Transfer Student Questions
Frequently Asked Questions for Prospective Transfer Students
CSULB accepts applications from upper-division transfer students each year from October 1 through November 30 for admission to the following fall semester and from August 1 through August 31 for the spring semester. Get started by reviewing the admission criteria and then find out how to apply.
We receive applications from thousands of highly qualified applicants each year. Applicants are admitted based on California State University minimum criteria, as well as on CSU Long Beach’s major-specific criteria. These criteria include unit minimums, lower-division coursework, General Education courses, and minimum grade point averages. You must carefully choose a major when you apply to CSULB as an upper-division transfer; if you do not qualify for your first choice, we will not consider an alternate major.
NOTE: CSULB is closed to Lower-Division Transfer Applications with the exception of a limited number of highly-qualified Nursing students.
The College of Business (COB) at CSULB provides well-rounded curricula that prepare students for the competitive world of business. COB is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB), which represents the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide, and is also continually rated as one of the Best Business Schools by Princeton Review.
COB extends beyond the classroom through a variety of co-curricular activities. Our student organizations are award-winning and highly connected to our Corporate Partners. The Student Center for Professional Development provides students with the opportunity to gain leadership skills, fine-tune business etiquette and networking skills, establish internships, and create professional mentoring opportunities. Our students also have opportunities to put what they have learned into practice by competing in programs such as the Beach Investment Group (B.I.G), Innovation Challenge, Boeing Case Study Competition, and the International Collegiate Business Strategy Competition.
Applicants must demonstrate academic preparation for Upper Division Major course work and should have completed:
- 60 transferable units
- Major preparation courses
- Be in good academic standing
- General Education courses, including Written Communication, Oral Communication, Critical Thinking, and College Level Math
Major preparation courses required for admission are:
- Business Calculus or Finite Math *Business Calculus can be replaced with higher Calculus courses
- Financial Accounting
- Managerial Accounting
- Macroeconomics
- Microeconomics
- Business Law
Admission to CSULB is competitive, and we strongly recommend completing additional course work:
- Introduction to Business Data Analysis & Programming
- Introductory Business Statistics
- United States History
- U.S. Constitution & American Ideals
Yes. Applying via CalState Apply presents 8 major options for the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) degree: Accountancy, Finance, Management Information Systems, International Business, Human Resources Management, Management, Marketing, and Operations & Supply Chain Management.
Yes, if you are considered “local,” you will have preference. CSULB determines which freshmen and transfer applicants will receive “local” preference for admission consideration based on their high school of graduation. For a map and list of local area schools, please refer to Local Area MAP as Preference for Freshmen and Transfers
Additionally, CSULB extends “local” preference to military veterans regardless of their school of origin.
Students who meet all CSU upper-division transfer eligibility requirements and complete COB Major Specific Requirements listed above, or Transfer AS degree in Business, are fully qualified to enter COB and will be considered for admission. Fully qualified applicants who are ‘local’ will be offered admission first. Other fully qualified applicants will be considered on a space available basis based on their academic performance (GPA and successful completion of the recommended coursework listed above) compared with other applicants for the major.
No, as long as you received a C or better in Calculus I. Please note that COB accepts courses that are equivalent to Calculus I (MATH 122) - or Survey of Calculus (Math 119A) or higher. COB will also accept AP Calculus credit.
Fall Admission: Coursework and unit minimums must be completed no later than the prior Spring term for all applicants. In January, applicants must complete a supplemental application asking about Fall grades and plans for the Spring semester.
Spring Admission: Coursework and unit minimums must be completed no later than the prior Summer term for all applicants. In September, applicants must complete a supplemental application asking about Summer grades.
Your community college lower-division Associates of Science/Arts for Transfer (also referred to as AD-T) courses will supersede CSULB’s lower-division COB admission requirements and we will accept them. However, to streamline your transition, we highly encourage you to complete your other requirements such as U.S. History, U.S. Constitution & American Ideals, and any remaining lower-division COB courses at a community college. To check for articulation, please visit Assist.org. For more information about the Transfer AA/AS degree, please refer to the Associate Degree for Transfer Program (ADT).
COB’s Center for Student Success (CSS) provides students with one-on-one advising. The center’s main goal is to ease the transition, increase graduation rates, and focus on career preparedness. Through CSS, students receive services such as assistance with registration, use of campus resources, major and General Education graduation requirements, study abroad, program planning, course substitutions/equivalencies, as well as Transfer Mandatory Advising (TMA) in the first semester to help new students plan for academic success, as well as provide continued guidance through graduation. Additionally, students are provided with resources such as Supplemental Instruction and free tutoring to enhance their educational potential. Our COB Day allows students to learn, explore, and connect with our co-curricular programs, such as the Student Center for Professional Development and student organizations.
For more information, contact us at COB-Outreach@csulb.edu or visit our COB Outreach Website
