One of the most popular undergraduate colleges at the University of Notre Dame is the Mendoza College of Business. Students in the college have the choice between six majors: finance, accounting, marketing, businesses analytics, business technology, and management consulting.
This informational essay was written by Caroline Marapese, Notre Dame ‘20. If you want to get help writing your Notre Dame application essays from Caroline or other CollegeAdvisor.com Admissions Experts, register with CollegeAdvisor.com today. other CollegeAdvisor.com Admissions Experts, register with CollegeAdvisor.com today.
General Requirements at Mendoza
At Notre Dame, students who pursue a business major engage in a variety of core business courses varying from Business Law to Managerial Accounting during their first and second years, followed by major declaration in February of the sophomore year. The business core requirements provide the ideal environment for major discernment, even if you apply thinking you know where you want to specialize.
Students select their intended college and major on the application to the University. This decision is non-binding, but internally or externally transferring into Mendoza is a highly competitive process. If you are interested in majoring in business, apply to Mendoza on your application, because it is significantly easier to transfer out of the College than into it. There are only two windows to apply to transfer to Mendoza during your first year; there are no additional opportunities once sophomore year begins. All transfers are required to have completed a semester of Calculus, Statistics, and Principles of Microeconomics prior to beginning their sophomore courses.
All students are enrolled in the First Year of Studies during their first year as a student, but have an intended major in a specific college. In the past few years, Notre Dame has shifted towards allowing students to take major specific classes earlier, partly due to the accelerated recruiting timeline and partly due to students desire to have more freedom during junior and senior years to take higher level electives.
Most professors in Mendoza are eager to meet with students and help them with classwork or networking. Students take advantage of the opportunity to learn from professors outside the classroom by attending office hours and events on campus that are championed by Mendoza. Professors thoroughly enjoy talking about their research and helping students discern their career paths. Though classes in the First Year of Studies are often in large lecture halls, the majority of business classes take place in classrooms that sit less than 40 students.
Catholic Values
What sets the Mendoza school apart as a distinctly Catholic business school? Students and faculty alike embody the College’s motto, “ask more of business.” At Notre Dame, you will undoubtedly gain a solid foundation in many disciplines and an in-depth background in your major, but you will receive more than just a degree. Notre Dame expects students to live out its mission of integrity, believe in the inherent human dignity of all, and foster a community of academic excellence.
Though all students take a business ethics course, finance majors have the opportunity to take a course called “Corporate Governance and Catholic Social Teaching.” Taught by the Dean of Mendoza, this course examines the intersection between business mechanisms and the three pillars of Catholic social teaching in a discussion format.
Business Majors in Mendoza
Finance
The finance major at Notre Dame is among the most popular, with over one third of students in Mendoza opting for this course of study. Finance majors gain an understanding of the finance world in areas such as sales & trading, investment theory, and corporate finance, while developing specific skills such as financial statement analysis and financial modeling through classes and extracurriculars.
Accountancy
Accountancy is another of the most popular majors in Mendoza. Though all business students are required to take two accounting courses, this major provides students with an invaluable and developed skills in financial, managerial, and tax accounting. The Beta Alpha Psi honors society brings many speakers to campus and hosts events specific to accounting. Additionally, accountancy students are well on their way to reaching the 150 credit hours required to sit for the CPA through the curriculum.
Marketing
The marketing major at Notre Dame is one of the fastest growing options. Students rave about the variety of classes. A few student favorites include “Designing Values-Based Strategies for Business Markets,” in which students learn to design marketing solutions for real world business dilemmas, and “Product Innovation,” in which study innovation and exercise their own creativity.
Business Technology
This major has evolved over the past few years from an almost entirely application-based and system-based curriculum to a flexible skills-based curriculum due to the constantly evolving landscape of technology. Mendoza’s mission is reflected in the effort to adapt this major toward using technology as a tool to advance the common good of society. Students not only learn coding languages and technology systems, but also develop transferable communication and problem-solving skills.
Business Analytics
This major is the newest of the six and was created in response to the increasing availability of data and applicability of technology skills in every facet of the workforce. In courses such as “Data Storytelling” and “Cloud Computing” students focus on communication through data and efficient technology solutions. One of students’ favorite courses is “Sports Analytics.”
Management Consulting
This major has fewer students than other majors in Mendoza. In this major, students explore organizational change and the role of risk in decision making, among other areas. One of the most interesting core business requirements, “Foresight in Business & Society,” is in the Management department. Students work in groups to research and present a trend impacting society through implications in business.
Other Academic Opportunities in Mendoza
Though it is not possible for students in Mendoza to double major in the College, they are able to pursue a supplementary major in one of the other five colleges or complete a business minor. Mendoza offers minors in Real Estate, Accountancy, Digital Marketing, and Innovation & Entrepreneurship. The Innovation & Entrepreneurship minor is very popular, and students frequently partner with the IDEA Center to work with startups, partake in the McCloskey Venture Competition, or bring their own business concept from ideation to fruition. The IDEA Center is one of the most exciting new developments on campus in the past few years and there are a multitude of opportunities to get involved or attend speakers and events regardless of your major.
Mendoza students at Notre Dame don’t stop learning when class is dismissed. Extracurricular business clubs play an essential role in the Notre Dame business experience. The Student International Business council is one of the largest student groups on campus. Through membership in this club, students gain real world business experience by working in teams and working closely with a firm to complete a project. A similar organization, Unleashed Social Ventures conducts similar projects, but with a focus on impact investing and creating social change. The Undergraduate Women in Business organization is another popular club that aims to strengthen the community of women in business through networking events, conferences, and speaker series.
Career Opportunities
Business majors at Notre Dame start their careers in nearly every field and industry and nearly everyone takes advantage of the Center for Career Development. Whether you are going through the investment banking recruiting process or seeking a year of service after graduation, there are events, speakers, and opportunities to network with alumni, meet employers, and improve your resume and interview skills. Throughout the academic year, there are “Meet the Firms” events focused on each major in Mendoza; students of all grade levels attend these invaluable opportunities to meet prospective employers and learn about their intended career path.
After all, everyone says that Notre Dame is a forty-year decision, not a four year decision for a reason. There’s a vast network of alumni, Irish pride, and over 100,000 Notre Dame graduates that are eager to help you!
This informational essay was written by Caroline Marapese, Notre Dame ‘20. If you want to get help writing your Notre Dame application essays from Caroline or other Bullseye Admissions advisors, register with Bullseye today.
