Pre-Business Requirements

Admissions Requirements for the School of Business Administration

  1. Be formally admitted to Portland State University. Please note the admissions requirements and application processes for the University are different from the SBA.  Please see the Office of Admissions for details on applying to PSU (www.pdx.edu/admissions).
  2. The minimum GPA requirements for admission to the School of Business Administration will be increasing over the next few years. The GPA is for the following three categories: all transfer credits, all PSU graded credits, and all PSU graded business credits.

Fall 2008 - Summer 2009 applicants - minimum GPA of 2.75

Fall 2009 - Summer 2010 applicants - minimum GPA of 2.85

Fall 2010 - Summer 2011 applicants - minimum GPA of 2.90

Fall 2011 - ongoing applicants - minimum GPA of 3.00

*This is the term you apply to the SBA, not necessarily the term you are admitted to PSU.

Starting in the Fall Term 2009, students must be admitted to the School of Business Administration to register for 300 and 400 level business courses unless they are a "continuing student". Please see below if you are a continuing student.

3. Have completed each of the following pre-business courses below with grade of "C -" or better; P/NP grades are not accepted:

  • BA 101 - Introduction to Business & World Affairs (4)
  • BA 205 - Business Communications Using Technology (4)
  • BA 211 - Fundamentals of Financial Accounting (4)
  • BA 213 - Decision Making with Accounting Information (4)
  • CS 106 - Computing Fundamentals II (4)
  • EC 201, 202 - Principles of Economics (8)
  • STAT 243 & 244 - Statistics I & II (8) - Students are encouraged to complete the section for business majors, indicated next to the section number with "BU".
  • SP 220 - Public Speaking
  • WR 121 - English Composition or Freshmen Inquiry (UNST 101, 102, and 103).

GPA exceptions - If students do not meet the minimum GPA requirements for admission to the School of Business Administration, they may be admitted if they meet all three of the following requirements:

  1. Student's GPA at Portland State University is at least 2.50
  2. Student's GPA in PSU School of Business Administration coursework is at least 2.75
  3. The student's GPA for the previous 12 credits of graded coursework at PSU is at least 3.00. Students pursuing the Post Baccalaureate Accounting Certificate must have at least a GPA of 3.00 for the most recent 8 credits of graded coursework at PSU.


Continuing PSU and/or Continuing Co-Admitted Students

Continuing or co-admitted PSU students are defined as students who have taken a course at PSU or started their co-admissions during or before Summer Term 2009. Students in this category will be given until the end of Summer Term 2010 to meet the 2008 or "old" SBA admissions requirements.

Continuing Student Applicants SBA Admissions Requirements:

Have a grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.75 in all transfer credits, all PSU graded credits, and all PSU graded business credits.

Please note: Continuing students who do not meet the above GPA requirements will be considered for admission only if the GPA for their most recent 28 graded credit hours at PSU is 3.0 or higher, and their cumulative PSU GPA is at least 2.5, and the GPA for all completed business courses at PSU is at least 2.5.

Continuing students will be held to the new admissions requirements if they apply to the SBA after Summer Term 2010.

Only continuing students will be allowed to register for 300 level business courses prior to being admitted to the SBA on the designated SBA non-admit registration day. As part of the implementation of the new admissions policy, continuing non-admitted SBA students must obtain special permission from their advisor prior to being able to register for 300 level business courses. To obtain special permission, please call 503-725-3712 or email your advisor 7 days prior to registration with your name, PSU student ID number, and what course(s) you are hoping to take the following term.

Pre-admission coursework remains the same for continuing students.