The McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia was long one of the few two-year undergraduate business programs in the United States

UVA McIntire Launches Their Redesigned Three‑Year Program

UVA’s McIntire School of Commerce just kicked off their newly-redesigned three‑year undergraduate program, and their first cohort is already feeling the change in pace.

Lucia Gambacini at The Cavalier Daily, UVA’s independent student‑run news organization, pulled together student interviews and administrative insights to get a read on how the rollout is landing.

A CHANGE IN PACE

What had historically been a two-year program for third- and fourth-years is now a three-year program. Under the new structure, second‑years dive straight into six foundational business courses spread across fall and spring. They have accounting, finance or information systems, quantitative analysis, and shorter modules in communication and managerial decision‑making.

For many students, this slower pace may bring relief compared to how it was designed previously. Stundists were jumping straight into the famously intense Integrated Core Experience.

“We have a whole year to develop this foundation… without trying to learn all the foundational skills at the same time as we’re doing that ICE curriculum,” second‑year Ryan Chen said.

The admissions process also got a refresh. Pierce Coughter, McIntire’s director of undergraduate admissions and marketing says the application now includes more essays and place a bigger emphasis on extracurriculars.

RESTRUCTURED WITH MORE TIME TO EXPLORE

To make the earlier start possible, McIntire also trimmed its prerequisite list. Instead of requiring a full year of accounting, economics, calculus, statistics, and general business, applicants now only need three core courses before applying.

With more time to explore concentrations, there’s more time for faculty to support students during recruiting. This makes way for student to choose their major sooner. Second‑year Hayden Matay says the transition has been smoother than expected thanks to thoughtful planning and genuinely well‑run classes.

McIntire isn’t alone in rethinking its structure: a 2025 analysis from AACSB shows that business schools nationwide are redesigning programs in response to changing student expectations and employer demands, especially around earlier skill‑building and workforce readiness.

It’s still too early to know how the new structure will affect admissions long‑term, but the first cycle at McIntire had more applicants and a lower acceptance rate — with 44% applicants accepted from the 876 who applied compared to 53% accepted from 726 who applied under their previous structure.

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