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Zarb School of Business Majors and Minors  

Office: Third Floor, Weller Hall
Website
Phone: 516-463-5678
Fax: 516-463-5268

Herman A. Berliner, Dean
Elizabeth K. Venuti, Senior Associate Dean
Gioia P. Bales, Associate Dean
Brian Caligiure, Assistant Dean for Administration

The Frank G. Zarb School of Business offers day and evening undergraduate and graduate study. The School offers programs leading to the Bachelor of Business Administration, Master of Business Administration, Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration, Executive Master of Business Administration, and Master of Science degrees, and also offers minors in business subjects. Combined BBA/MBA and BBA/MS programs, undergraduate certificates and advanced graduate certificates in business are also offered.

During the summer, the Zarb School of Business offers Hofstra students several opportunities to study abroad and learn about global business issues.

Departments

• Accounting, Taxation and Legal Studies in Business  
• Finance  
• Information Systems and Business Analytics  
• Management and Entrepreneurship  
• Marketing and International Business 

I. Frank G. Zarb School of Business Mission

Educating for Personal and Professional Achievement

II. Educational Philosophy

The Zarb School is dedicated to a student-focused education that provides students the foundational knowledge and decision-making skills to achieve their personal and professional goals. Our educational mission is driven by our commitment to academic excellence and is enriched by the opportunities of our location.

III. Values, Principles and Practices

We realize our Mission and Educational Philosophy by offering multiple-degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels and adhering to the following Values and Principles:

1. Maintaining a collegiate setting dedicated to the advancement of learning and knowledge.
2. Supporting high standards of ethical conduct among all members of the Zarb School community.
3. Valuing diversity and creating a supportive and collegial environment.
4. Maintaining a culture of academic excellence by supporting and rewarding faculty achievements in teaching, scholarship, and service.
5. Cultivating close faculty interaction with students to develop their personal and professional skills.
6. Attracting motivated students who will be respected for their personal and professional success and contributions to society.
7. Bringing cutting-edge business practices and current academic insight to our students.
8. Striving for continuous improvement through regular assessment of our mission, educational philosophy and educational outcomes.

IV. Core Educational Goals

The Zarb School of Business is committed to a rigorous and relevant curriculum that seeks to achieve the following core educational goals:

1. Strong functional knowledge in the student’s area of specialization.
2. Proficiency in communication.
3. Development of analytical and critical thinking skills for effective decision making.
4. Understanding the issues of the contemporary global business environment.
5. Knowledge of current information and communication technologies.
6. Awareness of the ethical and the social responsibility issues in business.

Specific Objectives of Each Program

In addition to the core educational goals listed above, each program in the Frank G. Zarb School of Business has the following specific objectives:

Objectives of the Bachelor of Business Administration Program

The BBA program provides a broad-based curriculum that integrates core business competencies and functional specialization with a foundation in liberal arts and sciences to prepare its students for careers in the profit and not-for-profit sectors.  In addition, the program seeks to impart to its students the value of lifelong learning and professional development.

Objectives of the Undergraduate Certificate Programs

The Undergraduate Certificate programs enable qualified individuals holding baccalaureate degrees (in any field) to specialize in a business area within the BBA program and thus, offer career-switching opportunities.

Undergraduate Programs

The Bachelor of Business Administration program has been professionally accredited by AACSB International – The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business for more than 30 years. In addition, the Department of Accounting, Taxation and Legal Studies in Business  has a special accounting accreditation from AACSB International. These accreditations ensure that faculty, academic programs and facilities meet the highest professional standards. The curricula provide a broad, liberal arts education that prepare students for responsible citizenship and leadership roles in business and not-for-profit organizations in the United States and abroad. The majority of business core courses are taken at the sophomore level and above. Major elective courses are taken in the last two years of a four-year curriculum, thus permitting freshmen and sophomores to acquire a solid liberal arts foundation in the humanities, social and natural sciences, mathematics, computer science, and cross-cultural areas.

Prior to the beginning of junior year, the student must confer with a Zarb School of Business adviser. Undecided business students should meet with a faculty adviser in one of the School of Business departments. The School of Business undergraduate academic majors are as follows:

• Accounting  
• Entrepreneurship  
• Finance  
• Information Systems  
• International Business  
• Legal Studies in Business                
• Management  
• Marketing  
• Supply Chain Management  

NOTE: All majors must be declared at the Office of Academic Records. Forms are available in Zarb School of Business departmental offices.

To facilitate proactive advisement, the Zarb School of Business extends multiple advisement avenues so that business students are fully informed of the necessary degree requirements for each BBA major. A personalized progress report called the Degree Audit Report (DAR) is available online. For students starting in the fall 2013 semester and beyond, a more interactive personalized program of study progress report is accessible via an application called DegreeWorks. Students are required to make use of their degree audit in DegreeWorks/DAR for course selection, advisement and registration purposes. Students who fail to do so assume the risk of notification of nonfulfillment of requirements prior to graduation.

School of Business courses may not be taken on a Pass/D+/D/Fail basis.

Nonbusiness students may take no more than 25 percent of their course work in business subjects.

Bachelor of Business Administration

Candidates for graduation with the degree of Bachelor of Business Administration must fulfill the following requirements:

Transfer Credit and Residency Requirements

1. Transfer of Business Credits
   At least 50 percent of the business credits required for the BBA degree must be earned at Hofstra. Course work given elective credit in business subjects may not be applied to major requirements.
2. Transfer of Liberal Arts Distribution Courses
   Students may be able to use transfer credit and/or advanced standing/placement credit to reduce the liberal arts distribution course requirements in the Bachelor of Business Administration program described above.
   Credits earned elsewhere may be used to reduce distribution requirements only if courses are completed before the student matriculates at Hofstra. Credits that Hofstra students earn as visiting students elsewhere may not be used to reduce distribution course requirements. See HCLAS transfer credit requirements  regarding transfer credit of liberal arts distribution courses.

Once matriculated, current students may not take courses at other educational institutions. Only in rare cases and for exceptional and extenuating circumstances will a request to attend another educational institution be considered. To request a waiver from this policy, please contact the appropriate Dean’s Office who must approve any waiver in advance. Please note that documentation of the extenuating circumstance(s) may be required. 

Study Abroad courses taken at other institutions are the exception. Students studying abroad either directly at foreign institutions or under the auspices of other U.S. institutions may still arrange to have their credits counted toward the completion of Hofstra degree requirements. It is important to remember, however, to get permission from the Office of Study Abroad Programs to transfer those credits BEFORE going abroad.

Students with junior or senior standing (60 or more hours) are not permitted to enroll for courses at junior or community colleges offering two-year terminal programs. (See Transfer Credit Policy  for complete requirements.)

Minors in Business

Business minors provide BBA and non-BBA students with an enriched understanding of the business world. A completed minor field will be listed on the student’s transcript.

Students with a major in a business area may choose a minor in a second business area. For a business minor, BBA students must complete, only under faculty advisement in the department offering the minor, a minimum of 18-19 semester hours with grades of C- or better in that second area of study, with at least 6-12 hours in-residence depending upon the chosen minor. While the introductory courses (e.g., courses numbered 1, 2, 101 and 110) included in the undergraduate business and general requirements may be counted within the total 18-19 credit hours, no course may be used toward the minor if it is also being used as an elective in the major field.

Minors are offered in Accounting , Entrepreneurship , Finance , Finance for Mathematics Majors , General Business , Human Resources Management , Information Systems , Information Systems and Business Analytics , International Business , International Marketing , Legal Studies in Business , Management , Marketing , Multi-Channel Marketing , Promotion , and Supply Chain Management .

Business majors who want to pursue a minor in a nonbusiness area should obtain a description of the minor requirements from the appropriate department. See the minors in the Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences  and the School of Education .

Nonbusiness majors may choose a minor in the School of Business. The requirements are the successful completion of a minimum of 18-19 semester hours of business courses with grades of C- or better, only under faculty advisement in the department offering the minor, with at least 6-12 hours in residence, depending on the chosen minor.

For a minor in General Business for nonbusiness majors only, see General Business .

No School of Business courses may be taken on a Pass/D+/D/Fail basis.

No student pursuing a bachelor’s degree, other than a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, may complete more than 30 semester hours of School of Business course work without prior permission of the School of Business Dean’s Office. The student must have the appropriate form approved by and filed with the major and minor departments. For further information regarding business minors, contact the chairperson of the appropriate department.

All minors must be declared at the Office of Academic Records. Forms are available in Zarb School of Business departmental offices.

Undergraduate Certificate Programs

For more information about Undergraduate Business Certificate Programs, please click here.  

Dual Degrees

Bachelor of Business Administration/Master of Business Administration (BBA/MBA)

The Frank G. Zarb School of Business offers combined BBA/MBA programs .

Qualified undergraduate students can elect to enroll in a dual-degree program, combining their BBA with either a Master of Business Administration or Master of Science in any major concentration. The dual-degree program can be completed in five years.

The BBA/MBA program requires the successful completion of at least 155 semester hours, including at least 113 semester hours at the undergraduate level and 42 semester hours at the graduate level, with the exception of BBA core courses and IMS 180 . Students who are admitted to the MBA portion of the dual degree program can substitute up to 15 semester hours of undergraduate course work for their bachelor’s degree with an equal number of semester hours of MBA-level graduate course work, with the permission of the student’s BBA major department chairperson.

For complete MBA and MS requirements please see the Graduate Studies Bulletin; click here and select the current Graduate Bulletin from the drop-down menu on the right.

Bachelor of Business Administration/Master of Science (BBA/MS)

The BBA/MS program requires the successful completion of at least 149 semester hours, including at least 119 semester hours at the undergraduate level and 30 semester hours at the graduate level, with the exception of BBA core courses and IMS 180 . Students who are admitted to the MS portion of the dual degree program can substitute up to nine semester hours of undergraduate course work for their bachelor’s degree with an equal number of semester hours of MS-level graduate course work, with the permission of the student’s BBA major department chairperson.

The Frank G. Zarb School of Business offers combined BBA/MS programs  with majors in the following areas:

• Accounting (BBA) and Accounting (MS), Dual-degree Program  
• Accounting (BBA) and Taxation (MS), Dual-degree Program  
• Information Systems (BBA) and Information Systems (MS), Dual-degree Program  
• Management (BBA) and Human Resources Management (MS), Dual-degree Program  
• Marketing (BBA) and Marketing (MS), Dual-degree Program  
• Marketing (BBA) and Marketing Research (MS), Dual-degree Program  

Bachelor of Business Administration/Master of Science in Education (BBA/MSEd)

The Frank G. Zarb School of Business and the School of Education  offers a combined BBA/MSEd program in:

• Management (BBA) and Business Education (MSEd) Dual-degree Program  

Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science/Master of Business Administration or Master of Science

Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the Frank G. Zarb School of Business offer the following BA or BS and MBA or MS dual degree programs:

• BA in Economics/Master of Business Administration  (151 s.h.)
• BA in Mathematical Economics/Master of Business Administration   (151 s.h.)
• BS in Economics (Business)/Master of Business Administration  (151 s.h.)
• BS in Mathematical Business Economics/Master of Business Administration  (151 s.h.)
• BS in Mathematical Business Economics/Master of Science in Finance  (149 s.h.)
• BA in Labor Studies/Master of Business Administration  (154 s.h.)

Dual-degree programs in economics (BA or BS) and master’s program (MBA or MS)
Qualified undergraduate students can elect to enroll in a dual degree program, combining their undergraduate bachelor’s degree in economics with a master of business administration or master of science. The dual degree programs can be completed in five years.

The BA or BS/MBA programs require the successful completion of 151 semester hours, including at least 107 semester hours at the undergraduate level and 44 semester hours at the graduate level. Students who are admitted to the MBA portion of the dual-degree program can use up to 17 semester hours of MBA-level graduate course work to satisfy their bachelor’s degree requirements subject to advisement and chairperson approval.

The BS/MS program requires the successful completion of 149 semester hours, including at least 116 semester hours at the undergraduate level and 33 semester hours at the graduate level. Students who are admitted to the MS portion of the dual degree program can substitute up to nine semester hours of undergraduate course work for their bachelor’s degree with an equal number of semester hours of MS-level graduate course work.

Interested students should apply for admission into their chosen dual degree programs in economics/MBA or economics/MS no later than at the end of the junior year or before completion of 92 semester hours of course work, and before seeking admission to the MBA or MS program. In order to be eligible for admission to the MBA or MS portion of the dual-degree program, students must fulfill the following admission requirements:

1. a score on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) of at least 550 taken before the end of their junior year, or before completion of 92 semester hours of course work.
2. Achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.2 at the time of application to the MBA or MS program or upon completion of 92 semester hours of course work toward their BA or BS degree, whichever is later.
3. Successfully complete IT 014  and LEGL 020 .

Undergraduate students must apply and be accepted into the graduate program before being allowed to take graduate courses as part of their undergraduate program. In addition, students must complete the BA or BS degree before being permitted to take more than 17 graduate semester hours for the BA or BS/MBA programs or nine semester hours for the BS/MS program. Please contact the Zarb School of Business Graduate Programs Office for information.

See the complete BA/BS requirements in the HCLAS section  of this Bulletin.  

Labor Studies (BA) and Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the Frank G. Zarb School of Business offer the following combined BA and MBA dual-degree program:

• Labor Studies (BA) and Master of Business Administration (MBA), Dual-degree Program  

Qualified undergraduate students can elect to enroll in this dual-degree program, combining their undergraduate bachelor’s degree in labor studies with a Master of Business Administration. The dual-degree program can be completed in five years.

The BA in Labor Studies/MBA program requires the successful completion of 154 s.h., including a minimum of 110 s.h. at the undergraduate level and 44 s.h. at the graduate level. Students who are admitted to the MBA portion of the dual-degree program can use up to 14 s.h. of MBA-level graduate course work to satisfy their bachelor’s degree requirements, subject to advisement and chairperson’s approval.

Interested students should apply for admission into the dual-degree program in Labor Studies/MBA in any major concentration no later than at the conclusion of the junior year or before completion of 92 semester hours of course work, and prior to seeking admission to the MBA program. In order to be eligible for admission to the MBA portion of the dual-degree program, students must fulfill the following admission requirements:

1. Take the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) and receive a score of at least 550 before the end of their junior year, or before completion of 92 semester hours of course work;
2. Achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.2 at the time of application to the MBA program or upon completion of 92 semester hours of course work toward their BA degree, whichever is later; and
3. Complete a minimum of 30 semester hours of undergraduate course work in residence at Hofstra

Undergraduate students must apply to and be accepted into the graduate program before being allowed to take graduate courses as part of their undergraduate program. In addition, students must complete the BA degree before being permitted to take more than 14 graduate semester hours for the BA/MBA program. Please contact the Zarb School of Business Graduate Programs Office for information.

Students admitted to this dual degree program will receive a BA in Labor Studies upon completion of the following requirements:

1. The complete BA requirements described in the Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section of this Bulletin. In particular, successful completion of a total of 124 semester hours.
2. The specific requirements described in the MBA section of the Hofstra University Graduate Bulletin.

Academic Chairs and Distinguished Professorships

• The Bernon Family Endowed Distinguished Professorship in Business.
• The Robert E. Brockway ‘46 Endowed Distinguished Professorship in Marketing is held by Dr. Neelankavil, Professor of Marketing and International Business.
• The Brodlieb Distinguished Professorship in Business is held by Dr. Mathur, Professor of Marketing and International Business.
• The Chaykin Distinguished Teaching Professorship in Accounting.
• The Chaykin Endowed Chair in Accounting is held by Dr. Polimeni, Professor of Accounting.
• The Cypres Family Distinguished Professorship in Legal Studies in Business is held by Professor Martin, Professor of Legal Studies in Business.
• The Robert F. Dall Distinguished Professorship in Business is held by Dr. Sonfield, Professor of Management and General Business.
• The Harold Lazarus Endowed Chair in China Business Studies
• The Walter H. “Bud” Miller Distinguished Professorship in Business is held by Dr. Berman, Professor of Marketing and International Business.
• The RMI Distinguished Professorship in Business is held by Dr. Evans, Professor of Marketing and International Business.
• The Honey and Arthur Sorin Distinguished Teaching Fellow in Business is held by Professor Sodano, Senior Executive Adviser to the President and Executive-in-Residence in Finance.
• The C.V. Starr Distinguished Professorship in Finance and International Financial Services.
• The C.V. Starr Distinguished Professorship in Finance and Investment Banking is held by Dr. Papaioannou, Professor of Finance.
• The Mel Weitz Distinguished Professorship in Business

For additional information, see Endowed Chairs and Distinguished Professorships .

Student Activities

The Zarb School of Business offers undergraduate business students a wide variety of clubs and organizations that enhance their educational experience at Hofstra and help prepare them as future business leaders. These include:

• Accounting Society
• Advertising Club
• Alpha Kappa Psi
• Beta Alpha Psi honor society
• Beta Gamma Sigma honor society
• Financial Management Association (FMA)
• Hofstra American Marketing Association (HAMA)
• Hofstra Collegiate Entrepreneurial Organization
• Hofstra Fashion Club
• Hofstra Information Technology Association
• Hofstra Tax Society
• Institute of Legal Studies in Business
• Institute of Management Accountants (IMA)
• International Business Association (IBA)
• Pride Investment Club
• National Association of Black Accountants
• Society for the Advancement of Management (SAM)