Mount Saint Mary’s University

    Business | Bachelor of Arts
    (M)POWER Major Map

    A clear pathway for academic success, career formation, leadership development, and post-graduate preparation.

    Program Overview

    Core program information and early student priorities.

    Program Details

    Program
    Degree
    Map Type
    Business
    Bachelor of Arts
    (M)POWER Major Map

    Cultivate Learning

    Milestones across the first year, middle years, and final year.

    Summer Pathways / FYS / FYE

    Stage
    Key Actions
    First Year Experience
    • Attend Business Orientation.
    • Review general ed requirements.
    • Choose best-fit pathway.
    • Review program with faculty advisor.
    Middle Years
    • Develop communication, teamwork, conflict management, and adaptability through group projects.
    • Review degree progress with your advisor and adjust four-year plan as needed.
    • Explore options for dual majors or minors.
    Last Year
    • Review final degree requirements with your advisor.
    • Stick closely to the four-year plan to ensure timely graduation.

    Pursue Academic Excellence

    Checklist items and recommended course sequencing.

    Academic Success Checklist

    Year
    Fall
    Spring
    First Year
    • BUS 4 (3)
    • BUS 15 (3)
    • ENG 1A (3)
    • PHI 10 (3)
    • FYS 1A (2)
    • BUS 21 (3)
    • BUS 15B (3)
    • ENG 1B (3)
    • ECO 2 (3)
    • FYS 1B (2)
    Second Year
    • BUS 185 (3)
    • MTH 28 (3)
    • BUS 5 (3)
    • BUS 169 (3)
    • GS (3)
    • GS (3)
    • BUS 160 (3)
    • MTH 38 (3)
    • ECO 1 (3)
    • PHI 192 (3)
    • BUS 18 (3)
    • GS (3)
    Third Year
    • BUS 106 (3)
    • BUS 177 (3)
    • BCC (3)
    • BCC (3)
    • BCC (3)
    • GS (3)
    • BUS 122 (3)
    • BUS 130 (3)
    • BUS 183 (3)
    • BCC (3)
    • BCC (3)
    • GS (3)
    Last Year
    • BUS 190 (3)
    • BUS 191 (3)
    • BCC (3)
    • ELE (3)
    • GS (3)
    • BUS 192 (3)
    • BCC (3)
    • BCC (3)
    • ELE (3)
    • GS (3)

    Gain Experience & Develop Leadership

    Career readiness milestones and experience-building opportunities.

    Engage Locally and Globally for Post-Graduate Success

    • Build relationships with alumni and professionals through networking events and speaker series.
    • Explore internships, part-time roles, and full-time opportunities through Career & Internship Fairs.
    • Pursue leadership in student organizations, campus employment, and peer mentorship roles.
    • Consider Study Away programs for broader perspective and experience.
    • Participate in professional development workshops and professional associations connected to your career goals.
    • Advocate for causes and organizations you care about and make an impact.

    Formation Milestones

    Stage
    Activities
    First Year
    • Attend (M)POWER First-Year Discernment & Life Design Summit.
    • Have career conversations with alumni and professionals through speaker series, networking opportunities, and career and internship fairs.
    • Participate in business clubs introduced during orientation.
    • Pursue on-campus student employment to develop career-aligned skills, a sense of belonging, and contribute to academic success.
    • Get inducted into Alpha Lambda Delta Honors Society with successful academic achievement and make the Dean’s List.
    Middle and Upper Division
    • Attend (M)POWER Summits annually; upper-division students can unlock access to a micro-credential.
    • Participate in MOUNTLeads Leadership Summit.
    • Network with alumni and professionals through speaker series, professional associations, and career and internship fairs.
    • Take advantage of semesterly Career & Internship Fairs to identify companies of interest, pursue internships, part-time and full-time roles, and build professional relationships.
    • Consider Study Away programs, either nationally or internationally.
    • Pursue leadership positions in student clubs and organizations, projects, Student Government Association, Community Assistants, Peer Wellness Advocate, and others.
    • Become a peer mentor through Summer Pathways, Orientation Assistants, (M)POWER Peer Mentor, or others.
    • Advocate for causes and/or organizations that you care about and make an impact.
    • Participate in professional development workshops to develop career-aligned skills, including PMI workshops or professional development days to prepare for certification exams like PMP.
    • Engage in professional associations such as Delta Mu Delta, AAF advertising competition, Accounting Association (AICPA), and Project Management Institute workshops.
    • Contribute to student-led writing or case competitions.
    • Explore service-oriented or community-impact business pathways.

    Athenian Advisory Team

    Advising and support resources across each year.
    Role
    First Year
    Second Year
    Third Year
    Last Year
    Faculty Advisor
    • Mandatory Fall/Spring advisement
    • Major and minor exploration
    • Research and interdisciplinary opportunities
    • Mandatory Fall/Spring advisement
    • Major and minor exploration
    • Research and interdisciplinary opportunities
    • Mandatory Fall/Spring advisement
    • Major and minor exploration
    • Research and interdisciplinary opportunities
    • Graduate school/career preparation
    • Mandatory Fall/Spring advisement
    • Major and minor exploration
    • Research and interdisciplinary opportunities
    • Graduate school/career preparation
    (M)POWER Academic Advisor & Success Coach
    • Mandatory Fall/Spring academic advisement and success coaching.
    • Learn how to navigate myMSMU-Student Planning, Athenian Advisory Team, university processes, and Mount resources to support your success and well-being.
    • Clarify curriculum, catalog policies, LACE general education requirements, and how AP, CLEP, IB, and transfer work can be applied towards your degree.
    • Attend individualized unique coaching sessions to strengthen time management, goal setting, major/minor exploration, and optimizing academic opportunities.
    • Collaborate to explore Mount experiences, such as Study Away, in alignment with academic and career goals.
    • Support with clearance to ensure registration readiness each semester.
    • Optional Fall/Spring academic advisement and coaching.
    • Attend individualized unique coaching sessions to strengthen time management, goal setting, and optimizing academic opportunities.
    • Learn how to bolster your academic interests and pursuits in alignment with LACE general education requirements.
    • Collaborate to explore Mount experiences, such as Study Away, in alignment with academic and career goals.
    • Support with clearance to ensure registration readiness each semester.
    • Optional Fall/Spring academic advisement and coaching.
    • Attend individualized unique coaching sessions to strengthen time management, goal setting, and optimizing academic opportunities.
    • Support you in building and bolstering your academic interests and pursuits in alignment with LACE general education requirements.
    • Collaborate to explore Mount experiences, such as Study Away, in alignment with academic and career goals.
    • Guidance on navigating academic preparation with your Athenian Advisory Team for post graduate planning.
    • Support with clearance to ensure registration readiness each semester.
    • Optional Fall/Spring academic advisement and coaching.
    • Attend individualized unique coaching sessions to strengthen time management, goal setting, and optimizing academic opportunities.
    • Guidance on navigating your Athenian Advisory Team for post graduate planning.
    Career Specialist
    • Learn how to transform experiences into career, calling, vocation.
    • Discern your values, talents, strengths, and goals; shape your early career story.
    • Explore career pathways and make a plan.
    • Reflect on career conversations with alumni and industry professionals.
    • Develop an early résumé and interviewing practice.
    • Strengthen your growth mindset.
    • Learn how to transform experiences into career, calling, vocation.
    • Discern your values, talents, strengths, and goals; shape your early career story.
    • Explore career pathways and make a plan.
    • Reflect on career conversations with alumni and industry professionals.
    • Develop an early résumé and interviewing practice.
    • Strengthen your growth mindset.
    • Clarify career goals and take next steps.
    • Build and strengthen networking relationships with intention.
    • Prepare tailored versions of your résumé and cover letter for specific opportunities or job types.
    • Sharpen effective delivery of your personal career narrative and interviewing skills.
    • Explore, consider, and prepare for graduate school.
    • Clarify career goals and take next steps.
    • Build and strengthen networking relationships with intention.
    • Prepare tailored versions of your résumé and cover letter for specific opportunities or job types.
    • Sharpen effective delivery of your personal career narrative and interviewing skills.
    • Explore, consider, and prepare for graduate school.
    Financial Aid Counselor
    • Review annual financial aid award.
    • Review annual financial aid award.
    • Review annual financial aid award.
    • Review annual financial aid award.
    Peer Mentor
    • Tips and tricks for success.
    • Life at the Mount.
    • How to meet people and get involved.
    • Tips and tricks for success.
    • Life at the Mount.
    • How to meet people and get involved.
    • Tips and tricks for success.
    • Life at the Mount.
    • How to meet people and get involved.
    • Tips and tricks for success.
    • Life at the Mount.
    • How to meet people and get involved.

    Wellness & Well-being

    Students are encouraged to build sustainable habits that support academic success, personal wellness, resilience, and balance throughout each year of the Business pathway.
    • Explore a Wellness Fair.
    • Build self-awareness around the dimension of wellness.
    • Try a new sport or continue your choice of movement.
    • Attend a GroupX fitness class.
    • Consult with a Peer Wellness Advocate to determine CalFresh eligibility and apply.
    • Consider applying to be a Facilities Attendant at the Wellness Pavilion or Doheny Wellness Center.
    • Develop healthy habits, understand and strive for self-improvement.
    • Learn positive coping and relationship skills through workshops by Peer Wellness Advocates, Counseling and Psychological Services, Residence Life, and others.
    • Take advantage of outdoor pursuit trips designed to nurture appreciation of the outdoors, environmental stewardship, social and cultural inclusivity, and risk management.
    • Consider applying to be a Peer Wellness Advocate (Y1+).
    • Utilize Produce Pick-Up for access to fresh fruit and vegetables (Y1+).
    • Commit to and prioritize your ritual for movement, healthy habits, positive self-concept, and mental resilience; model and encourage others to do the same.
    • Lead a GroupX fitness class.
    • Consider applying to be a Student Manager at the Wellness Pavilion or Doheny Wellness Center.

    Post-Graduate Outcomes

    Career pathways, transferable strengths, and outcomes supported by the Business major.
    Area
    Details
    What skills do employers want?
    • Strong communication skills.
    • Teamwork and collaboration.
    • Problem-solving ability.
    • Analytical thinking.
    • Adaptability and flexibility.
    • Professionalism and ethics.
    This major equips me to
    • Communicate clearly in writing and speech.
    • Work effectively in teams.
    • Analyze data and solve problems.
    • Lead ethically in work settings.
    • Adapt to changing environments.
    What careers can I pursue?
    • Accounting and auditing positions.
    • Human resources and talent management.
    • Finance and investment analysis.
    • Marketing and business management roles.
    • Nonprofit or public sector administration.