Online Business Program Offers Path for Working Students to Earn Their Degree

August 28, 2020
Headshot of Diran

Diran Deukmajian plans to earn his degree from the Online Business Bachelor's program in the spring of 2021.

Seeing a need for an online program that would allow busy students to complete their bachelor’s degree in general business, the Fowler College of Business at San Diego State University established their Online Business Bachelor’s degree completion program in 2017. 

Taught by faculty members of the Fowler College of Business and administered by SDSU’s Global Campus, the Online Business Bachelor’s degree completion program provides a path for students who are California State University eligible, have at least a 2.75 GPA, and have successfully completed at least 49 semester units (including their core requirement courses), but are unable to attend classes on campus full-time.  “With a full-time job and a family, it is next to impossible for me to go to class on campus,” said Diran Deukmajian, who initially left college in 2002 to enter the workforce. “The online program’s accessibility any time of the day or night is simple and informal.” Deukmajian is slated to earn his degree in the spring of 2021. 

According to Dr. George Belch, the senior associate dean for the Fowler College of Business, the program has continued to see growing numbers of students applying each year, with 230 admitted for the fall semester of 2020. This is a significant increase from the fall semester of 2019 when 51 students admitted to the program. 

The program’s success has led it to expand its access to students attending two local community colleges. Starting this fall, Mesa College or Southwestern College students who have met the enrollment requirements will also be able transfer their credits to the Online Business Bachelor’s degree completion program via SDSU’s Global Campus Microsite Completion program. This will allow these students to earn their bachelor’s degree in business without having to attend classes in a traditional campus setting. 

Deukmajian Family

Having courses online makes it easier for Diran Deukmajian to balance family life with his classwork.

The growing enrollment has made the Online Business Bachelor’s degree completion program the most successful program for SDSU Global Campus. Belch noted that much of this can be attributed to the increasing demand for online degree programs. “A high percentage of our students work full-time or at least 20-30 hours a week and this program has given them an option to complete their degree at their own pace and on their own schedule,” he said. “The program’s success also reflects the strong reputation of SDSU and the Fowler College of Business in the San Diego community and across the state, as many of our students come from outside the area. We recently conducted a survey of our students and many indicated that the reputation of SDSU and of the college were very important factors in choosing our program over other online programs.” 

While the flexibility and quality of education were important to Deukmajian, the skills he’s been able to take from the program took his career in a new direction. “In the summer of 2019, I decided to open my own business,” said Deukmajian, who is the founder and owner of San Marcos Kitchen Cabinets. “My education in business administration has definitely helped me run my business and save money in doing a lot of the finances myself, rather than hire someone else to do them."

When Deukmajian completes the program, he will earn his bachelor’s degree in general business through SDSU’s Fowler College of Business and will be eligible to participate in the college’s annual commencement ceremony held in May. 

Click here to learn more about the Online Business Bachelor’s degree completion program.

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