COLLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

The College of Business Administration’s undergraduate and graduate degree programs are accredited by AACSB International, The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

*Effective Fall Semester 2003.

VISION STATEMENT

MISSION STATEMENT

The College of Business Administration (COBA) supports the mission of Sam Houston State University by providing a comprehensive learning environment. Within this environment, the COBA:

• Provides the opportunity for students to develop knowledge and skills necessary to pursue successful business careers, become productive citizens, and pursue advanced studies.
• Endeavors to improve teaching quality through professional development, curriculum, design, and the use of technology.
• Pursues scholarly productivity, community service, and assistance to regional businesses.
• Systematically solicits input from current and former students, employers, and other stakeholders for its continuous improvement program.

DEGREE PROGRAMS

The College of Business Administration offers a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree and a Master of Science (MS) degree in Finance. Both degrees are comprised of thirty-six (36) graduate credit hours and are open to students with a baccalaureate degree from any academic discipline. Prerequisite courses are required for those students without the necessary academic foundation for graduate business courses. The prerequisite courses are listed in the “stem requirements for non-business graduates” section for this college. Please refer to the Master of Business Administration program or the Master of Science in Finance program for a detailed listing of the specific degree requirements. Also, see website www.shsu.edu/mba.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Students must submit to the Coordinator of Graduate Studies, an application, official transcript(s) of all previous college work, and an acceptable Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) score. Admission to graduate studies in business is dependent upon the candidate satisfying at least one of the following two graduate admission formulas.

Admission Formulas

200 X (overall GPA) + (GMAT score) = 1000
200 X (advanced hours GPA) + (GMAT score) = 1050

The grade point average (GPA) is based on a four-point scale and only courses from the baccalaureate degree granting institution are used for determining graduate admission. Students who are not in good standing at another college or university are not eligible for admission into either the MBA program or the MS in Finance program.
International students or students whose native language is not English must submit a GMAT score of at least 450 and a TOEFL score of at least 550 on the paper based exam or a TOEFL score of at least 213 on the computer based exam. International students must submit all required admission materials at least sixty (60) days prior to the start of the admitting semester. All immigration requirements must also be satisfied prior to admission.

STEM REQUIREMENTS FOR NONBUSINESS GRADUATES

Students seeking either the MBA or MS in Finance who do not hold a baccalaureate business degree must complete the following course requirements as prerequisites to graduate business courses. Baccalaureate degrees from foreign universities will be treated as non-business degrees. The graduate stem courses (530s) do not apply to the 36-hour graduate credit hour requirement of the MBA degree or the Master of Science in Finance degree.

1. The combination of ACC 231 and ACC 232 can be substituted for ACC 530.
2. The combination of BAN 232 and MGT 475 can be substituted for BAN 530.
3. The combination of ECO 233 and ECO 234 can be substituted for ECO 530.
4. The combination of FIN 334 and FIN 367 can be substituted for FIN 530.

MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

The Master of Business Administration program at Sam Houston State University is designed to develop candidates for positions of leadership in modern organizations or to prepare students to successfully pursue doctoral studies in business. Managerial procedures and practices are continually changing. Therefore, the program emphasizes the integration and synthesis of various disciplines to develop a student’s ability to function in a dynamic environment and make sound administrative decisions that maximize the value and contributions of an organization. The MBA program is suited for qualified students from any academic discipline. The program provides the candidate with a basic managerial background through the core requirements while providing individualized adaptation through elective courses.
The Master of Business Administration degree may be earned in one year by those full-time students who have completed a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. For a student with a baccalaureate degree in a discipline other than business, a minimum of two years will probably be required. For the non-business graduate the first year of study will involve taking prerequisite courses in preparation for the graduate courses. Part-time students who have completed a Bachelor of Business Administration degree typically complete the program in two years.

PROGRAM STRUCTURE

The MBA degree program requires a core of twenty-four graduate semester hours and twelve hours of elective graduate business courses. The selection of elective courses allows a student to design his/her program to meet special interests or needs. The College of Business Administration offers graduate elective courses in Accounting, Economics, Finance, General Business Administration, Management, Management Information Systems, and Marketing. Individual readings/research courses can also be established to further facilitate special student interests.

*ACC 564 is required for students with a non-accounting baccalaureate degree. ACC 580 is required for students with a baccalaureate degree in accounting.

With the approval of the Graduate Coordinator, students may elect to complete a minimum of 30 semester graduate hours plus a thesis of 6 semester hours.

CONCENTRATIONS

Students in the MBA program have the option of using their electives to earn a concentration. With the successful completion of twelve graduate credit hours in a specific academic field a student may claim a concentration. Students seeking the MBA degree may use their electives in a combination of supporting academic areas in lieu of a concentration. Concentrations are available in accounting, agri-business, economics, finance, human resource management, management, management information systems, and marketing. Graduate stem courses (530s) do not count toward the twelve graduate hours needed for a concentration. Consult with the graduate coordinator for any changes to the list of available concentrations.

THE MBA AND FIVE-YEAR ACCOUNTING PROGRAM

* Visit with the graduate coordinator for a list acceptable electives

MBA IN AGRI-BUSINESS

In a cooperative effort with the Department of Agricultural Sciences, students may earn an MBA with a concentration in agri-business. Students seeking the MBA with the concentration in agri-business must earn a minimum of 24 graduate credit hours from courses offered by the College of Business Administration, to include the MBA core, and twelve graduate credit hours in agriculture courses. To earn the concentration in agri-business, the four (4) graduate electives in the MBA program must be used to take courses from the group of AGR 536, AGR 560, AGR 583, AGR 586, and AGR 598. With approval from the graduate coordinators of the MBA program and agri-business program, a maximum of two 400-level agriculture courses may be used in lieu of two of the 500-level agriculture courses. A description of the graduate agriculture courses and a list of acceptable 400-level agriculture courses can be found in the Department of Agricultural Sciences section of this catalogue. Consult with the graduate coordinator for any changes to the list of 400- and 500-level agriculture courses.

THE UNIVERSITY CENTER

The College of Business Administration offers, on a rotational pattern, a selection of MBA courses at The University Center, located in The Woodlands, Texas. The 300-, 400-, and 500- level stem courses are also available at The University Center. It is possible to complete the thirty-six hours of graduate work in a two-year period, however, a three-year period is a more likely time frame needed to complete the graduate coursework requirements of the MBA at The University Center. Consult with the graduate coordinator for a list of courses scheduled for The University Center.

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN FINANCE

The Master of Science in Finance program at Sam Houston State University is designed to develop candidates for leadership positions in financial services firms and other organizations or to prepare students to successfully pursue doctoral studies. Rapid innovations in financial markets, instruments, and institutions, as well as changes in legal and regulatory environments, have contributed to an increasing demand for professionals with detailed technical knowledge. Skills in financial risk management, financial instrument design, evaluation of derivative instruments, financial institution management, and corporate treasurers’ functions are highly valued by today’s complex businesses. The MS in Finance curriculum will allow students to gain sufficient detail in these areas to assume positions in corporate treasurers’ offices dealing with corporate risk management, firms evaluating capital budgeting options, investment banking firms evaluating stocks or bonds, or financial institutions entering new markets such as investment banking, securities trading, or insurance. The program provides students with a strong background in the fundamentals of finance through a core of required courses and elective courses that allows them to adapt the program to their individual needs.

PROGRAM STRUCTURE

The MS in Finance program requires a core of twenty-four graduate semester hours, a minimum of three semester hours of finance electives, and nine semester hours of elective graduate courses. The selection of elective courses allows students to design their programs to meet their special needs or interests. The College of Business Administration offers numerous graduate courses in all areas of business. Up to six semester hours of the elective courses may be taken from support areas outside of the College of Business Administration, e.g. Statistics, Mathematics, etc. Individual readings/research courses can also be established to further facilitate special student interests. The elective courses will be chosen based on the students’ interests, choice of specialization, and with the guidance of the MS in Finance advisor who will have a list of courses appropriate for the degree.

* This course is replaced by a graduate finance elective for students with a baccalaureate degree in finance.
** This course must be taken after all other required finance courses are taken.
*** Any non-business courses must be approved by the MS in Finance advisor.

THE MS IN FINANCE AND FIVE-YEAR ACCOUNTING PROGRAM

SENIOR COURSES OPEN TO GRADUATE STUDENTS

To provide students with more flexibility in tailoring the MBA and the MS in Finance to their needs, a maximum of two 400-level undergraduate courses may be used as electives. Extra assignments/projects will be added to the course to elevate the course to graduate level work. Only the 400-level courses listed below may be used. To receive graduate credit for any of the below listed 400-level courses, an MBA student must get approval from the graduate coordinator and the course professor prior to enrolling in the course.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE MBA AND MS IN FINANCE PROGRAMS

For additional information about the MBA and/or MS in Finance please contact the College of Business Administration’s Coordinator of Graduate Studies at: Box 2056, Huntsville, TX 77341-2056 or by phone (936) 294-1239 or FAX (936) 294-3612, or email busgrad@shsu.edu. The College of Business Administration’s internet address is http://coba.shsu.edu.

CONTACT INFORMATION

The College of Business Administration’s website may be accessed at http://coba.shsu.edu. The administrative offices can be reached at the following email and telephone numbers.