Business Administration

College of Business
Dean: Nancy Hayes

Department of Accounting
SCI 300
415-338-1754
E-mail: acctg@sfsu.edu
Chair: Jiunn Huang

Undergraduate Advisers: Choo, Crowley, Danko, Duke, Frankel, Franz, Hsieh, Jerris, Kang, Naser-Tavakolian, O'Shaughnessy, Wagner, Yuen

Department of Decision Sciences
BUS 310
415-338-2140
E-mail: ds@sfsu.edu
Chair: Katy Azoury

Undergraduate Advisers: Azoury, Bollapragada, Cholette, Elimam, Eng, Mehrotra, Miyaoka, Özlük, Saltzman, Udayabhanu

Department of Finance
SCI 314
415-338-7010
E-mail: findept@sfsu.edu
Chair: Alan Jung

Undergraduate Advisers: Chen, Lee, Li, Su

Department of Hospitality Management
BUS 310
415-338-6087
E-mail: hmp@sfsu.edu
Chair: Janet Sim

Undergraduate Advisers: Jones, Satow, Tierney

Department of Information Systems
BUS 206D
415-338-2138
E-mail: is@sfsu.edu
Chair: Robert Nickerson

Undergraduate Advisers: Beckman, Chao, Garfolo, Jin, Mak, Mindel, Mui, Raarapu, Usowicz

Department of International Business
SCI 300
415-338-1107
E-mail: ib@sfsu.edu
Chair: Joel Nicholson

Undergraduate Advisers: Heiman, Lee, G., Lee, Y., Mahi, Nicholson, Rudman, Simeon, Wong, Yang

Department of Management
BUS 310
415-338-2138
E-mail: mgmtdept@sfsu.edu
Acting Chair: Tom Stanley

Undergraduate Advisers: Albert, Baack, S., Carr-Ruffino, Gaglio, Ge, Kowalczyk, Meeks, Paton, Staley, Sullivan, Thomas

Department of Marketing
SCI 345
415-338-1107
E-mail: mrktdept@sfsu.edu
Chair: Kathy O'Donnell

Undergraduate Advisers: Bhat, Ho, Hussain, Im, O’Donnell, Perttula, Robertson, Sengupta, Strebel

Graduate Programs
425 Market Street, Suite 316
San Francisco, CA 94105
415-405-7703
E-mail: mba@sfsu.edu

Programs

B.S. in Business Administration
Concentrations in:
  Accounting
  Corporate Finance
  Decision Sciences
  Electronic Commerce Systems
  Entrepreneurial/Small Business Management
  Financial Services
  Human Resource Management
  Information Systems
  International Business
  Management
  Marketing

Minor in Business Administration
Minor in Accounting
Minor in Decision Sciences
Minor in Entrepreneurial/Small Business Management
Minor in Finance
Minor in Human Resource Management in Business
Minor in Information Systems
Minor in International Business
Minor in Management
Minor in Marketing

Certificate in Information Technology Auditing
Certificate in International Business
Certificate in Professional Practice of Internal Auditing
Certificate in the Study of Public Accountancy

Master of Business Administration
Emphases in:
  Accounting
  Decision Sciences/Operations Research
  Electronic Commerce
  Finance
  Information Systems
  International Business
  Management
  Marketing
  Sustainable Business

M.S. in Business Administration
Emphases in:
  Accounting
  Decision Sciences/Operations Research
  Electronic Commerce
  Finance
  Hospitality Management
  Information Systems
  International Business
  Management
  Marketing

Executive Master of Business Administration

Minor Programs in Business Administration
Graduate Programs in Business Administration

Program Scope

The College of Business is made up of eight departments that provide limited specialization in representative areas of business and governmental activity. The departments, supervised by chairpersons, are: Accounting, Decision Sciences, Finance, Hospitality Management, Information Systems, International Business, Management, and Marketing.

The primary objectives of the College of Business at San Francisco State University are to:

• Provide students majoring in business administration with a foundation in the basic concepts and practices of the business community, and with a particular expertise in one or more of the specialties of practice, in order to prepare them to think creatively and to exercise critical judgment in the making of business decisions;
• Provide other students with a general understanding of the foundations and philosophies of the business community;
• Encourage a continuous liaison with the business community in order to respond to the educational needs of that community;
• Encourage faculty professional development activities designed to provide service to all segments of business and education for business through academic research and publication, applied research and publication, community education and services (seminars and consulting involving non-publishable, proprietary research, for example), and self-education or study designed to improve business knowledge and expertise.

The college participates in the interdisciplinary B.S. in Hospitality Management with the College of Health and Human Services. The core curriculum of the program and the concentration in hotel management are housed in the Department of Hospitality Management, College of Business.

The College of Business Student Services Center, located in BUS 137, provides on-site academic program counseling for students enrolled or interested in business.

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

The Bachelor of Science in Business Administration includes basic core courses and an area of concentration. Except for BUS 682 and 690, the core courses listed below should be completed by the end of the junior year. The specific courses for the areas of concentration are listed by department on the following pages. Students who have already earned a bachelor's degree from an accredited university may want to consider entering the M.B.A. or M.S.B.A. rather than earning a second bachelor's degree.

The Bachelor of Science in Business Administration requires a minimum of 120 units for graduation, which includes 63 to 66 lower and upper division units (depending on the student's area of concentration) in business and economics, including work in the major field and elective courses, as well as six units of prerequisite courses.

It is strongly recommended that students complete the lower division General Education requirements during the freshman and sophomore years. Additionally, all lower division (100-200) core courses should be completed before taking upper division (300-600) core and concentration courses.

Core courses in the College of Business can be taken only three times at SFSU. Any attempt which appears on the transcript (including W, WU, I, CR, NC, AU, RD, and all letter grades) is counted toward the total of three attempts. Any student with two or more attempts before Fall 2004 will be given one more attempt.

Prerequisites to Core Courses

In addition to the core course program required of all business majors, DS 110 (or MATH 110 or equivalent), ECON 100, and ISYS 263 (or a passing score on the ISYS 263 Waiver Examination) must be completed before enrollment in certain core courses. NOTE: DS/MATH 110 and ECON 100 are currently acceptable for General Education. Most core courses have specific prerequisites that are listed within the course descriptions (on-line course descriptions are available).

Except in cases of credit by examination, no more than six units of the core requirement may be offered toward graduation on a CR/NC basis. The courses marked with an asterisk ( * ) must be taken for a letter grade.

Students must earn a grade of C- or higher in core business courses being used as prerequisites for other core business courses. Students who received grades of D-, D, or D+ before spring 2005 will be given an exception to this rule for any such courses.

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration: Concentration in Accounting

The accounting concentration program is designed to provide a solid foundation of accounting and business knowledge that prepares students for careers in accounting. Courses are structured to allow flexibility in preparing for a career path in public accounting, private industry, and government or nonprofit organizations. The program offers a wide variety of courses which can be used to qualify and prepare for examinations in professional certifications such as CPA, CIA, and CMA. Students should consult with an accounting adviser to determine minimum course requirements for these certifications. The accounting curriculum also provides the foundation for graduate study.

All concentration courses must be taken on a letter grade basis. Students must have a minimum grade point average of 2.0 in the accounting concentration. A minimum of twelve units in the accounting concentration must be completed at San Francisco State University. Accounting concentration courses can be taken only two times at SFSU. Any attempt which appears on the transcript (including W, WU, I, CR, NC, AU, RD, and all letter grades) is counted toward the total of two attempts.

NOTE: ACCT 307 is part of the business core for accounting concentration students in place of ISYS 363.

Accounting students who want to enhance their knowledge in finance or information systems can include upper division finance or information systems courses in their degree plan upon the approval of the department chair.

Students interested in the field of information technology auditing may pursue dual concentrations in accounting and information systems. They should see advisers for the list of courses which would fulfill both concentrations' requirements and prepare them to sit for the CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor) examination.

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration: Concentration in Corporate Finance

This program is designed to prepare students for careers in private business as well as the public sector.

Within the private sector, the finance concentration deals with managing credit and collection functions, formulating budgets and exercising operation control, raising funds for operations, financial data analysis, valuation, investment and portfolio analysis, project evaluation, and understanding of domestic and international financial markets.

Within the public sector, this concentration is adaptable and especially helpful for positions with local, state, and federal agencies and provides a solid base for financial management of not-for-profit institutions.

Undergraduates in a corporate finance concentration may not offer toward graduation units on a CR grade basis beyond the core requirements. Students must have a minimum grade point average of 2.0 in all concentration courses.

NOTE: ACCT 301 and 302 may be substituted for ACCT 303 with the three additional units counting as an elective course. Students taking ACCT 301 must take ACCT 302 and not ACCT 303. Students taking ACCT 303 may not count ACCT 301 or 302 as one of the electives.

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration: Concentration in Decision Sciences

The decision sciences concentration provides students with the skills necessary to analyze and solve practical business problems. The concentration courses allow students to acquire competence in decision making through the use of professional business software, such as spreadsheet, forecasting, and simulation packages. By selecting appropriate electives, students can prepare for a career using decision sciences in computer information systems, finance, operations, marketing, design and industry, accounting, international business, office systems, general management, or other areas within industry or government.

All concentration courses must be taken on a letter grade basis with the exception of courses offered only on a CR/NC basis. A student must have a minimum grade point average of 2.0 in all concentration courses.

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration: Concentration in Electronic Commerce Systems

The program in electronic commerce systems has been developed for students interested in the management of distributed systems. The core courses develop a strong base in the use and design of distributed systems as well as the development of small business systems.

All concentration courses must be taken on a letter grade basis with the exception of courses offered only on a CR/NC basis. A student must have a minimum grade point average of 2.0 in all concentration courses.

NOTE: No more than twelve units may be counted towards both an information systems and an electronic commerce systems concentration.

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration: Concentration in Entrepreneurial/Small Business Management

This concentration is designed to acquaint the student with the entrepreneurial way of thinking and behaving and with the various kinds of entrepreneurship he/she can pursue as a career. It is especially designed to prepare the student to become an entrepreneur by providing a conceptual framework as well as intensive practice in the skills needed for successful entrepreneurship. The program emphasizes the entrepreneurial approach to resource acquisition and use as well as the entrepreneurial form of organization within the context of ethical and socially responsible behavior.

Undergraduate majors may not take departmental concentration courses on a CR/NC basis. Students must have a minimum grade point average of 2.0 in all courses.

NOTE: A student may make a substitution in an elective course with prior written approval of an Entrepreneurial/Small Business adviser.

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration: Concentration in Financial Services

This program is designed to prepare students for careers in commercial consumer banking and financial services. Within banking, a wide range of jobs is available. Careful selection of support courses can provide training to help students enter fields that deal with commercial loans, installment loans, real estate lending, investment management, marketing, and operations. Careers are also available in several federal and state agencies that regulate this industry.

Undergraduates in a financial services concentration may not offer toward graduation units on a CR grade basis beyond the core requirements. Students must have a minimum grade point average of 2.0 in all concentration courses.

NOTE: ACCT 301 and 302 may be substituted for ACCT 303 with the three additional units counting as an elective course. Students taking ACCT 301 must take ACCT 302 and not ACCT 303. Students taking ACCT 303 may not count ACCT 301 or 302 as one of the electives.

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration: Concentration in Human Resource Management

This program is designed to prepare students for careers in human resources, one of the fastest growing and interesting career fields in business. Graduates qualify for many different positions in HRM, including recruitment, employment, employee and labor relations, training and development, compensation and benefits, and affirmative action/equal employment opportunity. This concentration emphasizes real-world applications in a broad array of practical course offerings with internships and extensive contact with professionals in the field.

The program's size and focus, moreover, gives students ample opportunity for direct faculty contact and assistance on projects, internships, and extensive career counseling. This practical and state-of-the-art perspective with one-on-one contact makes this concentration a unique opportunity for students to become viable candidates for professional careers in human resource management.

Undergraduate majors may not take departmental concentration courses on a CR/NC basis. Students must have a minimum grade point average of 2.0 in all concentration courses.

NOTE: A student may make a substitution in an elective course with prior written approval of a human resource management adviser.

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration: Concentration in Information Systems

The information systems concentration prepares students for multiple careers which require an aptitude for analytical thinking and a strong working competency in information systems. It is designed to produce a person with technical and managerial skills in business application development, project management, application analysis and design, data management, and network and security management. Graduates qualify for and are productive in careers that include technology/business analyst, programmer/analyst, database analyst/administrator, network administrator, and help desk/technical support specialist. The concentration emphasizes technical knowledge of information system components and infrastructure; in-depth software design and programming skills; high-level competencies in applying information systems analysis and systems design strategies and techniques; understanding the information needs and delivery systems within business organizations; understanding the business/organizational context of information systems; communications and human relations skills for working with and managing people and projects in virtual teams; and education and desire for lifelong learning and professional and personal development.

All concentration courses must be taken on a letter grade basis with the exception of courses offered only on a CR/NC basis. A student must have a minimum grade point average of 2.0 in all concentration courses.

NOTE: No more than twelve units may be counted towards both an information systems and an electronic commerce systems concentration.

Students interested in the field of information technology auditing may pursue dual concentrations in information systems and accounting. They should see advisers for the list of courses which would fulfill both concentrations' requirements and prepare them to sit for the CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor) examination.

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration: Concentration in International Business

By specializing in international business, a student gains an understanding of the international aspects of business while concentrating in a functional business area—marketing, finance, management, export/import management, or logistics. Courses analyze the rapidly changing international environment and the new management problems and tasks that result. A student can begin a career in a functional department of a company, with the opportunity to move into international operations if a need develops. Alternatively, a student may begin working directly in international operations, including the import-export field.

Students studying abroad in California State University International Programs or in an SFSU Exchange Program may develop special international business concentrations with adviser approval before going abroad. Students with specific educational or career objectives may develop special international business concentrations in consultation with an adviser.

Undergraduates in an international business concentration may not offer toward graduation units on a CR/NC grade basis beyond the core requirements. Students must have a minimum grade point average of 2.0 in all concentration courses.

NOTE: Special programs may be developed for students who study overseas or who have specific career goals not met by one of the emphases listed above.

International business electives include all international business courses listed in the Course Descriptions section in this Bulletin.

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration: Concentration in Management

The Management Concentration prepares students to succeed in a wide array of job positions in virtually any career. Students learn to see the big picture of any organization, how key pieces fit together, and how the organization fits into an industry, field, and the overall economy. They learn to recognize business problems and opportunities, to develop innovative responses to them, to take a leadership role, to set goals, and to use influential people skills in achieving them. In essence, students learn to take a managerial perspective and to perform such managerial and leadership activities as planning, team building, motivating, organizing, communicating, problem-solving, decision-making. As a result, they gain the knowledge and skills to achieve success—regardless of the industry, field or job position.

Undergraduate majors may not take departmental concentration courses on a CR/NC basis. Students must have a minimum grade point average of 2.0 in all concentration courses.

NOTE: A student may make a substitution in an elective course with prior written approval of a management adviser.

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration: Concentration in Marketing

A concentration in marketing prepares students for career opportunities in business firms, non-profit organizations, or government agencies. The program provides a basic foundation of business concepts and practices, as well as specialized courses in advertising, retailing, sales management, Internet marketing, and marketing research. Career opportunities can be found within sales and sales management, marketing research, product/brand management, retail management, advertising, merchandising, public relations, government sales, and non-profit agencies.

Undergraduate majors may not take departmental concentration courses on a CR/NC basis. Students must have a minimum grade point average of 2.0 in all concentration courses.

Minor Programs in Business Administration
Graduate Programs in Business Administration