The PBL National Awards Program recognizes excellence in a number of business and career-related areas. PBL competitive events also prepare college students for the workforce by expanding their classroom experience with real-world scenarios.
The competitive event guidelines and competencies that follow were created for competitors, advisers, and event judges.
Past competitive events winners .
New and Modified Events/Procedure Changes, Topics for 2019-20
Want to suggest a new or modified national competitive event? Submit your recommendations .
Qualifying for PBL Competitive Events
At the State Leadership Conferences, students compete in events testing their business knowledge and skills. Top state winners are then eligible to compete for national awards at the National Leadership Conference each summer. States may modify the events offered at the district/region and state level. Always check your state guidelines if competing at the district/region and/or state level competition.
View the “Choose Your PBL Competitive Event ” flow chart and PBL Events At-A-Glance to help choose an event. For information on how events break down into individual programs of study, please view PBL Events by Category .
PBL Competitive Events Guidelines
Each event is governed by specific guidelines and rating sheets. Once you choose an event, please review the guidelines closely.
View and print all guidelines for PBL events .
View all PBL events with rating sheets .
Competitors can choose to compete in individual events, as part of a team, or as part of a chapter team:
Individual and team events focus on skills useful in leadership and career development; chapter events recognize overall achievement and performance in chapter management and growth.
See the full lists of skills students develop here .
There are a number of event categories competitors can choose from:
Open Events
Open, online testing events are open to any PBL member present at the National Leadership Conference . Prerequisites or registration is not required. The open event tests differ each year. The top winner of each open event is recognized during the awards ceremony.
Pilot Events
From time to time new events will be piloted before being added to the regular competitive events program. Those events will be noted in the list of events with the word “Pilot” after the event name. A person competing in a pilot event is eligible to compete in another individual or team event. The top five (5) winners are recognized during the awards ceremony.
Name
Name
Type
Category
Name for Printing
Individual
Team
Chapter
Test
Present
Interview
Name
Name
Type
Category
Accounting Analysis & Decision Making
Accounting Analysis & Decision Making
Individual, Team
Collaborative Objective Test & Team Performance (Role Play)
Accounting for Professionals
Accounting for Professionals
Individual
Production & Objective Test
Accounting Principles
Accounting Principles
Individual
Objective Test
Administrative Technology
Administrative Technology
Individual
Production & Objective Test
Business Communication (PBL)
Business Communication (PBL)
Individual
Production & Objective Test
Business Decision Making
Business Decision Making
Individual, Team
Collaborative Objective Test & Team Performance (Role Play)
Business Ethics (PBL)
Business Ethics (PBL)
Individual, Team
Presentation without Equipment
Business Law (PBL)
Business Law (PBL)
Individual, Team
Presentation without Equipment
Business Presentation
Business Presentation
Individual, Team
Presentation with Equipment
Business Sustainability
Business Sustainability
Individual, Team
Presentation without Equipment
Client Service (PBL)
Client Service (PBL)
Individual
Presentation without Equipment
Community Service Project (PBL)
Community Service Project (PBL)
Chapter
Prejudged Reports & Presentation
Computer Animation
Computer Animation
Individual, Team
Presentation with Equipment
Computer Applications (PBL)
Computer Applications (PBL)
Individual
Production & Objective Test
Computer Concepts
Computer Concepts
Individual
Objective Test
Contemporary Sports Issues
Contemporary Sports Issues
Individual
Objective Test
Cost Accounting
Cost Accounting
Individual
Production & Objective Test
Cyber Security (PBL)
Cyber Security (PBL)
Individual
Objective Test
Desktop Publishing
Desktop Publishing
Individual, Team
Production & Objective Test
Economic Analysis & Decision Making
Economic Analysis & Decision Making
Individual, Team
Collaborative Objective Test & Team Performance (Role Play)
Emerging Business Issues (PBL)
Emerging Business Issues (PBL)
Individual, Team
Presentation without Equipment
Entrepreneurship Concepts
Entrepreneurship Concepts
Individual
Objective Test
Financial Analysis & Decision Making
Financial Analysis & Decision Making
Individual, Team
Collaborative Objective Test & Team Performance (Role Play)
Financial Concepts
Financial Concepts
Individual
Objective Test
Financial Services
Financial Services
Individual, Team
Collaborative Objective Test & Team Performance (Role Play)
Forensic Accounting
Forensic Accounting
Individual, Team
Presentation with Equipment
Future Business Educator
Future Business Educator
Individual
Interview
Future Business Executive
Future Business Executive
Individual
Interview
Global Analysis & Decision Making
Modified
Global Analysis & Decision Making --Modified--
Individual, Team
Presentation with Equipment
Help Desk (PBL)
Help Desk (PBL)
Individual
Objective Test & Role Play
Hospitality Management (PBL)
Hospitality Management (PBL)
Individual, Team
Collaborative Objective Test & Team Performance (Role Play)
Human Resource Management
Human Resource Management
Individual, Team
Collaborative Objective Test & Team Performance (Role Play)
Impromptu Speaking (PBL)
Impromptu Speaking (PBL)
Individual
Speech
Information Management
Information Management
Individual
Objective Test
Insurance Concepts
Insurance Concepts
Individual
Objective Test
Integrated Marketing Campaign
Integrated Marketing Campaign
Individual, Team
Presentation with Equipment
Job Interview (PBL)
Job Interview (PBL)
Individual
Interview
Justice Administration
Justice Administration
Individual
Objective Test
Local Chapter Annual Business Report (PBL)
Local Chapter Annual Business Report (PBL)
Chapter
Prejudged Report
Macroeconomics
Macroeconomics
Individual
Objective Test
Management Analysis & Decision Making
Management Analysis & Decision Making
Individual, Team
Collaborative Objective Test & Team Performance (Role Play)
Management Concepts
Management Concepts
Individual
Objective Test
Marketing Analysis & Decision Making
Marketing Analysis & Decision Making
Individual, Team
Collaborative Objective Test & Team Performance (Role Play)
Marketing Concepts
Marketing Concepts
Individual
Objective Test
Microeconomics
Microeconomics
Individual
Objective Test
Network Design (PBL)
Modified
Network Design (PBL) --Modified--
Individual, Team
Presentation with Equipment
Networking Concepts (PBL)
Networking Concepts (PBL)
Individual
Objective Test
Organizational Behavior & Leadership
Organizational Behavior & Leadership
Individual
Objective Test
Parliamentary Procedure (PBL)
Parliamentary Procedure (PBL)
Team
Objective Test & Role Play
Personal Finance (PBL)
Personal Finance (PBL)
Individual
Objective Test
Programming Concepts
Programming Concepts
Individual
Objective Test
Project Management
Project Management
Individual
Objective Test
Public Speaking (PBL)
Public Speaking (PBL)
Individual
Speech
Retail Management
Retail Management
Individual
Objective Test
Sales Presentation (PBL)
Sales Presentation (PBL)
Individual
Presentation with Equipment
Small Business Management Plan
Modified
Small Business Management Plan --Modified--
Individual, Team
Prejudged Reports & Presentation
Social Media Challenge
Social Media Challenge
Individual, Team
Presentation with Equipment
Sports Management & Marketing
Sports Management & Marketing
Individual
Objective Test
Statistical Analysis
Statistical Analysis
Individual
Objective Test
Strategic Analysis & Decision Making
Strategic Analysis & Decision Making
Individual, Team
Presentation without Equipment
Website Design (PBL)
Modified
Website Design (PBL) --Modified--
Individual, Team
Demonstration