Table of Contents

B.S., Business Administration

  • Option in Business Law
  • Option in Financial Services
  • Option in Global Supply Chain Management
  • Option in Real Estate
  • Option in Systems and Operations Management

Business Law Option

College of Business and Economics

  • Chair: Melanie Stallings Williams
  • J.D.
  • Department of Business Law
  • Juniper Hall (JH) 3121
  • (818) 677-2905
  • www.csun.edu/blaw

Faculty

  • Michael E. Chaplin
  • Carol A. Docan
  • Nina Golden
  • Kim R. Greenhalgh
  • Penelope R. Jennings
  • Leonard J. Rymsza
  • Kurt M. Saunders
  • Melanie Stallings Williams
  • Bruce Zucker
  • Kiren Dosanjh Zucker

Faculty Emeritus

  • George Baechtold
  • Steven A. Freeman
  • Henry B. Niles
  • Thomas J. Shannon
  • Robert A. Sternberg

Mission

The mission of the Department of Business Law is to enable students, through excellence in teaching, to recognize and analyze legal issues arising in the business environment.

The Option

Department of Business Law Department offers a course of study leading to a B.S. Degree in Business Administration with an option in Business Law.

This program prepares students to analyze complex problems, think critically, and communicate effectively while learning the legal principles pertinent to making business decisions.

Careers

The Business Law option is valuable preparation for careers in a variety of fields, including governmentally-regulated industries, for example banking, insurance, securities, and real estate. It is also useful for careers in risk management, contract administration, public affairs, finance, management, legal and judicial support services and employment relations. It is well suited for students who plan careers in industries that are highly regulated, for example banking, insurance, securities, health care, and real estate. It is useful for entrepreneurs. It is focused on the legal applications of business decisions, and so is useful in a variety of careers.

Academic Advisement

All Lower Division program advisement is through the College Student Services Center in JH 2113. Upon completion of BUS 302 and BUS 302L, students are encouraged to seek advisement through faculty mentors from the department of their major.

Faculty Mentors

All faculty are attorneys who are available to advise and counsel students who are considering law school. All department faculty are available during their scheduled office hours to advise students during the semester, with assigned department faculty available during registration periods. Information regarding law school and legal careers is available on the department website.

Business Majors

A Business Major is any student majoring in Accountancy; Finance; Information Systems; Management; Marketing; or Business Administration with an option in either Business Law, Financial Services, Global Supply Chain Management, Real Estate, or Systems and Operations Management. All Business majors share 27 units of common Lower Division courses and 19 units of common Upper Division courses.

Special Grade Requirements

Transfer students should be aware that no grade lower than a “C” will be accepted from another institution to satisfy Department or College of Business and Economics requirements.

Residency Requirement

At least 50 percent of the business and economics course credit units and 50 percent of the specialized major credit units required for the Bachelor of Science degrees in Accountancy, Business Administration, Finance, Information Systems, Management, Marketing, and the Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics must be completed in residence at California State University, Northridge.

Student Learning Outcomes of the Undergraduate Program

Classes are taught using the Socratic method with its goal of participatory learning and the development of reasoning skills. This active learning process requires students to articulate their analysis, to develop and defend positions, to think critically and to engage in problem-solving. Students learn to formulate an effective legal analysis by synthesizing information, identifying legal issues, distinguishing relevant from irrelevant facts, using facts and law to support argument, reasoning by analogy, and reaching conclusions based on analysis. In addition, students in all courses study ethical issues in a business context, with actual topics dependant on course content.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Option in Business Law

Check course descriptions for prerequisite courses. Prerequisites must be completed prior to enrolling in the course.

1. Common Lower Division Business Core (27 Units)

1MATH 103 or higher-level math with a grade of “C” or higher.

2The 4-unit MATH 140 course also satisfies this requirement.

2. Common Upper Division Business Core (19 Units)

3. Upper Division Required Courses for the Option in Business Law (24 Units)

Business Law Elective Units (15 units): ECON 365 or 411 may be taken for 3 of the units (unless that course has already been taken to satisfy the Business Breadth Requirement). Students are encouraged to take an experiential-learning (service-learning or internship) course. One service-learning course or internship course in the college or university (from outside the department) may be taken for 3 of the units in the option with approval of the department chair.

4. Business Breadth Requirement (6 units):

Select two additional 300- or 400-level courses offered in the College of Business and Economics, excluding courses offered by the Department of Business Law. Alternative classes may be substituted by petition upon the Department Chair’s approval.

5. General Education (35 Units)

Of the 48 units of the General Education requirement, 13 units are satisfied by the following courses: MATH 103 satisfies 3 units of the Basic Skills mathematics requirement; ECON 160 and ECON 161 satisfy 6 units of Social Sciences; BLAW 280 satisfies 3 units of Lifelong Learning; and COMP 100 satisfies 1 additional unit.

6. Additional Units (15 Units)

These are unrestricted elective units.

Financial Services Option

College of Business and Economics

The Option

The option in Financial Services is specifically designed to prepare students for a career in the areas of the financial services industry: investments, insurance, securities, and personal financial planning. Because many firms in the financial services industry are engaged in all of these areas, the option covers theoretical and practical knowledge of the various segments.

Careers

The Financial Services option prepares our graduates for a wide variety of analytical, managerial, or sales careers in the financial services industry. Analytical careers include employment in banking, insurance, investments, and personal financial planning. Sales careers include employment in insurance, securities, and mutual fund sales. Managerial careers include managerial employment in the financial services industry. The program also provides a solid foundation for a career in personal financial planning.

Academic Advisement

All Lower Division program advisement is through the college COBAE SSC/EOP in JH 2113. Upon completion of BUS 302 and BUS 302L, students are encouraged to seek advisement through faculty mentors from the department of their major.

Business Majors

A Business Major is any student majoring in Accountancy; Finance; Information Systems; Management; Marketing; or Business Administration with an option in either Business Law, Financial Services, Global Supply Chain Management, Real Estate, or Systems and Operations Management. All Business Majors share 27 units of Common Lower Division courses and 19 units of Common Upper Division courses.

Special Grade Requirements

Transfer students should be aware that no grade lower than a “C” will be accepted on transfer from another institution to satisfy College of Business and Economics requirements.

Residency Requirement

At least 50 percent of the business and economics course credit units and 50 percent of the specialized major credit units required for the Bachelor of Science degrees in Accountancy, Business Administration, Finance, Information Systems, Management, Marketing, and the Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics must be completed in residence at California State University, Northridge.

Admission to the Financial Services Major

Financial Services is an impacted program. Students seeking a major in Financial Services may initially declare a major in Pre-Financial Services while working to satisfy supplemental criteria, which requires completion of at least 60 units and a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5. Students must qualify by the time they earn 90 units. Additionally, a grade of “C” or higher in FIN 303 is a prerequisite for all 400-Level Finance (FIN) courses.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Option in Financial Services

Check course descriptions for prerequisite courses. Prerequisites must be completed prior to enrolling in the course.

1. Common Lower Division Business Core (27 Units)

1MATH 103 or a higher level mathematics course must be completed with a grade of “C” or better.

2The 4-unit MATH 140 course also satisfies this requirement.

2. Common Upper Division Business Core (19 Units)

3. Required Upper Division Courses for the Option in Financial Services (6 Units)

Communication Course, select 3 units from the following:
In addition to the courses shown above, the student must complete an additional 18 units of required option specific courses.
4. Upper Division Required Courses (9 Units)Note: Students who select the Financial Services option may not also select the Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance.
  • FIN 336 Principles of Insurance (3)
  • FIN 432 Investment Analysis and Management (3)
  • FIN 442 Theory and Practice of Financial Planning (3)

    • 5. Financial Services Option Elective Courses (9 units)

    3ACCT 440 and ACCT 441 have additional prerequisites beyond the required courses shown below.

    Real Estate Option

    College of Business and Economics

    The Option

    The option in Real Estate covers both theoretical and practical aspects of real estate and provides an academic foundation for careers in real estate. Students completing the option in Real Estate will have satisfied most of the educational requirements for the California real estate broker’s license and the real estate appraiser’s license.

    Careers

    While the Real Estate option is designed for students with career interests in the various functional fields of real estate – brokerage, appraisal, finance, investment, development and asset management, as well as service areas such as escrow and title insurance – the skills with which students in the option will become familiar are applicable in virtually all business fields.

    Academic Advisement

    All Lower Division program advisement is through the COBAE SSC/EOP in JH 2113. Upon completion of BUS 302 and BUS 302L, students are encouraged to seek advisement through faculty mentors from the department of their major.

    Business Majors

    A Business Major is any student majoring in Accountancy; Finance; Information Systems; Management; Marketing; or Business Administration with an option in either Business Law, Financial Services, Global Supply Chain Management, Real Estate, or Systems and Operations Management. All Business Majors share 27 units of Common Lower Division courses and 19 units of Common Upper Division courses.

    Special Grade Requirements

    Transfer students should be aware that no grade lower than a “C” will be accepted upon transfer from another institution to satisfy College of Business and Economics requirements.

    Residency Requirement

    At least 50 percent of the business and economics course credit units and 50 percent of the specialized major credit units required for the Bachelor of Science degrees in Accountancy, Business Administration, Finance, Information Systems, Management, Marketing, and the Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics must be completed in residence at California State University, Northridge.

    Requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Option in Real Estate

    Check course descriptions for prerequisite courses. Prerequisites must be completed prior to enrolling in the course.

    1. Common Lower Division Business Core (27 Units)

    1MATH 103 or a higher level mathematics course must be completed with a grade of “C” or better.

    2The 4-unit MATH 140 course also satisfies this requirement.

    2. Common Upper Division Business Core (19 Units)

    3. Required Upper Division Courses, Option in Real Estate (6 Units)

    Communication Course, select 3 units from the following:
    In addition to the courses shown above, the student must complete an additional 18 units of required option specific courses.

    4. Upper Division Required Courses (18 Units)

    Real Estate Elective: Select 3 units of Finance courses
    (Does not include FIN 302)

    Breadth and Perspective Course Requirements