Business Foundations Minor Coursework
18 hours total
- MIS 302F: Foundations of Management Information Systems (see the complete list of equivalencies for MIS 302F in the MIS Equivalency Guide)
- ACC 310F: Foundations of Accounting (ACC 311 and ACC 312 can substitute if both courses are taken)
Lower-division courses can be completed in-residence, transferred from other colleges and universities, through University Extension or satisfied via Credit-by-Exam.
- FIN 320F: Foundations of Finance (ACC 310F is a pre-requisite for FIN 320F)
- LEB 320F: Foundations of Business Law (cannot be taken abroad)
- MAN 320F: Foundations of Management (or MAN 340 if taken through UTNY)
- MKT 320F: Foundations of Marketing (or MKT 337N if taken through UTNY)
One of the following courses can be used as a substitute for either LEB 320F, MAN 320F, or MKT 320F:
- BA 320F: Foundations of Entrepreneurship
- IB 320F: Foundations of International Business
- ECO 304K: Introduction to Microeconomics (no longer permitted as a substitution in 2024-2026 catalog)
Upper-division courses can be completed in-residence, through University Extension, or transferred from other four-year colleges and universities. Registration in upper-division courses requires 45 semester hours on the UT record.
All classes must be taken on the letter-grade basis. The student must earn a combined grade point average of at least 2.00 in these courses.
At least 50% of the Business Foundations Minor coursework (9 hours) must be taken in-residence at UT Austin or through the McCombs Summer Institute (MSI). In-residence does not include University Extension, Transfer credit, or Credit-by-Exam. Be sure to consult with Texas Global or BBA International Programs on residency rules for any Business Foundations Minor courses taken abroad.
In order to be eligible for admission to the Business Foundations Minor, students:
- Must be a current undergraduate student in any major at the University of Texas at Austin.
- Must be pursuing their degree under the 2016-2018 catalog or later.
Application Procedures
For students in the 2022-2024 catalog and prior:
No supplemental materials are required.
Step 1: See Registrar Document Submissions for minors to start your application.
Step 2: Enter your EID.
Step 3. From the “Field of Study” menu, choose “Business Administration”.
Step 4: From the “Type” menu, choose “Business Minor”.
Step 5: Confirm your choice and submit the application.
Important: Once admitted, you must contact your academic advisor to have the minor attached to your degree profile. The credential cannot be awarded when you graduate if it has not been added to your degree profile.
For students in the 2024-2026 catalog:
Step 1: See Registrar Document Submissions for minors to start your application.
Step 2: Enter your EID.
Step 3. From the “Field of Study” menu, choose “Business Administration”.
Step 4: From the “Type” menu, choose “Business Foundations Minor”.
Step 5: Confirm your choice and submit the application.
Important: Once admitted, you must contact your academic advisor to have the minor attached to your degree profile. The credential cannot be awarded when you graduate if it has not been added to your degree profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
From whom should I seek advising related to the Business Foundations Minor?
Everyone in the Business Minors Office offers guidance to students exploring or enrolled in the Business Minor. Sarah Singer oversees the Business Minors team and meets with students Monday through Friday during normal business hours.
In addition, our team of friendly, experienced peer advisors are available for student advising Monday – Friday from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
General Advising Team contacts:
Email: BusinessOptions@mccombs.utexas.edu
Phone: 512-232-6748
Office: CBA 2.400
Do I have to apply to the Business Foundations Minor in order to take courses required for the minor (I.e. ACC 310F, FIN 320F)?
No. Any undergraduate UT student who is a non-business major is eligible to enroll in these courses.
Are courses in the Business Foundations Minor available elsewhere? Can I transfer credit for courses into the Business Foundations Minor?
University Extension regularly offers the business minor courses. However, it is important to remember: if you plan to earn the Business Minor, no more than three non-residence courses may be substituted for courses taught in the McCombs School of Business.
Non-residence courses include those taken through University Extension (UEX), transferred from other institutions, or earned through credit-by-exam. See the Automated Transfer Equivalency System to verify transfer credit. UEX courses are factored into a student’s UT GPA.
May I take another course to satisfy the MIS 302F requirement?
A number of courses fulfill the MIS requirement. For a complete list, see the MIS Equivalency Guide.
Do any other UT Austin accounting courses fulfill the ACC 310F requirement?
Do Business Foundations Minor courses have prerequisites?
Our lower-division minor courses do not have prerequisites. Students must have credit for ACC 310F before they can register for FIN 320F.
Students must have 45 hours of college credit before they can register for upper-division business minor courses.
Can I use Business Foundations Minor courses toward a business degree at UT?
Currently, only MIS 302F and LEB 320F are permitted to count toward the BBA degree for students who are admitted through internal transfer.
May I take Business Foundations Minor courses on a pass/fail basis?
All required courses for the Business Minor must be taken for a letter grade.
Will courses I take on a UT study abroad program satisfy my Business Foundations Minor requirements?
Only certain pre-approved study abroad courses count as Business Minor equivalents. Visit the Texas Global Office to see if your program has offered any Business Minor courses in the past.
If you wish to take a course abroad that is not pre-approved in the MyCA database, you will need to obtain the syllabus for the program and work with the Texas Global Office to have the course syllabus evaluated in the appropriate department.
Please note that Foundations of Business Law (LEB 320F) cannot be taken abroad.
Will courses I take on a non-UT study abroad program satisfy my Business Foundations Minor requirements?
Although it is less likely a course from a non-UT study abroad program will count toward the Business Minor, you may request that the course be evaluated.
You may petition using the Business Minor Substitution Request. Keep in mind that courses taken abroad on a non-UT program will be considered transfer credit. Also, at least 50 percent of Business Minor course work must be taken in-residence or through the McCombs Summer Institute. In-residence does not include University Extension, transfer credit, or credit-by-exam.
I took a business law class at another college. Can I count my "LEB 3 hours" transfer credit as LEB 320f?
No. “LEB 3HRS” transfer credit is the equivalent of a lower division course. You need to have transfer credit for LEB 323 or LEB 320F in order for it to count toward the Business Minor.
Will I receive a printed document indicating I have completed the Business Foundations Minor? Will the Business Foundations Minor be on my UT transcript?
While you will not receive a printed document (ex. a certificate), the Business Minor credential will be automatically applied to your transcript upon graduation, as long as you applied and were accepted to the minor, linked the credential to your degree profile, and successfully completed all requirements.
The credential will appear on your official UT transcript when you officially graduate; it will not appear on your transcript any time before then – even if you complete the courses a semester or two before you graduate.
What is the Business Foundations Minor worth to employers or an MBA program?
The Business Minor is an enhancement to your major and sets you apart from job candidates who do not have business course credit. It demonstrates to potential employers that, in addition to knowledge of your major, you have fundamental business knowledge that you will bring to your job.
Additionally, the courses will typically meet the prerequisite requirements for many graduate business programs. Be sure to check the admissions requirements for the programs that you are interested in applying to.
I am a graduate student. How do I register for a Business Foundations Minor course?
A letter from your graduate advisor is needed if trying to add an undergraduate business course. The letter can be emailed to bba-registration@mccombs.utexas.edu and should explain that the class requested is required for your program of study.
Students with the letter will be able to attend drop-ins to be added to the course on the first class day if space is available. We’ll accommodate based on course availability up until the fifth class day.
Complete the petition and allow 2 to 3 weeks for processing.