Changing into Business

Starting June 2025, students not currently in the College of Business must meet the following requirements to be eligible to change into the Business major due to increasing impaction.

Please carefully read through the steps below, including "Before You Get Started!", and make sure you connect with a Business Major Advisor regularly to discuss your eligibility and progress.

Not all students will be eligible to change into the Business major.

Before You Get Started!

 

Please review the information below for why a change of major request may be denied:

Changing into the College of Business
Requirement Restrictions
Minimum GPA Requirement
  • Students who start at SJSU as a first-time frosh or lower division transfer must meet the minimum GPA requirement for their desired concentration by the time they reach 60 SJSU units graded.
  • Students who start at SJSU as an upper division transfer must meet the minimum GPA requirement for their desired concentration by the time they reach 90 all-college units earned.
Minimum Grade Requirements
  • Students who do not earn the minimum grade in a course required for the change of major (e.g. MATH 70, BUS1 20) by their second attempt will not be eligible for a change of major to Business.
Completion of Lower Division Business Requirements
  • Students who start at SJSU as a first-time frosh or lower division transfer must complete all the lower division change of major requirements by 60 SJSU units graded.
  • Students who start at SJSU as a first-time frosh with excessive dual enrollment credit must consult with an advisor as they will likely be held to upper division transfer student requirements (listed below).
  • Students who start at SJSU as an upper division transfer student must complete all the change of major requirements by 90 all-college units earned. Units from a community college are capped at 70 when reviewing this unit requirement.

 

Step 1: Determine Concentration

Determine which Business Concentration you are interested in declaring.

Please note that students cannot change their major/concentration to the three concentrations listed below until they have earned at least 60 units (junior-standing) and have completed the change of major requirements (see Step 2):

     1. Accounting
     2. Accounting Information Systems
     3. Corporate Accounting & Finance

Important note: If you are currently an exploratory student (undeclared) and wish to declare into one of the above concentrations, consult with an advisor as soon as possible.

Step 2: Review Change of Major Requirements

A) Identify how many units graded (UG) or units earned (UE) you have completed by reviewing your unofficial transcript [pdf] via MySJSU. The number of units completed determine your academic standing (frosh, sophomore, junior, senior).

B) Now review the GPA and course requirements you must complete prior to changing your major/concentration. The requirements may increase as you complete more courses and earn more units.

C) Please consult with a business advisor as soon as possible to review outstanding requirements and help you create a plan to successfully change your major/concentration.

     - Frosh or Sophomore Standing: Less than 45 SJSU units graded (UG)
     - Sophomore Standing: 45 to 59 SJSU units graded (UG)
     - Junior Standing: 60 to 89 units earned (UE)
     - Senior Standing: 90 or more units earned (UE)

Frosh or Sophomore Standing: Less than 45 SJSU units graded (UG)

*Review your unofficial transcript [pdf] via MySJSU to determine your units graded
Concentrations: The following requirements must be met to change your concentration to one of these eleven concentrations:
  • Business Analytics
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Finance
  • General Business (with JHSSC advisor permission only)
  • Hospitality, Tourism & Event Management
  • Human Resource Management
  • International Business
  • Management
  • Management Information Systems
  • Marketing
  • Operations and Supply Chain Management
  • SJSU Cumulative GPA: 2.6 or greater
  • ENGL 2: Critical Thinking and Writing (GE: 1B, formerly GE: A3). Also accepted, ENGL 1B: Argument and Analysis (GE: 3B, formerly GE: C2) - Must receive a “C” or better
  • MATH 70: Mathematics for Business (GE: 2, formerly GE: B4) - Must receive a “C” or better

Requests are NOT accepted to the three concentrations listed below until a student meets the requirements outlined in the “Junior Standing: 60 to 89 units earned (UE)” section.

     1. Accounting
     2. Accounting Information Systems
     3. Corporate Accounting & Finance

Students should meet with a lower division business advisor for help with academic planning when working towards these majors.

Students should have a back up business concentration and/or non-business major in mind in the event they are unable to meet the change of major requirements.

Sophomore Standing: 45 to 59 SJSU units graded (UG)

*Review your unofficial transcript [pdf] via MySJSU to determine your units earned
Concentrations:  The following requirements must be met to change your concentration to Finance:
  • Finance
  • SJSU Cumulative GPA: 3.0 or greater
  • ENGL 2: Critical Thinking and Writing (GE: 1B, formerly GE: A3). Also accepted, ENGL 1B: Argument and Analysis (GE: 3B, formerly GE: C2) - Must receive a “C” or better
  • MATH 70: Mathematics for Business (GE: 2, formerly GE: B4) - Must receive a “C” or better
  • ECON 1A: Principles of Economics: Macroeconomics or ECON 1B: Principles of Economics: Microeconomics (GE: 4, formerly GE: D) - Must receive a “C” or better in either course
  • BUS2 90: Business Statistics - Must receive a “C” or better
  • BUS1 20: Financial Accounting - Must receive a “C” or better
 

The following requirements must be met to change your concentration to one of these ten concentrations:
  • Business Analytics
  • Entrepreneurship
  • General Business (with JHSSC advisor permission only)
  • Hospitality, Tourism & Event Management
  • Human Resource Management
  • International Business
  • Management
  • Management Information Systems
  • Marketing
  • Operations and Supply Chain Management
  • SJSU Cumulative GPA: 2.6 or greater
  • ENGL 2: Critical Thinking and Writing (GE: 1B, formerly GE: A3). Also accepted, ENGL 1B: Argument and Analysis (GE: 3B, formerly GE: C2) - Must receive a “C” or better
  • MATH 70: Mathematics for Business (GE: 2, formerly GE: B4) - Must receive a “C” or better
  • ECON 1A: Principles of Economics: Macroeconomics or ECON 1B: Principles of Economics: Microeconomics (GE: 4, formerly GE: D) - Must receive a “D-” or better in either course
  • BUS2 90: Business Statistics - Must receive a “C” or better
  • BUS1 20: Financial Accounting  - Must receive a “C” or better

Requests are NOT accepted to the three concentrations listed below until a student meets the requirements outlined in the “Junior Standing: 60 to 89 units earned (UE)” section.

     1. Accounting
     2. Accounting Information Systems
     3. Corporate Accounting & Finance

Students should meet with a lower division business advisor for help with planning when working towards these majors.

Students should have a back up business concentration and/or non-business major in mind in the event they are unable to meet the change of major requirements.

Junior Standing: 60 to 89 units earned (UE)

*Review your unofficial transcript [pdf] via MySJSU to determine your units earned
Concentrations:  The following requirements must be met to change your concentration to one of these three concentrations:
  • Accounting
  • Accounting Information Systems
  • Corporate Accounting & Finance
  • Generally, successful requests have at least an SJSU cumulative GPA of 3.0 or greater
  • ENGL 2: Critical Thinking and Writing (GE: 1B, formerly GE: A3). Also accepted, ENGL 1B: Argument and Analysis (GE: 3B, formerly GE: C2) - Must receive a “C” or better
  • MATH 70: Mathematics for Business (GE: 2, formerly GE: B4) - Must receive a “C” or better
  • ECON 1A: Principles of Economics: Macroeconomics - Must receive a “D-” or better
  • ECON 1B: Principles of Economics: Microeconomics (GE: 4, formerly GE: D) - Must receive a “D-” or better
  • BUS2 90: Business Statistics - Must receive a “C” or better
  • BUS1 20: Financial Accounting - Must receive a “C” or better
  • Complete BUS1 121A: Intermediate Accounting with at least a “B” or better.
  • Complete three more upper-division business courses or concentration courses. SJSU Studies Areas R and V do not count towards this requirement.
  • Note: Students who have repeated any upper-division accounting course are ineligible to change/declare their concentration to accounting (you only get one attempt).
 

The following requirements must be met to change your concentration to Finance:
  • Finance 
  • Generally, successful requests have at least an SJSU cumulative GPA of 3.0 or greater
  • ENGL 2: Critical Thinking and Writing (GE: 1B, formerly GE: A3). Also accepted, ENGL 1B: Argument and Analysis (GE: 3B, formerly GE: C2) - Must receive a “C” or better
  • MATH 70: Mathematics for Business (GE: 2, formerly GE: B4) - Must receive a “C” or better
  • ECON 1A: Principles of Economics: Macroeconomics - Must receive a “C” or better
  • ECON 1B: Principles of Economics: Microeconomics (GE: 4, formerly GE: D) - Must receive a “C” or better
  • BUS2 90: Business Statistics - Must receive a “C” or better
  • BUS1 20: Financial Accounting  - Must receive a “C” or better
  • BUS1 21: Managerial Accounting  - Must receive a “C” or better
  • BUS1 170: Fundamentals of Finance  - Must receive a “B” or better
  • Complete three more upper-division business courses or concentration courses. SJSU Studies Areas R and V do not count towards this requirement.
  The following requirements must be met to change your concentration to one of these ten concentrations:
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Business Analytics
  • General Business (with JHSSC advisor permission only)
  • Hospitality, Tourism & Event Management
  • Human Resource Management
  • International Business
  • Management
  • Management Information Systems
  • Marketing
  • Operations and Supply Chain Management
  • SJSU Cumulative GPA: 2.6 or greater
  • ENGL 2: Critical Thinking and Writing (GE: 1B, formerly GE: A3). Also accepted, ENGL 1B: Argument and Analysis (GE: 3B, formerly GE: C2) - Must receive a “C” or better
  • MATH 70: Mathematics for Business (GE: 2, formerly GE: B4) - Must receive a “C” or better
  • ECON 1A: Principles of Economics: Macroeconomics - Must receive a “D-” or better
  • ECON 1B: Principles of Economics: Microeconomics (GE: 4, formerly GE: D) - Must receive a “D-” or better
  • BUS2 90: Business Statistics - Must receive a “C” or better
  • BUS1 20: Financial Accounting - Must receive a “C” or better
  • BUS1 21: Managerial Accounting - Must receive a “D-” or better
  • Complete four upper-division business courses or concentration courses. SJSU Studies Areas R and V do not count towards this requirement.

Students should meet with a business advisor for help with planning when working towards these majors.

Senior Standing: 90 or more units earned (UE):

In addition to meeting the requirements listed for your desired business concentration in the “Junior Standing: 60 to 89 units earned (UE)” section, Seniors must also petiton to change their major. The required forms and video tutorials can be found in the "Change of Major Forms" section below.

Students should submit their completed forms to an advisor during our drop-ins hours (Service #2). Incomplete or incorrect forms will not be accepted.

Please note students are not eligible to change their major if it will delay their graduation.

     Change of Major Forms (Seniors Only)

In addition to meeting the requirements listed for your desired business concentration in the “Junior Standing: 60 to 89 units earned (UE)” section, Seniors must also petiton to change their major.

Please complete the following four documents (handwritten not accepted); review the linked video tutorials for additional support:

  1. Change of Major petition
  2. Business Administration Major Form
  3. Personal statement (save as a PDF)
  4. Your SJSU Unofficial Transcript (save as a PDF)

Once you complete the above steps, meet with an advisor during an appointment or drop-in advising to submit your completed forms. More information can be found on our Upper Division Advising webpage.

Step 3: Change of Major Dates

You must meet with an advisor during our change of major window:

Change of Major Dates
Term Dates
Fall 2026 September 8, 2026 - October 2, 2026
Spring 2027 January 4, 2027 - February 25, 2027
Summer 2027 June 15, 2027 - June 30, 2027

See our Lower Division Advising or Upper Division Advising website for how to connect with an advisor.

 

Newly Admitted Students

Newly admitted students cannot change their major prior to or during orientation. Newly admitted students must attend orientation sessions based on their admitted major. No student is eligible to change their major until they have established an SJSU GPA and met the requirements listed in Steps 1 and 2.

However, students interested in changing their major will have an opportunity to let their current major advisors know during orientation. This will be taken into consideration when registering in classes for your first semester.

Generally, new students cannot meet a business advisor regarding change of major until the start of their first semester. For Spring 2027 Admits: