COB General Advising Information

The Gianchetta Student Success Center (GSSC) includes all COB student services, including advising, career development, and internships. Our mission is to engage students in developing career goals and planning their academic experiences to best support those goals.

Services COB Advising Provides

  • General Business Student Advising
  • Academic and Professional Advising
  • Minor and Certificate Options
  • Class Override Information
  • Upper-Division Major Application
  • Graduation Applications
  • Course Prerequisites and Overrides
  • Internship Information
  • Study Abroad Information

ADVISING A BUSINESS MAJOR
UM Business students who successfully complete all major and UM requirements earn a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major(s) in Accounting, Finance, Management Information Systems, Management, Marketing, or International Business (in combination with a second business major). 

Unless business freshman either transfer 12 or more credits, or are academically suspended, they receive advising in the UM Undergraduate Advising Center, located at Lommasson Center 269.

Also, Native American students have the option to receive advising from the Native American Studies Department, located at the Payne Family Native American Center (PFNAC 112 x 5834). If you find that students would feel more comfortable seeking advising from the NAS department, refer them to Michelle Guzman. 

Business majors transfer to the College of Business Advising Program (GBB 335 x 5971) when they earn sophomore status, 30 cumulative credits. For more information about COB Advising, click here.

Students who wish to declare business must apply to the College of Business Advising Office and be accepted into a specific business major before beginning upper-division classes.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

  • Complete all primary lower-core classes required in business with a grade of C- or better in each course and a 2.0 GPA in those specific 7 courses.
  • Cumulative GPA of 2.0
  • Complete 60 cumulative credits

APPLICATION DEADLINES

  • October 1 – to begin upper-division business classes during a spring semester
  • February 1 – to begin upper-division business classes during the summer semester 
  • March 1 – to begin upper-division business classes during a fall semester

UPPER CORE REQUIREMENTS
Upper-core courses in business must be completed with a C- or better.

All upper-core and secondary lower-core courses must be successfully completed before students are eligible to take the business capstone course. The business capstone course, BGEN 499, satisfies the Upper-Division Writing requirement for the major, and should be taken during the last semester at UM.

The first semester of the junior year, students are advised to take the upper-core courses related to their major. For instance, the student should take BMKT 325 if he/she is a marketing major.

Business majors must complete no fewer than 54 credits in the College of Business AND no fewer than 60 credits outside of the College of Business, excluding ACT skills courses. ACTG, BFIN, BGEN, BMGT, BMIS, and BMKT courses are in business. Students may count ECNS courses in or outside of business.

**All business majors, with the exception of Marketing & Management, will automatically earn 54 credits in business. Marketing and Management majors will most likely reach the 54 inside business credits, but have the option to take non-business courses as electives for their majors. Make sure the students understand this when planning their electives. Students who complete two business majors may need to graduate with more than 120 credits to earn 60 credits outside of business.

Note: Students getting a BSBA should know that all majors are math oriented – Students should start taking math courses early to ensure success within the department.

WHERE SHOULD STUDENTS GO FOR HELP?

ACADEMICALLY SUSPENDED BUSINESS MAJOR
If a student has been academically suspended, they MUST SEE Melanie Sourbeer, COB Advising Director.

INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE STUDENTS
Students going abroad, or coming from abroad, should see Nader Shooshtari, Director of COB International Programs.


MAJOR AND GRADUATION APPLICATIONS
Business students are required to complete applications for the major and for graduation through COB Advising.  

To find this application and for more information about the Major and Graduation applications, please visit COB Advising Major and Graduation applications page. 

MAJOR CHECKSHEETS AND TRACK SHEETS
Bachelors of Science in Business Administration Major and General Education Requirements:

Upon completion of all lower-core courses with a C- or better in each course, students apply for a business major in Accounting, Finance, Management, Management Information Systems, Marketing, or International Business (in combination with one of the majors listed previously).

View specific major checksheets on the COB advising webpage.

BUSINESS MINOR CHECK SHEET
Since a minor in business is a great compliment to any major, you may see non-business students interested in the minor. View minor specifications on the COB advising webpage

All minor prerequisite courses must be completed with a "C-" or better with a 2.0 GPA in the Primary Lower Core.

BUSINESS MINOR AND CERTIFICATE OPTIONS

COURSE OVERRIDES
If a course requires a registration override, students will have to submit an override form to COB Advising or to the Registrar. Click here for more Course Override information.


TRANSFER STUDENT INFORMATION
A transfer student is considered to be someone who has graduated from high school or has earned their GED/HiSET and attempted 12 or more college-level credits. For more transfer student information, click here

ADVISING VET STUDENTS
The UM VETS office is a program that assists veterans and their family members in achieving academic success. They are a liaison for G.I. Bill education benefits between UM, the Veterans Administration (VA), and the student.


GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS VARY BY CATALOG YEAR
Students may choose any catalog under which they attended UM. Catalogs expire after six years. Students may choose two separate catalogs for major and general education requirements. Send students to COB Advising Office if they have questions about specific catalog requirements.

Current University of Montana Catalog
University of Montana Catalog Archive

GRADUATION INFORMATION
Applications for major/minor/certificates/etc. are all available in COB Advising Moodle.

How to apply for graduation: In order to complete programs of study, students will have to apply for their graduation. For their first UM undergraduate degree, students will fill out a UM Application for First Bachelor Degree. The UM Graduation Applications specific to each COB major can be found below on the COB advising webpage.

One form will need to be completed for each major, certificate and minor a student is earning. Make sure that you submit all necessary paperwork to the Business Student Success Center.

Completed Applications are required to be signed by COB advising office. The due dates for these applications are as follows:

  • Fall Graduates: Due to COB on March 1; due to Graduations on Last Friday of April
  • Spring Graduates: Due to COB on October 1; due to Graduations on last Friday of October
  • Summer Graduates: Due to COB on October 1; due to Graduations on last Friday in February

After the forms are approved and signed by the advising office, the student will take the forms to the treasury department in the Lommasson Center and pay the application fees. Keep in mind that late fees will be added to forms that miss the deadlines for submission and some be deferred to the following semester’s graduation.


INTERNSHIP INFORMATION
The COB Internship Program is designed to take place during one semester. Most students can earn academic credit and are paid for their work as an intern. Interns must have an employer-supervisor who assigns and evaluates their work. COB has a dedicated internship director available to students and employers for consultation throughout the internship. For information about COB Internships, click here


STUDY ABROAD INFORMATION
The University of Montana College of Business prepares students to compete successfully in a globally competitive economic environment. Each of these opportunities exposes our students to people, cultures and ways of doing business in other countries. 

International opportunities include:

  • International exchange opportunities for students and faculty
  • Faculty-directed study-abroad courses during the academic year and summer
  • Courses with an international focus taught at undergraduate and graduate levels

COB ADVISING FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

If there is anything that is not covered on this page, please visit COB Advising FAQ's.