John L. Grove College of Business

The John L. Grove College of Business offers programs leading to the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (B.S.B.A.), which are accredited by AACSB International. In order to maintain the high quality of our AACSB-accredited program, students will be required to participate in student outcomes assessment efforts that are designed to continuously improve the quality of our programs and services.

Mission of the John L. Grove College of Business

The John L. Grove College of Business of Shippensburg University provides a high-quality and a high-value comprehensive educational experience that prepares students to excel as principled leaders in today’s global business community.

Business Internship Program

Juniors and seniors in the John L. Grove College of Business, who are in good academic standing and sophomores with at least a 3.00 cumulative quality point average or higher point average, are eligible to participate in the Business Internship Program. Interns do major-related work in business or the professions for free elective credit during the academic year or during the summer. Internships must be approved by the department chair and internship director. Attendance at an internship workshop is required before students may apply or register for a college-sponsored internship. Credit earned through the internship program may only be used as a free elective credit (a maximum of nine credit hours) and may not be used as a substitute for major course requirements.

Benefits of internship include applying academic knowledge and skills to on-the-job experiences, communicating and interacting with professionals in the world of work, developing professional self-confidence, clarifying career goals through exposure to a variety of career opportunities, earning money for university and personal expenses, building a network of professional contacts, completing free elective credits for graduation and returning to the university with renewed interest and a new perspective on learning.

Transfer Requirements

All transfer students seeking admission into the B.S.B.A. degree program in the John L. Grove College of Business must meet the university’s minimum transfer quality point average requirements.

Students are permitted to transfer any required 100- or 200-level business course from a community college or from an accredited four-year institution provided the course content is equivalent and a grade of C or better is earned. Courses in business at the 300- or 400-level will be considered for transfer credit only if they were earned at a four-year institution whose business programs are accredited by the AACSB International, if the transfer student passes a standard examination prepared by the department offering the course, or if a grade of C or higher is earned in a validating course approved by the department. This last validation method is limited to one course in any one discipline and a total of six credits. Arrangements for validating a course should be made through the dean’s office and the department that offers the course.

Refer to the Admission Policies chapter for further requirements for transfer students.

Changing Majors

Admission to a specific major, at any given time, may be limited.

Refer to the Academic Policies chapter under Changing Majors for further information.

Business Administration B.S.

The business administration curriculum at Shippensburg University is designed to prepare students for management careers in business and the professions. The curriculum also provides the basis for graduate study in business, public administration, and law.

Because effective managers must be cognizant of the societal and environmental contexts of their decisions, the study of business administration requires a thorough grounding in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Therefore, a significant portion of a student’s program is devoted to general education. Students are encouraged to seek advisement in developing a general education program which is suited to their individual needs and interests. Each student in the John L. Grove College of Business is assigned a faculty member through his or her departmental office for advisement purposes.

The completion of a minimum of 120 credit hours is required for graduation in the B.S.B.A. major degree programs. The specific course requirements for each B.S.B.A. degree program of study are outlined under the following sections titled B.S.B.A. Core Requirements and Major Course Requirements.

The first phase of business administration curriculum is a required common core and the second phase is completing the common core and the course requirements for one of the majors in the John L. Grove College of Business. The curriculum seeks to avoid narrow technical instruction; rather, the goal is to develop the analytical and conceptual skills necessary for successful management in a variety of situations. The core represents a consensus of what academicians and practitioners consider to be a common body of knowledge for managers of all types, while specialization majors permit the acquisition of more advanced knowledge in a selected area.

Quality Point Average Requirements

Students in the B.S.B.A. program are required to meet the following academic standards in order to be in good academic standing and to graduate. Refer to the Academic Policies chapter under Grading and Graduation Requirements for further information.

Maintain a 2.0 or better cumulative quality point average in all courses taken.
Maintain a 2.0 or better cumulative business quality point average which includes all the business core courses.
Maintain a 2.0 or better cumulative major quality point average which includes all major course work and any business core courses within the major discipline.

English Requirements

All John L. Grove College of Business majors, including B.S.B.A., candidates, must complete ENGL 114 Academic Writing or ENGL 115 Advanced Academic Writing , with a C grade or better in order to graduate and before scheduling upper-division business courses.

Curriculum Requirements

Due to the communication and quantitative skills required in the business curriculum, it is recommended students complete at least three years of college preparatory writing and mathematics in high school. Students seeking admission into the John L. Grove College of Business who lack these skills may find it necessary to take some remedial course work in writing and/or mathematics before enrolling in either ENGL 114 Academic Writing or MATH 140A /MATH 140 College Algebra.

All B.S.B.A. students are required to complete the general education requirements, the B.S.B.A. Core Requirements, and at least one of the sequences listed under Major Course Requirements.

Course Sequencing

The subject matter of the business administration degree program is largely cumulative, i.e., a significant proportion of advanced course content presupposes reasonable mastery of more elementary concepts. (This is especially true in the areas which rely heavily on applied mathematics and the behavioral sciences.) As a result, many advanced courses have prerequisites which are indicated in the course descriptions. Early in their careers within the Foundations of Business Administration course, students should develop, with the aid of their faculty advisor, a four-year course plan which ensures the appropriate prerequisites will be met and all graduation requirements will be satisfied.

For a variety of reasons, these plans will vary considerably from student to student. Nevertheless, there are some general rules which should be adhered to in developing the course plan:

BUSN 101 - Foundations of Business Administration Credits: 2 should be taken in the first year.
MATH 140A /MATH 140 College Algebra, if required, MATH 181 - Applied Calculus Credits: 3 and SCMG 200 - Statistical Applications in Business Credits: 3 , should be completed by the end of the sophomore year.
ITAN 142 - Business Computer Systems Credits: 3 should be completed the first year and BLAW 261 - American Legal Environment Credits: 3 should be completed by the end of the sophomore year.
The ACCT 200 - Fundamentals of Financial Accounting Credits: 3 , ACCT 201 - Managerial Accounting Credits: 3 , and ECON 113 - Principles of Economics Credits: 4 , should be taken by the end of the sophomore year.
Any 300-/400-level B.S.B.A. core and major course work should primarily be taken during the junior and senior years.

Business Administration-Major Undecided Option

The Business Administration-Major Undecided option is designed for students entering the John L. Grove College of Business who are undecided about the selection of a specific B.S.B.A. major. Since the course work in the B.S.B.A. degree program is basically the same for all majors through the sophomore year of study, the Business Administration-Major Undecided option provides students with an opportunity to take up to two years or 60 credits before officially declaring a specific B.S.B.A. major in the John L. Grove College of Business. Students are encouraged to select a specific B.S.B.A. major prior to beginning their junior year of study. Admission to a specific business major, at any given time, may be limited.

A student electing the Business Administration-Major Undecided option is assigned a full-time faculty member in the John L. Grove College of Business to assist with selecting a major, scheduling, and addressing other academic concerns. In the required Foundations of Business Administration course, students are also encouraged to utilize other services at the university to assist them in selecting a major, such as the Career Center’s Career Education program, the Alumni Career Services program, and involvement in academic student professional organizations in the John L. Grove College of Business.