About

At the Cal State Monterey Bay College of Business, our students learn to develop and transform businesses and nonprofits into modern, community-focused organizations. 

Responsible Business is at Our Core

The College of Business at Cal State Monterey Bay is the only one of its kind to teach Responsible Business as the core value of our business education. All of our degree programs integrate this principle, inside and outside of the classroom. 

Here’s a closer look at how we do that:

We go beyond the traditional triple bottom line of profit, people, planet by adding ethics and equity to create what we call the Quintuple Bottom Line (QBL). Our programs align every aspect of our curriculum, including what we teach about business practices and everyday decision-making, with the QBL with the goal of developing responsible business leaders. 

To learn more, read "What is Responsible Business?" by College of Business Founding Dean Emeritus, Shyam Kamath and Executive-In-Residence Kelly O'Brien.

Aligning With Regional Demand

Our programs are strategically aligned with marketplace needs and industry best practices. We also have strong ties to our region, so it’s no coincidence that we offer degrees tied to Monterey Bay’s thriving agriculture, hospitality and tourism scenes. We train students to give back to their own communities.

Enlisting Industry Expertise

Our Business Advisory Council helps shape our offerings and experiences. Members of this council come from some of the biggest names in technology, manufacturing, finance, hospitality and nonprofits. By providing professional expertise, experience, and passion for inspiring the next generation of leaders, the council is an incredible asset to the college. 

Turning Ideas Into Action

The Institute for Innovation and Economic Development (iiED) connects students with the local business community and gives them a platform to present their ideas. Internships, career workshops, pitch sessions and the Innovation Labs are among iiED’s events and offerings. Since its inception, more than 3,500 CSUMB students have participated in iiED programs. The recently launched Responsible Business Innovation Lab (RBIL) fosters research, develops course material, connects students with internships, and provides grants for faculty to further the application of responsible business principles.

Partnering with Values-Driven Organizations

The Cal State Monterey Bay College of Business is a signatory member of the United Nations Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) and an institutional partner of the Responsible Research in Business Management. 

Our Mission, Vision and Purpose

We’re guided by these principles in everything we do. 

Mission 

To inspire the practice of responsible business — balancing profit, people, ethics, equity and planet — we promote the success of our ethnically and economically diverse students by facilitating engaged learning involving real-world challenges, conducting practice-relevant research and collaborating with community and regional partners.

Vision

To become a world-renowned U.S. business college, engaged regionally and globally, for developing responsible and workforce-ready business graduates.

Purpose

With a curriculum rooted in Responsible Business and the QBL, we educate business-ready graduates who:

• Are responsible business managers and entrepreneurs who balance profit and value
• Have concern for personal, social and community needs
• Discern right from wrong and treat others with respect and dignity
• Address issues of equity such as serving the underserved
• Provide environmental stewardship

Accreditation

The Western Association of Schools and Colleges WASC accredits Cal State Monterey Bay.

The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accredits business schools throughout the world. Approximately 5% to 6% of business schools and colleges hold the prestigious AACSB accreditation. Cal State Monterey Bay's College of Business in the process of earning AACSB accreditation. For more information, contact us at 831-582-4232.