Current Students



Beyond Business Magazine

For Current Students...Helpful Hints & Links

I've been admitted to one of the COBA graduate programs; now what do I do?

Congratulations and welcome to the College of Business Administration! Whether the MBA, the MS in Project Management (MS PGMT), or the MS in Accounting (MS ACCT), we believe you will receive an education that is both high-quality and price-competitive.

The Office of Graduate Admissions has a comprehensive list of items for newly admitted students to review and a few to complete, from activating your computer account (which you need to do), to obtaining a parking permit (if you need one).

Are there orientation sessions for new students?

Yes. The Office of Graduate Studies typically conducts one orientation session per long semester (fall and spring). They will post the details once the next session is scheduled on their website.

Where can I find the graduate catalog? What about course descriptions?

The current graduate catalog contains course descriptions for all of the courses in our graduate programs.

Just as a reminder, what are the grade requirements for graduate programs?Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00 on all graduate level coursework. Students who earn one grade of "F" or three grades of "C" in 5000-level courses (including stem courses) will be terminated from the program.

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What kind of advising appointments are available?

You can schedule an in-person appointment at either our Huntsville or The Woodlands Center campuses or a phone appointment. Skype appointments are on the horizon but not available at this time. We do not currently offer email or chat-type appointments; however, we can conduct a simple degree audit for you by email if requested.

What is a degree audit?

It's simply a check on your degree plan to make sure you're on the right track.

I don't live in Huntsville. When is the advisor available at The Woodlands Center?

Typically, the COBA graduate advisor spends the third Thursday of every month at The Woodlands Center. However, we require appointments on those days.

I'd like to schedule an appointment with an advisor. What do I do?

Email us at busgrad@shsu.edu and let us know you'd like an advising appointment. Please include with all correspondence your name and Sam ID, whether you'd like an in-person or phone appointment, and the best telephone number at which to reach you.

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How do I search for and register for classes?

The Registrar's Office has provided handy registration how-to's in various formats.

I'm getting registration errors. What do I do?

For your first line of troubleshooting, try the Troubleshooting Registration guide. If that fails to resolve your issues, email us at busgrad@shsu.edu and provide, along with your name and Sam ID, for each of the courses for which you are receiving an error, (1) all course information including the CRN (e.g., MGMT 5790, CRN 21365), and(2) the particular error message you're receiving.This information helps us speed up our troubleshooting process.

All the classes I want are closed. What can I do?

You can contact the appropriate department chair. Only the department chair can override the enrollment capacity. Capacity overrides are not allowed automatically - each is considered on a case-by-case basis. As space is limited in graduate courses, students are encouraged to register for classes as early as possible once registration opens.

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I need to drop all my classes for this semester, but the system won't let me drop my last class online. What do I need to do?

You can't drop all your classes - you will actually need to resign from the University. This won't affect your standing in the program; it's simply University policy.The resignation form can be found on the Registrar's Office forms website.

What if I need to sit out a semester for work or personal reasons? Do I have to reapply when I'm ready to resume taking classes?

Per University policy, a new application for admission must be submitted if the student fails to attend during the semester of admission, fails to attend for one calendar year, or seeks admission into a different degree program.

If you sit out one long semester (fall or spring), you might need to be advised before registering when you resume your studies, but you should not need to fill out another applicationor pay the application fee.

In either case, once admitted to the program, your standing will not be adversely affected by your sitting out one or more semesters, although you will still be required to complete the program within the six-year timeframe.

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What can you tell me about the stem courses on my degree plan?

The stem classes serve as prerequisites for the graduate business courses and are required for students who did not take the equivalent courses as part of their baccalaureate program and for students with a baccalaureate degree from a non-U.S. university.

What do I need to know about stem courses that will make registration for them a more smooth process?

Given certain limitations of our computer system, graduate students cannot register themselves for stem courses at the undergraduate level, although they should be able to register for the 5300 courseswithout issue. Additionally, certain stem courses require that the Registrar's Office assistance in adding these courses to your schedule. We will be happy to assist with this, and in fact, we must process a step before the Registrar's Office can, so please contact us firstif you need to register for undergraduate level stem courses.

How can I get theregistration blocks lifted for stem coursework?

To have stem course registration blocks lifted, please email us at busgrad@shsu.edu and provide, along with your name and Sam ID, for each of the courses for which you would like to register, all course information including the CRN (e.g., MGMT 5790, CRN 21365). We can lift blocks in advance of registration, so you do not have to wait until registration opens to request this service. We cannot do "blanket" stem course blocklifts.

I keep getting the "Invalid level" error message. What do I need to do?

Email us at busgrad@shsu.edu and provide, along with your name and Sam ID, for each of the courses for which you are receiving an error, (1) all course information including the CRN (e.g., MGMT 5790, CRN 21365), and(2) the particular error message you're receiving. This information helps us speed up our troubleshooting process.

What if I only have one stem course left? Can I start taking regular graduate courses?

Stem coursework needs to be completed before starting your graduate coursework. Of course, if you're lacking one or two courses and there are timing or scheduling issues, on a case-by-case basis we will allow you to start taking graduate level courses. Contact the graduate advisor for details and advisement.

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For the MBA program, which electives can I choose?

Students may choose their elective courses [twelve (12) graduate credit hours] from among graduate-level courses in any field of study within the College of Business Administration. Additionally, some undergraduate courses are allowed for graduate credit. Please contact the graduate advisor for more details. Note: students may use not more than six (6) hours of undergraduate coursework for graduate-level credit and must receive advance approval for this type of coursework.

Please note that not all electives are available in an online format; contact the graduate advisor for details.

Can I specialize in an particular area or field of study?

Students may opt to use their elective courses to complete twelve (12) graduate credit hours in a specific academic field to satisfy the requirements for a concentration area. Note: graduate stem courses do not count toward the twelve (12) graduate hours needed for a concentration.

  • Business Administration, Economics, Finance, Management, Management Information Systems, or Marketing
    • Any twelve hours of graduate-level courses beginning with the appropriate prefix.
    • Please contact the graduate advisor for details and options concerning these concentrations.
  • Human Resource Management
    • ECON 5351 Seminar in Labor Economics
    • MGMT 5355 Seminar in Human Resource Management
    • MGMT 5365 Seminar in Compensation Management
    • MGMT 4355 Human Resource Development [undergraduate restrictions apply]
  • Agri-Business
    • Please contact the graduate advisor for details and options concerning this concentration, as certain restrictions apply.

Do I need to apply for a concentration for it to show up on my diploma?

No, we will audit your degree plan when you apply for graduation, and we will notify the Registrar's Office if you have met the requirements for a particular concentration.
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Where can I find my grades?

To view your grades, start from the SHSU main page, then access MySam. In My Sam, open the Campus Resources tab and find the Registrar's Office channel. In that channel, select: View Grades; Choose a term to view; your grades will be available on the Finals Grades screen for the semester selected unless you have a hold on your account (which are available through the View Holds link).
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How can I print a copy of my transcripts? How do I get an official copy?

To view or print an unofficial copy, start from the SHSU main page, then access MySam. In My Sam, open the Students tab and find the Banner Self-Service channel. In that channel, select: Banner Self Service, Student, Student Records, Academic Transcript.

To request an official transcript, start with the Transcript Request Program.

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Where and how do I apply for graduation?

The Registrar's Office has a Graduation website that offers a multitude of information on graduation. You should review the information on that site in the semester prior to the one in which you plan to graduate, at the latest.

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Helpful Links

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Who can I contact for further information?

Please contact the COBA Office of Graduate Studies:

Stephanie Fors, Associate Director, Graduate Studies and Distance Learning

Deana Marek, Administrative Assistant for Graduate Studies

Tel: (936) 294-1239 Fax: (936) 294-3612 E -mail: busgrad@shsu.edu Mailing Address: P. O. Box 2056, Huntsville, TX 77341-2056

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