Business Administration

Program Scope

The Lam Family College of Business is composed of ten departments supervised by chairpersons:

  • Accounting
  • Decision Sciences
  • Economics
  • Finance
  • Hospitality and Tourism Management
  • Information Systems
  • International Business
  • Labor and Employment Studies
  • Management
  • Marketing

The primary objectives of the Lam Family College of Business at San Francisco State University are to:

  • Provide students majoring in business administration with a foundation in the basic concepts and practices of the business community, and with particular expertise in one or more of the specialties of practice, to prepare them to think creatively and to exercise critical judgment in the making of business decisions;
  • Provide other students with a general understanding of the foundations and philosophies of the business community;
  • Encourage a continuous liaison with the business community to respond to the educational needs of that community;
  • Encourage faculty professional development activities designed to provide service to all segments of business and education for business through academic research and publication, applied research and publication, community education and services (seminars and consulting involving non-publishable, proprietary research, for example), and self-education or study designed to improve business knowledge and expertise.

The Lam Family College of Business Student Success Center, located in the Business Building, Room 112, provides on-site academic program counseling for students enrolled or interested in business.

Major

B.S. in Business Administration

Concentrations in:

Minor

Minor in Business Administration

Explanation of Course Descriptions, Symbols, and Terms

BUS 216 Foundations in Business Communications (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: GE Area A2* with a grade of C- or better.

Examination of business foundational skills including constructive reading and writing skills for business inquiry, engagement in social and ethical issues within the field of business, specific composing and revising skills, critical analysis, and self-reflection. Extensive practice in writing and editing business documents with an emphasis on style, structure, purpose, and audience. Examination of differences in cultural diversity in business. (Plus-minus ABC/NC, CR/NC allowed)

Course Attributes:

  • E: Lifelong Learning Develop

BUS 300GW Business Communication for Professionals - GWAR (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: GE Area A2*.

Written and oral fundamentals of business communication. Hands-on experience creating common formats of written and oral communication at the standard expected of business professionals. The ethical and legal implications of business communication. (ABC/NC grading only)

Course Attributes:

  • Graduation Writing Assessment

BUS 350 Introduction to Entrepreneurship (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Restricted to upper-division Lam Family College of Business majors and minors or permission of the instructor.

Introduction to the entrepreneurial process and ecosystem. Topics covered include personal values and goals assessment, opportunity identification, market analysis, design thinking, prototyping, teams and partnerships, global supply chain logistics and technologies, sales channels, financing, growth strategies, business plans, and presenting and pitching to investors. (Plus-minus letter grade only) [Formerly MGMT 430]

BUS 354 Starting a Small Business (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

Introduction to the process of starting and managing a successful small business. Students participate in a team project which takes them through the process of creating an actual startup. (Plus-minus letter grade only) [Formerly MGMT 354]

BUS 400 Professional Communication for the Global Workplace (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: BUS 300GW* or equivalent with a grade of C or better.

Examination of current business communication, global business practices, common formats of business writing, effective oral presentations, and workplace ethical issues. Emphasis on individual and team experiences in creating effective professional communication. Practice in analyzing and communicating about ambiguous business situations. (Plus-minus ABC/NC, CR/NC allowed)

BUS 430 Social Entrepreneurship: Mission-Driven Ventures (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Lam Family College of Business majors and minors or permission of the instructor.

Development of the necessary business skills to create innovative approaches to societal problems. Examination of local and international ventures that have dual missions of both social impact and financial sustainability. Emphasis on opportunity assessment, business models, strategy, and social impact. (Plus-minus letter grade only) [Formerly BUS 452]

BUS 433 Building the Entrepreneurial Venture: Growth Strategies for Established Small Businesses (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Upper-division students; BUS 354 with a grade of C- or better; or permission of the instructor.

How entrepreneurs, innovators, and owners of small businesses evaluate and achieve product-market fit, grow sales and operations, and plan for the need for additional capital. Students should have an existing business or business idea to work on. (Plus-minus letter grade only) [Formerly MGMT 433]

BUS 436 Managing Entrepreneurial Organizations (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Lam Family College of Business majors and minors; BUS 350 or BUS 354 with a grade of C- or better; or permission of the instructor.

Essential tools and know-how for building a strong financial foundation, effective organizational structure, and cohesive culture needed to launch and support successful business start-ups or new "intrapreneurial" initiatives in existing organizations. (Plus-minus letter grade only) [Formerly MGMT 630]

BUS 440 Ethics at Work: Business Impacts (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

Analysis of applied ethical theory, decision-making and practice to workplace issues in business and related organizations using interactive learning case studies, class exercises, and student presentations.

Course Attributes:

  • UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities

BUS 450 Greening of Business (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: COMM 150.

Impact of business firms on the natural environment, forces driving businesses to become environmentally sustainable, and types of approaches businesses are taking to respond to environmental issues.

BUS 460 Microfinance: Financial Inclusion for the Poor (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: ECON 101 and FIN 350.

Non-technical survey of the global microfinance industry, which provides financial services to the poor on a large scale, mostly in developing nations. Historical origins and industry evolution. Nature and developmental role of microenterprises and informal finance. Methods and technologies used by microfinance institutions (MFIs). Case studies of leading MFIs and the lives of their clients. Policy and regulatory environments. Debates over profiting from the poor, and over health and environmental goals. Conflicting evidence on economic and social impact. Meetings with practitioners. Lecture, 1 unit; activity, 2 units. [CSL may be available]

BUS 499 Culminating Experience Continuous Enrollment (Unit: 0)

BUS 655 Seminar in Emerging Issues in Business Strategy, Sustainability, and Entrepreneurship (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Lam Family College of Business majors or minors; either BUS 350* or MGMT 405* with a grade of C- or better; or permission of the instructor.

Emerging topics in business strategy, sustainability, or entrepreneurship to be specified in the Class Schedule. May be repeated when topics vary. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

Topics:

  1. Workplace Ethics: Behavioral Econ. & Game Theory

BUS 682 Seminar on Business and Society (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Business majors and minors; BUS 300GW* or DS 660GW*, and MGMT 405* with grades of C- or better.

Managerial decision-making about issues at the interface between business and society. Business interactions with political, legal, social, and ethical environments. Effects of the natural environment upon managing the business enterprise. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

BUS 690 Seminar in Business Policy and Strategic Management (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division standing; BUS 300GW* or DS 660GW*, DS 412*, FIN 350*, ISYS 363* or ACCT 307*, MKTG 431*, and MGMT 405* all with grades of C- or better.

Capstone seminar in business policy and strategic management. Case studies provide background for organizational and functional problems. Emphasizes international environment. Solutions (oral and written) include implementation and methods of quantifiable evaluations. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

BUS 699 Independent Study (Units: 1-3)

Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor, adviser, and department chair.

Intensive problem analysis under the direction of a Business faculty member. Open only to upper-division students who have demonstrated the ability to work independently. [CSL may be available]

BUS 714 Elements of Graduate Business Writing (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Restricted to graduate Business students; graduate students in other programs permitted with the permission of the Faculty Director of Graduate Programs. For students who do not meet the minimum written English proficiency requirement.

Integrated basic writing skills with principles of business writing and organizational communication. May not be used to meet masters' degree ATC requirements. (CR/NC grading only)

BUS 857 Business Management, Ecology, and Environmental Leadership (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Restricted to graduate Business students; graduate students in other programs permitted with the permission of the Faculty Director of Graduate Programs.

Impact of business organizations on the natural environment. Approaches to respond effectively to environmental issues. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

BUS 859 Introduction to International Business Negotiation (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to graduate Business majors and graduate Business certificate students; graduate students in other programs permitted with the permission of the instructor.

Development of intercultural negotiating skills through cases involving protagonists, organizational contexts, and situations. (Plus-minus letter grade only)
(This course is offered as BUS 859 and IBUS 859. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

BUS 867 Graduate Internship in Business (Unit: 1)

Prerequisites: Restricted to graduate Business students; BUS 700 series; a business internship; permission of the instructor.

Analysis of actual experience in the business field. Organization and operation evaluated with respect to management theories. Individual study and conferences with the instructor. May be repeated for a total of 2 units. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

BUS 870 From Molecule to Market: Overview of the Life Sciences Industry (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Restricted to graduate Business students; graduate students in other programs permitted with the permission of the Faculty Director of Graduate Business Programs.

Survey of the major functions and business processes within the biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and medical device sectors of the life sciences industry. Guest speakers from the industry will be invited for specific topics. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

BUS 884 Business Ethics, Society, and Sustainability (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Restricted to graduate Business students; graduate students in other programs permitted with the permission of the Faculty Director of Graduate Programs.

The role and impact of business in society. Contemporary social, political, legal, and ethical issues that demonstrate the mutual impact of economic and non-economic institutions both domestically and abroad. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

BUS 890 Strategic Management (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.

Strategy formulation, implementation, techniques, and decision-making in the context of the economic, social, political, and competitive global environment. (ABC/NC grading; RP allowed)

BUS 895 Research Project in Business (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: 12 units of 800-level Business courses; permission of the instructor and Business graduate office; approval of Advancement to Candidacy (ATC) and Culminating Experience (CE) forms by Graduate Studies before registration.

Apply data analytics to work on projects supplied by clients that includes, but is not limited to, exploratory data analysis, statistical modeling, and database creation. Efficient communication with the committee chair and client for technical support is expected. (ABC/NC grading; RP allowed) [CSL may be available]

BUS 896EXM Culminating Experience Examination (Unit: 0)

Prerequisites: 12 units of 800-level Business courses; overall GPA and ATC GPA of at least 3.0 or better; Approval of Advancement to Candidacy (ATC) and Culminating Experience (CE) forms by Graduate Studies; concurrent enrollment in BUS 890.

Individual written examination based on knowledge and application of multi-disciplinary Business courses and strategic management. (CR/NC grading only)

BUS 898 Master's Thesis (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: 12 units of 800-level Business courses; permission of the instructor and Business graduate studies office; approval of Advancement to Candidacy (ATC) and Culminating Experience (CE) forms by Graduate Studies before registration.

(Plus-minus letter grade, RP)

BUS 899 Independent Study (Units: 1-3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to graduate Business students; permission of the instructor, adviser, and department chair; open only to graduate students who demonstrate the ability to work independently.

Intensive study of a particular problem under the direction of a business faculty member. (Plus-minus letter grade only) [CSL may be available]