College of Business
Undergraduate
Dean: Michael D. Hartline; Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs: Kathleen A. McCullough; Associate Dean for Academic Operations: Richard Morton; Assistant Dean for Executive and Professional Programs: Darren Brooks; Assistant Dean for Academic Programs: Kim Hicks; Assistant Dean for Finance and Administration: Mark Thorp
Mission
We create an inclusive and preeminent academic environment geared to enable faculty to produce (I) research impacting the academy and (II) graduates capable of establishing business solutions for a more equitable and sustainable society.
General Information
The College of Business houses six business departments: the Department of Accounting; the Department of Business Analytics, Information Systems and Supply Chain; the Department of Finance; the Department of Management; the Dr. Persis E. Rockwood School of Marketing; and the Department of Risk Management/Insurance, Real Estate, and Legal Studies.
Since its founding in 1950, the College of Business has provided quality business education to over 73,000 alumni who hold positions in regional, national, and international organizations. The College, through its faculty, curricula, and programs, is committed to educating and developing its students for careers as future business executives and leaders.
Over the years, the College of Business has been successful in building a very capable and motivated faculty. Faculty members are very productive researchers and effective teachers. These faculty members also maintain important contacts with the business community through various types of service and applied research activities.
As a result of its capable and dedicated faculty, the College of Business has been able to attract highly qualified students. These students have strong analytical and communicative aptitudes and have a spirit of enterprise and creativity. The interaction of these students with highly qualified faculty, coupled with well-designed program options, creates a stimulating learning environment.
The achievements of the College of Business have been recognized by the business community in the form of development funds for scholarships, endowed chairs, professorships, teaching and research grants, and other program activities.
Programs Offered
The College of Business offers curricula leading to the following degrees:
- Bachelor of Science (BS)
- Bachelor of Arts (BA)
- Master of Business Administration (MBA)
- Master of Accounting (MAcc)
- Master of Science in Finance (MSF)
- Master of Science (MS) in Business Analytics, Management, Management Information Systems, or Risk Management
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Business Administration.
The College of Law and the College of Business offer a joint graduate pathway leading to the Juris Doctor (JD) and the Master of Business Administration (MBA) degrees. The College of Social Work and the College of Business offer a joint graduate pathway leading to the Master's in Social Work (MSW) and the Master of Business Administration (MBA) degrees. All of these business programs are fully accredited by AACSB-International, including separate accreditation of the programs in accounting.
Students pursuing a bachelor's degree choose from the following degree programs:
- bachelor's in accounting
- bachelor's in business administration
- bachelor's in finance
- bachelor's in management with a major in management or human resource management
- bachelor's in management information systems
- bachelor's in marketing with a major in marketing or professional sales
- bachelor's in real estate
- bachelor's in risk management/insurance
Graduate Programs
The Master of Business Administration (MBA) program is an accelerated, thirty-nine semester hour program. The program is offered on a full-time and part-time basis. The full-time program begins once each year in the Fall term. The part-time MBA program is offered on campus or online and begins each semester. Students are encouraged to have at least two years of work experience prior to entering the MBA program.
Students in the Master of Accounting (MAcc) program may major in either assurance services, accounting information systems, corporate accounting, or tax accounting. This program provides students with greater breadth and depth in accounting education than can be accomplished in the baccalaureate program. Students are admitted each semester.
The Master of Science in Finance (MSF) program begins each Summer and focuses on advanced, practical applications in finance. Most students in the program have an undergraduate degree in finance, but students with undergraduate degrees in related fields are also considered for admission.
The Master of Science in Business Analytics (MS-BA) program begins each Summer and focuses on developing advanced quantitative and data management skills to address business analytics questions. Students in the program have an undergraduate degree in a variety of disciplines such as business, economics, statistics, and others.
The Master of Science in Management Information Systems program prepares students for careers in information systems analysis and design. The program is designed for students with a background in business who are looking to enhance their information systems development skills and/or change careers to management information systems. The program is taught online.
The Master of Science in Risk Management is taught online. It is designed for professionals who wish to study part-time to advance and enhance their careers in the risk management/insurance industry.
The objective of the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Business Administration is to prepare students for careers in university teaching and research. Students receive the Doctor of Philosophy in business administration and concentrate in one of the following areas: accounting, finance, management information systems, marketing, organizational behavior and human resources, risk management and insurance, or strategy.
Certificate and Minor Programs
The Minor in Business Analytics is a twelve-hour course of study for students. Students completing the program become analytically savvy graduates, who will be adept at working in interdisciplinary teams in any organization to solve complex business problems. The curriculum will provide students with skills in the fields of data mining, business intelligence, and analysis, building on the diverse skills and knowledge gained in their major business program.
The Minor in Free Enterprise and Ethics is a twelve-hour course of study which helps students develop an awareness of ethical choices viewed from a variety of economic, societal, civic, legal, and personal value system perspectives, as they relate to business practice in a free enterprise economy. It provides business students experience grappling with the kinds of realistic decisions they will encounter as practitioners.
The Minor in General Business is available to students in non-business programs. Students interested in completing a minor in general business should contact the College of Business Undergraduate Programs Office for additional information. This information is also available at https://www.business.fsu.edu/. Course availability for students interested in a minor in general business is limited.
Institutes and Centers
The Truist Center for Free Enterprise supports initiatives that offer students various perspectives on free enterprise and ethics.
The Carl DeSantis Center for Executive Management Education sponsors numerous outreach programs that strengthen the relationship between College of Business faculty and the business community.
The Organizational Effectiveness Institute facilitates networking among management professionals, faculty, and students and establishes and transfers best practices that support the advancement of effective organizations in an ever-changing workplace.
The Center for Risk Management Education and Research engages in meaningful and timely research projects designed to assist the industry, regulators, academics and consumers in understanding the insurance business and provides solutions to current insurance issues
The FSU Real Estate Center fosters interaction among students, faculty, and the real-estate community through forums in which executives and world-class scholars exchange ideas and share their insights with students.
The Gene Taylor/Bank of America Center for Banking and Financial Studies encourages excellence in education through research and service activities related to banking and finance.
The FSU Sales Institute provides world-class sales education and training utilizing the most updated sales training technologies developed through continuous research.
Facilities
The Charles A. Rovetta Business Building is ideally located near the center of campus adjacent to Strozier Library and the FSU Student Union. It contains modern classrooms, faculty and staff offices, and numerous support facilities. The College of Business Technology Center houses state-of-the-art computer laboratories and training rooms. It provides students access to the latest technology used in business. The College of Business Undergraduate Programs Office and Graduate Programs Office provide students with a wide variety of advising services.
Scholarships/Awards
Faculty
The College of Business has several eminent scholar chairs and numerous endowed professorships. These prestigious faculty positions are occupied by outstanding scholars who not only conduct research but teach at both the graduate and undergraduate levels.
Student Awards and Honors
Several organizations are available to students in the College of Business. These organizations include service clubs as well as honor societies and business fraternities. The most prestigious honor society in business is Beta Gamma Sigma. This national honor society for business students was founded in 1913. The Florida State University chapter was established in 1962. Election to membership is the highest honor one can achieve in academics in the business area. Membership is available to both undergraduate and graduate students and is based upon outstanding academic achievement.
Scholarships
The College of Business offers numerous scholarships, and financial aid is available for both undergraduate and graduate students. At the undergraduate level, the funding sources for the scholarships include the College of Business, specific individuals and firms, and various state and national industry associations. The amount and selection criteria of each award vary according to the program the award supports and the funding source. In addition to scholarships, the College of Business and the University provide numerous opportunities for part-time work as student assistants.
At the graduate level, the College of Business provides several fellowships to master's and doctoral students. Graduate research and teaching assistantships are also provided to master's and doctoral students.
Requirements
To pursue any major in the College of Business, students must meet the admission requirements for the program they wish to pursue.
Students should complete the prerequisite courses required for admission during their first three to four semesters of college work. Students attending Florida state and community colleges should complete the prerequisite courses required for admission while fulfilling general education requirements leading to the Associate in Arts (AA) degree.
Admission Requirements
Admission to the AACSB accredited undergraduate business programs is based on availability of faculty and space in the business departments. For each admission cycle (academic year), a minimum grade point average (GPA) is established by the College of Business that limits enrollment such that it is consistent with the available faculty and space for the following majors: human resource management, management, marketing, professional sales, real estate, and risk management/insurance.
To be eligible for admission to one of the business majors above, each student must complete the following requirements:
- Must have completed at least fifty-two acceptable semester hours;
- Must have compiled the required GPA (based on all attempted coursework at the college level) that is in effect for the term in which application is made. The required GPA may change each year; information regarding the current required GPA is available at https://www.business.fsu.edu/; and
- Must have completed the following courses with a grade of “C–” or better in each course (or an equivalent course): ACG 2021, ACG 2071, CGS 2100 or CGS 2518, ECO 2013, ECO 2023, MAC 2233, and STA 2023.
To be eligible for admission into finance and management information systems, each student must complete the following requirements:
- Must have completed at least 52 acceptable semester hours;
- Must have completed the following courses with a grade of “C–” or better in each course (or an equivalent course); ACG2021, ACG2071, CGS2100 or CGS2518, ECO2013, ECO2023, MAC2233, and STA2023 with a 2.5 overall GPA in the seven prerequisite courses (includes all attempts).
To be eligible for admission into the accounting program, each student must have completed the following requirements:
- Must have completed at least 52 acceptable semester hours;
- Must have completed ACG2021 and ACG2071 (or an equivalent course) with a B or better, CGS2100 or CGS2518, ECO2013, ECO2023, MAC2233, and STA2023 with a C- or better and have an overall 2.5 GPA on the seven admission prerequisite courses (includes all attempts).
To be eligible for admission into the online business administration program, each student must have completed the following requirements:
- Completion of an AA degree at a Florida public institution or have satisfied all required general education requirements at FSU.
- Must have completed the following courses with a grade of “C-“ or better (or an equivalent course):
- ACG2021, ACG2071, CGS2100 or CGS2518, ECO2013, ECO2023, MAC2233, and STA2023.
- Be in good academic standing (2.0 FSU GPA).
To be considered for admission into any business major, students must complete all admission requirements no later than their 5th mapping term, as determined by the College of Business. Students admitted to the online business administration major are not allowed to pursue any other business major at Florida State University.
Academic Policies
Students are required to meet graduation requirements specified in the University General Bulletin in effect at the time they are admitted to one of the specialized admissions programs in the College of Business, or subsequent General Bulletins including the General Bulletin in effect at the time they graduate, provided they graduate within a period of six years from the date of first entry.
Changes to this General Bulletin that have been formally approved prior to Fall 2023, but not in sufficient time to meet publication deadlines, will still be effective Fall 2023. Students can receive information on these changes in the undergraduate programs office of the College of Business.
All students must complete an official pre-graduation check in the undergraduate programs office of the College of Business during the semester they will earn one hundred semester hours or the semester prior to the semester in which they plan to graduate.
All students must apply for graduation through the myFSU portal during the second or third week of the semester in which they plan to graduate.
In all AACSB accredited undergraduate business programs, a minimum of thirty semester hours of the general business and major area requirements must be completed at Florida State University. Transfer of upper-level business courses must be from business colleges at other senior institutions, must carry prerequisites similar to those of the courses they are replacing, and must be approved by the College of Business. In evaluating this transfer credit, emphasis will be given to courses taken at other AACSB accredited business programs.
Students are not allowed duplicate credit hours for courses repeated in which they have made a “D-” or better.
The only courses offered by the business departments that may be taken on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S/U) basis are those courses restricted to S/U grades only.