College of Business

Preparing Transformational Responsible Business Leaders

Located in California’s lush Central Coast, the College of Business is a leader in business education. At CSUMB, our students learn to develop and transform businesses and nonprofits into modern community-focused organizations, achieving financial success while caring for human and environmental resources in an ethical and equitable manner.

The College of Business is focused on student success, academic excellence, transformational innovation, community responsibility and societal impact. With our unique emphasis on Responsible Business, we're preparing tomorrow's business leaders to make a positive impact on their local communities and around the globe.

Why Our College Stands Out

Our small class sizes allow students to connect one-on-one with their professors, who are deeply invested in the success of their students. Capstone projects provide hands-on experience in collaborating with teammates to create professional presentations, and all of our students gain real-world experience through individualized internships.

These advantages, combined with abundant networking opportunities and career readiness resources offered through our Accelerated Career Counseling, Exploration, and Student Success (ACCESS) programs, ensure College of Business students are top candidates for full-time positions with employers in a variety of industries in the Monterey Bay region and beyond.

Responsible Business is the Prime Objective

What is Responsible Business?

A diagram for the college of business that shows aspects of Responsible Business

CSUMB's College of Business is the only one of its kind in the world to teach Responsible Business and the Quintuple Bottom Line (QBL) as core concepts. The QBL goes beyond the traditional triple bottom line of profit, people and planet by incorporating ethics and equity into business practices and everyday decision-making.

The College of Business is a United Nations PRME Signatory

According to the United Nations-supported initiative, Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) “aims to raise the profile of sustainability in (business) classrooms through Six Principles focused on serving society and safeguarding our planet. As a voluntary initiative with over 800 signatories worldwide, PRME has become the largest organized relationship between the United Nations and management-related higher education institutions.”

Selected Program Highlights

Discover our business programs designed to shape leaders in responsible business practices. Explore our programs, from undergraduate to graduate levels, and start your journey to responsible business!

Sustainable Hospitality & Tourism Management

The College of Business’ Sustainable Hospitality & Tourism Management program provides students with a chance to put learning into “service with the heart,” as Carson Meachim describes it. With the longest (and arguably the most stunning!) coastline of any California county, Monterey attracts more than 3 million visitors annually.

Four students around their personal computers

iiED

Housed within the College of Business, The Institute for Innovation and Economic Development (iiED) plays a pivotal role in bolstering the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem, with a particular emphasis on providing essential support to underserved communities spanning Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito counties.

College of Business students listening at class

Support the College of Business

Give young entrepreneurs a leg up by giving responsibly to one of the College of Business’ support programs. Your gift enables enterprising students to take on the corporate responsibility challenges of today and tomorrow.

Pay it forward: give today

College of Business News

Highlights from the 2024 International Responsible Business Social Impact Symposium

The 2024 International Responsible Business Social Impact Symposium, held on December 3, 2024, brought together global leaders, academics, and industry experts to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) is driving transformative change in healthcare, renewable energy, and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives. This year’s theme, "Tech for Good," highlighted the role of cutting-edge technology in shaping a more sustainable and equitable future.

December 9, 2024

Dr. Xiaotong (Cate) Liu Graduates from 2024 AgKnowledge Program

Dr. Xiaotong Liu graduated from the 2024 AgKnowledge Program, Class XVI, a nine-month initiative led by The Grower-Shipper Foundation. The program explores Monterey County’s role as the “Salad Bowl of the World” and its contributions to global wellness. CLick to read more.

December 4, 2024

Dr. Jenny Lin Shares Research and Teaching Insights at CSUMB Workshop for Junior Faculty

Dr. Jenny Lin, Associate Professor of Marketing and Fulbright Scholar, is a distinguished educator and researcher. At a recent TLA workshop on "Pedagogy, Scholarship, and Career Development Workshop," she shared strategies, insights, and practical tools to help faculty excel in RTP categories and advance professionally.

November 26, 2024

View More News