Bachelor of Business Studies, TU: Offerings, and Syllabus in Nepal

Are you a student of Nepal willing to initiate your undergraduate degree in Nepal, that too, in BBS?  If so, you have come to the right place, as this article will provide you with all the facts, figures, and relevant information regarding the course, course material, scope, tenure, passing and drop-out rate, syllabus, history, and future of this course, that might help you in your higher studies. 

Being a student in Nepal, there are certain curriculum standards that a student must follow to enroll in the upcoming program. Initially, a student should work on the primary level of education (From grade 1 to 8), then on the secondary level of education (9 to 12). After 12th, there are various undergrad programs that students can choose from, and enroll in. One of the many such programs is the Bachelor of Business Studies (BBS).

What is a Bachelor of Business Studies (BBS)

BBS is a four-year undergraduate program offered by Tribhuvan University that provides students in Nepal with basic knowledge of business and management or related subject matters. It is a FoM (Faculty of Management) Program. The main motto or the outcome that graduates can expect from this course is to become capable people who can adjust themselves when working in any dynamic environment along with being able to adapt to changes that come up in any operational or management level. 

Furthermore, one needs to understand that, just like any other subject, management is also not an easy subject and is something that is required, not just in a work environment, but also in terms of performing day-to-day activities. It is a well-structured program created by FOM and other managerial bodies to provide students with proper academics related to various fields and scopes of management.

What is TU

TU is one of the oldest and largest universities in Nepal established in 1959, and it has been committed to providing the country with higher education. Currently, the university has been managing and operating 60 constituent campuses directly and has more than 1,000 affiliated colleges. There are 11 universities and relevant colleges in the country and the number of students enrolled in 2022/2023 in each university was 6,87,421. Out of these students 78.2% enrolled in Tribhuvan University, and the other 21.8% were enrolled in the remaining 10 universities. This information was taken from the Economic Survey 2022/2023, by the Ministry of Finance.

The table is created based on the 2021/2022 data collection, and this table shows the hype that the first University in the country has created.

History and Evolution

The BBS course was introduced by Tribhuwan University in 2070 as the responsibility of business administration and overall functioning was provided to the Faculty of Management (FoM). Since then, it has been giving affiliation to colleges to run their academics based on the programs created by it. Another University that has been offering similar affiliation in terms of BBS, to colleges is Purbanchal University. While BBS is offered by many colleges in Nepal, TU’s affiliation is taken by 680 colleges, and PU’s affiliation is taken by only 7 colleges. 

Is BBA Similar to BBS

Curriculum Covered 

During the 4 years tenure of the BBS program, a student will get conceptual knowledge regarding accounting, finance, organizational and operational management, marketing, human resource management, economics, business law, strategic management, entrepreneurship, and sustainable business concepts. Depending on the college and its facilities, students will also be exposed to various practical skills required in this managerial corporate world. 

Let us explore the list of courses covered in each year for BBS, as per the syllabus provided by TU

Admission Process and Eligibility

• Anyone who completed their high school (+2) with at least 45% (second division) or 1.8 CGPA can apply for this course.
• In order to be enrolled to bbs course in Nepal, it is not necessary for the student to complete their +2 level in business and administration subject (management, commerce, or so forth). The students who attended high school in Science, management, or equivalent recognized academics, can apply too.
• Apart from Management students, others must have studied either Mathematics or Economics in their 10+2 or equivalent subjects.
• Should have studied English as a compulsory subject in their high school.
• Should have provided their transcripts, or other academic certificates to the college they are enrolled in.

List of some colleges offering BBS in Nepal

Minimum Requirements

• TU’s general requirement for a BBS course is 4 years.
• A minimum of 150 teaching days exist.
• A day will have 4 hours of class.
• Hence teaching hours become 600 hours, besides all the field work and practical work.
• No matter whether the colleges run the morning or the afternoon shift, they should run 5 periods a day, every teaching day.

Grading System

With all the regular class examinations, practicals, presentations, field visits, and academic events, the final evaluation is done annually with the exam conducted by the Office of the Controller of Examination, Tribhuvan University. To be able to take the annual exam, there are certain requirements that the students must meet;

1. Attendance of 70%
2. 2nd year’s final exam cannot be taken unless the first year’s exam is taken. And this applies for all 4 years.
3. Grades equivalency on the basis of percentage

Is the CMAT (Entrance test) exam required?

FOM has initiated an entrance-level examination for all the +2 pass-outs, willing to enroll in any semester-based management-level course, called the Central Management Admission Test (CMAT). However, BBS is not a semester-based course, it is a yearly-based course, and hence, the course does not require any type of entrance examination, including the CMAT exams. You can visit cmat.gurubaa.com for more information regarding CMAT. 

Overall Course and its run-ways

As there are five courses each year, except for the last year, and as each course carries a total of 100 marks, the overall marks that a student achieves each year is a total of 500. However, for the last year, all the subject carries 100 marks while Business Research Methods carries 50 and Final Report carries 50, making it 500 at the end. Furthermore, the first year’s course content is more like a base or foundation year for each student enrolled in BBS, which introduces them to what they will be learning through the Bachelor of Business Studies program. The second year’s study material is designed to provide students with management concepts in the aspects of business ideas, business management, and learning career opportunities. The third and fourth year is where differentiation and toughness start. In the third year, you start to identify the specialization course among Accounting, finance, marketing, or management. And in the final year, you need to choose a course based on your field of interest, or the field that you see your professional career in. The BBS graduates have the opportunity to work in banks, financial services providing companies, civil services, and corporate sectors in high-ranking positions, or start their entrepreneurial journey. However, in this competitive world, students should develop the required skills in terms of computer learning, taking extra classes, and so forth, alongside working on their BBS degree.

Fee Structure

Bachelor in Business Studies is a popular course over the country, especially in terms of being affordable. Although the affiliated private colleges charge higher than the constituent colleges, it is still more affordable than most of the similar courses in over the country. For instance, BBA is considered a similar course to BBS here, and the fee structure ranges from 4 lakhs to 10 lakhs. Other courses for bachelor’s degrees charge even higher.  

More information regarding the chosen concentrations from the syllabus of BBS 

BBS offered by other Universities

Mid-Western University and Far-Western University also offer the bbs course having various aspects of business covered with a similar course structure once the admission to BBS is processed. 

BBS students and Abroad Studies

The 4 years curriculum is recognized as well as accepted by various international colleges and Universities. From the country, most undergraduates prefer completing their Master’s degree abroad for which they have to maintain their grades as well as take required exams like language exams, and should fulfill other criteria mentioned. 

Pass Percentage and Drop Rate

As per the past records, the pass percentage of BBS is low while the drop rate is higher, in comparison to other managerial courses offered by FOM. In terms of numbers, only 20% of the students seem to pass the 1st year examination, in their first attempt. This means that, out of 100 students, only 20 students seem to pass the 1st year exam of BBS in the first attempt. 

After BBS

Now that you have come to the end of your BBS course and wondering what could be an additional academic or professional journey that you can continue with, here are some suggestions. If you wish to continue your studies, then doing an MBS (Master of Business Studies), or MBA (Master of Business Administration) or equivalent course could be an option. 

And if are someone willing to start your professional journey as you complete your business studies, you can enter the business world proudly, with all the skills and knowledge that you have gained with an understanding of the business world. Some of the popular career opportunities that students can explore and pursue, as they complete their degree in business, include;

1. Manager: A manager is a big name, even when heard, and a BBS graduate can adequately secure their position as a responsible business Manager in any venture they wish to join. They will have a strong foundation of the ability and skills required for general management. Hence, they can become a competent manager for any sector, and fill the high demand for a proper managerial person, in Nepalese society. 
2. Government Job holder: A BBS degree program holder will have the opportunity to apply and work for public service jobs too, as per their interest and qualification. 
3. Entrepreneurs: Those with a BBS degree can also work on their own startups as this degree encourages entrepreneurial capabilities for such innovative enthusiasts. 
4. Stockbrokers: Anyone with a BBS certificate will also have knowledge of stocks, and all the bulls and bears running in the market. Hence, they can use their knowledge and take that additional source of income out. 
5. Corporates: A BBS holder can apply and work in any type of corporate house based on the academic qualification, concentrations chosen, and any other programs that they have participated in. They just need to give a personal interview to demonstrate their basic concepts of business, the knowledge and skills that they possess, and their contribution underlying the operation and management. They can enroll as an accountant, content writer, financial consultant, sales offices, HR, Project managers, Operations Assistants, teachers, trainers, marketing heads, bankers, and so forth.