Graduate Bulletin

1996-1997

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Business Administration Courses

Accredited by the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business

Office: Student Services 3428
Telephone: (619) 594-5217
Fax: (619) 594-1863
EMail: sdsumba@mail.sdsu.edu

Associateships

Graduate teaching associateships and graduate nonteaching associateships in business administration are available to a limited number of qualified students. Application blanks and additional information may be secured from the departmental offices of the College of Business Administration.

General Information

The College of Business Administration offers graduate study leading to the Master of Business Administration degree, Master of Science degree in Business Administration and the Master of Science degree in Accountancy. The College also offers a joint program with the College of Arts and Letters leading to both a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Arts in Latin American Studies. The College of Business Administration M.B.A. and M.S. programs are accredited by the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business.

The major goal of the Master of Business Administration degree is to prepare students with diverse academic backgrounds for entry into general management positions in business and not-for-profit enterprises. The primary purpose of the Master of Science degree in Business Administration is to provide a foundation for technical and executive careers in the management of specific functional and professional areas.

The objective of the Master of Science degree in Accountancy is to prepare students for careers as professional accountants in financial institutions, government, industry, nonprofit organizations, and public practice. The basic conceptual knowledge of accounting and business can be obtained through an undergraduate degree or by otherwise meeting the prerequisites for the M.S. degree in Accountancy. The program offers the opportunity for greater depth of education by allowing students to concentrate their education in courses of specialized study in accounting.

Close contacts with large and small firms, both local and national, enhance the business student's education. The generous cooperation of local business and government organizations provides opportunities for research and field study for graduate students. The continued professionalization of the business executives' responsibilities has created many opportunities for the student with an advanced degree in business administration.

All students considering graduate work in business are advised to seek further details from the Graduate School of Business in the College of Business Administration (619) 594-5217 prior to applying for admission.

Admission to Graduate Study

A student seeking admission to any of the master's degree curricula offered in the College of Business Administration should make application in the manner set forth in Part Two of this bulletin.

Admission to the College's graduate programs is competitive, that is, a number of factors are taken into consideration in the admission decision, and only the top applicants are accepted. These factors include the applicant's previous academic performance, the quality of the previous universities attended, the field of undergraduate study, scores on the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), management experience and the written application essay. References which validate experience may also be considered. A 570 TOEFL score is normally required when English is not the student's principal language.

Transcripts and test scores must be on file at San Diego State University sufficiently in advance of the expected date of registration for a decision to be made. For fall admission the GMAT should be taken prior to April 1 and for spring admission, prior to July 1. Details concerning the GMAT may be obtained from the Test Office, San Diego State University, or by writing to the Educational Testing Service, CN 6101, Princeton NJ 08541.

Master of
Business Administration Degree

Admission to the Degree Curriculum

Regulations governing admission to the University and to the College of Business Administration are outlined above and in Part Two of this bulletin.

Advancement to Candidacy

All students must satisfy the general requirements for advancement to candidacy, as described in Part Two of this bulletin.

Specific Requirements for the Master of Business Administration Degree

(Major Code: 05011)

The student must complete an approved program of studies including 49 units of graduate coursework with a maximum of six units of 500-level courses. Up to nine units of coursework may be accepted for transfer credit. Transfer credit will be accepted for graduate coursework completed at an accredited AACSB institution.

At least 40 of the total units required must be completed in residency at San Diego State University, and at least nine units of program courses must be completed after advancement to candidacy.

The college expects students entering the Master of Business Administration program to be proficient in several areas. These include proficiency in statistics, mathematical skills, basic economics and in the use of personal computers, including spreadsheets and word processing. The students are responsible for insuring that they possess these skills before beginning the program.

The requirements for the degree are as follows:

1. Complete the following core of nine courses. (19 units)

BA 650 Financial Accounting (2)

BA 651 Organizational Behavior (2)

BA 652 Statistical Analysis (2)

BA 653 Managerial Economics (2)

BA 654 Managerial Communication (1)

BA 655 Marketing (3)

BA 660 Managerial Accounting (2)

BA 662 Operations Management (2)

BA 665 Financial Management I (3)

A student who has earned 12 or more undergraduate units in a specific field (finance, management, etc.) may substitute an advanced course for a core course in the same field with permission from the Director of Graduate Business Programs.

2. Complete one course from each of the below listed themes (12 units)

Interpersonal Skills Theme

IDS 705 Communication Strategies (3)

MGT 720 Seminar in Behavioral Science for Management (3)

MGT 721 Seminar in Group Processes and Leadership (3)

MGT 741 Seminar in Organizational Power and Politics (3)

Environment Theme

FIN 604 Legal Environment for Executives (3)

FIN 655 Seminar in Financial Markets (3)

FIN 780 Seminar in Land Markets and Urban Development Issues (3)

MGT 626 Seminar in Policy Formulation (3)

MGT 701 Organizational Theory and Design (3)

MGT 722 Seminar in Business Ethics and Social Institutions (3)

MGT 740 Seminar in Business Management and the Natural Environment (3)

MGT 742 Seminar in Business and the Good Society (3)

MKTG 760 Seminar in Consumer Behavior (3)

Information and Technology Theme

ACCTG 690 Seminar in Accounting Information Systems (3)

IDS 609 Management Information Systems (3)

IDS 684 Small Computer Systems for Business (3)

MGT 731 Seminar in Strategic Management of Technology and Innovation (3)

MKTG 761 Product Innovation Management (3)

MKTG 767 Seminar in Business Marketing Management (3)

Globalization Theme

ACCTG 661 Seminar in International Accounting (3)

FIN 654 Seminar in International Business Finance (3)

IDS 744 Seminar in Total Quality Management and -Productivity (3)

MGT 671 Seminar in Comparative Industrial Relations (3)

MGT 710 Seminar in World Business Environment (3)

MGT 723 Seminar in International Strategic Management (3)

MKTG 769 Seminar in International Marketing (3)

3. Complete 15 units of electives. Not more than six units outside the College of Business Administration and not more than a total of six units in courses 780, Field Studies in Business, 797, Research, and 798, Special Study, will be accepted toward the degree. Courses taken outside of the College of Business Administration should be related to the MBA program and must be approved by the Director of Graduate Programs.

4. Among themes and electives listed above, a student must complete at least one course in each of three of the departments in the College of Business Administration.

5. Complete a culminating experience course. (3 units)

BA 795 Integrative Business Analysis (3) Cr/NC/SP

BA 799A Thesis (3) Cr/NC/SP

A student may choose to specialize by completing 12 units of non-core courses from one of the following specializations:

Entrepreneurship

Finance

Information Systems

International Business

Management

Management Science

Marketing

Production and Operations Management

Real Estate

Specialization courses may be either theme or elective courses.

Students admitted prior to Fall 1994 and who do not have an official program as of Fall 1994, will meet the graduation requirement of the Fall 1993-94 Graduate Bulletin. Those students may petition the Director, Graduate Business Programs to change to the Fall 1994 requirements. Students re-admitted Fall 1994 or after may petition to graduate under the requirements of the 1993-94 Graduate Bulletin.

Full and Half-Time Programs

Students enrolling in the M.B.A. program may be either full- or half-time students. Generally, in their first year, full-time students must take four courses at a time and half-time students must take two courses at a time. Students will be assigned to classes during their first year if they are full-time students and during the first two years if they are half-time students, based on a combination of personal and administrative factors. It is anticipated that half-time students will pursue their coursework in the evening and full-time students will take courses during the day.

Master of Science Degree in
Business Administration

Admission to the Degree Curriculum

In addition to meeting the requirements for classified graduate standing in the University and admission to the College of Business Administration, as described above, and in Part Two of this bulletin, the student must have satisfactorily completed equivalents of the following courses:

BA 650 Financial Accounting (2)

BA 651 Organizational Behavior (2)

BA 652 Statistical Analysis (2)

BA 653 Managerial Economics (2)

BA 654 Managerial Communication (1)

BA 655 Marketing (3)

BA 660 Managerial Accounting (2)

BA 662 Operations Management (2)

BA 665 Financial Management I (3)

In addition, the student's adviser may request satisfactory completion of additional prerequisite courses in the student's proposed field of specialization.

Notice of admission to a curriculum with classified graduate standing will be sent to the student upon the recommendation of the College of Business Administration and the approval of the Dean of the Graduate Division and Research.

For admission to the taxation concentration (05022) the student must be a certified public accountant (CPA) or have a juris doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school and have completed Accountancy 201 and 202.

Advancement to Candidacy

All students must satisfy the general requirements for advancement to candidacy, as described in Part Two of this bulletin.

Students concurrently enrolled in deficiency coursework may be given permission to take the comprehensive examination in their concentration prior to actual completion of all coursework. However, comprehensive examinations will not be evaluated and results will not be reported to the Graduate Division and Research until all deficiency coursework has been successfully completed. This may delay graduation.

Specific Requirements for the Master of Science Degree

In addition to meeting the requirements for classified graduate standing as described above and the general requirements for master's degrees as described in Part Two of this bulletin, the student must complete a graduate program of at least 30 approved units including at least 21 units in 600- and 700-numbered courses. This program cannot include Finance 604; Information and Decision Systems 609; Management 626; and Business Administration courses numbered 650-665, without specific permission of the Director, Graduate Business Programs. At least 24 units must be in business administration and economics. Not more than a total of six units in courses 797, Research, 798, Special Study, and Business Administration 780, Field Studies in Business, may be accepted for credit toward the degree.

Each of the concentrations in the Master of Science in Business Administration requires Plan A, Thesis; or Plan B, Directed Readings in Business Administration or a written comprehensive examination offered by the appropriate department. The program must be approved by the college and departmental adviser.

For regulations concerning grade point averages, final approval for the granting of the degree, award of the degree, and diplomas, see the section entitled "Basic Requirements for the Master's Degree," in Part Two of this Bulletin.

Concentrations Major Code

Entrepreneurship (05997)

*Finance (05041)

**Financial and Tax Planning (05043)

Human Resource Management (05151)

Information Systems (07021)

International Business (05131)

Management (05061)

Marketing (05091)

Production and Operations
Management (05064)

***Real Estate (05111)

Taxation (05022)

****Total Quality Management (05072)

Special Provision for
Specific Concentrations

*Finance. Finance concentration students must take at least 15 units from among Finance 617, 651, 652, 653, 654, 655, 656, and 658.

**Financial and Tax Planning. For this concentration an optional Plan B, Comprehensive Examination, is available. Here students may substitute a comprehensive examination and three units of additional coursework for the thesis requirement. This examination will be administered while students are registered in Finance 657.

Additionally, this concentration requires the following prerequisites, rather than the list shown under "Admission to the Degree Curriculum:"

ACCTG 201 Financial Accounting Fundamentals (3)

ECON 101 Principles of Economics (3)

ECON 102 Principles of Economics (3)

ECON 201 Statistical Methods (3) OR

MATH 119 Elementary Statistics for Business (3)

ECON 422 Business Cycles (3)

FIN 140 Legal Environment of Business (3)

FIN 323 Fundamentals of Finance (3)

MATH 120 Calculus for Business Analysis (3)

***Real Estate. This concentration requires the following prerequisites, rather than the list shown under "Admission to the Degree Curriculum:"

ACCTG 201 Financial Accounting Fundamentals (3)

ECON 101 Principles of Economics (3)

ECON 102 Principles of Economics (3)

ECON 201 Statistical Methods (3) OR

MATH 119 Elementary Statistics for Business (3)

FIN 140 Legal Environment for Business (3)

FIN 323 Fundamentals of Finance (3)

MKTG 370 Marketing (3)

MATH 120 Calculus for Business Analysis (3)

****Total Quality Management. This concentration requires the following prerequisites, rather than the list shown under "Admission to the Degree Curriculum:"

ACCTG 201 Financial Accounting Fundamentals (3)

ACCTG 202 Managerial Accounting Fundamentals (3)

ECON 101 Principles of Economics (3)

ECON 102 Principles of Economics (3)

FIN 140 Legal Environment of Business (3)

FIN 323 Fundamentals of Finance (3)

IDS 301 Statistical Analysis for Business (3)

IDS 302 Introduction to Production and Operations Management (3)

IDS 609 Management Information Systems (3)

MGT 350 Management and Organizational Behavior (3)

MGT 405 International Business Strategy and Integration (3)

MKTG 370 Marketing (3)

MATH 120 Calculus for Business Analysis (3)

Master of Business Administration and Master of Arts in Latin American Studies Degrees

General Information

The College of Business Administration and the Center for Latin American Studies offer a three-year concurrent graduate program leading to a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Arts in Latin American Studies. The primary objective of the concurrent program is to offer preparation in the fields of business administration and Latin American studies for the purpose of providing the knowledge and skills necessary to promote and engage in business relationships within a Latin American historical, cultural, and linguistic milieu, in Latin America or in the United States.

For information, contact the Chair of the Latin American Studies Committee or the Associate Dean in the College of Business Administration.

Admission to Graduate Study

Since this program combines disparate disciplines, applicants are required to submit GMAT scores and should have substantial academic backgrounds in the humanities and social sciences. Applicants should also have a background in Spanish or Portuguese language and literature. It is expected that all students in the concurrent degree program will be full time, so that all requirements will be satisfied in an acceptable time period.

Specific Requirements for the
MBA/MA Degree

Advancement to Candidacy

All students must meet the general requirements for advancement to candidacy as described in Part Two of this bulletin. In addition, 1) the student will be required to complete Spanish 302 (or its equivalent), or Portuguese 401 (or its equivalent), and pass an oral and written examination administered by the Department of Spanish and Portuguese Languages and Literatures; 2) all core courses in business and Latin American studies musts be completed prior to advancement with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 and no grade less than a B- in any core course; 3) have been recommended for advancement by the combined advisory committee; 4) have a thesis proposal approved by the combined faculty advisory committee.

Upon advancement to candidacy, the student will enroll in Management 797 (Research) and BA 799A (Thesis). A thesis (Plan A) incorporating theory, method, and analytic techniques from both disciplines is the culminating experience for the concurrent program leading to the MBA and MA degrees.