Sonoma State University
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Minor in Business Administration

 

If you're not looking to major in business, but know that a general knowledge of business practices will support your career, then you should consider earning a Minor from the Department of Business Administration.

Requirements for the Minor in Business Administration

The Minor in Business Administration consists of 5 required courses (total of 20 units).

  • BUS 230A  Financial Accounting (4) (Or, its transfer equivalent, as approved by the department chair.  See our Advisory Transfer List on this website for acceptable community college courses.)  Students must complete BUS 230A first, in order to be eligible to enroll in the 300-level Business courses.  
  • BUS 344  Organizational Behavior (4)
  • BUS 360  Introduction to Marketing (4)
  • BUS 370  Introduction to Managerial Finance (4)
  • Upper Division Business Elective (4)**  Students must fulfill the prerequisites in order to be eligible to take any particular Business elective course. 

BUS 344, BUS 360, and BUS 370 will give you an understanding of how organizations are run, how they present themselves and their products/services, and how they manage their money.  The Upper Division Business Elective allows students to deepen their knowledge in a particular area of business.  Note that all 300-level and 400-level courses MUST be completed at Sonoma State University.  

Commonly-selected Upper Division Business electives for Business Minor students include:  BUS 305W, BUS 340, BUS 350, BUS 391, BUS 393, and BUS 451.  There are other Upper Division Business courses that you could take as well.  Be sure to review the prerequisite requirements for any Upper Division Business elective course you are considering, as you must meet those prerequisites.  Note that there is no guarantee that particular electives will be offered during any given semester or that there will be room in the course during the semester in which you wish to enroll, so be sure to have a few electives in mind as options.

**Students whose ARR plan indicates a requirement (Catalog) term of Spring 2019 or prior are NOT required to take an elective. Instead, those students must take BUS 230B to satisfy lower division requirements for the Minor.
 

Who Can Declare a Minor in Business Administration

Students must have a minimum GPA of 2.50 in order to apply for the Business Minor. 

Students looking to declare must have enough time left before graduation to complete the five required courses. Business Minor students will usually take only one of the above courses per semester. However, students are allowed to take two business courses in one semester subject to seat availability.

Courses can be taken during the regular academic semesters and/or during summer and winter intersession.

How to Declare a Minor in Business Administration

Students must complete the Change of Major/Minor form to declare and add a Minor in Business Administration.

Change of Major/Minor Form

  • You will need to fill out the Change of Major online form (an AdobeSign PDF) that is linked below. It will be automatically routed for approval and processing once submitted.
  • Please review these instructions for completing the form:
    • In the "Adding a Major/Minor" section, select "Minor". Then select "Business" from the New Program dropdown menu that appears.
    • For Catalog Year, please enter the year when you declare the Business Minor.
    • For the advisor, please list Dr. Karen Thompson, [email protected].
  • Once you have completed the form and digitally signed it, the form will automatically be submitted and routed to the SSU Records Office for approvals.

Access the Change of Major/Minor Form

How to Register for Courses

Lower Division Course (BUS 230A)

  • Those listed as Business Minors on their ARR (check your MYSSU) can register starting the Monday of the 2nd week of registration.
  • The course will be open to everyone starting the Monday of the 3rd week of registration.

Note: It takes up to two weeks to process your declaration, so don't count on registering during the 2nd week if you apply within two weeks of the start of registration.

Upper Division Courses (BUS 344, BUS 360, BUS 370, and Upper Division Business Elective)

  • Complete a Request to Take an Upper Division Business Administration Course form, and email it to the School of Business Main Office at [email protected] before or during the first week of registration.  

Access the Minor Request to Take Upper Division Business Form

  • Do not forget to provide options, in case the section requested does not have room. We need the options and your preferred order to easily find a section or another class that works for you.
  • A staff member will contact you on the Monday of the 2nd week of registration with a permission number for your course. If none of your options are open, contact the Minor Advisor to find something that moves you forward and fits into your schedule.

Minor Advising

The Academic Advisor for the Business Administration Minor is Dr. Karen Thompson. 

  • If you have no questions, please complete and submit the online forms required.
  • If you have questions, please email Dr. Thompson directly.