Undergraduate Business Education: It's Time to Think Outside the Box

For more than 100 years, institutions of higher learning in the United States have provided millions of students with an education in business. Presently, business ranks as one of the most popular undergraduate majors on American college campuses, awarding over 20% of all undergraduate degrees granted each year. Despite its popularity, many people question whether these students receive the type of education needed to effectively compete in a rapidly changing world. The authors report the findings of an extensive study of undergraduate business curricula in the United States, the results of which suggest that very little has changed since the Ford and Carnegie Foundations Reports were published in 1959. The authors conclude with some suggestions on how to improve business education for future graduates.