Of the endless list of reasons why Notre Dame stands out from the crowd, our world-renowned Mendoza College of Business is no exception. Founded in 1921 by Holy Cross priest and former University President John Francis O’Hara and named in 2000 for NetApp executives Tom and Kathy Mendoza, Mendoza has long been woven into the fabric of the University, consistently pushing its mission to “Ask More of Business.” Consequently, it is one of the most popular college choices at Notre Dame.
The Mendoza College of Business offers six undergraduate majors: accountancy, business analytics, finance, information technology management, management consulting, and marketing. All students admitted to Notre Dame are enrolled in the First Year of Studies, but upon applying, students are asked to indicate which college and major they intend on pursuing at the University.
Those applicants who have interest in the Mendoza College of Business and indicate so on their application are informed at the time of admission whether or not they are “preapproved” to join the business school at the end of their first year. Those who are admitted but not preapproved will be free to enroll in any other college at the University with limited opportunity to major in business after their first year. Anyone who is preapproved and later decides to pursue a different, nonbusiness discipline is free to do so. The preapproval and limited internal transfer processes helps Notre Dame to achieve its 550 degree goal per class for Mendoza, a cap that ensures the quality of student experience within Mendoza and that students, faculty, and employers can continue to enjoy the benefits of one of the world’s top business institutions.
If you aren’t preapproved or have an interest in obtaining some business background, have no fear! Notre Dame offers plenty of alternatives to the BBA, including an economics major, a business economics minor, a science-business program, and Joint Five-Year MBA programs in both science and engineering. Check out this link for more information on the Business Major Policy and a comprehensive list of alternative business program options.
For those that aren’t preapproved but are still interested in majoring in business, a small number of students will have the opportunity to internally transfer into Mendoza. These students would notify their First Year of Studies advisor of their intent to apply to internally transfer. Along with the application, students will be asked to submit a letter of recommendation, their first semester transcript, an individual PowerPoint presentation slide deck, and a short essay. Other evaluation criteria include but are not limited to: a behavioral interview, a student’s academic performance during their first year, and a student’s extracurriculars. More information on the internal transfer process can be found here.
Aside from academic business programs, Mendoza also offers a plethora of research opportunities, both working jointly with professors or independently through research grants from the Nanovic or Kellogg Institutes for example. From the exhaustive list of clubs and groups at Notre Dame, you’ll find plenty of business avenues, from academic clubs to more project-specific groups like Business Action in Social Entrepreneurship (BaseND) and Student International Business Council (SIBC).
As a senior preparing to graduate with a marketing degree in the spring, I can’t emphasize enough all of the incredible opportunities Mendoza has to offer not just to business majors but all undergrads at Notre Dame. I encourage all Domers to get involved and see just what it means to Ask More of Business.