Frequently Asked Questions

When a student declares a major he/she is indicating which major he/she would like to pursue. In the College of Business students can declare Accounting, Finance, International Business, Management or Marketing.

When a student is admitted into their major, that means he/she has met the admission requirements.

To change from a Business major to a different Business major or to change your Business faculty advisor, stop by or email the College of Business Student Center:

Email: cobadvise@mnsu.edu
Office Location: Morris Hall 151

To change from a Non-Business major to a Business major, you must meet with an advisor in the College of Business Student Center. Please stop by Morris Hall 151 or call 507-389-2963 to schedule an appointment to come in and meet with the advisor. 

Your catalog year is listed on your Interactive Degree Audit Report (DARS) which can be found in eServices. It is typically the year you started taking classes at MSU (not as PSEO). Students are able to use any catalog from the time they enrolled at MSU up to the present. Note that catalogs are invalid after six (6) years of circulation. You must graduate before your catalog year expires or move to an active catalog year.

A student can take 1 to 18 credits a semester. Students who wish to take more than 18 credits must complete the [PDF] Credit Overload Form (11 KiB) (also available in the College of Business Student Center in MH 151) and obtain the appropriate signatures based on the number of credits as listed at the top of the Credit Overload Form. 

1-18 Credits: No additional permission required 
19-21 Credits: Faculty Advisor and Chair 
22-24 Credits: Faculty Advisor, Chair and Dean 
25-27 Credits: Faculty Advisor, Chair, Dean and Vice President for Academic Affairs

The form is then turned into the Student Center in Morris Hall 151 for processing.

To apply for admission you must register for BUS 295 Professional Preparation for Business Careers. This is the course you take to be considered for admission to the College of Business. BUS 295 is typically taken the second semester of your sophomore year.

The criteria for admission to the College of Business is:

1. Minimum 2.70 total cumulative grade point average required. (Includes transfer gpa. The gpa is not rounded up.)
2. Complete 33 of the 44 required General Education credits. (Complete remainder of Gen. Ed. prior to graduation.) Specific General Education Courses Required for Business majors are: MATH 130, ECON 201, ECON 202, ECON 207 and one from PHIL 120W, PHIL 205W, PHIL 222W, PHIL 224W, PHIL 226W or PHIL 240W. 
3. Completion of the Required Prerequisite Courses and Lower Division Courses as listed on the COB Requirement Guide online.

Multiple criteria will be considered for admission to the College of Business. Admission is competitive; meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee admission. Deadlines for application are: October 1 for Spring Semester and March 1 for Fall Semester.

Repeating Courses: Any particular course can only be repeated twice. In other words, a given course can only be taken at most three times--the first attempt/completion of the course and two repeats of that same course. A withdrawal will count as an attempt. In any repeated class, the most recent grade (not the best grade) will become the official grade for the course. All grades will remain on the transcript, but the previous attempts will not be calculated in the GPA or counted toward graduation. Courses originally completed under either the P/N or regular grading method may be repeated under either the P/N or regular grading method. If the initial course was transferred in from another institution, students must file a [PDF] Repeated Course Form (411 KiB) at the Office of the Registrar upon completion of the repeated course to initiate the change to the transcript.

It is suggested that students consult with advisors prior to repeating courses so their completion rate is not negatively affected. See [PDF] policy (213 KiB) on repeat grades.

Foundatoins of Business Concepts is a course that focuses on the basic business functions of Accounting, Finance, Management, and Marketing. This class provides students a review of each field of study to help students understand the business world in a broad sense. This course also fits into category 5 of general education.

Students who are not majoring in Business but want to declare a Business minor must meet with an advisor in the College of Business Student Center to go over the requirements of the minor and declare the minor. Some Business minors require a minimum total cumulative gpa to be able to register and/or complete the minor. (Just because you declare the minor and take some of the 100-200 level courses for the minor does not mean you meet the requirements to register for the upper-division courses required for the minor. Being allowed to register for an upper-division Business course(s) required for your Non-Business major does not mean you meet the requirements to take upper-division Business courses for a minor)

Students are required to take a minimum of 44 semester credit hours in general education courses and fulfill the general education goal areas without any 8/2 Rule Violations. For more information consult the undergraduate catalog for the year you started at Minnesota State (Be sure it matches the catalog year listed on your DARS). All transfer students should see an advisor in their college upon arrival at MSU. MSU will honor the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum offered at other institutions. Transcript evaluations are completed by the Office of the Registrar. If there are any additional requirements the students must complete, it will help to know them while planning any advanced work.

If the minimum number of credits of general education is reached or if the Minnesota transfer curriculum has been completed, the general education requirement should be satisfied.  However, if specific general education courses that are required for the major are not complete, the student will still be required to complete those classes. 

Diverse Culture courses study the diverse components of culture in order to offer an understanding of the history and culture of ethnically diverse groups; majority/minority relations; civil rights; and other economic, political, social, and educational issues surrounding such pluralism. This study of diverse cultures emphasizes understanding the dynamics of race, gender, sexual orientation, age class, and disabilities.

Students pursuing a baccalaureate degree must take at least two (2) courses and a minimum of six (6) credits from the list of courses designated as diverse cultures.  Two types of courses fulfill the diverse cultures requirement: diverse cultures gold courses and diverse cultures purple. Diverse Cultures is a requirement for graduation.

If you took a class at another institution that is required for your major at Minnesota State University, Mankato, you must first have your official transcript sent to the Office of the Registrar at MSU. Once your transcript has been processed by the Office of the Registrar, the transfer courses will be converted to MSU courses in one of two ways: generic or equivalent. A generic course (i.e. ACCT TRF) indicates that the course is not equivalent to an MSU course. If the course is required for your major and you believe it is equivalent or substitutable to an MSU course, you must bring a course syllabus or course description of the course transferred in to the Department Chair. For example, if a student took a management course at another institution and he/she believes it might be "equivalent" for the MSU course MGMT 200, then the student should meet with the Management Department Chairperson. Only the Department Chairperson can determine if a transfer courses are substitutable.

You can find the College of Business Student Organizations here. 

Yes. Business Scholarship applications are open during February each year. Scholarships are awarded at the end of each Spring semester and payout the following Fall and Spring. Applications are available on the web at: http://cob.mnsu.edu/scholarships/.

Contact at the International Programs Office in the Centennial Student Union 250. The phone number is 507-389-1281. Minnesota State University, Mankato also participates in a National Student Exchange with Universities in the United States.

Yes, Minnesota State University, Mankato does have an Honors Program. For more information please click on Honors Program.

Undergraduate students should apply one semester prior to the expected graduation term.

• Please contact the Registration and Academic Records office with any questions.
• Students can apply online using the Undergraduate Graduation Application (If you plan to walk at Commencement, you must register to walk through the Graduation Services office).

You must first apply to graduate and be approved to graduate before you can register to walk in Commencement.  

Visit the Commencement Services page

Apply for Graduation

You will receive more information from MNSU-Events on how to register for the ceremony around mid-semester.