Frequently Asked Questions

Please refer to the following list of frequently asked questions before contacting our office as you may find the information you need within the answers below.

Can I have only the International Business major?

International Business is not a standalone major; you must have another COB major along the major in International Business.

What degree do Business majors receive?

All business majors earn a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major in Accounting, Finance, Marketing, Management, Management Information Systems, or International Business.

How are ACT (HP) classes counted toward my credits for graduation?

Four credits of 100 level ACT (HP) skills courses may be counted towards the 120 credits to graduate.

What is the difference between WP and WF?

If you decide to drop a course after the 45th instructional day, a WF or WP will appear on your transcript. If you are failing the class, you will receive a withdraw fail (WF). If you are passing the class, you will receive a withdraw pass (WP). These grades will not affect your GPA, but will be noted on your transcript.

How do I drop a class?

  • During the first 15 instructional days, you may drop a class on cyberbear with no signatures required.
  • From the 16th to the 45th day, submit an add/drop slip via Cyberbear and the workflow system will route it to your professor sign and advisor for signatures.
  • After the 45th day, you must petition with a late add/drop slip. The process to submit is the same as above.

Does COB offer a Business minor?

Yes.  You can find details about the minor on its information page or by contacting the Business Student Success Center for details on how to begin your minor today.

I am thinking about taking classes for a minor in another department. What are the requirements?

Look up your interested minor in the University of Montana catalog. If the department offers a minor, a paragraph will appear entitled Requirements for Minor. Please consult an advisor in that department.

Do I have to complete all primary lower-core classes before taking upper division classes even if I only have one left? Are there any exceptions?

You must complete ALL primary lower-core classes with a C- or better in order to take upper division COB classes. There are NO exceptions. Transfers: please see the Business Student Success Center with questions. If you have doubts or questions about course offerings for each semester and/or when you should anticipate taking upper division classes, please see the Business Student Success Center. You want to avoid being in a situation where you cannot enroll in upper divisions classes during a semester that you assumed they were available.

I will be taking a class at another university and transferring it in for a COB class. What do I need to do?

Come to the Business Student Success Center before taking this course so that you can ensure that the course is pre-approved as equivalent to a COB requirement. Just because a course was once accepted does not mean that it still is, so confirm with the Success Center before spending time and money on a course that will not be accepted.

I retook a class. How does that work in terms of my GPA?

Once you repeat a course, only the last grade received in the course is used to calculate the GPA. However, this does not mean that the old grade will disappear off of your transcript. It will still be on your transcript but will not be counted in your GPA. Please note, if the second grade is lower than the first, the second grade is the one that is valid.

For courses taken and repeated in fall semester 2009 or later, the following repeat fees apply:

  • $25 fee for the first repeat of the same course
  • $35 fee for the second repeat of the same course
  • $50 fee for the third repeat of the same course

If I want to change my major to Business, what do I need to do?

Email the Business Student Success Center at business@umontana.edu and let us know. We will notify the registrar as well as the major you are dropping. You will be listed as a business administration major until you have completed all lower-core requirements with a C- or better with a 2.0 GPA and have filled out a major application.

What do I need to do if I want to drop a Business major?

Email the advisor for the major you are adding and they will notify the registrar as well as let us know you've dropped business.

If I am a COB major, can I take classes for credit/no credit?

If the class is required for your major or for general education, you must take the course for a traditional letter grade. Elective courses outside your major may be taken for credit/no credit.

What are the requirements to take the capstone class?

Traditionally, the capstone class is taken in your final semester. You must have already completed all lower and upper core courses with a C- or better. You must also be of senior status (90+ credits).

I am not sure if I am on the right track to graduate, or what I have left to fulfill for my degree requirements. Where can I go?

Come see the Business Student Success Center! The office is open 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Fridays by appointment throughout the entire year to answer any and all questions you may have and to assist you in making sure you are on track to graduate. The Business Student Success Center is here for you, so please contact us right away if you are unsure of your status. Take advantage of this today!

Who is my advisor?

Students are assigned a professional advisor in the Business Student Success Center. In the semester you are completing all lower-core business courses with a C- or better, you will apply for a major in through Business Student Success Center Moodle site. After your application is processed a faculty mentor will be assigned to you based on your major in addition to your advisor.

How can I find my advisor?

If you log into Cyberbear you will see your advisor(s) listed on the student profile page. If you have further questions, please see the Business Student Success Center.

I am thinking about going on to the MBA/MAcct/MSBA program, where can I get more information?

Please visit the Graduate Programs page for general information. If you have additional questions, please see Dawn Hambrick in GBB 354 regarding MBA/MSBA/MAcct admissions. 

Who do I need to talk to about doing an internship or studying abroad?

Where can I get a major application, the major check sheets, etc?

All forms are located on the Business Student Success Center website. The major application is also available on the Business Student Success Center Moodle site. 

What is the graduation application process?

Graduation Applications are available on the Business Student Success Center Moodle site. Fill out this application and submit it to the Business Student Success Center via email or through Moodle. The Business Student Success Center reviews and approves the requirements for the major. We then submit your application electronically to the Registrar's Office and they will notify you when they receive it and inform you how to pay the graduation fee. The Registrar's Office has final approval authority over the graduation application.

When do I need to turn in my graduation application?

This depends on when you plan to graduate. The deadline dates are always in the semester before you plan to graduate. THIS COMES MUCH SOONER THAN YOU THINK, SO PLAN AHEAD! First, you must submit the application to the Business Student Success Center for approval. E-mail notices and signs will be posted for students with these due dates. For spring graduation, you need to turn in your application to the Business Student Success Center by the October 1; for summer graduation, by December 31; and for fall graduation, by March 1.

What happens if I am double majoring? Do I need to fill out a second major application?

If you are completing the requirements for more than one major at COB, you do NOT need to fill out a second major application. List all majors at the beginning of the Graduation Application in the majors section. If you have an additional major outside of business, fill out an Application for Second Major. If you want two degrees you need 150 credits. Please see the Business Student Success Center with questions.

What is my governing catalog?

This is typically the catalog in effect when you first enrolled at UM (for example, if you began taking classes here in fall 2020, you would use the 2020-2021 catalog). If you changed majors to Business Administration after you first enrolled, use the catalog that coincided with your first semester as a COB major.

Your governing catalog must be dated within 6 years of your graduation and you must have attended college while that catalog was in effect.

Do I have to use the same catalog for my major requirements and general education requirements?

UM allows students to use one catalog for major requirements and a different catalog for general education. If you have additional questions, please see the COB Student Success Center.

Where can I find information about commencement exercises?

The Registrar's Office posts the information about commencement exercises on its website.

What happens if I want to change a class (drop/add), change my graduation date, or something else that I originally put on my graduation application?

Contact the Business Student Success Center to let us know of any changes. We'll make sure they don't interefere with your graduation and then notify the Graduation Office.