The Canfield Business Honors Program is part of the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin. We are a four-year major that provides a breadth of business education. We are also an honors program and community for our students. When students complete the program, they will earn a BBA in Business Honors. Canfield BHP provides a world-class education, countless opportunities, and a tight-knit student community.

In November 2018, Phil Canfield, BHP ’89, gave a transformative gift to the Business Honors Program. His gift recognizes the strong, foundational business skillsets he received from the program. With this gift, Canfield BHP will be able to increase student scholarships, recruitment and program recognition, and student resources. Phil Canfield is a private equity investor. He and his wife, Mary Beth, live in Austin, TX.

Are you a leader at your high school? Have you challenged yourself by taking the most difficult classes available and mastering them? Do you go above and beyond to succeed inside and outside of the classroom? These are some of the questions we ask our high achieving future students. Grades and test scores are important to the admissions process, as are leadership and extracurricular activities. Our admits go on to be successful students and top university leaders.

Small classes focus on discussion, presentation, group collaboration, and analytical exercises. Robust programming and dedicated advisors provide students with personalized attention and unique opportunities. Students not only learn from esteemed professors, but also from each other.

Canfield BHP students build on the strong foundation provided by the highly-ranked McCombs School of Business. With a program consisting of approximately 650 students across all four years (comparable to the size of the entire business school of some peer institutions), our students receive the benefits of a small program and a large research university.

Yes! Almost all of our students choose to study additional subjects. Most students will decide to double major within McCombs. Some students gravitate towards other fields of study and might select a second major in Liberal Arts, Natural Sciences, or Communciations. Many students diversify their academic experience with minors and certificates. Students interested in careers in technology might consider applying for Texas CSB or Texas ECB. Additionally, Canfield BHP has a strong partnership with Plan II Honors. Business is important in any industry, so having a Business Honors degree will help you achieve whatever career goals you have in mind.

Business Honors classes have an average class sizes range from 30-45 students. These small classes allow for networking and increased student/faculty interaction. The accelerated curriculum allows for case-based study in which students are simultaneously learning and applying knowledge on various subjects. Canfield BHP selects top professors to teach its courses. These professors are equipped with a combination of professional expertise in their fields, as well as world-renowned research on various business disciplines and subjects.

Students will be required to take classes outside of McCombs to complete their UT Austin core curriculum. If they take on a second major or a minor/certificate, they will be required to take other courses to complete those programs.

Upper-division BBA Program classes will be similar in size to Business Honors classes, with roughly 40–50 students per class. Outside of McCombs, upper-division classes could be even smaller. There are some large, introductory classes at UT, but professors have been working to shrink the size of those classes by using innovative teaching techniques and smaller discussion sections. In general, our students have found that they have been in very few large classes with the “hundreds of students” they might imagine when they think of a school the size of UT Austin.

Cost is a big factor for most students. When comparing scholarship and financial aid awards, it is important to look carefully at the net cost of each school and think about what you are getting for that amount. UT Austin is consistently recognized as one of the best value universities for the money invested. In addition, McCombs has one of the top career services offices in the nation. Canfield BHP students have a competitive placement rate upon graduation over several years. This means that students aren’t just getting an education; they are also getting the resources they need to land the jobs they want.

For more information about tuition at The University of Texas, visit UT Admissions Tuition. 

Applicants are evaluated holistically. This means there are no cut-offs or minimums; we look at all aspects of the application. We are looking for students who are strong academically, engaged in their schools and communities, and have taken on leadership roles. We review all items included in the student’s application, and we consider the context of the individual student.

To apply, students can use the Common App. Students must list “Unspecified Business” as their first choice major and indicate their interest in an honors program. Please follow the application instructions and ensure that all other required materials are received by the deadline.

This optional deadline will require UT Austin application submission by October 15, with a guaranteed decision regarding their university admission communicated to applicants by January 15. The regular deadline for applications will remain December 1, with a guaranteed decision communicated by February 15. 

Canfield Business Honors will notify students of their program decision by March 1. 

Students applying for Canfield Business Honors and other honors programs at UT Austin are strongly encouraged to complete their application by October 15. 

Students who are not admitted to UT Austin are no longer under consideration for Canfield Business Honors. 

Yes, the Canfield Business Honors Program has a sophomore admissions process. We admit a limited number of students who have completed their freshman year of college. We accept applications from current McCombs BBA students, internal transfers, and external transfers. We use a holistic approach when reviewing applicants. Our admissions staff will place emphasis on your college GPA, total credit hours, and the academic challenge of the courses you have taken. We will also look for evidence of college-level extracurriculars and leadership on a resume. We will only look at what you have done since entering college. High school transcripts and activities will not be considered.

Students wanting to learn more about Canfield BHP or the McCombs School of Business can attend on-campus or virtual information sessions for the program and school. Our team of Student Recruiters host these info sessions and can discuss their experience at Canfield BHP and the admissions process. You can also email our Student Recruiters or call our main line during business hours to chat with a current student.

Although Canfield BHP courses are rigorous, we highly encourage our students to also get involved outside of the classroom. UT Austin has over 1,100 student organizations! Our students can choose from Greek life, McCombs-affiliated organizations, University of Texas student organizations, or even organizations off-campus. We recommend that freshmen discuss their extracurricular plans with their Business Honors Academic Advisor to ensure a good balance of academics and involvement.

Canfield BHP is both a major and a program. We provide a unique experience both inside and outside the classroom. For the Business Honors degree, students take an honors version of 18 different honors courses (Managerial Accounting Honors, Business Law and Ethics Honors, and so on). The full list can be found in our sample course sequence. Our courses utilize a case-based curriculum. Classes are smaller in size and incorporate many discussions, presentations, and group collaborations. Students take their honors courses throughout their four years at UT, so they are always immersed in the program.

Outside of the classroom, Canfield BHP hosts a variety of social events for our students, as well as academic and professional development opportunities. The Honors Business Association is an organization open to all Canfield BHP students, and they put on fun events such as Dinner with a Professor and company field trips. As a program, we also set up networking events such as BBQs, Top Golf outings, and Coffee Chats with companies. We do our best to help Canfield BHP students succeed and have fun in the process.

Most Canfield BHP students combine Business Honors with another major within McCombs, but some students pursue majors in other fields of study, such as Mathematics, Economics, Biology, or History. Some students interested in careers in technology might choose to apply to our joint honors programs with Computer Science or Electrical and Computer Engineering. We also have a strong partnership with Plan II Honors in the College of Liberal Arts.

Adding an extra major outside of McCombs does mean an increased course load. However, students that come into UT Austin with significant college credit can still finish both the Business Honors major and their other major in 4 years. As long as students focus on their coursework and plan with academic advisors from both departments to ensure that they are always on track to graduate, pursuing a major outside of McCombs is feasible.

Immediately out of college, students work in a variety of roles: management consultant, investment banker, derivatives trader, financial analyst, marketing analyst, and technology analyst to name a few. Students live and work in a number of locations, including: Austin, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Boston, New York, Minneapolis, Seattle, and San Francisco. Our alumni have gone on to be very successful in a variety of fields. They become C-level executives, entrepreneurs, partners at law firms, venture capitalists, managers in the tech field and much more. Our alumni greatly value the broad business education they received in Business Honors, which allowed them to be successful in the field of their choice.

Read more about our alumni on our Canfield BHP blog. 

Roughly 15 percent of Business Honors students pursue the Integrated MPA program, where they receive their BBA in Business Honors and Accounting and a Masters in Professional Accounting in 5 years total. We also have students that pursue other graduate and professional programs, either immediately after graduation or after a few years of working. Students who apply to these programs explain that their Business Honors background helps differentiate them from other candidates. Many of our alumni will pursue a graduate business degree after working for a few years. We have had students earn MBAs from all of the top programs—Harvard, Stanford, UChicago Booth School, Wharton, and Northwestern, just to name a few.