Starting this fall, Case Western Reserve University’s Weatherhead School of Management will offer a major in business management for undergraduates.

Previously the Weatherhead School of Management offered majors in accounting, finance, marketing and more. Students could also create their own individually designed major.

Associate Dean for Undergraduate and Integrated Programs Jennifer Johnson explained the reasoning behind the new major.

“We recognized there were students who wanted to major in a management field, but did not foresee themselves in a typical career associated with each of our other majors,” Johnson said.  “For example, at Weatherhead we have pre-med and pre-law students enrolled in our courses because they see the benefit of having a business education in their anticipated career paths.”

The new business management major will allow students to select a concentration out of four disciplines: innovation and entrepreneurship, international business, organizational leadership and supply chain management. Students also still have the option to propose their own concentration.

Over the years, enrollment and interest in Weatherhead undergraduate courses has increased. Between 2005 and 2014, according to CWRU’s Institutional Research, the number of undergraduate degrees awarded by Weatherhead has increased by almost 32 percent. With the addition of the new major, more undergraduate students might choose to enroll in more business classes.

Johnson, however, said that Weatherhead will continue to monitor class enrollment and advising capacities to ensure student needs are met.

“We introduced the new major knowing we had additional incremental capacity in the majority of courses required for the business management major,” Johnson said. “Also, each semester we watch enrollments in introductory core courses closely and determine if we need to add new sections. In addition we track academic advisor loads, and will make adjustments as needed to meet student needs.”

Many students enter CWRU undecided as to their future major. In fall 2014, approximately 15 percent of incoming students were undecided.

“Regardless of one’s future career interests, understanding how organizations function effectively can provide an advantage,” Johnson said in reference to undecided students.  “Weatherhead offers a variety of courses, minors and majors that help undergraduate students learn how organizations can be effective.”

Correction on 9/21 at 2:30 pm: Weatherhead does not have a curricular provision for students to propose a customized concentration.  They can, however, still proposed a customized major under the BS in Management.