College of Business Administration
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 |
| Associate 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 | Edward Blackburne, Ph.D. (936) 294-1265: blackburne@shsu.edu |
| Department of General Business and Finance | Kurt Jessweih , Ph.D., Chair (936) 294-1278; jesswein@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. |
| Entrepreneurship | 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 March 2012 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 655 schools of business 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 SHSU The Woodlands Center (TWC).
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
- Association of IT Professionals
- Banking and Finance Club
- Beta Gamma Sigma
- Beta Alpha Psi
- COBA Ambassadors
- International Business Society
- MBA Student Association
- National Association of Black Accountants
- National Black MBA Association
- Omicron Delta Epsilon
- Phi Chi Theta
- 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 other countries including China, Japan, Costa Rica and Mexico. These classes are taught by COBA and other SHSU faculty members, and students have many opportunities to interact with the local community. Field trips to major businesses, museums, and archeological sites areoften included. A limited number of scholarships are available to partially cover the cost. Interested students may contact the Dean's Office 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 ScholarX at Financial Aid. 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
- Billy and Kathy Smith COBA Scholarship
- Charles R. Carlow Endowed Scholarship
- Charles W. Jones Endowed Scholarship
- Clay and Margaret Smith Scholarship
- Douglas C. Fletcher, Sr. Scholarship
- Dr. Elliot T. Bowers Assistance Scholarships
- Ed and Genevieve Sandhop Endowed Scholarship
- Ed G. Sandhop Scholarship
- Edward James Crawford Scholarship
- Farm Credit Bank Scholarship
- Frank and Mary McAdams Payne Banking Scholarship
- Gibson D. Lewis Scholarship
- G. Scott and Mary S. McCarley Endowed Scholarship
- James B. and Elsie M. Bexley Scholarship
- James E. Gilmore Endowed Scholarship
- James Gilmore COBA Excellence Scholarship
- Jean D. Neal Scholarship
- Jessica Lee Hays Memorial Scholarship
- J. N. and Vennie Crawford Business Administration Scholarship
- Joe M. “Butch” MacKenzie Scholarship
- Johnson-Brown-Perkins Scholarship
- J. Roy Wells Scholarship
- Kailas and Becky Rao Scholarship in Honor of Dr. Bobby K. Marks
- Kailas and Becky Rao Scholarship in Honor of Dr. Jean Neal
- Neva and Wesley West Scholarship
- Rayford Lacey Hardy and Margie Crawford Hardy Endowed Scholarship
- Ray Gordon Dollar Sr. Scholarship
- Ron Mafrige Endowment for COBA Scholarship in Honor of R. Dean Lewis
- Smith-Hutson Scholarship
- Tommy Metcalf Scholarship
- Wesley L. Oakes 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 <ENGL 1301> and 165 <1302>), Component Area 2 – Mathematics (MTH 199 <MATH 1324> for business majors), and four hours from Component Area 3 (Natural Science) before being allowed to register for upper-division (300 <3000>- and 400 <4000>- level) courses.
College-Specific Requirements
General Requirements
General requirements for all majors pursuing the Bachelor of Business Administration degree are as follows:
| English 164 <1301> , 165 <1302> | 6 hours |
| Mathematics 199 <1324> | 3 hours |
| Laboratory Science | 8 hours |
| Visual and Performing Arts Elective | 3 hours |
| COM 282 <COMS 2382>or GBA 261* < BUAD 2321>and 3 hours from ENG 265 <ENGL 2331>, 266 <2342>, PHL 261 <PHIL 2361>, 263 <2306> | 6 hours |
| Cultural Studies Elective | 3 hours |
| History 163 <1301>, 164 <1302> | 6 hours |
| Political Science 261 <2301>, and 200 <2000>-level Political Science course | 6 hours |
| Kinesiology 215 <2115> | 1 hour |
* COM 282 <COMS 2382> or GBA 261 <BAUD 2321> 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 <ACCT 2301> , 232 , <2302> | 6 hours |
| Economics, ECO 233 <ECON 2302>, 234 <2301>, and one advanced course in Economics | 9 hours |
| Business Legal Environment, GBA 281 <BAUD 2301> | 3 hours |
| Business Statistics, BAN 232 < BANA 2372>, 363 <3363> | 6 hours |
| Business Finance, FIN 367 <FINC 3320> | 3 hours |
| Marketing, MKT 371 <MKGT 3310> | 3 hours |
| Management, MGT 380 <MGMT 3310>, 475 <4370>, 476 <4390> | 9 hours |
| Business Communications, GBA 389 <BAUD 3335> | 3 hours |
| Management Information Systems, MIS 388 <MGIS 3310> | 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
- 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 <3000>- and 400 <4000>-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 <MATH 1324>, ACC 231 <ACCT 2301>, ACC 232 <ACCT 2302>, BAN 232 <BANA 2372>, ECO 233 <ECON 2302>, and ECO 234 <ECON 2301> with a minimum GPA of 2.0 prior to taking 300 <3000>- or 400 <4000>-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 Project Management degrees. The Graduate Catalog provides additional information regarding graduate studies in the College of Business Administration.