Administrative Officers
| Dean |
Mitchell J. Muehsam, Ph.D. (936) 294-1254; mmuehsam@shsu.edu |
| Associate Dean | Leroy W. Ashorn, Ph.D. (936) 294-1239; lashorn@shsu.edu |
| Assistant Dean | Valerie P. Muehsam, Ph.D. (936) 294-3712; pepper@shsu.edu |
| Assistant Dean | Doug Berg, Ph.D. (936) 294-1243; berg@shsu.edu |
| Department of Accounting | Philip W. Morris, Ph.D., CPA, Chair (936) 294-1258; morris@shsu.edu |
| Department of Economics and International Business | TBN, Chair (936) 294-1265 |
| Department of General Business and Finance | Balasundram Maniam , Ph.D., Chair (936) 294-1290; maniam@shsu.edu |
| Department of Management and Marketing | Roger D. Abshire, D.B.A., Chair (936) 294-1256; rabshire@shsu.edu |
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.
Core Purpose and Values
COBA Core Purpose:To prepare students for a lifetime of learning, for adapting to change and for productive service grounded in the disciplines of business.
Core Values:
- Value of the Individual
- COBA:
- Supports the pursuit of individual goals and objectives
- Builds student success
- Embraces diversity among the faculty, staff and student body
- Honesty
- COBA:
- Demands ethical behavior, integrity and high standards
- Expects openness and fair-dealing with all stakeholders
- Quality
- COBA:
- Provides a quality education environment
- Nurtures intellectual development
- Maintains relevant curricula and teaching pedagogy
- Responsibility
- COBA:
- Emphasizes individual accountability
- Promotes personal initiative
- Values dependability
- Mutual Respect
- COBA:
- Cultivates a spirit of cooperation and collegiality
- Maintains trust, collaboration and respect of others
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, 2009 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) and has a nationally recognized chapter of Beta Gamma Sigma. Currently there are only 464 schools of business in the United States and 570 worldwide that are accredited members of AACSB International.
Sam Houston State University was accredited in March of 2005 as the 17th Professional Golfers’ Association of America PGA Golf Management university in the country and the first in the state of Texas. The Professional Golfers’ Association of America PGA Golf Management 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 PGA Golf Management, resulting in Class “A” membership within the PGA of America.
The College of Business Administration, as part of a six university consortium, offers BBA degrees in accounting, general business administration, banking and financial institutions and management and the MBA at The University Center in The Woodlands, Texas.
The College offers the only accredited bachelor and Executive Master of Business Administration in Banking and Financial Institutions in the nation. The EMBA program 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-for-profit organizations.
Student Organizations and Activities
- Alpha Kappa Psi
- Beta Gamma Sigma
- COBA Ambassadors
- MBA Student Association
- National Black MBA Association
- Phi Chi Theta
- Association of IT Professionals
- Banking and Finance Club
- Beta Alpha Psi
- International Business Society
- National Association of Black Accountants
- Omicron Delta Epsilon
- Society for Human Resource Management
Additional student organizations exist 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 Iberoamericana. 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 two 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 partially cover the cost. Interested students may contact the Department of Economics and International Business or the Office of International Programs for additional information.
Scholarships
Sam Houston State University offers academic scholarship opportunities for beginning freshmen who excel in areas of academic achievement and leadership. There are additional competitive scholarship opportunities for current SHSU and transfer undergraduate students. Students are encouraged to apply for scholarships using the ScholarX program on the Financial Aid website. The ScholarX program is a single application that will allow the student to apply for most scholarships available on campus whether at the departmental, college, or university-level.
Numerous scholarships are available on a competitive basis for currently enrolled students in the College of Business Administration. Applications are accepted through ScholarX between October 1 and February 15 for incoming students and between January 2 and February 15 for returning students. Deadlines may change so students are encouraged to check the website for current information. Scholarship recipients are announced in April for the following academic year.
Scholarships vary from year to year and typically include:
- Beta Gamma Sigma Scholarship
- James B. and Elsie M. Bexley Scholarship
- Dr. Elliot T. Bowers Assistance Scholarships
- Charles R. Carlow Endowed Scholarship
- Edward James Crawford Scholarship
- J. N. and Vennie Crawford Business Administration Scholarship
- Ray Gordon Dollar Sr. Scholarship
- Farm Credit Bank Scholarship
- Douglas C. Fletcher, Sr. Scholarship
- James E. Gilmore Endowed Scholarship
- James Gilmore COBA Excellence Scholarship
- Rayford Lacey Hardy and Margie Crawford Hardy Endowed Scholarship
- Jessica Lee Hays Memorial Scholarship
- Johnson-Brown-Perkins Scholarship
- Charles W. Jones Endowed Scholarship
- Gibson D. Lewis Scholarship
- Joe M. “Butch” MacKenzie Scholarship
- Ron Mafrige Endowment for COBA Scholarship in Honor of R. Dean Lewis
- G. Scott and Mary S. McCarley Endowed Scholarship
- Tommy Metcalf Scholarship
- Jean D. Neal Scholarship
- Wesley L. Oakes Scholarship
- Frank and Mary McAdams Payne Banking Scholarship
- Kailas and Becky Rao Scholarship in Honor of Dr. Bobby K. Marks
- Kailas and Becky Rao Scholarship in Honor of Dr. Jean Neal
- Ed and Genevieve Sandhop Endowed Scholarship
- Ed G. Sandhop Scholarship
- Smith-Hutson Scholarship
- Billy and Kathy Smith COBA Scholarship
- Clay and Margaret Smith Scholarship
- J. Roy Wells Scholarship
- Neva and Wesley West Scholarship
- Wood-Yager Scholarship
University-Specific Requirements
All students are required to complete the University general education requirements (common core) as described in Degree Requirements and Academic Guidelines section in this catalog. Additionally, all students are required to complete Component Area 1 – Communications (ENG 164 and 165), Component Area 2 – Mathematics (MTH 199 for business majors), and four hours from Component Area 3 (Natural Science) before being allowed to register for upper-division (300- and 400-level) courses.
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 |
| COM 282 or GBA 261* and 3 hours from ENG 265, 266, PHL 261, 263 6 hours Cultural Studies Elective | 6 hours |
| Cultural Studies Elective | 3 hours |
| History 163, 164 | 6 hours |
| Political Science 261, and 200-level Political Science course | 6 hours |
| Kinesiology 215 | 1 hour |
* COM 282 or GBA 261 are required for all business majors except for Banking & Financial Institutions and Finance.
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 |
Minimum GPA Requirements to Earn a BBA Degree
Students must achieve a 2.0 GPA in the following:
- SHSU GPA
- Cumulative GPA (SHSU and transfer)
- SHSU business courses
- Cumulative business courses (SHSU and transfer)
Some business departments/majors may require higher, more specific grade requirements. Review the department/major sections in this catalog for those requirements.
Business Minors
No BBA degree requires a minor; however, students are welcome, and encouraged 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 complements 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 Communication (pending approval of the Provost)
- Business Education(not available to any business majors)
- Economics
- Entrepreneurship
- Finance
- General Business Administration (not available to any 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 MTH 199, ACC 231, ACC 232, BAN 232, ECO 233, and ECO 234with 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, Master of Science in Accounting, and Master of Science in Finance degrees. The Graduate Catalog provides additional information regarding graduate studies in the College of Business Administration.