The College of Business at California State University-Chico stands out as a first-rate business school. CSU Chico is ranked 27th among Best Regional Universities and 9th among Top Public Schools on the 2020 U.S. News and World Report ranking. The COB is AACSB accredited, and the Human Resource Management program is accredited through the Society for Human Resource Management. Chico also receives high marks for keeping the tuition at affordable rates from Money Magazine and Washington Monthly. The student-focused faculty and outstanding learning experiences lead graduates securing executive-level positions with prestigious corporations such as Amazon, Chevron, Deloitte Consulting, Hewlett Packard, IBM, Nike, PayPal, Twitter.
Education
Undergraduate students can earn a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration or Business Information Systems, as well as select an option to gain specialized knowledge. BSBA concentration options include Accounting, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Human Resource Management, Management, Marketing, or Project Management. BSIS students will either pursue the Management Information Systems or Operations and Supply Chain Management route. Certificates in Information Technology, Professional Sales, Professional Accounting, or Professional Management Consulting can be added to any undergraduate degree or as a stand-alone program. Minors are available in 11 areas, such as Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management, International Business, Managing Diversity in Organizations, and Managing for Sustainability.
The Master of Business Administration helps students acquire the leadership skills needed to advance their careers. Students may elect to obtain a General, Enterprise Information Systems, or Project Management MBA. EIS students will be prepared to earn the distinguished SAP TS410 certification, and Project Management students meet the requirements to sit for the CAPM or PMP certification exam. To enhance the MBA, students can earn a Professional Sales Certification or Professional Leadership Certificate. The majority of classes for these programs are offered in the evening, and students can generally complete their MBA within three to six semesters.
Student Life
There are many opportunities for professional and personal development beyond the classroom. C.o.B students have historically placed in the top 10% in the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Group Trading Challenge. The VITA program gives students the chance to serve their community by offering tax assistance. There are also 17 business student organizations, such as the Association for Women in Business, Chico Entrepreneurial Association, Graduate Business Association, Investor’s Club, and Net Impact.
The Center for Excellence in Finance, Center for Entrepreneurship, and Center for Enterprise Systems and Informatics Research provide students with great experiential learning projects. Project Outreach allows local businesses to submit projects, and professors will seek out students who can fulfill the business’ needs. The Business Student Success Center offers numerous services to ensure students have all of the tools they need to be successful. Students can check out a laptop to give class presentations, fill out an application to receive up to $500 towards professional attire, or attend professional development workshops. Workshop topics include Salary Negotiation, Professional Presentations, Career Fair Prep, Excel, LinkedIn, and Leadership Involvement. The unique Lunch Connections program allows students to choose one professor per semester to go to lunch with, paid for by the Student Success Center.