College of Business Administration

Administrative Officers

Title/Department Officer
Dean Shar Self, Ph.D.
sharself@shsu.edu; (936) 294-1254
Associate Dean TBN
Senior Associate Dean Shani N. Robinson, Ph.D., CPA
shani.robinson@shsu.edu; (936) 294-4241
Assistant Dean Natalie Hegwood, Ph.D.
nhegwood@shsu.edu; (936) 294-4887
Department of Accounting Philip W. Morris, Ph.D., CPA, Chair
morris@shsu.edu; (936) 294-1259
Department of Business Administration and Entrepreneurship Joey Robertson, J.D., Chair
joey_robertson@shsu.edu; (936) 294-1278
Department of Economics and International Business Mark Tuttle, Ph.D., Chair
mht001@shsu.edu; (936) 294-1386
Department of Finance and Banking Kurt Jesswein, Ph.D.
jesswein@shsu.edu;( 936) 294-4582
Department of Management, Marketing, and Information Systems Gerald Kohers, Ph.D., Chair
kohers@shsu.edu; (936) 294-1256

Vision

Sam Houston State University’s College of Business Administration aspires to be among the best regional colleges of business administration in the nation.

Mission

The College of Business Administration (COBA) develops business professionals by providing an inclusive student-focused learning environment that values diversity, equity, and the active engagement of students, faculty, the business community, and other stakeholders in the creation and dissemination of knowledge and the development of relevant skills.

Core Values

The faculty and staff of the College of Business Administration embrace the following core values in pursuit of the mission.

Quality - COBA faculty and staff will provide a quality educational environment, maintaining a relevant curriculum and teaching pedagogy that nurtures intellectual development.

Responsibility - COBA faculty and staff will be responsible and dependable, take personal initiative and accept accountability. 

Respect - COBA faculty and staff will engage in a spirit of cooperation and collegiality that promotes trust, collaboration and respect of others.

Individuality - COBA faculty and staff, recognizing the value of diversity, will respect individual goals and objectives, and celebrate faculty, staff and student success.

Honesty - COBA faculty and staff will be ethical in their behavior, will act with integrity and will be honest, open and fair with all stakeholders.

Highlights

The College of Business Administration is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB International) and has a nationally recognized chapter of Beta Gamma Sigma. In the United States only one in three business schools have earned this accreditation and worldwide approximately six percent of business programs/schools have earned this prestigious accreditation. 

Sam Houston State University was accredited in 2005 as the 17th Professional Golfers’ Association of America PGA Golf Management university in the country and the first in the state of Texas. The Professional Golfers’ Association of America PGA Golf Management program at Sam Houston State University is designed to produce members of the PGA of America. Successful completion of the four- and one-half-year program will reward the student with a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree in General Business Administration with a concentration in PGA Golf Management, resulting in Class “A” membership within the PGA of America.

The BBA degrees in accounting, banking and financial institutions, finance, general business administration, management, and marketing may be completed solely at The Woodlands Center (TWC) in The Woodlands, Texas. The BBA degree in general business administration is also available in a completely online format.

The College is a member of the SAP University Alliance and offers students the opportunity to earn an SAP Certificate of Completion. 

The College is home to the Sower Business Technology Lab providing students with hands-on experience in 3D printing, RFID technology and robotics.  The College also hosts the Center for Innovation and Technology. 

The College hosts the Texas Bankers Hall of Fame. 

Each year the College of Business Administration conducts a career fair that offers students the opportunity to interact with over 50 employers from all types of business and not-for-profit organizations.

The College offers an Executive MBA in Banking and Financial Institutions. The EMBA program is a two-year cohort program involving both online and residence coursework.

Academic Programs

Departments Programs
Accounting B.B.A.
Banking and Financial Institutions B.B.A.
Economics B.B.A.
Entrepreneurship B.B.A.
Finance B.B.A.
General Business Administration B.B.A.
Human Resource Management B.B.A.
International Business B.B.A.
Management B.B.A.
Management Information Systems B.B.A.
Marketing B.B.A.
Supply Chain Management B.B.A.

Note: This listing of undergraduate degree programs is correct as of December 2022.

Business Minors

The College of Business Administration offers eleven minors: Accounting, Banking, Business Data Analytics, Economics, Entrepreneurship, Finance, General Business Administration, International Business, Management, Management Information Systems, Marketing, and Supply Chain Management. With two exceptions, the minors are open to all students majoring in areas that allow minors. Students majoring in programs within the College of Business Administration may not minor in General Business Administration. The minor in Banking is open only to students seeking a BBA degree or those students pursuing a major in Agricultural Business. Please, see the appropriate departmental section for the specific course requirements for that program's minor(s). 

Graduate Programs in the College of Business Administration

Student Organizations and Honor Societies

  • Alpha Kappa Psi
  • Association for Business Information Technology Students
  • Association of Certified Fraud Examiners
  • Association of Supply Chain Management
  • Banking and Finance Club
  • Beta Alpha Psi
  • Beta Gamma Sigma
  • COBA Ambassadors
  • Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization
  • International Business and Economics Club
  • The Investment Club
  • Marketing Student Club
  • MBA Student Association
  • National Association of Black Accountants
  • Omicron Delta Epsilon
  • Phi Chi Theta
  • Society for Human Resource Management

Additional student organizations may exist within specific majors and/or departments. Please see the appropriate major/department for more details.

Internships and Study Abroad

A student may earn a maximum of six hours in approved, supervised educational work experience in internships. Internship applications are available from the sponsoring academic department. In order to receive academic credit, a student must meet the eligibility conditions, obtain prior approval from the Department Chair of his/her major, and meet the guidelines established by the College of Business Administration for monitoring the quality of the learning experience.

Sam Houston State University offers the unique opportunity for students to earn college credit in other countries including China, Dubai, Germany, and Japan. These classes are taught by COBA and other SHSU faculty members, and students have many opportunities to interact with the local community. Field trips to major businesses, museums, and archaeological sites are often included. A limited number of scholarships are available to partially cover the cost. Interested students may contact the Dean's Office or the Office of International Programs for additional information.

Scholarships

Sam Houston State University offers academic scholarship opportunities for beginning freshmen who excel in areas of academic achievement and leadership. There are additional competitive scholarship opportunities for current SHSU and transfer undergraduate students.  Students are encouraged to apply for scholarships using the Scholarship4Kats program at Financial Aid.  The Scholarship4Kats program is a single application that will allow the student to apply for most scholarships available on campus whether at the departmental, college, or university-level. 

Numerous scholarships are available on a competitive basis for currently enrolled students in the College of Business Administration. Applications are typically accepted through Scholarship4Kats between October 1 and December 31 for incoming students and between January 2 and December 31 for returning students. Deadlines may change so students are encouraged to check the website for current information.  Scholarship recipients are announced in April for the following academic year.

Scholarships vary from year to year and typically include:

  • A.J. & Lynn Amato COBA Endowed Scholarship
  • Beason Endowed Scholarship
  • Bonnie Vick Kittleband Scholarship
  • Carol Shaw Alpha Chi Omega Scholarship
  • Charles R. Carlow Endowed Scholarship
  • Douglas C. Fletcher, Sr. Scholarship
  • Ed and Genevieve Sandhop Endowed Scholarship
  • Ed G. Sandhop Scholarship
  • Edward James Crawford Scholarship
  • Gibson D. Lewis Scholarship
  • G. Scott and Mary S. McCarley Endowed Scholarship
  • James E. Gilmore Endowed Scholarship
  • Jean D. Neal Scholarship
  • J. N. and Vennie Crawford Business Administration Scholarship
  • Joe M. “Butch” MacKenzie Scholarship
  • John Patrick Singleton (Class of 1965) Memorial Scholarship
  • Johnson-Brown-Perkins Scholarship
  • J. Roy Wells Scholarship
  • Keener Family Scholarship
  • Kelly DeHay Rod Danielson COBA Scholarship
  • Leroy Ashorn Memorial Scholarship
  • Loretta J. Hankins COBA Endowment
  • Lundy Scholarship
  • Michael and Janet Hearn Rohrig Endowment
  • Neva and Wesley West Scholarship
  • Owen R. Marshall II Endowed Scholarship
  • Pay It Forward Scholarship
  • R&J Patschke COBA Scholarship
  • Rayford Lacey Hardy and Margie Crawford Hardy Endowed Scholarship
  • Ron Mafrige Endowment for COBA Scholarship in Honor of R. Dean Lewis
  • Russell D. Gordy Scholarship
  • Thomas K. Harrison Business School Endowment
  • Wesley L. Oakes Scholarship
  • Wood-Yager Scholarship

University-Specific Requirements

All students are required to complete the University general education requirements (common core) as described in Degree Requirements and Academic Guidelines section in this catalog.  

Curriculum

Each Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree consists of:

Note: Transfer students must take at least 50% of the required business curriculum for the BBA in residence at Sam Houston State University, which may include courses taken at The Woodlands Center campus or through SHSU Online.

The Business Core consists of the following courses:

Business Core
ACCT 2301Principles of Financial Acc3
ACCT 2302Principles of Managerial Acc3
BANA 2372Business Analysis3
BANA 3363Inter Business Analysis3
BUAD 3301Business Legal Environment3
BUAD 3335Business Communication3
ECON 2301Principles Of Macroeconomics3
ECON 2302Principles Of Microeconomics 13
FINC 3320Business Finance3
MGIS 3310Principles of MIS3
MGMT 3310Principles Of Management3
MGMT 3370Operations Management3
MGMT 4390Strategic Management & Policy3
MKTG 3310Principles Of Marketing3
1

Satisfies Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area VIII (Social and Behavioral Sciences). 

Minimum GPA Requirements to Earn a BBA Degree

Students must achieve a 2.0 GPA in the following:

  • SHSU GPA
  • Cumulative GPA (SHSU and transfer)
  • SHSU business courses
  • Cumulative business courses (SHSU and transfer)
  • Minor GPA (if a minor is pursued)

Some majors require a higher GPA and/or have specific grade requirements for courses within the major.  Please see the respective departmental section for more details.

Fifty Percent Requirement

At least 50 percent of the required business curriculum for the B.B.A. degree must be taken in residence at Sam Houston State University, which may include courses taken at The Woodlands Center (TWC) campus or through SHSU Online.

Entry to Upper Division Courses

Admission to undergraduate upper division courses, i.e., 3000- and 4000-level, in the College of Business Administration, is limited to students who have completed at least 50 semester hours with a GPA of at least 2.0.

Graduate Studies

The College of Business Administration is authorized to offer the Master of Business AdministrationExecutive MBA in Banking and Financial InstitutionsMaster of Science in Accounting, Master of Science in Applied Economics, and Master of Science in Project Management degrees. The Graduate Catalog provides additional information regarding graduate studies in the College of Business Administration.