Cox School of Business Pathway Guide

Preparation for Transfer as a Business Major

The following sequences are suggested courses to take in your semesters prior to transferring to SMU as a business major. For students attending a Texas public community college or university, Texas Common Course Numbers (TCCNS) are listed.  If you are transferring from a college or university outside of Texas, click on the SMU course for a course description which may be used to select/compare courses at your current institution.

UC listings refer to SMU’s University Curriculum, which all undergraduates are required to complete. Refer to the University Curriculum Transfer Guide for a list of courses satisfying UC components. Interactive equivalency guides organized by transfer institution are available on the Transfer and Transition Services’ website.

Save all of your course syllabi! 

Please note: These plans assume students are ready to take calculus. If you are not “calculus ready,” take math courses to prepare you for calculus so that you advance to calculus as soon as possible. Also, if you are planning a minor, typically only one or two transfer courses will be applied.

A History of Creating Business Leaders

Since 1920, the SMU Cox School of Business has equipped students with the skills, knowledge and experience they need to succeed in business. Major publications—including BusinessWeek, The Economist, Financial Times, Forbes, U.S. News & World Report and The Wall Street Journal—rank SMU Cox among the top business schools in the nation and around the world.

The B.B.A. program at Cox develops students’ abilities to read and analyze challenging texts, write persuasive papers, solve real problems, and manage diverse personalities in a team environment. Graduates are well prepared for entry-level managerial positions, with the knowledge and skills to advance quickly. This continually evolving program is designed to anticipate the skills needed for future success.

The Cox Advantage

In addition to benefiting from a strong national reputation, Cox offers highly respected faculty, student-centered support services, and a location that promotes the immediate application of learning.

• SMU Cox’s Dallas location provides students with opportunities for corporate mentors, speakers and internships during the academic year. These experiences enhance students’ marketability for summer internship opportunities worldwide. Texas leads the nation in Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 company headquarters, and Dallas-Fort Worth is home to many of these firms including ExxonMobil, AT&T, Kimberly Clark, JCPenney, and Texas Instruments.
• Cox faculty members are nationally known as productive researchers, consultants and teachers. Cox undergraduate courses are taught by professors, not teaching assistants, providing business students with the full benefit of the Cox faculty.
• Student support services include professional academic advising and career counseling in the Cox School to help students make the most of their time at SMU while preparing for their transition to the business world.
• Leadership development is a key component of the Cox B.B.A. program. All students complete a course through the Cox Business Leadership Institute which includes core professional skills and leader development.
• Cox B.B.A. holders are strong candidates for employment and graduate school. The average salary for B.B.A graduates exceeds the national average in every business discipline. Over 100 companies hire Cox B.B.A. graduates each year.

Cox Admission Requirements

Students who plan to major in business can be admitted to SMU as pre-business majors, or they can be admitted directly to the Cox School of Business. To be admitted as a business major, students must be admissible to SMU and must also meet the specific admission requirements for the Cox School of Business. Cox admission requires:

1. A minimum 39 transferable credit hours
2. A minimum 3.500 all-college cumulative GPA
3. Successful completion of the following subset of courses:

ACCT 2301 
DISC 1311  & DISC 1312  or DISC 2305  & DISC 2306  
ECO 1311 , ECO 1312   
ITOM 2305 , or STAT 2331 
MATH 1309  or MATH 1337  or MATH 1340  

If students complete the subset but lack a 3.500 cumulative GPA, there is a second chance to gain entry into Cox by completing ACCT 2302  and completing the semester with a 3.500 cumulative GPA.

Students who have not completed the subset courses at the time of transfer are admitted to SMU as pre-business majors.

All-College Cumulative GPA
The cumulative GPA includes all transferable and SMU coursework and is measured in the semester that the student completes both the 7 course subset and has a minimum of 39 transferable hours.

Cox admission requirements are based on the year of entry to SMU. 

Degree Programs in Cox School of Business

Cox offers the Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) degree with majors in Accounting , Finance , Financial Consulting , General Business , Management , Marketing , and Real Estate . A specialization in Alternative Asset Management is also available within the Finance  major. All B.B.A. degrees include a common core of 11 business courses, which provide breadth and foundation in a variety of business disciplines, and a major-specific component of six to eight courses.

In addition to the B.B.A. degree programs, Cox offers two distinct minor programs. The Minor in Business Administration  has the same admission requirements as the Cox major programs and consists of 21 hours of core business courses. These courses will also apply toward a major in business if the student decides to pursue a business major. The Minor in Business  is open to any non-Cox student, and is designed to provide a general overview of business topics to compliment a variety of academic interests. The courses for the minor in business do not apply toward any Cox major or the minor in business administration. For further information on the degree programs, please visit the Cox website.

Honors in Business

All Cox majors may be eligible to graduate with Honors in Business. The Cox honors program offers students an enhanced curriculum that challenges their intellectual abilities and sharpens their professional skills. Smaller classes promote greater student/professor interaction and a more meaningful educational experience. Students choose to take any six of their core courses as honors. Participation in Cox honors requires minimum grade point averages.

Transferring Business Courses

The Cox School of Business is accredited by the AACSB: the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. As an accredited business school, Cox is limited in the number of business courses which may be accepted in transfer.  ACCT 2301  and ACCT 2302  are the only business courses that can be accepted from community colleges or non-AACSB accredited schools. The Cox School requires that a minimum of 30 business hours be completed through enrollment at SMU; also, SMU requires a minimum 60 hours of SMU credit for any SMU degree.

Preparing for a Smooth Transition

Transfer students who take time to prepare for their transition to Cox are among the school’s most successful students. Following are a few important points to remember in preparing for a successful transition.

• Students must complete at least 39 credit hours prior to transferring in order to start directly in Cox.
• SMU accepts AP scores of 4 or 5.
• Students are strongly encouraged to complete all Cox admission requirements and as much of the University Curriculum  as possible prior to transferring. 
• Save all of your course syllabi in the event more information is needed to evaluate your credits.
• For additional information on the Cox School of Business, visit the Cox website or call 214-768-1110.
• For more information about transferring to SMU, click here or call 214-768-3417.

The University Curriculum (UC)

The University Curriculum is required of all undergraduate students and consists of three main components: 

1. Foundations - 6 hours of Discernment and Discourse courses, 3 hours of Quantitative Foundation courses, 2 hours of Personal Responsibility and Wellness courses, proficiency in a second language and 3 hours of a Ways of Knowing course (offered only at SMU)
2. Breadth and Depth - 7 Breadth and 3 Depth courses which may double count with majors and minors
3. Proficiencies and Experiences - 6 Proficiencies and Experiences requirements, met through Breadth and Depth coursework or approved, noncredit activities.

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Click here for more information about transferring to SMU.