Business Studies

Duration

3 Years - Minor

4 Years - Minor

Programme overview

The Business Studies Minor at Krea University introduces students to the foundational principles of business operations, management, and entrepreneurship. Grounded in Krea’s Interwoven Learning philosophy, the minor emphasises real-world problem-solving, ethical reasoning, and decision-making under conditions of uncertainty. It equips students from diverse academic backgrounds with a functional understanding of how organisations operate in dynamic economic and social contexts.

Building on Krea’s undergraduate General Education curriculum, popularly known as Core and Skills courses, the minor transcends disciplinary silos by integrating perspectives from the social sciences, humanities, and quantitative reasoning. Through immersive engagement with entrepreneurship, strategy, and organisational decision-making, students develop the ability to connect theory with practice and apply business concepts to complex, real-world challenges.

The Business Studies Minor is particularly suited for students seeking to complement their major with practical, transferable skills relevant to careers in business, public policy, social enterprises, start-ups, and non-profit organisations, as well as for those considering graduate study in management or allied fields.

What makes

Business Studies at Krea Unique

Courses in the Business Studies Minor are structured to cover the critical functional areas of business, ensuring that students gain a broad and integrated understanding of organisational processes. Both required and elective courses are designed to respond to the demands of today’s workplace by developing analytical as well as interpersonal competencies.

Students build strong analytical and quantitative skills to interpret data and support evidence-based decision-making through courses such as Information Systems and Business Analytics, Finance and Accounting, and Supply Chain Management. At the same time, they develop essential interpersonal skills to engage effectively with employees, customers, and stakeholders through courses in Human Resource Management and Marketing.

By design, all courses in the Business Studies Minor are research-based and writing-intensive, reinforcing critical thinking, structured argumentation, and clear communication. Ethical reasoning is embedded across the curriculum, enabling students to engage with moral dilemmas, competing interests, and the broader social consequences of business decisions. Faculty affiliated with both School of Interwoven Arts and Sciences (SIAS) and IFMR Graduate School of Business (IFMR GSB) bring diverse disciplinary perspectives to these courses, creating a truly interwoven and interdisciplinary learning experience.

Programme Structure

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the Business Studies Minor, students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate foundational knowledge of core business functions, including marketing, finance, accounting, human resource management, operations, and strategy.
  • Apply analytical and quantitative tools to interpret data, evaluate business problems, and support informed decision-making in organisational contexts.
  • Integrate interdisciplinary perspectives from the social sciences, humanities, and quantitative disciplines to analyse real-world business and entrepreneurial challenges.
  • Communicate effectively in professional and academic contexts using clear, structured, and persuasive written and oral forms appropriate to business settings.
  • Evaluate ethical dimensions of business decisions recognising trade-offs, uncertainty, and the social, economic, and environmental implications of organisational actions.
  • Demonstrate problem-solving and critical thinking skills
  • by addressing open-ended, real-world business problems through research-based and experiential learning.
  • Develop an entrepreneurial mindset including opportunity recognition, strategic thinking, adaptability, and comfort with ambiguity.

Assessment Methods

The students are holistically assessed based on quizzes, case analyses, group projects, business presentations, assignments and written exams.

Graduation Requirements

Business Studies graduation requirements for the three-year and four-year programmes:

Credits needed to earn a Minor
in Business Studies
Credits needed to earn a Concentration
in Business Studies
3-Year Programme 24 16
4-Year Programme 32 16

Out of these 24 credits will come from required courses and the remaining courses can be earned as electives. In the 3-Year programme, students will have to complete all the required courses. 

Minor Concentration
Required Elective Required Elective
3-Year Programme 24 0 16 0
4-Year Programme 24 8 16 0

To earn a Business Studies Minor, or Concentration, students must complete the required and elective credits in Business Studies courses as indicated above.

Career and Study Opportunities

A minor in Business Studies will effectively contribute through professional roles in the corporate sector or start-ups, in academia, public policy or think tanks, in government, and in the non- government and non- profit sectors.

Partnerships

Krea University has partnerships with leading universities in India and abroad that offer students pathways for higher education and research. These collaborations create opportunities for postgraduate study, academic exchange, and continued learning across disciplines. Know more

Job roles: Business analyst, Communications specialist, Economic consultant, Government policy adviser, Management consultant, Market research analyst, Policy analyst, Trade manager and more.

Faculty

Dr Kumaravel S

Assistant Professor, Operations Management

Dr Swayam Sampurna Panigrahi

Assistant Professor, Operations

Dr Pallavi Pandey

Assistant Professor, HR & OB & Area Chair – OB & HR

Dr Sesha Sai Ram Meka

Assistant Professor, Finance, Accounting & Quantitative Finance

Dr Suresh G

Assistant Professor of Economics

Professor K V Easwaran

Professor of Practice of Finance

Dr Debasish Mishra

Assistant Professor, Data Science & Information Systems

Dr Sumit Mishra

Assistant Professor, Economics

Dr Ravi Thilagan

Adjunct Associate Professor in OB & HR

Dr Debankur Saha

Assistant Professor of Marketing

“Coming from a Science background, I was completely new to the field of Business Studies. Until I opted for a Business Studies minor at Krea, my knowledge and imagination of myself in this field were quite limited. However, after attending various courses taught by our very friendly faculty, I developed an interest in Business Studies. The courses were well-structured to ensure they contributed to developing the ability to identify and solve various problems, which I believe is a crucial quality for an entrepreneur. I learnt the important lesson that a single topic can be interpreted in multiple ways, and it is always better to choose the most effective approach. The group discussions and the practical aspects of the courses, including developing an idea for a startup, equipped me with entrepreneurial skills I had not previously recognised in myself and helped me stay updated with various business trends. I am truly thankful to Krea for helping me identify these skills, which are aiding me in building a successful career.”

Divya V

Cohort of 2021-24, SIAS