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Online Bachelor's in Business

Program Overview

SDSU’s Bachelor of Science in Business Administration online degree completion program is designed so that students who satisfy all eligibility requirements for the program can graduate as a General Business Major in as few as 49 units (18 courses), or as many as 55 units (20 courses) depending on writing proficiency.
Yes, because SDSU’s Fowler College of Business (FCB) is fully accredited by AACSB International – The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, all of its programs - both online and on-campus - are accredited.
The General Business major provides an overview and fundamental working knowledge of the varied aspects of business. Students receive a broad and generalized understanding of the functions of a business and how the various sub-disciplines within business interact to contribute to the success of an organization. Positions available to graduates with a General Business major are those that require a broad, overarching understanding of the business function, rather than a specialized knowledge within a particular business sub-discipline, (e.g., managing a family business).
Upon completion of the program a student will be awarded the same degree on-campus students receive – the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. The diploma received and transcript will not distinguish that the program was completed online.
Courses in the online program are team taught. Faculty who have demonstrated an ability to excel in their regular on-campus teaching assignments prepare all course material using the most current technology and tools. Facilitators who routinely teach the course on-campus or are subject area experts monitor the course’s day-to-day delivery. Together, their goal is to bring to a student the same rigor and content as on-campus courses.
The program is structured to be flexible and convenient. It consists of courses from accounting, finance, information systems, management and marketing, the core business components. Courses are offered yearly in two of the three, 16-week terms (fall, spring and summer). These courses run in eight-week blocks, so a full-time student can take four courses each term, but focus at any given time on just two in a block. The program also accommodates students who want to take courses on a part-time basis. Although courses are expected to be completed by the end of the 8-week block in which they are offered, the program is entirely self-paced to afford a student the option of slowing down by taking a lighter course load or speeding up by taking a heavier class load.
We believe that a doable course load averages out to just over three courses or roughly 9-units per term. At this rate the program can be completed in six terms or two years.
Yes, although the number of upper division units a student will receive credit for depends on their equivalency and recentness. To qualify for the degree a student must complete each of the following requirements at SDSU: 1. A minimum of 30 units; 2. At least 20 of the units required for the General Business major; and 3. Nine units in General Education courses.

No, applications to the online program for a second bachelor’s degree are not being accepted at this time.

No, this is a degree completion program. No additional majors or minors are permitted.
To succeed in an online learning environment, start by taking this brief readiness survey (please enter 000000000 for Red ID). In addition, a student needs a reliable email address that won’t change from the beginning until the end of term, and a backup plan (i.e., alternative location to do assignments and assessments) in case the computer or internet connection isn’t working.
Yes, the fully online General Business degree completion program is not supported by California state tax revenue. The program is the result of a partnership between SDSU’s Fowler College of Business (FCB) and College of Extended Studies (CES), wherein FCB is responsible for the curriculum, faculty, admissions, and student advising, and CES fulfills administrative functions such registration and the collection of fees.

Students may apply for financial aid without applying for admission to the University.  Students should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to be considered for all types of state and federal aid. Learn more about how to apply for financial aid. 

Upon admission to the online program a student who completes the FAFSA can be considered for financial aid from SDSU.  The only grant program that is not available to students in the online program is the State University Grant because online program students do not pay State University fees.

All students, regardless of grade point average, area of study, citizenship, or residency status are encouraged to apply for all scholarships for which they may be eligible.  New online program applicants to SDSU may apply for scholarships after they receive their RedID number as this number is required on the SDSU scholarship application.  The main resource for finding SDSU scholarships is the SDSU Scholarship Search tool - you may also search the list of external scholarships.

Prospective Students

Information about applying for admission to the program can be found at Cal State Apply. When asked for major, indicate on the application “Business Admin (General) (BS) (External Degree) (ONLINE PROGRAM).”

Applications for fall admissions to the online program will be accepted beginning October 1, for the next fall term; applications for spring admission to the online program will be accepted beginning August 1st for the next spring term.

To be fully qualified for admission to the program, a student must have at least 60 transferable semester units by the term prior to transfer that include 27 lower division preparation course units for the General Business major (see Business Major Requirements page for more detailed information), and at least 30 units of General Education. Additionally, a student’s cumulative GPA should be 2.9 or higher.

All undergraduate students must demonstrate competency in upper division writing skills before graduating from SDSU with a bachelor’s degree. The Writing Placement Assessment (WPA) is a timed test used by SDSU to determine if a student’s writing skills fulfill the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR). Based on the test results, some students will require an additional writing course or courses in order to fulfill this requirement.

As a student in the online program, you are required to take the WPA test between the time you are admitted and the end of your first semester. You are permitted to take the WPA twice in that semester and pay the testing fee each time you take the exam. If you do not take the exam in that semester, you won’t be allowed to register for future terms at SDSU.

Yes, use the materials available on wpa.sdsu.edu, write a practice essay, and make an online appointment with a Writing Center tutor to discuss your essay.

Start with registering with SDSU’s Writing Center by going to https://sdsu.mywconline.com and click on “register.” After you have submitted the form, you will have access to the online appointment center. Look for tutors who offer online tutoring. When you register for an appointment with an online tutor, be sure to click “online tutoring” in the drop down menu on the form.

No. This program is fully online.
A student in the program can remedy the unit deficiency (think of these as unit electives) in a variety of ways. Among these ways include taking extra writing classes offered by the program, enrolling in summer classes offered at other CSUs through Cal State Online, and at local Community Colleges if less than 70 units have been transferred.
Not at this time.

Learning Online

An online course is no less time consuming than a face-to-face, on-campus course. A typical face-to-face, 3-unit 16-week course involves two-and-a-half hours of classroom meeting time plus and an additional three to six hours of reading, study and review per week. Since every online course in this program is completed in eight weeks, plan on dedicating for a 3-unit course from eleven to seventeen hours spread out over each week on learning activities. Moreover, if a student encounters problems with technology or has weak reading or writing skills, plan on spending even more time.

SDSU adheres to a strict policy regarding cheating and plagiarism. Any cheating or plagiarism in a class results in failing of that class and the possibility of further disciplinary review. Students in the online program must agree that all required written submissions will be subject to review by Turnitin.com for the detection of plagiarism. To uphold the integrity of exams and tests and level the playing field for students who fear that their classmates may be unfairly cheating to get higher grades, students in the online program must also agree to allow the use of a remote proctoring service when taking assessments.




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