2024-2025 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog

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Bachelor of Applied Science in Leadership and Business Fundamentals

Admission requirements

To be admitted, students need to meet Grand Valley State University's minimum requirements for transfer student admissions and have completed or be in the last semester of an associate of applied science degree, associate of general studies, an associate of applied arts and science degree, an associate in business degree, or similar technical applied degrees. Contact us to learn if the bachelor of applied science could be the right degree for you.

• If your associate degree is still in progress, we encourage you to apply and meet with an advisor to discuss your transfer plan.
• If you do not have an applied degree, but possess an associate degree, our online accelerated degree completion program is a great alternative that can help you get to where you want to be. Visit our LEADS page for details.

Degree Requirements (B.A.S.)

Students in the Leadership and Business Fundamentals program at Grand Valley State University must follow all general education requirements as defined in the Grand Valley State University Undergraduate Catalog and complete a minimum 120 credits total toward their degree. This could include credits transferred in from their applied associates degree or other prior coursework at an accredited institution. An additional 24 credits may be awarded towards the degree total through prior learning assessment (PLA). Students are required to earn their final 30 credits at Grand Valley State University. This program requires 40 credits from a four-year institution, which exempts students from the university's 58 credits from a four-year institution rule. All other relevant policies apply.

Technical Focus (transferred from AAS): 15+ credits

Leadership and Business Fundamentals Major B.A.S. Course Requirements (9 Credits)

• INT 331 - Person and Profession in a Global Environment (3 credits)
• BAS 301 - Concepts in Learning Integration (3 credits)
• One of the following quantitative reasoning courses:
  • CIS 320 - Visualization of Data and Information (3 credits)
  • DS 202 - Digital Data and Design (3 credits)
  • STA 215 - Introductory Applied Statistics (3 credits)

Leadership and Business Fundamentals Major Courses (21 Credits)

Students complete requirements for both the leadership certificate and the business fundamentals certificate as part of the core of the major, graduating with both certificates as well as their degree.

Business Fundamentals Certificate (12 Credits):

• ACC 201 - Accounting for Non-Business Majors 1 (1.5 credits)
• ACC 202 - Accounting for Non-Business Majors 2 (1.5 credits)
• FIN 300 - Fundamentals of Finance for Non-Business Majors (3 credits)
• MGT 300 - Fundamentals of Management for Non-Business Majors (3 credits)
• MKT 300 - Fundamentals of Marketing for Nonbusiness Majors (3 credits)

Leadership Certificate (12 Credits):

Required courses:

• INT 312 - Collaborative Communication (3 credits)
• INT 341 - Leadership for Social Change (3 credits)

Elective courses (one required; second elective requirement fulfilled by INT 331):

• COM 438 - Communication Ethics (3 credits)
• INT 310 - Creativity and Innovative Problem-Solving (3 credits)
• INT 314 - Life Journeys (3 credits)
• INT 323 - Design Thinking to Meet Real-World Needs (3 credits)
• MGT 345 - Team Building (3 credits)
• PNH 390 - Leadership Dynamics (3 credits)
• PNH 420 - Organization Theory and Dynamics (3 credits)
• WRT 350 - Business Communication (3 credits)

Application and Synthesis (6 Credits):

• BAS 491 - Practicum in Applied Science (1 to 6 credits)
• BAS 495 - Senior Seminar in Applied Science (3 credits)

Suggested Order of Coursework for the Leadership and Business Fundamentals Major

Year 1:

• ACC 201 - Accounting for Non-Business Majors 1 (1.5 credits)
• ACC 202 - Accounting for Non-Business Majors 2 (1.5 credits)
• BAS 301 - Concepts in Learning Integration (3 credits)
• INT 331 - Person and Profession in a Global Environment (3 credits)
• WRT 150 - Strategies in Writing (4 credits)
• Quantitative reasoning requirement (one course only required):
  • CIS 320 - Visualization of Data and Information (3 credits)
  • DS 202 - Digital Data and Design (3 credits)
  • STA 215 - Introductory Applied Statistics (3 credits)
• INT 341 - Leadership for Social Change (3 credits)

Year 2 and beyond:

• BAS 491 - Practicum in Applied Science (1 to 6 credits)
• BAS 495 - Senior Seminar in Applied Science (3 credits) (typically taken in the final semester prior to graduation)
• INT 312 - Collaborative Communication (3 credits)

Additional coursework may be needed to meet general education requirements at GVSU, minimum 120 credits required to graduate, last 30 credits at GVSU, or other university requirements.