Business Administration

Sudip Datta, Chair, Finance Department
402 Cornell Hall
(573) 882-6272

Christopher Robert, Chair, Management Department
403 Cornell Hall
(573) 882-6556

Shaoming Zou, Chair, Marketing Department
401 Cornell Hall
(573) 882-2443

Advising Contact
Undergraduate Advising Office
104 Cornell Hall
(573) 882-7073
businessadvising@missouri.edu

Scholarship Information
TrulaskeScholarships@missouri.edu

Department of Finance

Finance teaches us: How firms make investment and financing decisions to create value for stakeholders. Students also learn to independently analyze securities and financial markets, understand valuation techniques and use their knowledge to make investment decisions. Coursework focuses on the areas of corporate financial management, investments/asset pricing, securities analysis, fixed income securities, corporate valuation, mergers and acquisitions, portfolio management, real estate appraisal, financial institutions, and venture capital (early stage financing). Graduates choose to pursue exciting and dynamic careers ranging from investment banking, portfolio management, commercial banking, corporate financial management, venture capital, private equity fund management, forecasting and budgeting. Students gain from experiential learning by using Bloomberg terminals and managing student run investment fund and hedge fund using real money. 

Department of Management

Management is, at its core, the analysis, planning, and execution of business processes and operations. This includes hiring, training, developing, leading and managing frontline and staff employees to accomplish organizational goals. As such, coursework provides students with the fundamental knowledge and skills needed to manage value-adding processes and projects, and to coordinate, allocate, and lead human resources. The Department offers a Certificate in Global Supply Chain Management (in partnership with the College of Engineering) and a Certificate in Human Resource Management. The Department also offers the Entrepreneurship Minor, which provides students with the mindset and skills to think and work in various entrepreneurial and innovation-focused settings.  Students with a Management Emphasis accept positions as consultants, project managers, supply chain analysts, human resource managers, and in management rotational career positions.

Department of Marketing

The Marketing discipline is centered around acquiring, developing, and managing customers. It deals with understanding the strategies, tactics, and business processes involved in researching markets, deciding which markets and segments to pursue, identifying what unique value to provide, and then assembling the products, services, people and partner firms needed to build, communicate and deliver that value. The marketing department offers four undergraduate certificates: Sales, Digital Marketing, Marketing Analytics, and Global Business, and one graduate certificate: Marketing Analytics. The department also offers a robust Ph.D. program.

Exploratory Course

Students wanting to explore business administration as a major should take BUS_AD 1500.

Double Emphasis

Students in the on campus program may have a dual emphasis of Finance and Real Estate.

Finance

Professor S. Datta**, M. O’Doherty**, K. Pukthuanthong**
Associate Professor F. Bereskin**, A. Yore**
Assistant Professor M. Binfare*, J. Wang*, U. Yilmaz*, M. Young*
Associate Teaching Professor M. Griswold*, D. Johnson*
Assistant Teaching Professor D. Collins, J. Hegger, T. Howald, A. Kern*. S. Trick
Professor Emeritus J. Howe

Management

Professor R. Johnson*, A. Ross**, J. Schaubroeck**
Associate Professor D. Moesel*, C. Peng**, C. Robert**
Assistant Professor J. Arnold**, K. Cirik**, C. Connaughton*, S. Downing**, J. Kim**, P. Nahm*, J. Stevenson-Street**. E. Wang*
Associate Teaching Professor G. Albright*, A. Jakubovskis*, M. B. Marrs*, D. Smith*
Assistant Teaching Professor G. Brand*, L. Brengarth*, S. Breske*, T. Ford*, K. Fram, T. Hill, S. Kane, K. Kim*, C. McCullough*, J. Pelikan*, J. Rasmussen*

Marketing

Professor S. Gopalakrishna**, D. Marinova**, M. Richins**, S. Zou**
Associate Professor N. Syam**
Assistant Professor Z. (Julien) Bei*, B. Hodges**, A. Kapoor*, S. B, Li*, M. Saljoughian*, K. Singh*, M. Thomas*
Associate Teaching Professor C. Cothren*, J. Poor*
Assistant Teaching Professor A. Downs, A. Essing, N. Fajors, R. Gordon Bocklage, N. Thomas

*

Graduate Faculty Member - membership is required to teach graduate-level courses, chair master's thesis committees, and serve on doctoral examination and dissertation committees.

**

Doctoral Faculty Member - membership is required to chair doctoral examination or dissertation committees. Graduate faculty membership is a prerequisite for Doctoral faculty membership.

• BSBA in Business Administration
  • with emphasis in Finance and Banking
  • with emphasis in Real Estate
  • with emphasis in Management
  • with emphasis in Marketing
  • with emphasis in International Business - Finance
  • with emphasis in International Business - Management
  • with emphasis in International Business - Marketing

Trulaske Edge (Professional Edge)

In addition to completing required coursework to earn a Bachelor of Science, Business Administration degree, students must fulfill the requirements of the Trulaske Edge. The goal of the Trulaske Edge is to offer opportunities to all BSBA and Accounting students to develop core competencies and values necessary for success in their professional careers.

As a graduation requirement, the program is comprised of the following:

• Completion of designated professional activities to acquire points for admission to the upper level. Once admitted to the upper level, students will continue to earn points to meet the graduation requirements. Specific activities may be required.
• Completion of BUS_AD 1500. BUS_AD 1500  must be completed in residence.
• Completion of BUS_AD 2500. BUS_AD 2500 must be completed in residence.
• Completion of BUS_AD 3500 once admitted to the upper level. BUS_AD 3500 must be completed in residence.
• Completion of BUS_AD 4500 once admitted to the upper level. This will include completion of a professional level internship/practicum experience. Practicums can be completed over a summer or semester-long period of time (intersession assignments will not meet the Trulaske Edge requirement). Students must seek final approval of their internship/practicum experience from the Trulaske Edge Office before beginning the assignment. BUS_AD 4500 must be completed in residence.

If a student fails to meet the requirements of the Trulaske Edge at either the lower or upper levels, the student will not be allowed to continue in or graduate from the Trulaske College of Business.

Trulaske Edge Graduation Requirement

• The student must earn a minimum of 100 Edge points at the lower level by the end of the semester they apply for admittance to the upper level. Once admitted, students must earn a total of 200 Edge points by the end of their final semester to meet the graduation requirement. Specific activities and workshops may be required.
• The student must earn a C- (or higher) in BUS_AD 3500 to satisfy the requirement.
• BUS_AD 4500 is graded as Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory. Students must complete practicum course to a satisfactory level of 70% or greater to receive a passing grade for the course.

Admission to the Business Administration Program

Capacity Limitations (On Campus Program Only)

Admission into the upper-level Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA), or International Business (BSBA) degree program is highly competitive, because enrollment is limited. Each of the individual emphasis areas (Finance and Banking, Management, Marketing or Real Estate) has its own capacity limitation. Students who have earned a 3.4 minimum UM cumulative GPA or higher will be guaranteed admission to the upper level emphasis area of their choice. Other students with at least a 2.6 minimum UM cumulative GPA will be admitted on a space available basis.

Pre-Professional Information

To apply to the upper-level BSBA (and a related emphasis area program, if an on campus student), a student must have at least a UM Cumulative GPA of a 2.6 (does not guarantee admission to Upper Level), and meet the Trulaske Edge requirements. A student must be admitted by the semester after the 60th credit hour is earned. Please see the BSBA in Business Administration page for Upper Level Admission Courses.

Admission to BSBA Degree and Emphasis Areas

In addition to meeting the Upper Level Admissions Course requirements, students are admitted to an upper-level BSBA emphasis area based on UM cumulative grade point average.

On Campus students request an emphasis area when applying to the upper-division BSBA degree program. If the requested emphasis area is at capacity, students who qualify for admission to the upper-division BSBA degree program are given the opportunity to be evaluated for another emphasis area.  Online students do not select an emphasis area.  Students are notified by email when they are eligible to apply for upper-level status. Students are admitted to upper level in February and September of each year.

Students who complete 60 credits without gaining admission to an upper-level BSBA emphasis area will not be eligible to re-enroll in the Trulaske College of Business, and should meet with an Academic Advisor in the Undergraduate Advising Office to discuss their options. 

A student may take no more than nine credit hours of 3000 or higher business courses (Accounting, Business Administration, Finance, Economics, Management, or Marketing)  off campus.  University of Missouri sponsored study abroad courses are excluded from this requirement.

• MBA in Business Administration
• PhD in Business Administration
  • with emphasis in Business

About the Crosby MBA (traditional full-time program)

The 100% online Crosby MBA program is AACSB accredited, nationally recognized, and highly ranked by U.S. News America’s Best Graduate Schools, Forbes, Princeton Review, and The Wall Street Journal.

Through the Crosby MBA program, students study a curriculum including business essentials, leadership development, and specialized certificates, preparing them for a variety of career paths. Graduates obtain employment in fields such as financial analysis, investments, banking, human resources, project management, strategy, operations and logistics, marketing, marketing analytics, consulting, and non-profit management.

Factors considered in the admissions decision include work experience, professional internships and/or co-ops, leadership, community involvement and service, quality of undergraduate work (GPA) and rigor of coursework, and a personal interview. A baccalaureate degree in any discipline from an accredited school is required. See the Crosby MBA website to apply. 

About the MBA in Analytics (Beginning Fall 2026)

The MBA in Analytics combines strong business acumen with advanced analytical skills for those seeking high-impact careers. This fully on-campus, two-year degree program is designed to meet the growing demand for leaders who can obtain and interpret diverse data sets, leverage the latest innovations and drive effective outcomes. With the personalized attention and close collaboration of small cohorts and high-impact experiences, including internships and co-curriculars, students are immersed in a curriculum that combines the technical skills of analytical decision-making and AI-driven efficiencies with essential consultative skills. Applications are now open on the MBA in Analytics website.

About the PhD Program

The PhD program is designed to prepare graduates for careers as university researchers and teachers or for senior research positions in business or government. The program involves course work and research activities such as literature review and critique, theoretical modeling, research design, empirical analysis and preparation of proposals, presentations, and research papers. Students work with faculty to develop their individual research skills. PhD candidates teach courses in their specialty area, with assistance from faculty. In addition, students are expected to participate in national and regional academic conferences. 

Program Location: Cornell Hall

Cornell Hall, a state-of-the-art building, houses the Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business. It contains labs with over 230 computers with a variety of up-to-date software. The College subscribes to the following online services, databases and software packages: Wharton Research Data Services, Audit Analytics Compustat, CRSP, Datastream/Worldscope, Eventus, I/B/E/S, IRRC, ISSM, Mergent FISD, Mutual Fund Links, SDC Platinum, Thomson Reuters, Stock Trak, and Qualtrics (an online survey system).