Academic Catalog

2025-2026

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Financial Management with a Major in Risk Management and Insurance (BSBA)

Bruce Rubin, Chair
Sara Russell-Riggs, Chief Departmental Advisor

Financial management comprises four majors: finance, personal financial planning, real estate, and risk management and insurance. Risk management and insurance graduates become corporate risk managers; employee benefits specialists; business continuity professionals; loss control specialists;  and underwriters, claims adjusters, actuaries, field reps, and producers (both agents and brokers) for personal and commercial lines property-casualty and life-health insurers.

A student who seeks a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree in financial management with a major in risk management and insurance from Old Dominion University must, in addition to meeting other requirements of the University, earn a minimum of 25 percent of the total number of credits required for the degree (for example, 30 credits in a 120-credit degree program) through on- or off-campus instruction. This must include a minimum of 12 credit hours of upper-level RMI or FIN courses or other upper-level  courses specifically listed as electives on the course lists below.

Strome College of Business (SCB) Center for Undergraduate Advising and Student Success

The mission of this office is to challenge and support students in self-exploration and, through advising, provide resources for them to develop an achievable plan for success. Our vision is for students to be aware of their academic, personal, and professional goals; empowered to pursue them; and confident in their ability to accomplish them.

Our professional advisors work with all Strome College of Business students regarding degree planning, changing majors, admissions, continuance, graduation requirements and required curricula for the majors and minors offered by the College.

Degree Requirements

Students in all of the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree programs must fulfill the University General Education requirements (including foreign language) as well as the Strome College of Business’s core, major, and elective requirements. Students must choose at least one major area to meet requirements towards the degree. 

To stay in compliance with AACSB accreditation standards, students receiving a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Old Dominion University must complete at least half of their business course work in residence with a minimum of four courses in their declared major. This equates to 10 business classes, thus meeting the University's residency requirement as well.

Majors in the college may not take business and public administration courses for pass/fail credit except those courses in which pass/fail is the only grading option (i.e., internships and practica).

Admission to the Undergraduate Program in Business Administration

General Requirements

Applicants for admission to the undergraduate degree program in business administration (the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration) should apply initially to the Office of Admissions of Old Dominion University. Students cannot be accepted into business administration without first being admitted to the University. Admission to the University does not guarantee admission to the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) program. Candidates for admission to the BSBA program should indicate on the application to the University their intention to enter the undergraduate business administration degree program.

Admission to the Bachelor's Degree Program in Business Administration: 

Before Admission to the bachelor's degree program in business administration can be granted, a student must have earned a grade of C or higher in each of the business Admission courses:

BUSN 110Introduction to Contemporary Business1
ENGL 110CEnglish Composition3
MATH 162MPrecalculus I3
ACCT 201Principles of Financial Accounting3
ECON 202SPrinciples of Microeconomics3
  • BUSN 110 is not required for students pursuing majors under the BSBA in Information Systems and Technology (excluding Business Analytics) or for any student with an associate's degree in business administration or with a prior bachelor's degree in business administration. 
  • Students may utilize the Grade Forgiveness Policy for the business Admission courses.
  • Transfer students may complete business Admission courses (BUSN 110, ENGL 110C, MATH 162M, ACCT 201, and ECON 202S) at another accredited college or university, but are responsible for having Transfer Evaluation Services determine that the courses are acceptable to the University.

Eligibility to Enroll in Upper-Level (300/400-level) Business Courses

Only students who have officially completed Admission courses to the BSBA program will be eligible to enroll in upper-level (300/400) business courses (refer to exceptions for non-business majors). However, students who are in progress with the business Admission courses may enroll in upper-level (300/400) business courses. Note: These students will need a Program Restriction Waiver (PRW) to enroll in these courses, with the exception of FIN 323, MGMT 325, MKTG 311, and OPMT 303. These courses require a junior class standing for registration.

Enrollment in 300/400-level Business Courses by Non-Business Majors

Enrollment in 300/400-level business courses will be granted without the Admission courses for the following exceptions:

1.    Students pursuing a declared minor in the Strome College of Business may enroll in 300/400-level business courses appropriate to the minor.

2.    Students pursuing Upper-Division General Education Requirement Option B: Interdisciplinary Minor or Option D: Six hours of elective upper-division courses outside the student's major discipline or college.

3.    Students wishing to satisfy the Impact of Technology requirement may enroll in IT 360T.

4.    Students pursuing a degree program other than the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) that requires or accepts specific 300/400-level business courses to complete the degree may enroll in the courses appropriate to the major.

5.    Non-degree-seeking students may enroll in 300/400-level business courses if they have satisfied the prerequisites for these courses.

Students in categories 1 - 5 above who do not have a declared major will need a Program Restriction Waiver (PRW) in order to enroll in any 300/400-level Strome College of Business course (including Economics courses). Forms to request a PRW are available at the Strome College of Business website.

Regulations for Continuance in the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration

In addition to the Old Dominion University continuance policies, the following policies are specific to all declared Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) students. The Strome College of Business makes a reasonable effort to notify undergraduate students who are not in good academic standing in the BSBA program of their academic status. Each undergraduate student who is placed on BSBA Academic Alarm or BSBA Termination (explained below) will be sent an e-mail message to that effect at the student's Old Dominion University e-mail address, in accordance with the Electronic Communication Policy for Official University Business. Non-receipt of the e-mail messages by a student will not be considered grounds for granting exceptions or delays in enforcement of the BSBA continuance regulations.

BSBA Continuance Regulations

If a student’s Grade Point Average (GPA) in their BSBA Core courses falls below a 2.0, then they will be on Academic Alarm within the Strome College of Business (SCB). This policy is very similar to the University's academic continuance policy, the main difference being that it is based on the core Business courses and impacts acceptance and continuance within the SCB.

Academic Alarm

The first semester in which a student’s BSBA Core GPA drops to below a 2.0, they will be on Academic Alarm. Once considered on academic alarm within the college, taking courses within the BSBA Core is the only way to bring that GPA back up.

  • If the student raises the BSBA Core GPA to above a 2.0, then they will no longer be on academic alarm.
  • If the BSBA Core GPA does not reach a 2.0 but the semester average in the BSBA Core courses is a 2.0 or higher, then the student will remain on academic alarm and be able to continue within the SCB.

SCB Termination

While on academic alarm within the Strome College of Business, if the semester BSBA Core GPA falls below a 2.0, the student will be terminated from the SCB and their major coding will be changed from Business to Undecided. (Terminations will not be processed in summer semesters.)

Appeals

If you have been terminated, you may appeal the decision if you have extenuating circumstances and documentation to support your claim. To appeal, write a letter and include documentation of your circumstances to the Associate Dean of the Strome College of Business (Constant Hall, Suite 2004). There are specific details that need to be included with your appeal - for more information, please see the appeals process as described in the most recently issued catalog.

Guidelines for Filing a BSBA Termination Appeal

1.    All students have the right to appeal their BSBA termination if they believe that extraordinary circumstances were the main reason for their poor academic performance. Notifications of pending BSBA termination are sent to the student's ODU email address and include information on the appeal process and deadlines. All BSBA termination appeals must be submitted electronically using the link provided in the email and will be reviewed by the SCB Termination Appeal Committee. Students are responsible for submitting their appeal by the stated deadline; late appeals will not be reviewed. Decisions of the Termination Appeal Committee may be appealed to the Associate Dean for Academic Programs in the Strome College of Business whose decision is final.

2.    Appeals must be based on circumstances pertinent to the semesters in which the academic difficulty occurred that were beyond the control of the student and for which official withdrawal from the course(s) was not an option. Appeal letters must be legible and authored by the terminated student. The appeal letter must provide sufficient detail and explanation regarding the following points because there is no face-to-face meeting with the Associate Dean for Academic Programs in the Strome College of Business. The decision of the Associate Dean is final. Students without documentation will not be allowed to appeal their termination. In order to be reviewed, an appeal letter must:

a.    Document the extraordinary circumstances such as a death in the family, medical complications or chronic conditions, personal or family emergency, overwhelming work schedules, dorm-mate conflict, or a personal relationship conflict that have adversely affected performance: i.e., a statement or letter from a physician, employer, family members, faculty, academic advisor, Counseling Services, or Educational Accessibility.

b.    Explain how the extraordinary circumstances caused each semester of poor academic performance.

c.     State the reasons why an official withdrawal was not requested.

d.    Explain how the extraordinary circumstance(s) has been resolved.

e.    Provide a plan of action to return to good BSBA academic standing.

3.    Students who do not file a BSBA termination appeal or whose appeals are denied, are no longer eligible to pursue a bachelor's degree in Business Administration. Upon BSBA termination, the student's major in the Strome College of Business will be removed. (This does not affect a declared second major outside of the BSBA.) These students are advised to work with an advisor in the SCB Center for Undergraduate Advising to explore other major options, and for referrals to other advising departments for a new major declaration.

4.    BSBA-terminated students who had pre-registered for a subsequent semester lose eligibility for continued enrollment in upper-level business courses.

Applying for Readmission to the BSBA Program

After a minimum of five years has passed since a student was terminated from the BSBA program, the student may apply for readmission to the program. There must be a high probability the student will successfully complete the degree program, and approval will be at the discretion of the Strome College of Business Associate Dean.