The undergraduate program in business administration adheres to the principle that in a free society the business enterprise must be responsibly and efficiently managed. The undergraduate degree program includes both business and non-business courses. The mission of the undergraduate program is to provide students with a broad understanding of business and to equip them with the dynamic skills required to work successfully in a complex and changing global environment.
Special emphasis options are available within the business administration major and are designed to prepare students for positions in accounting, business technology & analytics, advertising, finance, human resource management, management & leadership, marketing, and supply chain management. Business minors include the general business minor, the business minor in social innovation, the property management minor, the business minor in advertising for graphic design majors, and the advertising minor for communications majors. Certificates in entrepreneurship, blockchain, food industry management, the athletic and outdoor industry, property management, international business, and social innovation & social entrepreneurship are also available. The School of Business offers study abroad opportunities at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
The School of Business offers online business concentrations in Accounting, Business Technology & Analytics, Finance,Human Resource Management, Management & Leadership, Marketing, or Supply & Logistics Management.
Student Advising
Undergraduate academic and career advisors are located in the Karl Miller Center Suite 220. Students should plan to meet with their advisor at least twice a year to ensure that requirements are being met and to get assistance in their job search preparation.
The School of Business Web site, http://www.pdx.edu/sba, contains announcements concerning upcoming activities, scholarships, student organizations, internships, and career opportunities, policies, and other information vital to all business students.
Atmos Program
As the largest and most diverse business school in Oregon, we believediversity, cultural awareness, and the inclusion of all people is paramount for institutionalimpact and global change. We believeinclusion and excellence are not mutuallyexclusive. Thisbelief motivates everything we do. The Atmos program supports diverse and historically underrepresented business students of color and is a promise of academic and community support to help create an avenue for a brighter future.
Degree Maps and Learning Outcomes
Admission requirements
Business Administration B.A./B.S.
Business Administration Minor
Business Minor in Social Innovation
Business Minor in Real Estate Property Management
Business Minor in Advertising for Graphic Design Majors
Advertising Minor for Communications Majors
Requirements for major
In addition to meeting the general University requirements, the student in business administration must take at least 82 credits in business administration courses of which at least 41 must be taken at PSU. This total will include the business core (52 credit hours if taken at Portland State), at least one option area (20-36 credits, depending on option chosen), and enough business electives to meet the minimum of 82 credits in business. A minimum of 180 credits is required for graduation.
Prerequisite policy
Prerequisites are strictly enforced in the School of Business and exceptions are not made. Before enrolling in any business course, students should read the course description and must complete any prerequisites that are listed. If a student completes a course before completing the prerequisite and later completes the prerequisite, credit for the prerequisite will not count toward 82 credits required in business. The instructor and/or School's Administration have the authority to administratively drop any student who has not completed the prerequisites. Students must successfully complete the prerequisite course with a C- or better.
Second Degree Students
Second degree (post-baccalaureate) students will need to meet the requirements for their major. In addition, post-baccalaureate students must request a review of their first degree to determine if they have met the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science requirements. This can be done by emailing their business advisor with the request for a first degree evaluation. Post-baccalaureate students should plan to meet with an advisor to determine if any of their previous coursework counts towards the business major requirements, to plan out their curriculum, and to discuss career resources.
Requirements
Business administration students must complete the following courses with a C- or better:
Core courses
| BA 101 | Introduction to Business and World Affairs | 4 |
| BA 211 | Fundamentals of Financial Accounting | 4 |
| BA 213 | Decision Making with Accounting Information | 4 |
| BA 216 | Applied Excel for Business | 2 |
| BA 300 | Business and Professional Communication | 2 |
| BA 301 | Research and Analysis of Business Problems | 4 |
| BA 302 | Organizational Behavior | 0-4 |
| BA 303 | Business Finance | 4 |
| BA 311 | Marketing Management | 4 |
| BA 325 | Information Literacy & Technical Competence for Business Professionals | 4 |
| BA 327 | Data Analysis & Visualization | 2 |
| BA 339 | Supply Chain Management | 4 |
| BA 385 | Business Environment | 4 |
| BA 495 | Business Strategy | 6 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 52 | |
Business specialization options
(see descriptions below)
| Total Credit Hours: | 20-38 |
Business Concentrations
The School of Business offers concentrations for those students seeking specialization in a subject area. Each student must select one of these concentrations and complete the required courses with a C- or better. Concentration requirements are satisfied by taking 20 to 36 upper-division credits beyond the required business core. The courses specified to satisfy the concentration requirements are:
Accounting
Objective: to enable students to acquire the necessary technical and professional skills for successful careers in public, management, or governmental accounting.
| Actg 335 | Accounting Information Systems and Analytic Fundamentals | 4 |
| Actg 360 | Management Accounting | 2 |
| Actg 381 | Financial Accounting and Reporting I | 4 |
| Actg 382 | Financial Accounting and Reporting II | 4 |
| Actg 383 | Financial Accounting and Reporting III | 4 |
| Actg 421 | Taxation | 4 |
| Actg 430 | Governmental Accounting | 2 |
| Actg 492 | Auditing Concepts and Practices | 4 |
| Actg 495 | Integrated Accounting Issues | 4 |
One upper-division accounting course to be chosen from:
| Actg 422 | Advanced Taxation | 4 |
| Actg 445 | Forensic Accounting | 4 |
| Actg 460 | Advanced Managerial Accounting | 4 |
| Actg 485 | Business Law | 4 |
| Actg 493 | Advanced Auditing | 4 |
| Actg 407 | Seminar | 1-6 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 36-38 | |
Business Technology and Analytics
Objective: to provide requisite knowledge and skills which enable the student to meet the challenges of working within information-rich business environments.
| Total Credit Hours: | 28 |
Core
| BTA 350 | Business Problem Solving with Analytics and Visualization | 4 |
| BTA 415 | Database Management | 4 |
| BTA 419 | Business Analytics with Programming | 4 |
| BTA 420 | Systems Analysis and Design | 4 |
| BTA 428 | Data Privacy, Security and Ethics | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 20 | |
Electives
The 8 credits of electives can be either: within the Business Technology and Analytics area at the 400 level or from an approved list of courses.
Approved electives:
| Actg 407 | Accounting Analytics | 4 |
| Actg 335 | Accounting Information Systems and Analytic Fundamentals | 4 |
| BTA 483 | Blockchain in Business | 4 |
| Fin 419 | Financial Data Analytics & Modeling | 4 |
| GSCM 412 | Introduction to Enterprise Resource Planning Systems | 4 |
| GSCM 430 | Decision Making Using Enterprise Systems and Data Analytics | 4 |
| GSCM 450 | Project Management | 4 |
| GSCM 451 | Business Forecasting | 4 |
| Mgmt 442 | Human Resources Information Systems & People Analytics | 4 |
| Mktg 448 | Digital Media Planning and Analytics | 4 |
| Mktg 460 | Marketing Research | 4 |
| Mktg 462 | Marketing Analytics | 4 |
| BTA 481 | Blockchain Fundamentals | 4 |
| And | ||
| BTA 482 | Blockchain Fundamentals Lab | 2 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 8 | |
Additional electives (including GSCM 410) as approved.
Advertising Management
Objective: to provide the knowledge and skills necessary for students to create and execute advertising strategy within the broader context of the marketing function.
| Mktg 340U | Advertising | 4 |
| Mktg 363 | Consumer Behavior and Customer Satisfaction | 4 |
| Mktg 441 | Media Strategy | 4 |
| Mktg 442 | Creative Strategy | 4 |
| Mktg 443 | Advertising Campaigns | 4 |
| Mktg 460 | Marketing Research | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 24 | |
Note: Students who wish to complete a double concentration in advertising management and marketing cannot apply more than eight common MKTG elective credits to each concentration.
Finance
Objective: to provide undergraduate students with the educational foundation and exposure to the broad field of finance, enabling them to develop their financial decision making skills so that they can be successful as finance professionals in their chosen financial career path.
| Total Credit Hours: | 28 |
Core
| Actg 381 | Financial Accounting and Reporting I | 4 |
| Fin 319 | Intermediate Financial Management | 4 |
| Fin 352 | Investments | 4 |
| Fin 449 | Valuation | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 16 | |
One upper-division finance course to be chosen from:
| Fin 410 | Selected Topics | 1-4 |
| Fin 431 | Financial Markets & Institutions | 4 |
| Fin 456 | International Financial Management | 4 |
| Fin 439 | Real Estate Valuation I | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 4 | |
Two upper-division finance courses to be chosen from:
| Fin 410 | Selected Topics | 1-4 |
| Fin 419 | Financial Data Analytics & Modeling | 4 |
| Fin 441 | Fundamentals of Derivative Securities | 4 |
| Fin 457 | Real Estate Investment | 4 |
| Fin 465 | Finance Topics and Cases | 4 |
| Fin 473 | Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 8 | |
Human Resource Management
Objective: to provide a conceptual framework, as well as the necessary hands-on knowledge, skills, and abilities, that allow students to understand what is required, what is possible in terms of HRM techniques and the application of dataand analyticsto achieve and engage in more effectively manage human resources within an organization.
| Mgmt 351 | Human Resource Management | 4 |
| Mgmt 461 | Reward Systems and Performance Management | 4 |
| Mgmt 471 | Staffing and Employee Selection | 4 |
| Mgmt 493 | Human Resource Strategy | 4 |
| Upper-division management courses | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Total Credit Hours: | 24 | |
Of the 8 credits of electives, four credits must be taken within the management area at the 400 level.
The final four elective credits must be from an approved list of courses.
Note: Students who wish to complete a double concentration in management & leadership and human resource management cannot apply more than eight common credits to each concentration.
Management and Leadership
Objective: to provide requisite knowledge and skills which enable the student to meet the challenges of leadership and managerial responsibilities.
| Mgmt 351 | Human Resource Management | 4 |
| Mgmt 428 | Team Processes | 4 |
| Mgmt 445 | Organizational Design and Change | 4 |
| Mgmt 464 | Contemporary Leadership Issues | 4 |
| Upper-division management courses | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Total Credit Hours: | 24 | |
Of the 8 credits of electives, four credits must be taken within the management area at the 400 level.
The final four credits can be either: within the management area at the 400 level or from an approved list of courses.
Note: Students who wish to complete a double concentration in management and leadership and human resource management cannot apply more than eight common credits to each concentration.
Marketing
Objective: To provide students with a strong academic foundation in marketing and to enable students to gain the strategic, technical, and professional skills necessary for career success.
| Mktg 363 | Consumer Behavior and Customer Satisfaction | 4 |
| Mktg 460 | Marketing Research | 4 |
| Mktg 464 | Marketing Strategy and Management | 4 |
| Mktg 462 | Marketing Analytics | 4 |
| Mktg 448 | Digital Media Planning and Analytics | 4 |
| Upper-division marketing elective(s) | 8 | |
| Total Credit Hours: | 28 | |
Students who wish to complete a double option in marketing and advertising management cannot apply more than 8 common Mktg elective credits to each option.
Marketing students can choose their electives from any of the available upper-division (300- or 400-level) elective courses offered at the School of Business with the exception of MKTG 404.
Supply and Logistics Management
Objective: to provide students with an interdisciplinary foundation in supply chain management in preparation for careers in purchasing, industrial distribution, logistics, transportation, and operations management.
| GSCM 429 | Global transportation and Logistics management | 4 |
| GSCM 439 | Global Sourcing and Negotiation | 4 |
| GSCM 479 | Global Supply Chain Strategy and Sustainability Management | 4 |
Three of the following electives as approved by supply and logistics management faculty:
| GSCM 410 | Selected Studies | 1-8 |
| GSCM 412 | Introduction to Enterprise Resource Planning Systems | 4 |
| GSCM 432 | Craft Beverage Operations Management | 4 |
| GSCM 440 | Governmental Procurement | 4 |
| GSCM 450 | Project Management | 4 |
| GSCM 451 | Business Forecasting | 4 |
| GSCM 454 | Supply and Logistics Negotiations | 4 |
| GSCM 458 | Purchasing and Logistics within the Food Industry | 4 |
| GSCM 459 | Production Planning and Control | 4 |
| GSCM 469 | Lean Management | 4 |
| BTA 410 | Selected Topics | 1-6 |
| ISQA 430 | Industrial Transportation and Freight | 4 |
| ISQA 431 | Transportation Regulation | 4 |
| Other electives as approved by Supply and Logistics faculty | ||
| Total Credit Hours: | 24 | |
School of Business Honors Track
The School of Business Honors Program is a cohort of high performing, dedicated undergraduate business students who want to take core business courses and build lasting relationships with other honors students, build leadership skills, attend monthly professional development workshops that offer opportunities for networking, and give back to the community.
Honors students challenge themselves and polish their professional and academic business skills through a combination of special honors sections of core business courses and enjoy special opportunities to interact with business professionals, including CEOs and other business executives. Successful completion of all honors requirements results in an Honors designation on the student’s diploma.
Requirements for honors track designation include:
- Exclusive access to Honors-only sections for BA 301, BA 311, BA 385, BA 495, and a 1-credit leadership course
- Monthly professional development workshops (during the academic year), including events featuring guest speakers, business executives, and business communication content
- 30 hours of community service
- Cumulative PSU and business major GPA>3.5 upon completion of degree requirements
For admission to the honors track, students must be degree-seeking undergraduates who are admitted to the School of Business. Applications are evaluated based on GPA, application essays, and recommendation letters. Freshmen are encouraged to apply and will be conditionally admitted until all application materials are submitted at the end of their sophom*ore year.
Honors program requirements are subject to change. For the most current honors requirements, more detailed application information, and link to apply visit:www.pdx.edu/sba/business-honors-track
