The Council on Academic Affairs will vote Thursday on changes in the major requirements for the bachelor of science degree in business in the business administration degree program.

This major, created in 1997 in cooperation with Parkland College in Champaign, is designed primarily for nontraditional students who are employed while completing their undergraduate degree, according to the proposal.

The proposal will change the 27 semester hour major requirements from being designated to specific courses to allowing students to pick courses from different categories.

Students will be required to take three to nine semester hours in each of the five categories, which are accounting, computer information systems, finance, management and marketing.

Also, students, if qualified, will be allowed to complete an approved internship for course credit toward the major.

The changes will provide students greater flexibility in selecting courses that better fit their specific needs and interests, the proposal said. The School of Business also will have more flexibility in scheduling courses at Parkland College, including courses that may be taken by students outside the program.

Students are allowed to take the general education requirements at Parkland College, but they must complete the School of Business upper division business core curriculum (21 semester hours) and a major curriculum in business administration (27 semester hours).

Eastern faculty teach the upper division courses for the major on Parkland’s campus.