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Nelson Rusche College of Business

Violet C. Rogers, Dean

McGee 137
Phone (936) 468-3101
Fax: (936) 468-1560
cobweb@sfasu.edu
www.sfasu.edu/go/business

Mission

The Nelson Rusche College of Business provides a student-focused learning environment where quality students and respected faculty interact to develop knowledge and skills relevant for success in a changing business climate.

Our Philosophy

We will provide a student-focused learning environment indicates that the faculty and administrators of the Nelson Rusche College of Business (the College) consider our students to be our primary focus as we create an optimal learning environment. While there are many other important endeavors that the College continues to pursue, they are secondary to this primary concern.

Where quality students and respected faculty interact indicates that the College considers the learning process a joint venture between our students and our faculty.

To develop knowledge and skills indicates that the College will teach more than the abstract theory and formal concepts of business administration. The College actively promotes student learning of communication proficiency, leadership qualities and people skills that will accompany the many technical and analytical tools necessary for practicing the craft of effective business management. The College seeks to give our students a robust understanding of the complex and changing world of business.

Relevant for success in a changing business climate indicates that the College will focus on preparing our students for a lifetime of continuous learning and effective appreciation of a diverse and ever-changing business environment. This requires our students to learn how to make ethical decisions and effectively integrate concepts from the many different business disciplines.

Accreditation

Undergraduate and graduate business programs are accredited by AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Accreditation means that the college meets exacting standards in areas such as faculty resources and qualifications, intellectual climate, admissions policy, degree requirements, library and computer facilities, physical plant and financial resources. The Bachelor of Science degree with a major in computer science is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET Inc.

Advising and Student Services

All students in the College of Business must be advised each semester until they have earned at least 61 semester credit hours. Advising takes place in the Pre-business Advising Center and the Departments of Accounting, Computer Science, Economics and Finance, General Business, and Management, Marketing, and International Business. Students who are on academic probation are allowed to register during the early registration period and must be advised in their academic department before registering.

Scholarships and Fellowships

Scholarships for College of Business majors are administered through the Alumni Foundation. A limited number of scholarships are awarded through the academic departments. Applications for scholarships are due early each spring semester.

Student Organizations

Students interested in clubs and organizations for business majors or minors should visit with an adviser in their major department. Student organizations include Accounting Club, Alpha Omega, American Marketing Association, Computer Science Club, Finance Club, Phi Beta Lambda, and Society for Advancement of Management.

Honoraries include Beta Alpha Psi, Beta Gamma Sigma, Epsilon Chi Omicron, Mu Kappa Tau, Omicron Delta Epsilon, Sigma Iota Epsilon and Upsilon Pi Epsilon.

National Honorary Society

Beta Gamma Sigma is the honor society for students enrolled in business and management programs accredited by AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Election to lifetime membership in Beta Gamma Signa is the highest honor a business student in the world can receive in an undergraduate or master's program at a school accredited by AACSB International. Students, based on high academic achievement, and tenured business school faculty members are the only ones eligible for membership in the society. Membership is limited to outstanding men and women students who give promise of success in the field of business and who rank in the upper seven percent of the junior class or the upper 10 percent of the senior class. With more than 500,000 members worldwide, the society's membership comprises the brightest and best of the world's business leaders.

Beta Gamma Sigma membership provides recognition for a lifetime. With alumni chapters in the major metropolitan areas across the United States, the BGS Career Central job board, and the BetaLink online membership community, those recognized for their academic achievements at SFA can continue an active relationship with Beta Gamma Sigma long after graduation. This lifelong commitment to its members' academic and professional success is defined in the society's mission: To encourage and honor academic achievement in the study of business and personal and professional excellence in the practice of business.

Program Information

  1. See the following Degree Requirements for complete listings of course requirements. See individual departments on the following pages for suggested course sequences.
  2. Students are eligible to file a degree plan when they have selected a major and have completed a minimum of 45 credit hours. Students may not apply for a degree plan if they are currently enrolled in remedial courses.
  3. Enrollment in business courses numbered 300 or higher is limited to students who will have completed at least 60 hours of course work by the end of the semester for which the student is enrolling. Specified prerequisites for the course(s) in question must be completed before enrollment in the respective course unless indicated otherwise in the course description. If a student has fewer than 60 hours of course work at the time of registration, he/she may register for business courses numbered 300 or higher only with permission of the chair of the department(s) offering the course(s).
  4. No more than three hours of Special Problems (475) and no more than three hours of Internship (ACC 485, CSC 385, ECO 485, FIN 485, GBU 485, MGT 476, MKT 486) may count toward a bachelor's degree in the College of Business. Internship courses may count only as electives and may not count toward completion of major or minor requirements in accounting, business economics, computer science, computer information systems, economics or finance.
  5. Management 463 - Business Policy and Strategy, the capstone course required of all B.B.A. students, must be completed in residence at Stephen F. Austin State University.
  6. A student on academic suspension as defined earlier in this bulletin may be allowed to continue in the College of Business by one of the following procedures:
    1. Attend summer school at SFA and
      1. Raise his/her SFA grade point average to 2.0, or
      2. Pass with a C average or better at least nine semester credit hours as specified by the dean's office. This will take two summer sessions.
    2. Be reinstated on continued suspension automatically after meeting the required semester(s) absence from the university.
  7. No non-business major may have more than 25 percent of his or her undergraduate program in business courses.

Degree Requirements

Bachelor of Arts Degree [B.A.]

Economics

  1. Core Curriculum Requirements
    1. Communication Skills (12-14 hours)
      1. Six semester hours from ENG 131, 132, 133H, 235
      2. Six to eight semester hours from BCM 247; COM 111, 170; ENG 273; FRE 131, 132; SPA 131,132; ILA 111, 112; SPH 172, 272
    2. Mathematics (three hours)
      MTH 220
    3. Natural Sciences (six to eight hours)
      Six to eight semester hours from AST 105*; BIO 121*, 123*, 131,133, 225, 238; CHE 111*, 112*, 133*, 134*, 231*; ENV 110, GOL 131*, 132*; PHY 101*, 102*, 110*, 118*, 131*, 132*, 241*, 242*. (Where indicated by an asterisk, the appropriate laboratory course must be taken in conjunction with the lecture course.)
    4. Humanities & Visual and Performing Arts (six hours)
      1. Three semester hours from ART 280, 281, 282; MUS 140; MHL 245; THR 161, 370; DAN 140, 341
      2. Three semester hours from ENG 200, 211, 212, 221, 222, 229, 230, 233H, 235, 300; PHI 153, 223; HIS 151, 152
    5. Social and Behavioral Sciences (15 hours)
      1. Six hours from HIS 133, 134
      2. PSC 141, 142
      3. ECO 231
  2. Major requirements
    1. CSC 121, ECO 231 and MTH 220 (if not already completed in Item 1 above)
    2. Proficiency in a modern foreign language through the equivalent of SFA's 232 courses or four semesters of the same language
    3. ECO 232, 331, 339, 351, 353
    4. Twelve hours of advanced ECO electives (courses numbered 300-499)
  3. Additional Requirements
      1. An academic minor of at least 18 semester hours, but not more than 23 semester hours, with at least nine hours advanced and at least six hours advanced at SFA;
        - or -
      2. A second major of at least 24 semester hours with at least 12 advanced hours at SFA.
    2. Hours requirements: At least 42 semester hours of advanced work, with at least 36 advanced at SFA; at least 42 semester hours of work in residence at SFA; and at least 120 semester hours total. No more than 32 hours of course work from the following areas: ACC, FIN, GBU, OSY, MKT, MGT, BLW, BCM.
    3. Grade requirements: A grade of at least C in each freshman English course; at least a 2.0 GPA overall at SFA; at least a 2.0 GPA in major courses taken at SFA and in transfer courses; and at least a 2.0 GPA in all minor or second major courses overall and in transfer courses.
    4. No more than three hours of Special Problems from the College of Business (ACC 475, CSC 475, ECO 475, FIN 475, GBU 475, MGT 475, MKT 475) and no more than three hours of Internships from the College of Business (ACC 485, CSC 385, ECO 485, FIN 485, GBU 485, MGT 476, MKT 486) may count toward a B.A. in Economics. In addition, the internship courses may count only as electives and may not count toward completion of major or minor course requirements for the B.A. in Economics.
    5. All students must satisfy provisions of the Texas Success Initiative program. See TSI information elsewhere in this bulletin.

Bachelor of Arts Degree [B.A.]

Information Technology

  1. Core Curriculum Requirements
    1. Communication (12 to 14 hours)
      1. Six semester hours from: ENG 131, 132, 133H, 235
      2. Six to eight semester hours from: BCM 247; COM 111, 170; ENG 273; FRE 131, 132; ILA 111, 112; SPA 131, 132; SPH 172, 272
    2. Mathematics (3-5 hours)
      Three semester hours from MTH 133, 138, 139, 143, 144, 233, 234
    3. Natural Sciences (six to eight hours)
      Six to eight semester hours from AST 105; BIO 121, 123, 131, 133, 225, 238; CHE 111, 112, 133, 134, 231; ENV 110; GOL 131, 132; PHY 101, 102, 110, 118, 131, 132, 241, 242 (PHY 110 is recommended as one course.) Note: Most science courses require co-enrollment in an appropriate laboratory course.
    4. Humanities and Visual and Performing Arts (six hours)
      1. Three semester hours from: ART 280, 281, 282; MHL 245; MUS 140; THR 161, 370; DAN 140, 341
      2. Three semester hours from: ENG 200, 211, 212, 221, 222, 229, 230, 233H, 300
    5. Social and Behavioral Sciences (15 hours):
      1. HIS 133, 134
      2. PSC 141, 142
      3. Three semester hours from: ANT 231; ECO 231, 232; GEO 131, 230; PSY 133, 153; SOC 137, 139 (ECO 231 or 232 is recommended.)
  2. College Requirements (12 hours)
    1. MTH 220
    2. BLW 335 or GBU 325
    3. Two additional courses (at least six semester hours) must be taken from the College of Liberal and Applied Arts and/or the College of Fine Arts.
  3. Major Requirements (34 hours)
    1. CSC 101 or 121, 102, 202, 211
    2. 12 semester hours from: CSC 340, 350, 351, 353, 355
    3. Three semester hours from: CSC 452, 455
    4. CSC 411 (one hour)
    5. Six semester hours from: advanced computer science courses (a maximum of three hours may be used from CSC 385 and 412) A student must have a grade of C or better in all courses which are prerequisite to a computer science course before enrolling in that course. At least 12 advanced hours of computer science must be completed at SFA. Must maintain a C average in advanced computer science courses at SFA.
  4. Minor (18-23 hours) or Second Major (at least 24 hours)
    1. An academic minor of at least 18 semester hours, but not more than 23 semester hours, with at least nine advanced hours and at least six advanced hours at SFA.
    2. A second major of at least 24 semester hours with at least 12 advanced hours at SFA.
  5. Hours Requirements:
    At least 42 hours in residence at SFA; at least 42 advanced hours; at least 36 advanced hours in residence at SFA; and at least 12 advanced hours in computer science at SFA. For item 4 above, at least six advanced hours in the minor at SFA or at least 12 advanced hours in the second major at SFA. At least 120 semester hours total (excluding remedial type courses and any activity courses in excess of four semester credit hours).
  6. Grade requirements:
    *Maintain at least a 2.0 grade point average in courses completed at SFA and a grade of at least C in each freshman English course. Maintain at least a 2.0 grade point average in major course work at SFA, in minor/second major course work at SFA, in advanced computer science courses at SFA, and in transfer courses.

    *Note: Required averages are based on those courses in each category which are included in the student's official degree plan.

  7. Other Requirements:
    If the approximate equivalent of a required upper division course is taken at another accredited institution at the freshman-sophomore level and transferred to SFA, the transferred course will be accepted for elective credit only and an appropriate junior-senior level course in the same field will be substituted for the required course.
  8. All students must satisfy provisions of the Texas Success Initiative program. See TSI information elsewhere in this bulletin.

Bachelor of Business Administration Degree [B.B.A.]

  1. Core Curriculum Requirements
    1. Communication Skills (12 hours)
      1. Six semester hours from: ENG 131, 132, 133H, 235.
      2. BCM 247, COM 111
    2. Quantitative Skills and Sciences (three hours)
      1. MTH 220
    3. Natural Sciences (six to eight hours)
      Six to eight semester hours from: AST 105*; BIO 121*, 123*, 131,133, 225, 238; CHE 111*, 112*, 133*, 134*, 231*; ENV 110, GOL 131*, 132*; PHY 101*, 102*, 110*, 118*, 131*, 132*, 241*, 242*.
      *An asterisk following a course number indicates that the appropriate laboratory course must be taken in conjunction with the lecture course.
    4. Humanities and Visual and Performing Arts (six hours)
      1. Three semester hours from: ART 280, 281, 282; MHL 245; MUS 140; THR 161, 370; DAN 140, 341
      2. Three semester hours from: ENG 200, 211, 212, 221, 222, 229, 230, 233H, 235, 300; PHI 153, 223; HIS 151, 152
    5. Social Sciences and Behavioral Sciences (15 hours)
      1. HIS 133,134
      2. PSC 141, 142
      3. ECO 231
  2. Business Field of Study (Some of these requirements may be taken to satisfy part of the Core Curriculum Requirements listed in Item 1.)
    1. MTH 143, 144, 220
    2. COM 111, BCM 247
    3. ECO 231, 232
    4. CSC 121
    5. ACC 231, ACC 232
  3. Foundation Requirements:
    ACC 231, 232; BCM 247; CSC 121; GBU 325, BLW 335; ECO 231, 232, 339; FIN 333; MGT 370, 371, 463 (MGT 463 must be completed at SFA); and MKT 351.
  4. Major Requirements:
    • Accounting Major: ACC 331, 332, 333, 343, 437, 442, 453, 465, CSC 340, ENG 273 (30 hours); Five-Year Accounting Program (B.B.A./M.P.A.): Degree requirements are listed in accounting section;
    • Business Economics Major: ECO 331, 351, 353, plus 12 hours from advanced level courses in Economics (21 hours);
    • Computer Information Systems Major: CSC 102, 202, 211, 214, 241, 321, 323, 411 (one hour), 426, plus nine advanced hours of computer science excluding CSC 340,350,351,353,355,385,412,452, and 455 (34 hours). A student must have a grade of C or better in all courses which are prerequisite to a computer science course before enrolling in that course. At least 12 advanced hours of computer science must be completed at SFA. Must maintain a C average in advanced computer science courses at SFA. A Computer Information Systems major is not required to take CSC 121 in the BBA foundation requirements.
    • Finance Major: FIN 357, 370, 373 and 18 hours from the following: three to six hours from FIN 401, ACC 331, 332, 333, 343; and 12-15 hours of advanced electives from ECO 331, FIN 358, 367, 401 (if not taken above), 410, 415, 433, 458, 471, 474, 475 and 490 (27 hours);
    • General Business Major: (a) six hours selected from ECO 331, FIN 357, 361, GBU 321 and MGT 373; (b) six hours, representing two of the following areas - law: BLW 366, 437, 456, 468 and 478; communication: BCM 347, 447 and 450; technology: GBU 310, 440, 461 and CSC 340; (c) nine advanced hours within the College of Business. (21 hours);
    • International Business Major: See Department of Management, Marketing, and International Business section for major requirements.
    • Management Major: MGT 422, 472, three to seven hours from MGT 380, PSY 330, SOC 378, STA 320, or ACC 333, and nine to12 additional advanced semester hours in management. (See Department of Management, Marketing, and International Business for more detailed information.) (21-22 hours);
    • Marketing Major: MGT 422, 472, three to seven hours from MGT 380, PSY 330, SOC 378, STA 320, or ACC 333, and nine to12 additional advanced semester hours in management. (See Department of Management, Marketing, and International Business for more detailed information.) (21-22 hours);
  5. No more than three hours of Special Problems (475) and no more than three hours of Internship (ACC 485, CSC 385, ECO 485, FIN 485, GBU 485, MGT 476, MKT 486) may count toward a bachelor's degree in the College of Business. Internship courses may count only as electives and may not count toward completion of major course requirements in accounting, business economics, computer information systems, or finance.
  6. Hours Requirements:
    At least 42 hours in residence at SFA; at least 42 hours advanced; at least 36 hours advanced in residence at SFA; at least 50 percent of business requirements including at least 12 hours of advanced work in major in residence at SFA; at least 60 hours of non-business courses (up to nine hours of economics, six hours of statistics, and all CSC courses may be counted as non-business for this purpose); and at least 120 semester hours total (excluding remedial type courses or activity courses in excess of four semester credit hours).
  7. Grade Requirements:
    *Maintain at least a 2.0 GPA average in courses completed at SFA and a grade of at least C in each freshman English course. Maintain at least a 2.0 GPA average in major course work, minor course work, B.B.A. foundation requirements, and overall in College of Business courses at SFA and in transfer courses.

    *Note: Required averages are based on those courses in each category which are included in the student's official degree plan.

  8. Additional Requirements:
    1. If the approximate equivalent of a required upper division course is taken at another accredited institution at the freshman-sophomore level and transferred to SFA, the transferred course will be accepted for elective credit only and an appropriate junior-senior level course in the same field will be substituted for the required course.
    2. All students must satisfy provisions of the Texas Success Initiative program. See TSI information elsewhere in this bulletin.

Bachelor of Science Degree [B.S.]

Computer Science

  1. Core Curriculum Requirements
    1. Communication Skills (12 hours)
      1. Six semester hours from: ENG 131, 132, 133H, 235.
      2. COM 111 and ENG 273
    2. Mathematics (three hours)
      1. MTH 220
    3. Natural Sciences (six to eight hours)
      Two semesters of one natural laboratory sciences from: AST 105*; BIO131, 133, 225, 238; CHE 133*, 134*, 231*; GOL 131*, 132*; PHY 110*, 131*, 132*, 241*, 242*. AST 105 counts as a non sequence physics course. (PHY 110 is recommended as one course)
      One science must contain a two-semester course sequence.

      *An asterisk following a course number indicates that the appropriate laboratory course must be taken in conjunction with the lecture course.

    4. Humanities and Visual and Performing Arts (six hours)
      1. Three semester hours from: ART 280, 281, 282; DAN 140, 341; MHL 245; MUS 140; THR 161, 370
      2. Three semester hours from: ENG 200, 211, 212, 221, 222, 229, 230, 233H, 300
    5. Social and Behavioral Sciences (15 hours)
      1. HIS 133,134
      2. PSC 141, 142
      3. Three semester hours from: ANT 231; ECO 231, 232; GEO 131, 230; PSY 133, 153; SOC 137, 139
  2. College selected requirements (Some of these may be taken to satisfy part of the Core Curriculum requirements listed in Item 1):
    1. COM 111, ENG 273
    2. MTH 139 or 140, 233, 234, 220
    3. Two semesters each of two natural laboratory sciences from: AST 105*; BIO 131, 133, 225, 238; CHE 133*, 134*, 231*; GOL 131*, 132*; PHY 110*, 131*, 132*, 241*, 242*. One science must contain a two-semester course sequence. AST 105 counts as a non-sequence physics course. (PHY 110 is recommended as one course)

      *An asterisk following a course number indicates that the appropriate laboratory course must be taken in conjunction with the lecture course.

    4. Three hours from ENG 200, 211, 212, 221, 222, 229, 230, 233H, 235, 300
  3. Major Requirements:
    CSC 102, 202, 211, 214, 241, 321 or 331, 323, 333, 342, 343, 411(one hour); nine hours from (CSC 425, 435, 441, 442, 445), plus three advanced hours of computer science excluding CSC 340, 350, 351, 353, 355, 385, 412, 452, and 455 (43 hours). A student must have a grade of C or better in all courses which are prerequisite to a computer science course before enrolling in that course. At least 15 advanced hours of computer science must be completed at SFA. Must maintain a C average in advanced computer science courses at SFA.
  4. Minor Thread Requirements (12 hours):
    Twelve hours from an academic minor with at least six advanced hours at SFA. (Courses satisfying this requirement may not be used to satisfy any other degree requirement.)
  5. Hours Requirements:
    At least 42 hours in residence at SFA; at least 42 hours advanced; at least 36 advanced hours in residence at SFA; at least 15 hours of advanced work in computer science at SFA; at least six hours of advanced work in the minor thread at SFA; and at least 120 semester hours total (excluding remedial type courses or any activity courses in excess of four semester credit hours.)
  6. Grade requirements:
    *Maintain at least a 2.0 grade point average in courses completed at SFA and a grade of at least C in each freshman English course. Maintain at least a 2.0 grade point average in major and minor course work and in advanced computer science courses at SFA, and in transfer courses.

    *Note: Required averages are based on those courses in each category which are included in the student's official degree plan.

  7. Other Requirements:
    If the approximate equivalent of a required upper division course is taken at another accredited institution at the freshman-sophomore level and transferred to SFA, the transferred course will be accepted for elective credit only and an appropriate junior-senior level course in the same field will be substituted for the required course.
    All students must satisfy provisions of the Texas Success Initiative program. See TSI information elsewhere in this bulletin.

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