B.S. in Business Administration
Concentrations in:
Accounting
Corporate Finance
Decision Sciences
Electronic Commerce Systems
Entrepreneurial/Small Business Management
Financial Services
Information Systems
International Business
Management
Marketing
Minor in Accounting
Minor in Business Administration
Minor in Decision Sciences
Minor in Entrepreneurial/Small Business Management
Minor in Finance
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
Executive Master of Business Administration
Minor Programs in Business Administration
Graduate Programs in Business Administration
The College of Business is made up of eight departments supervised by chairpersons. The departments 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:
The College of Business Student Services Center, located in BUS 112, provides on-site academic program counseling for students enrolled or interested in business.
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. The major consists of 6 units of prerequisite courses and 63 units of lower and upper division courses in business, economics, the major field, and electives.
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.
For award of the baccalaureate degree, all undergraduate students must maintain at least a 2.0 grade point average in all college course work, in all SFSU course work, and in all major course work.
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 6 units of the core 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.
Courses are 3 units unless otherwise indicated. On-line course descriptions are available.
| Core Courses for All Business Majors | Units | |
| ECON 101 | Introduction to Microeconomic Analysis | 3 |
| ACCT 100 | Principles of Financial Accounting | 3 |
| ACCT 101 | Principles of Managerial Accounting | 3 |
| DS 212 | Business Statistics I | 3 |
| IBUS 330 | International Business and Multicultural Relations | 3 |
| FIN 350 | Business Finance | 3 |
| BUS 360 | Business Communication | 3 |
| ISYS 363 | Information Systems for Management (Accounting concentration students must take ACCT 307 in place of ISYS 363) | 3 |
| MGMT 405 | Introduction to Management and Organizational Behavior | 3 |
| MGMT 407 or DS 411 |
Economics for Managers Decision Modeling with Spreadsheets |
3 |
| DS 412 | Operations Management | 3 |
| MKTG 431 | Marketing | 3 |
| BUS 682* | Seminar in the Environment of Business | 3 |
| BUS 690* | Seminar in Business Policy and Strategic Management | 3 |
| Total core | 42 | |
| Area of Concentration Courses in one of the following areas of concentration: accounting, corporate finance, decision sciences, electronic commerce systems, entrepreneurial/small business management, financial services, information systems, international business, management, and marketing. (See concentration listings below for specific courses.) |
21 | |
| Total for degree with Area of Concentration | 63 | |
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 12 units in the accounting concentration must be completed at San Francisco State University.
Courses are 3 units unless otherwise indicated. On-line course descriptions are available.
| Program | Units | |
| Core Courses for Business Majors | 42 | |
| ACCT 301 | Intermediate Financial Accounting I | 3 |
| ACCT 302 | Intermediate Financial Accounting II | 3 |
| ACCT 305 | Cost Accounting | 3 |
| Elective units chosen from the following or other courses upon approval of department chair | 12 | |
| ACCT 501 | Advanced Accounting | |
| ACCT 502 | Strategic Cost Management | |
| ACCT 504 | Government and Nonprofit Accounting | |
| ACCT 506 | Auditing | |
| ACCT 507 | Information Systems Auditing | |
| ACCT 508 | Federal Tax Accounting I | |
| ACCT 509 | Federal Tax Accounting II | |
| ACCT 513 | International Accounting | |
| ACCT 518 | Accounting Fraud Examination | |
| ACCT 551 | Principles of Internal Auditing | |
| BUS 320 | Legal Aspects of Business Transactions | |
| Total | 63 | |
NOTE: ACCT 307 replaces ISYS 363 for accounting concentration students.
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.
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.
All concentration courses must be taken on a letter grade basis. Students must have a minimum grade point average of 2.0 in all concentration courses.
Courses are 3 units unless otherwise indicated. On-line course descriptions are available.
| Program | Units | |
| Core Courses for Business Majors | 42 | |
| ACCT 303 | Accounting for Financial Analysis | 3 |
| FIN 351 | Financial Management | 3 |
| FIN 353 | Financial Institutions | 3 |
| FIN 355 | Investments | 3 |
| FIN 536 | International Corporate Finance | 3 |
| Units selected from the following groups. Other appropriate classes may be selected with prior written consent of adviser. | 6 | |
| ACCT 301 and 302, 305, 501, 502, 508, 509 | ||
| DS 408, 601, 604 | ||
| ECON 312, 500, 501, 520, 600, 630 | ||
| FIN 357, 365, 366, 535, 653, 656 | ||
| Total | 63 | |
NOTE: ACCT 301 and 302 may be substituted for ACCT 303 with the 3 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.
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.
Courses are 3 units unless otherwise indicated. On-line course descriptions are available.
| Program | Units | |
| Core Courses for Business Majors | 42 | |
| Units selected from the following: | 12 | |
| DS 312 | Data Analysis with Computer Applications | |
| DS 408 | Computer Simulation | |
| DS 601 | Applied Management Science | |
| DS 604 | Business Forecasting | |
| DS 624 | Quality Management | |
| Approved electives | 9 | |
| Total | 63 | |
The program in electronic commerce systems is designed for students who are interested in the design, development, and management of distributed 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.
A maximum of two courses (6 units) in the electronic commerce systems concentration may be chosen from other disciplines at SFSU and courses from other AACSB accredited schools of business or institutions of equal caliber. All such courses must be approved by the adviser.
Courses are 3 units unless otherwise indicated. On-line course descriptions are available.
| Program | Units | |
| Core Courses for Business Majors | 42 | |
| ISYS 350 | Building Business Applications | 3 |
| ISYS 471 | E-commerce Systems | 3 |
| ISYS 475 | Building Web Applications with Open Source Software | 3 |
| ISYS 565 | Managing Enterprise Networks | 3 |
| Additional units selected from the following: ISYS 367, 368, 463, 464, 512, 567, 568, 639, 663; MKTG 469 | 9 | |
| Total | 63 | |
NOTE: No more than 12 units may be counted towards both an information systems and an electronic commerce systems concentration.
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.
All concentration courses must be taken on a letter grade basis. Students must have a minimum grade point average of 2.0 in all courses.
Courses are 3 units unless otherwise indicated. On-line course descriptions are available.
| Program | Units | |
| Core Courses for Business Majors | 42 | |
| MGMT 430 | Introduction to Entrepreneurship I | 3 |
| MGMT 432 | Entrepreneurial Strategy and Tactics | 3 |
| MGMT 433 | Building the Venture | 3 |
| MGMT 434 | Introduction to Entrepreneurship II | 3 |
| MGMT 437 | Entrepreneurial Internship | 3 |
| Units selected on advisement from the following: ACCT 303, COMM 250, COMM 365, DAI 405, FIN 365, ISYS 464, IBUS 430, IBUS 590, MGMT 436, MKTG 436, MKTG 443, MKTG 633 | 6 | |
| Total | 63 | |
NOTE: A student may make a substitution in an elective course with prior written approval of an Entrepreneurial/Small Business adviser.
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.
All concentration courses must be taken on a letter grade basis. Students must have a minimum grade point average of 2.0 in all concentration courses.
Courses are 3 units unless otherwise indicated. On-line course descriptions are available.
| Program | Units | |
| Core Courses for Business Majors | 42 | |
| ACCT 303 | Accounting for Financial Analysis | 3 |
| FIN 353 | Financial Institutions | 3 |
| FIN 355 | Investment | 3 |
| FIN 535 | International Trade and Finance | 3 |
| FIN 653 | Seminar in Bank Management | 3 |
| Units selected from the following groups: Other appropriate classes may be selected with prior written consent of adviser |
6 | |
|
ACCT 301 and ACCT 302, ACCT 305, ACCT 501, ACCT 502; DS 408, DS 601, DS 604; ECON 312, ECON 500, ECON 501, ECON 520, ECON 600, ECON 630; FIN 351, FIN 357, FIN 365, FIN 366, FIN 536, FIN 656. |
||
| Total | 63 | |
NOTE: ACCT 301 and 302 may be substituted for ACCT 303 with the 3 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.
The information systems concentration prepares students for multiple careers that 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; application and development 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.
A maximum of two courses (6 units) in the information systems concentration may be courses not listed in the bulletin for the concentration including courses from other disciplines at SFSU and courses from other AACSB accredited schools of business or institutions of equal caliber. All such courses must be approved by the advisor.
Courses are 3 units unless otherwise indicated. On-line course descriptions are available.
| Program | Units | |
| Core Courses for Business Majors | 42 | |
| ISYS 350 | Building Business Applications | 3 |
| ISYS 463 | Information Systems Analysis and Design | 3 |
| ISYS 464 | Managing Enterprise Data | 3 |
| ISYS 565 | Managing Enterprise Networks | 3 |
| ISYS 663 | Information Technology Project Management | 3 |
| Units selected with prior written approval of an IS adviser from the following: | 6 | |
| ISYS 366 | Building Advanced Business Applications with COBOL | |
| ISYS 367 | Building Advanced Business Applications with Java | |
| ISYS 368 | Building Advanced Business Applications with C# | |
| ISYS 475 | Internet and World Wide Web Business Applications | |
| ISYS 512 | Business Application Design and Development with .NET | |
| ISYS 561 | Object-oriented Business Applications Development | |
| ISYS 564 | Information Systems Projects | |
| ISYS 567 | Information Systems Internship | |
| ISYS 568 | Multimedia Business Applications Development | |
| ISYS 569 | Information Systems for Business Process Management | |
| ISYS 573 | New Advances in IT in Organizations (Any ISYS 573 topic) | |
| ISYS 582 | Information System Issues for Global Business | |
| ISYS 639 | Software Testing and Quality Assurance | |
| ISYS 650 | Business Intelligence | |
| ISYS 675 | Information Security and Governance | |
| Total | 63 | |
NOTE: No more than 12 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 that would fulfill both concentrations' requirements and prepare them to sit for the CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor) examination.
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.
All concentration courses must be taken on a letter grade basis. Students must have a minimum grade point average of 2.0 in all concentration courses.
Courses are 3 units unless otherwise indicated. On-line course descriptions are available.
| Program | Units | |
| Core Courses for Business Majors | 42 | |
| IBUS 590 | International Environmental Analysis | 3 |
| IBUS 681 | Seminar in Comparative Management | 3 |
| IBUS 690 | Global Strategic Management | 3 |
| Geographic Area--units selected from the following: | 3 | |
| IBUS 591 | Doing Business in Latin America | |
| IBUS 592 | Doing Business in Greater China | |
| IBUS 593 | Doing Business in Europe | |
| IBUS 594 | Doing Business in Asia-Pacific Countries | |
| IBUS 596 | Doing Business in Japan | |
| IBUS 597 | Doing Business in India | |
| Units selected from the courses listed below or 3 specific courses upon adviser recommendation | 9 | |
| IBUS 430 | Small Business Import/Export Management | |
| IBUS 517 | Legal Environment of World Business | |
| IBUS 566 | Careers in International Business | |
| IBUS 582 | Information Systems Issues for Global Business | |
| IBUS 591 | Doing Business in Latin America | |
| IBUS 592 | Doing Business in Greater China | |
| IBUS 593 | Doing Business in Europe | |
| IBUS 594 | Doing Business in Asia-Pacific Countries | |
| IBUS 596 | Doing Business in Japan | |
| IBUS 597 | Doing Business in India | |
| IBUS 618 | International Human Resource Management | |
| IBUS 620 | Research in International Business and the Global Market | |
| IBUS 659 | Introduction to International Business Negotiation | |
| IBUS 676 | Social Entrepreneurship in a Global Context | |
| FIN 535 | International Trade and Finance | |
| FIN 536 | International Corporate Finance | |
| MKTG 680 | International Marketing Management | |
| Total | 63 | |
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.
All concentration courses must be taken on a letter grade basis. Students must have a minimum grade point average of 2.0 in all concentration courses.
Courses are 3 units unless otherwise indicated. On-line course descriptions are available.
| Program | Units | |
| Core courses for Business Majors | 42 | |
| MGMT 605 | Seminar in Organization Behavior | 3 |
| MGMT 640 | Managing Diversity in the Workplace | 3 |
| MGMT 650 | Creativity and Innovation | 3 |
| MGMT 648 or MGMT 655 |
Leadership Patterns and Opportunities Seminar in Emerging Issues in Management |
3 |
| MGMT 670 | Strategic Organization Design and Change | 3 |
| Units from the following, or from other courses with written approval from an adviser: MGMT 342, 354, 436, 437, 567, 610, 648, 655, 659 and BUS 440 or 450 | 6 | |
| Total | 63 | |
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.
All concentration courses must be taken on a letter grade basis. Students must have a minimum grade point average of 2.0 in all concentration courses.
Courses are 3 units unless otherwise indicated. On-line course descriptions are available.
| Program | Units | |
| Core courses for Business Majors | 42 | |
| MKTG 632 | Marketing Research | 3 |
| MKTG 633 | Consumer Behavior | 3 |
| MKTG 649 | Marketing Management | 3 |
| Units from the following or other courses on advisement | 12 | |
| MKTG 432 | Public Relations | |
| MKTG 433 | Personal Selling | |
| MKTG 434 | Advertising Theory and Practice | |
| MKTG 436 | Retail Management | |
| MKTG 440 | Advertising Creativity and Production | |
| MKTG 441 | Business to Business Marketing | |
| MKTG 443 | Sales Promotion and Publicity | |
| MKTG 450 | Marketing for Small Business | |
| MKTG 469 | Internet Marketing | |
| MKTG 567 | Internship in Marketing | |
| MKTG 637 | Sales Management | |
| MKTG 644 | Services Marketing | |
| MKTG 675 | Brand Management | |
| MKTG 680 | International Marketing Management | |
| MKTG 688 | New Product Management Seminar | |
| Total | 63 | |
Minor Programs in Business Administration
Graduate Programs in Business Administration