Fall 2009 admission applications are no longer being accepted.

The State of California is facing a most serious financial situation and, as a result, severe budget cuts have been mandated for state agencies including the state universities. This has required a very serious look at continuing low enrollment programs.

Unfortunately, enrollment in the Master of Science in Business Administration in International Business program has been historically small; hence the program will be closed to new admissions beginning with Fall 2009 because of the state budget crisis. We are seeking to accommodate those currently in the program to enable them to finish the program.

We expect that the problem of low enrollments will be aggravated by additional fees recently imposed on graduate business programs (but not on other graduate programs). Starting in the fall, the California State University is imposing a system-wide additional $210 per unit fee for each course that students who are enrolled in graduate business programs take. This amounts to a $630 additional fee per 3-unit course over and above the regular registration fees. We expect that this substantial fee increase will be an additional disincentive to students who may wish to enroll in our MSBA-International Business program.

For those who need a masters degree program in business administration, we hope to offer the program periodically as a cohort program in the future. A cohort program is one in which the program is opened every several years to a group of students who then move through the courses together to the degree. This is a more efficient use of resources and should meet the needs of the Imperial Valley. We currently offer the Master of Social Work in this manner.

Given the resource challenges presented by the budget difficulties, we are concentrating our resources for business programs on undergraduate programs. We are continuing to offer the Bachelor of Arts degree with the major in International Business. In addition, we are continuing and strengthening our Small Business Management Minor and the Business Administration Certificate.

Closing admission to the Master of Science, Business Administration in International Business is a necessary and prudent measure in these very difficult times.

Stephen B. W. Roeder
Campus Dean
SDSU-IV