR official transcripts from all institutions attended after high school for transfer applicants
  • Submission of ACT or SAT scores for freshman (high school) applicants
  • Documentation of two doses of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) immunization. Upload a copy of your proof of immunization.

Students should be mindful of admission deadlines. For a full list of admission requirements, see the University Admission Policies.

Academic Policies and Requirements for Programs:

The University of Southern Mississippi is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools of Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Additionally, the online Business Administration degree is also accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). That means you can expect a program with the highest standards and quality.