Sam Houston State University Undergraduate Catalog 2006-2008
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COLLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

Administrative Officers

Dean
Associate Dean
Department of Accounting
Philip Morris , Ph.D., CPA, Chair
Department of Economics and International Business
Donald Freeman , Ph.D., Chair
Department of General Business and Finance
Joe F. James, Ph.D., Chair
Department of Management and Marketing
Roger D. Abshire, D.B.A., Chair

Vision

Sam Houston State University’s College of Business Administration aspires to be recognized among the best regional colleges of business administration in the nation. It is committed to developing capable, confident, and ethical graduates equipped for a lifetime of productive contribution to business and society.

Mission

The mission of the College of Business Administration is to provide an excellent education to a diverse student body through traditional and unique business programs primarily at the undergraduate level. The College provides students with the opportunity to develop the skill necessary to achieve successful business careers in a global environment, to become productive and ethically committed citizens, to be prepared for advanced studies, and to pursue life-long learning. Through a continuously improving curriculum, excellent teaching, utilization of technology, and scholarly productivity, the college responds to changing student needs and provides service to its constituencies. This mission is accomplished with talented, diverse, and dedicated faculty, staff, and administrators working together with business, educational, government and community leaders.

Academic Programs

Majors Degrees
Accounting B.B.A.
Banking and Financial Institutions B.B.A.
Economics B.B.A.
Finance B.B.A.
General Business Administration B.B.A.
Human Resource Management B.B.A.
International Business B.B.A.
Management B.B.A.
Management Information Systems B.B.A.
Marketing B.B.A.

Note: This listing of undergraduate degree programs is correct as of December, 2005 and does not include those degree programs being phased out.

Highlights

The College of Business Administration is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB International). Currently there are only 430 schools of business in the United States and 506 worldwide that are accredited members of AACSB International.

Sam Houston State University was accredited in March of 2005 as the 17th Professional Golf Association of America/Professional Golf Management (PGA/PGM) university in the country and the first in the state of Texas. The PGA/PGM program at Sam Houston State University is designed to produce members of the PGA of America. Successful completion of the 5 year program will reward the student with a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree in General Business Administration with a minor in Professional Golf Management, resulting in Class “A” membership within the PGA of America.

In Fall 2005 the College of Business Administration occupied a 47,000 square foot addition to the Smith-Hutson Building providing much needed classroom, computer lab, and office space for the academic programs in the College.

The College of Business Administration, as part of a six university consortium, offers the MBA and BBA degrees in accounting, general business administration, and management at The University Center in The Woodlands, Texas.

The College offers the only Executive Master of Business Administration in Banking and Financial Institutions in the state of Texas. This is a two-year cohort program involving both online and residence coursework.

Each year the College of Business Administration conducts a career fair that offers students the opportunity to interact with approximately 50 employers from all types of business and not-forprofit organizations.

Each Fall Beta Alpha Psi (the national accounting honor organization) hosts a “Meet the Firms” night to allow students to visit with accounting and other financial services firms that may be recruiting college graduates.

Student Organizations and Activities

  • Alpha Kappa Psi
  • Beta Gamma Sigma
  • COBA Ambassadors
  • MBA Student Association
  • Phi Chi Theta
  • Omicron Delta Epsilon
  • International Business Society
  • Beta Alpha Psi
  • National Association of Black Accountants
  • Association of Information Technology
  • Society for Human Resource Management

Additional student organizations exists within specific majors and/or departments. Please see the appropriate major/department for more details.

Internships and Study Abroad

A student may earn a maximum of six hours in approved, supervised educational work experience in internships. Internship applications are available from the sponsoring academic department. In order to receive academic credit, a student must meet the eligibility conditions, obtain prior approval from the Department Chair of his/her major, and meet the guidelines established by the College of Business Administration for monitoring the quality of the learning experience.

Sam Houston State University offers the unique opportunity for students to earn college credit in Puebla, Mexico each year during Summer I Session. Founded in 1531, Puebla now ranks as the fourth largest city in Mexico. The rich culture of Puebla is a blend of colonial architecture and traditional art forms with a modern business and industrial center. Classes will be taught by COBA and other SHSU faculty members on the beautiful campus at the Universidad Iberoamericaca. Students will have many opportunities to interact with the local community. Field trips to major businesses, museums, and archeological sites are planned For lodging and meals, students have gwo choices: to stay at a hotel in downtown Puebla or to live with a family. Hotel accommodations are at the elegant Holiday Inn, once a 19th-century home. A limited number of scholarships are available to help cover the cost of the semester. Interested students may contact the Department of Economics and International Business for additional information.

Scholarships

Sam Houston State University offers academic scholarship opportunities for beginning freshmen who excel in areas of academic achievement and leadership and competitive scholarship opportunities for current SHSU and transfer undergraduate students. Information for these scholarships may be obtained from the Academic Scholarship Office, SHSU, Huntsville, TX 77341-2120; Telephone 936-294-1672; E-mail: scholarships@shsu.edu. Scholarships that are available from year to year may include:

  • Jean D. Neal Scholarship
  • Dr. Elliot T. Bowers Assistance Scholarships
  • James Gilmore COBA Excellence Scholarship
  • Johnson-Brown-Perkins Scholarship
  • Wesley L. Oates Scholarship
  • Edward James Crawford Scholarship
  • J. N. and Vennie Crawford Business Administration Scholarship
  • Douglas C. Fletcher, Sr. Scholarship
  • James B. and Elsie Bexley Scholarship
  • Frank & Mary McAdams Payne Banking Scholarship
  • Joe M. “Butch” MacKenzie Scholarship
  • Ed. And Genevieve Sandhop Endowed Scholarship
  • Ed G. Sandhop Scholarship
  • Neva and Wesley West Scholarship
  • Wood-Yager Scholarship
  • Kailas and Becky Rao Scholarship in Honor of Dr. Bobby K. Marks
  • Kailas and Becky Rao Scholarship in Honor of Dr. Jean Neal
  • Ray Gordon Dollar Sr. Scholarship
  • Beta Gamma Sigma Scholarship

Numerous scholarships are available on a competitive basis for currently enrolled students in the College of Business Administration. Applications from upper-classmen for various scholarships, available through the Dean’s office, are accepted between January 2 and February 15. Scholarship recipients are announced in April for the following academic year. In addition, the College of Business Administration offers a limited number of scholarships for incoming freshmen. Applications, which are available from the Dean’s Office, must be returned by April 20.

College-Specific Requirements

General Requirements

General requirements for all majors pursuing the Bachelor of Business Administration degree are as follows:

English 164, 165 6 hours
Mathematics 199 3 hours
Laboratory Science 8 hours
Visual and Performing Arts Elective 3 hours
SCM 282 and 3 hours from ENG 265, 266, 267, PHL 261, 263 6 hours
Cultural Studies Elective 3 hours
History 163, 164 6 hours
Political Science 261, and 200-level Political Science course 6 hours
Computer Literacy Elective 3 hours
Kinesiology 215 1 hour

Foundation Knowledge for Business

Each program of study pursuant to the Bachelor of Business Administration degree includes the following Core Courses for the Foundation Knowledge for Business. Additional course requirements are outlined by specific departments.

Core Courses (45 semester hours)  
Accounting, ACC 231, 232 6 hours
Economics, ECO 233, 234, and one advanced course in Economics 9 hours
Business Legal Environment, GBA 281 3 hours
Business Statistics, BAN 232, 363 6 hours
Business Finance, FIN 367 3 hours
Marketing, MKT 371 3 hours
Management, MGT 380, 475, 476 9 hours
Business Communications, GBA 389 3 hours
Management Information Systems, MIS 388 3 hours

Business Minors

With the exception of students seeking a BBA in International Business, no BBA degree requires a minor. Students are welcome to use electives in their degree program to seek a minor. Please visit The appropriate department chair to obtain specific details about adding a minor to a BBA degree program. The College of Business Administration offers eleven business minors that serve as excellent compliments to business and non-business degree programs. Specifically, the following minors are offered.

  • Accounting
  • Banking (available to only BBA students or Agricultural Business majors)
  • Business Education
  • Economics
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Finance
  • General Business Administration (not available to other business majors)
  • International Business
  • Management
  • Management Information Systems
  • Marketing

With two exceptions the minors are open to all students majoring in areas that allow minors. Students majoring in programs within the College of Business Administration may not minor in General Business Administration. The minor in Banking is open to students seeking a B.B.A. degree as well as those seeking an Agricultural Business degree. See the appropriate departmental section for the specific course requirements for that program’s minor(s).

Fifty Percent Requirement

At least 50 percent of the required business curriculum for the B.B.A. degree must be taken in residence at Sam Houston State University. Entry to Upper Division Courses Admission to undergraduate upper division courses, i.e., 300- and 400-level, in the College of Business Administration, is limited to students who have completed at least 50 semester hours with a GPA of at least 2.0. Students seeking a BBA must complete ACC 231, ACC 232, BAN 232, ECO 233, ECO 234, and MTH 199 with a minimum GPA of 2.0 prior to taking 300- or 400-level business courses.

Entry to Upper Division Courses

Admission to undergraduate upper division courses, i.e., 300- and 400-level, in the College of Business Administration, is limited to students who have completed at least 50 semester hours with a GPA of at least 2.0. Students seeking a BBA must complete ACC 231, ACC 232, BAN 232, ECO 233, ECO 234, and MTH 199 with a minimum GPA of 2.0 prior to taking 300- or 400-level business courses.

Teaching Certification

A business major may have the requirements for a teaching certificate added when a degree plan is prepared. See secondary teaching certification requirements in this catalog.

Graduate Studies

The College of Business Administration is authorized to offer the Master of Business Administration and Master of Science in Finance degrees. The Graduate Catalog provides additional information regarding graduate studies in the College of Business Administration.

Web Address

www.shsu.edu/~coba/