Program Overview

Major in Business Administration, Sustainable Business Concentration

This program provides students with a comprehensive knowledge of sustainable business management approaches and strategies. Firms, organizations, and employers of all sizes are recognizing their role in shaping a more just society and sustainable environment. In today’s workforce, social and sustainable business expertise is a required competency for nearly all roles and the availability of sustainability-focused jobs is growing rapidly. Most large companies now produce sustainability reports and measure, manage, and report on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals.

Program Description

The program focuses on providing students with subject matter knowledge and experience to effectively integrate economic, social, and environmental goals into their work or business strategy. As a result of this concentration, students will develop knowledge regarding approaches and trends in sustainable business, understand the role of business in addressing sustainability and social issues, drive sustainable marketing and consumption, and develop leadership skills to shape responsible business practice. Graduates will be able to harness emerging trends in green business for strategic positioning and social/environmental good.

Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion, students will be able to:

1. Identify the impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss, among other social and environmental sustainability issues, on business and society.
2. Understand how business practice contributes to global sustainability challenges.
3. Recognize and articulate the role of business in addressing sustainability issues.
4. Analyze the ethical, legal, regulatory, strategic, and financial implications inherent in business situations and apply that knowledge to make sustainable and responsible decisions.
5. Apply their knowledge to effectively integrate economic, social, and environmental goals into their work or business strategy.
6. Harness emerging trends in green business for strategic positioning and social/environmental good.

Program Requirements

• The College of Business requires a minimum grade point average of 2.000 in business and economics courses as a graduation requirement.
• The program includes the All-University Core Curriculum, the College of Business Core, and various electives that allow the student to structure a program around their educational and/or career interests.

Course Requirements

The program requires the following courses:

• BUS 100 or 105: Introduction to Business
• CO 150: College Composition (GT-CO2)
• ECON 202: Principles of Microeconomics (GT-SS1)
• Select 3 credits from the following:
  • MATH 117: College Algebra in Context I (GT-MA1)
  • MATH 118: College Algebra in Context II (GT-MA1)
  • MATH 120: College Algebra (GT-MA1)
  • MATH 124: Logarithmic and Exponential Functions (GT-MA1)
  • MATH 125: Numerical Trigonometry (GT-MA1)
  • MATH 126: Analytic Trigonometry (GT-MA1)
  • MATH 127: Precalculus (GT-MA1)
  • MATH 141 (or higher level calculus course): Calculus in Management Sciences (GT-MA1)
• Biological and Physical Sciences: 4 credits
• Electives: 7 credits

Admission Criteria

• Direct entry as a new freshman or transfer to the College of Business is highly selective and only those students meeting academic requirements will be accepted.
• For details, contact the Office of Admissions.
• CSU and the College of Business use holistic review when determining eligibility for admission to the College of Business as a new freshman.
• An example of a strong candidate for admission to the College of Business is one who is actively involved in their high school and community, has at least a 3.200 GPA with a 1200 or higher on the SAT or a 27 or higher on the ACT.
• For current admission criteria, contact the CSU Office of Admissions.

Program Structure

The program is structured as follows:

• Freshman: 30 credits
• Sophomore: 30 credits
• Junior: 30 credits
• Senior: 30 credits
• Program Total Credits: 120

Semester Requirements

The program requires the following courses by semester:

• Semester 1:
  • BUS 100 or 105: Introduction to Business
  • CO 150: College Composition (GT-CO2)
  • Biological and Physical Sciences: 4 credits
  • Electives: 4 credits
• Semester 2:
  • BUS 220: Ethics in Contemporary Organizations (GT-AH3)
  • CIS 200: Business Information Systems
  • ECON 202: Principles of Microeconomics (GT-SS1)
  • Select 3 credits from the following:
    • MATH 117: College Algebra in Context I (GT-MA1)
    • MATH 118: College Algebra in Context II (GT-MA1)
    • MATH 120: College Algebra (GT-MA1)
    • MATH 124: Logarithmic and Exponential Functions (GT-MA1)
    • MATH 125: Numerical Trigonometry (GT-MA1)
    • MATH 126: Analytic Trigonometry (GT-MA1)
    • MATH 127: Precalculus (GT-MA1)
    • MATH 141 (or higher level calculus course): Calculus in Management Sciences (GT-MA1)
  • Elective: 3 credits
• Semester 3:
  • ACT 210: Introduction to Financial Accounting
  • ECON 204: Principles of Macroeconomics (GT-SS1)
  • Biological and Physical Sciences: 3 credits
  • Electives: 6 credits
• Semester 4:
  • ACT 220: Introduction to Managerial Accounting
  • BUS 225: Transforming Business for Sustainable Impact (GT-AH3)
  • BUS 260: Social-Ethical-Regulatory Issues in Business
  • STAT 204: Statistics With Business Applications (GT-MA1)
  • Lower-Division Concentration Electives: 3 credits
• Semester 5:
  • FIN 300: Principles of Finance
  • MGT 360: Social and Sustainable Venturing
  • MKT 300: Marketing
  • Select 3 credits from the following:
    • BUS 300: Business Writing and Communication (GT-CO3)
    • JTC 300: Strategic Writing and Communication (GT-CO3)
    • JTC 301: Corporate and Professional Communication (GT-CO3)
  • Elective: 3 credits
• Semester 6:
  • CIS 370: Analytics and AI in Business
  • MKT 420: Marketing and Societal Well-Being
  • Historical Perspectives: 3 credits
  • Electives: 6 credits
• Semester 7:
  • ACT 318: Fundamentals of Sustainability Reporting
  • MGT 301: Supply Chain Management
  • MGT 320: Contemporary Management Principles/Practices
  • Upper-Division Concentration Electives: 3 credits
  • Elective: 3 credits
• Semester 8:
  • BUS 440: Corporate Sustainability Strategy
  • BUS 479: Strategic Management
  • Electives: 9 credits

Graduation Requirements

• The College of Business requires a minimum grade point average of 2.000 in business and economics courses as a graduation requirement.
• The program requires a minimum of 120 credits, with at least 42 credits being upper-division (300- to 400-level).
• A minimum of 6 elective credits must be upper-division.