Revamped Undergraduate Curriculum Earns National Recognition

The Carlson School’s revamped undergraduate curriculum is driving the future of business education. For its creative approach to preparing the next generation of business leaders, the school’s curriculum redesign was recognized by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) as a 2023 Innovations That Inspire award winner.

Now in its eighth year, AACSB's Innovations That Inspire program highlights innovative business schools of tomorrow and new value for a continuously evolving business world and global society. The Carlson School was one of just 25 business schools around the world to receive this recognition. 

“Anchored around three realms—people and planet, data and technology, and critical thinking and problem-solving—students now earn a degree from the Carlson School that provides the critical knowledge and experiences they need to enter today’s workforce and enhance their lives,” says Dean Sri Zaheer. “Current students are already enjoying the benefits of this approach, which is reward enough. To be recognized in this way by AACSB is another testament to the impact this education will have on students.”

The new curriculum, operating since fall 2022, features new courses, skills, and opportunities built into the program. The new design features nine new courses and three signature experiences that not only meets the needs of employers but helps students build a better world. 

With it, students begin taking groundbreaking classes right away. In their first year, students take classes on leadership, business analysis, problem-solving, social responsibility and sustainability, and designing their life and career. In their second year, they build a foundation of business knowledge through the school’s Impact Core coursework, which includes classes across all areas of business; a course on race, power, and justice in business; and the Impact Lab Project, where students partner with real organizations to make an impact. After Impact Core, students dive deep into their major, which they select from among 10 possible majors and 13 minors.

This was the first time the core curriculum for the Bachelor of Science in Business degree had been updated since 2006.