Changing Your Major to Business
Colleges have varying policies when it comes to how applicants gain entrance to their business school. Some schools such as Boston College, USC, or Penn allow you to apply directly out of high school. Other schools require freshmen to first complete certain prerequisite courses, earn a strong GPA, and then transfer internally prior to the start of sophomore year. At universities that do allow high school students to apply directly to a business program, it is still important for applicants to be aware of how challenging it is to transfer into that institution’s College of Business. This knowledge can assist prospective applicants who are a) considering applying to an alternative major and later transferring into business or b) deciding whether they would consider enrolling in a school that rejects them from a College of Business, but offers them a place in the College of Arts & Sciences.
The table below provides this important information for a number of top business programs. Column headers are defined below:
Direct Admit – Indicates whether prospective undergraduates can be admitted directly into a business major.
Prerequisites – Links to the institutional webpage that details requirements for transferring into a business major.
Minimum Progress – Indicates the minimum number of credits, semesters, or quarters needed to transfer into a business major.
Minimum GPAÂ – Indicates the minimum GPA one must possess to be considered for admission into a business major. At most institutions, earning the minimum GPA does not guarantee admission.
Difficulty – An ordinal rating (from “Less” to “Very”) indicating how difficult it is to transfer into a business major.
More Info – Links to an institutional webpage providing more detail about how current students can transfer into a business major. If there is no additional info beyond what is provided in the institutions “Prerequisites” page, links for “Prerequisites” and “More Info” are identical.
*At institutions where there is no direct admission, requirements for declaring/moving into a business major are indicated.Â
Table updated September 2025
For institutions with an asterisk (*) , click the + to view additional information about the program.Â
| Institution | Direct Admit | Prerequisites | Minimum Progress | Minimum GPA | Difficulty | More Info | Notes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 104151 | ASU | Arizona State University - Tempe | Arizona State University - Tempe | Yes | https://wpcarey.asu.edu/undergraduate-degrees/admission-requirements | 30 credits | 3.4 | Moderate | |||
| 164924 | BC | Boston College* | Boston College* | Yes | https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/schools/carroll-school/undergraduate/faq.html | 2 semesters | 3.4 | Very | 10 eligible students admitted via lottery | ||
| 164988 | BU | Boston University* | Boston University* | Yes | https://www.bu.edu/academics/questrom/policies/intra-university-transfer/ | 5 courses | 2.0 | Moderate | Must earn a minimum grade of C in four of the classes, and no less than a C- in the fifth course | ||
| 165015 | Brandeis University | Brandeis University | No | https://www.brandeis.edu/business/undergraduate/apply.html | 3 courses | 2.0 | Moderate-to-Very | ||||
| 211291 | Bucknell University* | Bucknell University* | Yes | https://coursecatalog.bucknell.edu/collegeofmanagementcurricula/curriculaoverview/majors/ | - | - | - | Enrollment in BSBA program is limited to students who were admitted directly into the Freeman College of Management at the time of their initial application to Bucknell | |||
| 211440 | CMU | Carnegie Mellon University | Carnegie Mellon University | Yes | https://www.cmu.edu/tepper/programs/undergraduate-business/admissions/transfer-students.html | 2 semesters/5 courses | None | Moderate-to-Very | |||
| 201645 | CWRU | Case Western Reserve University | Case Western Reserve University | Yes | https://case.edu/weatherhead/academics/apply | None | None | Less | |||
| 231624 | W & M | William & Mary* | William & Mary* | No | https://mason.wm.edu/undergraduate/admissions/requirements/index.php | 54 credits/5 courses | None | Moderate | Total of 220 students admitted per year | ||
| 190415 | Cornell University* | Cornell University* | Yes | https://dyson.cornell.edu/programs/undergraduate/admissions/internal-transfer/ | 2 semesters/4 courses | 3.0 | Very | Application process is competitive (those meeting requirements are not guaranteed entry) | |||
| 139658 | Emory University | Emory University | No | https://goizueta.emory.edu/undergraduate-business-degree/eligibility/application | 30 hours/4 courses | None | Moderate | ||||
| 131469 | GW | George Washington University | George Washington University | Yes | https://registrar.gwu.edu/undergraduate-internal-transfer | 2 semesters/3 courses | 2.7 | Moderate | |||
| 131496 | GU | Georgetown University | Georgetown University | Yes | https://bulletin.georgetown.edu/schools-programs/msb/degree-requirements-and-academic-policies/?_gl=1*1hd78f9*_ga*MjE4NDg2MDUuMTY5OTk5OTU4Mw..*_ga_BJ59XJGFKH*MTcwMTg4MjM4OC4xLjEuMTcwMTg4MzAyNy42MC4wLjA.*_ga_NJT54L19TN*MTcwMTg4MjM4OC4xLjEuMTcwMTg4MzAyNy4wLjAuMA..#_ga=2.98595294.1933688840.1701802428-21848605.1699999583 | 2 semesters | 3.0 | Moderate | |||
| 139755 | Georgia Tech | Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus | Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus | Yes | https://www.scheller.gatech.edu/degree-programs/undergraduate/student-services/change-of-major-meeting/index.html | 1 semester | 2.3 | Less-to-Moderate | |||
| 213543 | Lehigh University | Lehigh University | Yes | https://businessundergrad.lehigh.edu/advising/college-change-process | 24 credits/2 courses | 2.0 | Less-to-Moderate | ||||
| 166683 | MIT | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | No | https://registrar.mit.edu/registration-academics/academic-requirements/majors-minors/changing-major | None | None | Less | |||
| 204024 | Miami University - Oxford* | Miami University - Oxford* | Yes | https://www.miamioh.edu/fsb/admission/current-student/index.html | 30 credits/2 courses | 3.5 | Moderate | Will admit all students who meet the admission requirements | |||
| 171100 | MSU | Michigan State University* | Michigan State University* | Yes | https://broad.msu.edu/undergraduate/admissions/secondary/ | 28 credits/4 courses | 3.2 | Moderate | Application process is competitive (those meeting requirements are not guaranteed entry); 34-54% of eligible applicants were admitted per semester over the past two years | ||
| 193900 | NYU | New York University* | New York University* | Yes | https://www.nyu.edu/admissions/undergraduate-admissions/how-to-apply/internal-transfers/internal-transfer-additional-requirements.html | 1 semester/2 courses | None | Very | Application process is competitive (those meeting requirements are not guaranteed entry) | ||
| 199193 | NC State | North Carolina State University at Raleigh* | North Carolina State University at Raleigh* | Yes | https://studentservices.ncsu.edu/your-degree/coda-home/coda/pcom/ | 15 credits/2 courses | 2.9 | Moderate | Application process is competitive (those meeting requirements are not guaranteed entry); Candidates who meet preferred qualifications have a higher probability of being approved (Less than 30 hours: 3.2 GPA; More than 30 hours: 3.2 GPA or 3.0 Pooler College GPA) | ||
| 167358 | Northeastern University | Northeastern University | Yes | https://damore-mckim.northeastern.edu/resources/change-of-major/ | None | 2.0 | Less-to-Moderate | ||||
| 204796 | OSU | Ohio State University - Main Campus* | Ohio State University - Main Campus* | Yes | https://fisher.osu.edu/undergraduate/admissions/current-osu-students | 26 credits/2 courses | 3.1 | Moderate-to-Very | Application process is competitive (those meeting requirements are not guaranteed entry) | ||
| 214777 | Penn State | Pennsylvania State University - Main Campus | Pennsylvania State University - Main Campus | No | https://ugstudents.smeal.psu.edu/academics-advising/get-into-a-smeal-major/smeal-college-entrance-to-major-2025-26 | 36 credits/8 courses | 3.0 to 3.5 | Moderate-to-Very | |||
| 243780 | Purdue University - Main Campus* | Purdue University - Main Campus* | No | https://catalog.purdue.edu/content.php?catoid=18&navoid=24210&hl#school-of-business | 12-30 credits/0-5 courses | 2.5 - 3.5 | Moderate-to-Very | Limited spots for Integrated Business & Engineering and Integrated Business & Engineering+Industrial Engineering; Pre-Accounting, Pre-Business Analytics & Information Management, Pre-Economics, Pre-Finance, Pre-General Marketing, Pre-Marketing, and Pre-Supply Chain & Operations Management require 3.5 GPA but no prerequisite courses | |||
| 186380 | Rutgers University - New Brunswick* | Rutgers University - New Brunswick* | Yes | https://www.business.rutgers.edu/undergraduate-new-brunswick/rutgers-transfers | 24 credits/2 courses | 2.8 | Moderate-to-Very | Application process is competitive (those meeting requirements are not guaranteed entry) | |||
| 122931 | SCU | Santa Clara University* | Santa Clara University* | Yes | https://www.scu.edu/business/undergraduates/academics/internal-transfer-process/ | 2 quarters | 3.0 | Moderate-to-Very | Application process is competitive (those meeting requirements are not guaranteed entry); Acceptance rate is around 30% | ||
| 228246 | SMU | Southern Methodist University* | Southern Methodist University* | Yes | https://www.smu.edu/cox/Degrees-and-Programs/BBA/High-School-Class-of-2020#:~:text=minor%20in%20business.-,Internal%20Transfer%20Process,be%20submitted%20by%20May%2016. | 24 credits | 3.7 | Very | Application process is competitive (those meeting requirements are not guaranteed entry) | ||
| 196413 | Syracuse University* | Syracuse University* | Yes | https://whitman.syracuse.edu/undergraduate-advising-resources/intra-university-transfer | 30 credits/2 courses | None | Moderate-to-Very | Application process is competitive (those meeting requirements are not guaranteed entry) | |||
| 228723 | Texas A&M University - College Station | Texas A&M University - College Station | Yes | https://mays.tamu.edu/application-process/ | 27 credits/4 courses | 3.5 | Moderate-to-Very | ||||
| 228778 | UT Austin | The University of Texas at Austin* | The University of Texas at Austin* | Yes | https://my.mccombs.utexas.edu/bba/internal-transfer/ | 24 hours/4 courses | 3.25 | Very | Application process is competitive (those meeting requirements are not guaranteed entry) | ||
| 160755 | Tulane University of Louisiana | Tulane University of Louisiana | Yes | https://catalog.tulane.edu/business/ | None | 2.0 | Less | ||||
| 104179 | University of Arizona | University of Arizona | Yes | https://eller.arizona.edu/programs/undergraduate/advising/add-change-major | 36 credits/11 courses | 2.75 | Moderate | ||||
| 110635 | University of California - Berkeley* | University of California - Berkeley* | Yes | https://haas.berkeley.edu/undergrad/admissions/application-process/continuing-students/#business-major | 60 units/7 courses | 2.0 | Very | Application process is competitive (those meeting requirements are not guaranteed entry) | |||
| 110653 | UCI | University of California - Irvine* | University of California - Irvine* | Yes | https://changeofmajor.uci.edu/school-of-business/ | 90 units/7 courses | 2.7 | Moderate | Application process is competitive (those meeting requirements are not guaranteed entry) | ||
| 126614 | University of Colorado Boulder* | University of Colorado Boulder* | Yes | https://www.colorado.edu/business/undergraduate-advising/transfer-leeds-iut | 24 hours/4 courses | 3.2 | Moderate-to-Very | Application process is competitive (those meeting requirements are not guaranteed entry) | |||
| 129020 | UConn | University of Connecticut - Storrs* | University of Connecticut - Storrs* | Yes | https://undergrad.business.uconn.edu/prospective/current-students/#academics | 40 credits/8 courses | 3.0 | Moderate-to-Very | Application process is competitive (those meeting requirements are not guaranteed entry) | ||
| 134130 | UF | University of Florida | University of Florida | Yes | https://warrington.ufl.edu/undergraduate-current-students/academic-advising/major-changes/ | None | 3.0 | Moderate | |||
| 139959 | UGA | University of Georgia* | University of Georgia* | No | https://www.terry.uga.edu/undergraduate/prospective-students/admissions/ | 58 hours/8 courses | 2.6 | Moderate | Application process is competitive (those meeting requirements are not guaranteed entry) | ||
| 145637 | University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign* | University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign* | Yes | https://giesbusiness.illinois.edu/undergraduate-hub/admissions/intercollegiate-transfer-(ict) | 24 credits/4 courses | None | Moderate | Application process is competitive (those meeting requirements are not guaranteed entry); Typically admit 35% of applicants each year | |||
| 163286 | University of Maryland - College Park* | University of Maryland - College Park* | Yes | https://lep.umd.edu/business.html#transfer | 45 credits/3 courses | 3.0 | Very | Application process is competitive (those meeting requirements are not guaranteed entry) | |||
| 166629 | University of Massachusetts - Amherst* | University of Massachusetts - Amherst* | Yes | https://www.isenberg.umass.edu/programs/undergraduate/on-campus/admissions/current-umass-students/bba | 1 semester/3-6 courses | None | Very | Application process is competitive (those meeting requirements are not guaranteed entry); After Fall 2022, students are not eligible to apply to the BBA program unless they have been admitted to Hospitality & Tourism Management or Sport Management upon admission to the university | |||
| 135726 | University of Miami | University of Miami | Yes | https://herbert.miami.edu/undergraduate/how-to-apply/transfer-students.html | 1 semester/1 course | 3.0 | Moderate | ||||
| 170976 | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Yes | https://michiganross.umich.edu/undergraduate/bba/admissions/UM-applicants | 4 courses | 1.7 | Moderate | ||||
| 174066 | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities* | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities* | Yes | https://carlsonschool.umn.edu/degrees/undergraduate/admissions/transfer-students/transfer-umntc | 4 courses | 3.0 | Moderate-to-Very | Application process is competitive (those meeting requirements are not guaranteed entry) | |||
| 152080 | University of Notre Dame* | University of Notre Dame* | Yes | https://mendozaugrad.nd.edu/transfer-process/ | 1 semester/2 courses | None | Very | Application process is competitive (those meeting requirements are not guaranteed entry) | |||
| 215062 | Penn | University of Pennsylvania* | University of Pennsylvania* | Yes | https://undergrad-inside.wharton.upenn.edu/internal-transfer/ | 2 semesters/3 courses | 3.3 | Very | Application process is competitive (those meeting requirements are not guaranteed entry) | ||
| 215293 | Pitt | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus* | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus* | Yes | https://cba.pitt.edu/admission/current-students/internal-transfer-guidelines-for-students-enrolled-after-fall-2015/ | 30 credits/3 courses | 3.0 | Moderate-to-Very | Application process is competitive (those meeting requirements are not guaranteed entry) | ||
| 233374 | University of Richmond | University of Richmond | No | https://robins.richmond.edu/undergraduate/robins-student/index.html#transfer-student-declaration | 12 units/3 courses | 2.7 | Moderate | ||||
| 195030 | University of Rochester | University of Rochester | No | https://www.rochester.edu/college/ccas/handbook/transferring-within-ur.html | 2 courses | None | Less | ||||
| 123961 | USC | University of Southern California* | University of Southern California* | Yes | https://www.marshall.usc.edu/current-students/applying-marshall-current-usc-students | 3 courses | 3.6 | Very | Application process is competitive (those meeting requirements are not guaranteed entry) | ||
| 234076 | UVA | University of Virginia - Main Campus | University of Virginia - Main Campus | No | https://www.commerce.virginia.edu/bs-commerce/admissions/current-uva-students | 54 credits/10 courses | None | Moderate-to-Very | |||
| 236948 | University of Washington - Seattle Campus* | University of Washington - Seattle Campus* | Yes | https://foster.uw.edu/academics/degree-programs/undergraduate-programs/admissions/standard-admission/ | 60 credits/8 courses | 2.0 | Moderate-to-Very | 30-50% of applicants are admitted each year | |||
| 240444 | UW | University of Wisconsin - Madison* | University of Wisconsin - Madison* | Yes | https://business.wisc.edu/undergraduate/admissions/current-uw-students/ | 24 credits/4 courses | 3.0 | Moderate-to-Very | Application process is competitive (those meeting requirements are not guaranteed entry) | ||
| 216597 | Villanova University* | Villanova University* | Yes | https://www1.villanova.edu/university/business/academics/undergraduate-programs/degrees/non-business-students/internal-transfer-apply.html | 2 semesters/1 course | 3.9 | Very | Application process is competitive (those meeting requirements are not guaranteed entry); Less than 25% of applicants were admitted last year | |||
| 233921 | Virginia Tech | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University* | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University* | Yes | https://pamplin.vt.edu/content/dam/pamplin_vt_edu/ug-forms/Internal Transfer Requirements and Policies.pdf | 4 courses | 2.0 | Moderate | Application process is competitive (those meeting requirements are not guaranteed entry) | ||
| 199847 | Wake Forest University* | Wake Forest University* | No | https://bulletin.wfu.edu/undergraduate/school-business/undergraduate-business-program-admission/ | 49 hours/4 courses | 2.0 | Moderate | Application process is competitive (those meeting requirements are not guaranteed entry) | |||
| 179867 | Washington University in St Louis | Washington University in St Louis | Yes | https://olinundergrad.wustl.edu/academic-programs/internal-transfer-candidates/ | 2 semesters/4 courses | 3.0 | Moderate |
Colleges Worth Your Money
2025 Edition
A Guide to What America's Top Schools Can Do for You
