Penn State Smeal Majors and Minors

The Penn State Smeal College of Business gives you the opportunity choose from a portfolio of majors and minors tailored to fit your unique educational goals and interests. Emerge not with a collection of credits, but with a broad foundation to enable you to grow and lead in an ever-changing global business environment.

Our majors and minors span the business landscape and provide the knowledge and skills to unlock a vast array of career opportunities that call on you to do everything from evaluating economic models and building new businesses to assessing financial risk and managing the flow of goods, services, information, and funds.

Major Preparation and Selection

Smeal students are admitted to the college in a pre-major status while completing entrance requirements for one of the ten business programs available. In the first and second years, you will take a series of required courses designed to provide the foundation for your business degree. Students typically choose their major during the student’s second year of study and after meeting the entrance-to-major requirements. Once you’ve chosen a major, your junior and senior years will consist of completing coursework to fulfill the specific credit requirements of that major. 

Minors

Smeal offers four minors that allow you to further diversify and extend your capabilities into different areas of business. Combine with any of our majors a minor in information systems management, international business, the legal environment of business, and supply chain and information sciences and technology.

Certificate Programs

The Corporate Control and Analysis (CCA) Program, administered by the Penn State Smeal College of Business Accounting Department, prepares students for careers in corporate accounting. It specifics coursework in advanced managerial accounting, financial statement analysis, and communication. CCA Program graduates will be positioned to enter the financial leadership development programs of leading corporations. Admission to the program is available to only students in the accounting major. 

The Real Estate Analysis & Development (READ) Certificate, administered by the Penn State Smeal College of Business Risk Management Department, is designed to prepare students for opportunities to interact with the real estate industry. Students will gain an understanding of the complexities of real estate resources, which will assist them in both personal and professional investment decisions. Any Smeal undergraduate major (excluding REST majors) are eligible.