Business Administration Degree Programs in California (California State University)

Aspiring business professionals looking for rigorous academic business curricula in a scenic environment seek out accredited business administration degree programs in California.  California is known for its thriving agriculture, aerospace, and computer industries. The state’s institutions of higher learning are also noteworthy and attract students from around the world. The variety of high quality colleges and universities in California include research schools, liberal arts colleges, and science and technology institutes. Among these school types, the California State University public school system shines as an educational best value for many seeking undergraduate and graduate level business degree programs. To see the first list about accredited business administration degree programs in California, visit Business Administration Degree Programs in California (A-P) and Business Administration Degree Programs in California (Q-Z).

California State University

The California State University school system is one of the largest public, post secondary school systems in the country. There are 23 campuses sprinkled throughout the state that offer undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs. The California State University school system offers over 1,800 academic programs across a broad range of disciplines, and it currently serves nearly half a million students. Although the California State University school system provides comprehensive coursework that most deem a good educational value, its admissions standards have been traditionally seen as lower than its sister school system University of California. However, 16 campuses have recently adopted higher admissions standards. Both of the school systems encourage and incentivize students to attend community colleges for their first two years of study. Notable programs that are a part of the California State University school system are the Maritime Academy, Biotechnology program, Nursing school and Agriculture Research. Additionally, a new program for online education and concurrent enrollment introduced in 2013 has revolutionized the learning experience for California State University students. The program allows any student within the California State University school system to attend online courses offered by any of the 23 campuses within the system. California State University business programs have a number of years of experience offering some of its courses in online formats so it is no surprise that courses like business finance and microeconomics are offered through the new online education and concurrent enrollment service.

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration

The Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (B.S.B.A.) is an undergraduate degree program that instructs students about foundational business concepts, theories, and methodologies. Courses that are typically included in the B.S.B.A. program are accounting, economics, finance, human resources, and marketing. Students generally declare their major upon completion of certain prerequisite business degree courses that emphasize competency in statistics, mathematics, and economics. Most B.S.B.A. degree programs within the California State University school system require students to complete 120 units consisting of varying levels of challenging core and elective courses to graduate. An exception is the B.S.B.A degree completion program at California State University East Bay that is designed to give working adults the opportunity to finish their business degree program online. Students complete the program with 180 credit hours of coursework but must complete 90 credit hours before entering the B.S.B.A online degree completion program. Consequently, this program takes two years to complete versus the four years taken to complete standard B.S.B.A. programs.

The following campuses offer this degree:

  • California State Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo
  • California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
  • California State University, Bakersfield
  • California State University, Chico
  • California State University, East Bay
  • California State University, Fresno
  • California State University, Long Beach
  • California State University, Los Angeles
  • California State University, Northridge
  • California State University, Sacramento
  • California State University, San Bernardino
  • San Diego State University
  • San Francisco State University

Master’s in Business Administration

The need for specialized, scientifically based strategic management training caused universities like the ones in the California State University school system to generate the graduate level business degree program known as the Master of Business Administration (MBA). The California State University school system generally offers students a variety of options for pursuing an MBA and build on a business degree. Depending on a student’s available time, budget or learning preference, they can choose from evening, daytime or weekend MBA curricula offered both in traditional classrooms and online formats. The California State University MBA programs emphasize analysis of current business issues relating to management, finance, and marketing. Many MBA programs are accredited by the Association to Advance Schools of Business.

The following campuses offer this degree:

  • California State Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo
  • California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
  • California State University, Bakersfield
  • California State University, Chico
  • California State University, East Bay
  • California State University, Fresno
  • California State University, Fullerton
  • California State University, Long Beach
  • California State University, Los Angeles
  • California State University, Northridge
  • California State University, Sacramento
  • California State University, San Bernardino
  • San Diego State University
  • San Francisco State University

Master of Science in Business Administration

Unlike MBA degree programs that generally emphasize broad business management concepts with a few options to hone skills within specializations through elective coursework, the Master of Science in Business Administration (M.S.B.A.) has a narrower scope of business instruction. During the California State University M.S.B.A. Program, students experience business training that focuses on specialized topics like accounting and information systems. California State Polytechnic University at Pomona is at least one campus within the school system that offers master of science business degree programs. A prominent choice offered by California State Polytechnic University, Pomona is the M.S.B.A with a concentration option in Information Systems Auditing. This major is an answer to the growing demand for skilled information assurance and cyber security professionals. These professionals find work analyzing automated accounting systems within the investigative accounting field. They also are needed within national security related professions, financial services careers and healthcare information systems jobs. Besides the M.S.B.A in Information Systems Auditing, California State Polytechnic University at Pomona offers a Master of Science in Accountancy.

Accelerated Bachelors in Business Administration

Motivated students who have finished at least half of the course work needed to earn their undergraduate business degree, have the option to reduce the time to complete the remainder of their degree by at least 35 percent by participating in the Accelerated Bachelors in Business Administration (ABBA) program offered by California State University, Fresno. The students participating in this program must demonstrate a high level of commitment to academic excellence to be selected for this Special Option offered by the California State University, Fresno Craig School of Business. The highly competitive program is conducted in a cohort format that allows students to work with the same group of peers throughout the intensive 15 month sprint toward their undergraduate degree in business administration. The group meets for class either traditionally or online at least three times a week to discuss case studies and present results of class projects.

Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration

Most schools offer either a Bachelor of Science or a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration (B.A.B.A.) degree, and there are subtle differences between the two options. B.A.B.A. degree programs consist of coursework that emphasizes academic theory combined with an ample sprinkling of liberal arts classes. B.S.B.A. degree programs focus on practical application of business theories and principles. Students who take this type of business administration curriculum expect to do laboratory exercises involving case study analysis and real world projects. The B.A.B.A. degree participants seek proficiency in business theory for future employment in the arts or academia. According to reports, these students usually go on to earn advanced degrees needed to become secondary and post secondary instructors. California State University campuses at San Bernardino and Fullerton offer B.A.B.A. degree programs. B.A.B.A. programs offered by these schools are designed for business professionals who want to learn about the various business disciplines to become better managers for people working in specific business areas. These schools emphasize that their B.A.B.A. programs are general business programs and not ones that focus on concentrations like marketing or information systems.

Minor in Business Administration

A minor in business administration includes a selection of core business courses that can either focus on a business specialty or give a broad-based exposure to several business topics. A minor in business administration is an especially beneficial option for students participating in other challenging majors who want to lay a foundation in business administration. For instance, an engineering student whose academic schedule is too rigorous to pursue a double major in business administration can opt to take courses that meet the requirements for a minor in business administration. Well advised or intensely insightful undergraduate students participating in technical degree majors foresee the importance of understanding and applying business concepts in their future engineering jobs. Business concepts are used to define a company’s economic problems and issues which are then addressed by engineers who present creative technical solutions to senior business managers. San Francisco State University offers several options for students who want to minor in a business discipline.

Accreditations

  • AACSB International
  • Senior College Commission of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges

Contact
401 Golden Shore
Long Beach, CA 90802
562-951-4000
app@calstate.edu
http://www.calstate.edu/

The California State University school system thrives on offering students amazing academic options for those interested in the business administration discipline. Whether a student wants hands on, scientifically based business instruction or desires to simply learn general business principles, there are accredited business administration degree programs in California that meet the requirement.