Admissions and Course Requirements

Admissions

In order to be admitted to the Business program you must first qualify for admission to San Diego State University. Please consult the SDSU Office of Admissions for more information about how to apply to SDSU. All potential Business majors should request admission as Business Administration majors.

Transfer students must complete certain lower division courses before they can transfer to SDSU. Consult SDSU Transfer Admissions for more information.

If you are accepted to SDSU in Business you will be admitted as a Pre-Business Administration major.

Apply to SDSU

Transfer to SDSU

Apply to International Business

International Business is a joint major between the College of Arts and Letters and the Fowler College of Business. Requirements for declaring a major in International Business differ from those for Business. Consult the International Business Office for more information.

Apply to Online Degree Completion

For information regarding the online program, please visit the Online Degree Completion admissions page.

Already in a different major at SDSU?

Students who are currently enrolled at SDSU as an undeclared major or is in a major other than Business may change their major to pre-business if they meet one of the following:

You have completed 6-29 college units and have an overall GPA of at least 2.0
You have completed 30-59 college units and have an overall GPA of at least 2.7
You have completed 60 units or more and have an overall GPA of at least 2.9

Connect with the Center for Student Success when you meet one of the requirements listed above and on how to change your major or with your additional inquiries.

Beginning on August 20, 2025 -

Students who are admitted or currently enrolled at SDSU as an undeclared major or is in a major other than Business may change their major to pre-Business if they meet one of the following:

Have less than 30 units earned and
- At least a 2.70 cumulative GPA
- Minimum "C" grades in ECON 101, ECON 102, MATH 120 (or an approved calculus course), and STAT 119 (or ECON 201)
Have completed 30-59 units earned and
- At least a 2.80 cumulative GPA
- Minimum "C" grades in ACCTG 201, ECON 101, ECON 102, MATH 120 (or an approved calculus course), MIS 180, and STAT 119 (or ECON 201)

Students who have earned a minimum of 60 units must successfully complete the impaction requirements to be admitted as an upper division Business major.

Connect with the Center for Student Success when you meet one of the requirements listed above and on how to change your major or with your additional inquiries.

Preparation for Major Courses with minimum "C" grades for all catalog years

ACCTG 201 : Financial Accounting Fundamentals (3 units)
ACCTG 202: Managerial Accounting Fundamentals (3 units)
ECON 101: Principles of Economics (Macroeconomics) (3 units)
ECON 102: Principles of Economics (Microeconomics) (3 units)
FIN 240: Legal Environment of Business (3 units)
MATH 120: Calculus for Business Analysis (or approved calculus course) (3 units)
MIS 180: Principles of Information Systems (3 units)
RWS 290: Business Writing and Rhetoric (3 units)
- Not required for Accounting Majors
STAT 119: Elementary Statistics for Business (or ECON 201 Statistical Methods) (3 units)

Declaring Upper Division Business Major for all catalog years

Students must meet the following impaction criteria to be admitted to an upper division business major:

Complete at least 60 baccalaureate level semester units
Complete the 9 preparation for the major courses (8 for Accounting majors) with minimum "C" grades
Have a 2.9 cumulative GPA or higher

Connect with the Center for Student Success when you meet all of the requirements listed above and on how to declare your upper division business major or with your additional inquiries.

Major Courses

The following are majors offered in the Fowler College of Business:

Accounting
Finance
Financial Services
General Business
Information Systems
Management
Management (specialization in Entrepreneurship)
Management (specialization in Human Resource Management)
Marketing
Marketing (specialization in Integrated Marketing Communications)
Marketing (specialization in Professional Selling and Sales Management)
Real Estate

Your major catalog year is the year you began at SDSU as a pre-business major. If you entered SDSU as an undeclared or another major, your major catalog year is the year you changed your major to Business. Declaring an upper division business major does not change your major catalog year.

You may view the upper division business major requirements on your degree evaluation, the Major Academic Plan, or in the University Catalog.

Minor Requirements

The following are minors offered in the Fowler College of Business:

Accounting
Business Administration
Entrepreneurship
Finance
Information Systems
Management
Marketing
Real Estate

Students must meet the admission requirements for the minor in effect at the time that they declare the minor. Connect with the Center for Student Success for admissions criteria and procedures or with additional inquiries. Students with a major in the Fowler College of Business, Hospitality and Tourism Management, or International Business should choose courses carefully with an advisor in their major department and with the Center for Student Success.

Your minor catalog year is the year you officially declared your minor. Courses in the minor may not be counted toward the major. They may be used to satisfy preparation for the major and general education requirements, if applicable. A minimum of six upper division units must be completed in residence at SDSU. You may view the minor business minor requirements in the University Catalog or on your degree evaluation.

Transfer Credit for Business Major Preparation, Major, or Minor Requirements

SDSU will generally accept all baccalaureate-level transfer coursework from regionally accredited United States institutions or international institutions recognized by the ministry of education. For lower division requirements, courses must be clearly equivalent in scope and content to SDSU courses. For upper division requirements, courses must be clearly equivalent in scope and content to SDSU courses and were taught in an Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business also known as AACSB International accredited program.

Connect with the Center for Student Success with your transfer credit or request for adjustment of academic requirement inquiries.

University Catalog

Syllabi Collection