Redesigned Undergraduate Business Curriculum

When Howard L. Hawks Hall opened in 2017, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business made a promise: we weren't just building a building, we were building a world-class college. That vision has guided every major initiative since, transforming business education through new academic programs and student services that include peer mentoring and forward-looking courses that prepare students to lead the future of business.

The redesigned core reflects years of collaboration among faculty and staff to ensure students don't just learn business, they do business. Centered on experiential learning, corporate engagement and peer mentoring, the curriculum prepares students to become data-driven decision makers, effective communicators, purposeful strategists and empowered business professionals.

Starting on day one, first-year students explore every business discipline in Introduction to Business before preparing for their first college competition, the Business Battle. Rather than waiting until their junior or senior year to engage with industry, students work on a real challenge presented by a corporate partner, develop recommendations and present their ideas while collaborating with more than 100 volunteer business consultants, 27 peer coaches and business faculty. Early qualitative outcomes include increased student confidence and engagement as well as increased interest and retention motivations.

Students also discover and develop their natural talents through the CliftonStrengths® assessment and individualized coaching from certified strengths coaches in the Clifton Strengths Institute before creating a personalized career plan in Career Development & Planning, taught by leaders in the Business Career Center. Throughout the curriculum, they strengthen leadership, communication, teamwork, analytical thinking and technology skills through progressively more challenging, hands-on learning experiences, including courses exploring emerging technologies and artificial intelligence, and applied improvisation to build adaptability, communication and executive presence.

The curriculum culminates in the Business Strategies capstone, where students collaborate with corporate mentors, including C-suite and senior leaders, about multidisciplinary business challenges for a corporate partner. This intentional, bookended approach ensures every graduate leaves Nebraska Business with practical experience, meaningful industry connections and the confidence to lead the future of business.