Catalog 2024–2025

Business Administration and Economics

Director: Todd Inouye, Ph.D.
Email: todd.inouye@hawaii.edu

College of Business and Economics Office:
Office: COBE Building, Room 208
Tel: (808) 932-7272

Website: hilo.hawaii.edu/academics/cobe/

Professor Emeritus:

  • Kelly Burke, Ph.D., Management Information Systems
  • Jerry Calton, Ph.D., Management
  • Emmeline de Pillis, Ph.D., Management
  • Kimberly Furumo, Ph.D., Management Information Systems
  • Youngki Hahn, Ph.D., Economics
  • David Hammes, Ph.D., Economics
  • Hank Hennessey, Ph.D., Business Administration
  • Stephen Hora, D.B.A., Management Science and Statistics
  • Marcia Sakai, Ph.D., Business Administration and Economics

Professors:

Associate Professors:

Assistant Professors:

  • Angela Faanunu, Ph.D., Sustainable Tourism
  • Hee Sun Kim, Ph.D., Management
  • Chenbo Shi, Operations Management and Analytics
  • Xuan Xie, Ph.D., Marketing

Instructors:

The Department of Business Administration offers students the opportunity to receive a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree that is fully accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International). The program offers majors in Accounting and in General Business. Within the General Business major, students select a concentration area from Finance, Marketing, General Management, Economics, Healthcare Management, or Professional Studies. The program is divided into three components: General Education, the Pre-Business program, and the Professional Business program. Some General Education requirements may be satisfied with courses from the Pre-Business program. The University also places several graduation requirements on all baccalaureate degree programs, and these must be satisfied by candidates for the BBA (Please see the Baccalaureate Degree Requirements.)

Students wishing to make timely progress toward graduation are urged to pay careful attention to all degree requirements. In addition, when planning a schedule of courses, it is imperative to be aware of course prerequisites and the frequency with which courses are offered, information that is available for each course in the Course Listings of this Catalog. To ensure progress toward graduation, students are strongly encouraged to meet with an advisor each semester before registering.

Mission

Our mission is to offer business education rooted in the liberal arts tradition. We provide a foundation for students to become confident, competent and ethical business leaders. We achieve this goal through active pedagogy, internships, community outreach and scholarship.

Vision of the College

The CoBE will be a destination of choice for students and community stakeholders seeking a lifelong personal and professional network, exemplary instruction, and a one-of-a-kind, well-rounded business education. Our graduates will be valued as bold, capable, and grounded 21st century leaders.

To fulfill its mission and promote successful outcomes for all its graduates, the CoBE establishes learning goals to ensure that upon graduation, students will be:

  1. Knowledgeable in business (both in general business concepts and in specific disciplines),
  2. Effective communicators (both oral and written),
  3. Competent in quantitative analysis, and
  4. Capable critical thinkers.

Goals for Student Learning in the Major

General Business, BBA and Accounting, BBA

Upon graduating, our students should possess a common core of knowledge and skills that enables them to:

  • Demonstrate comprehension of the fundamental principles of essential business functions.
  • Express ideas clearly, logically, and persuasively in written communication.
  • Demonstrate the ability to identify, analyze, and decide on courses of action to resolve complex, unstructured problems, using appropriate tools and technology.

Career Prospects for Students

Students earning the BBA in General Business are prepared to become entry-level managers in a wide variety of private and public sector organizations. The BBA program is also a good choice for students interested in starting their own business upon graduation, since a primary focus is on smaller organizations and entrepreneurship in many of the courses at UH Hilo. Students may focus their elective coursework in specific areas such as finance, marketing, or information technology if they intend to specialize or seek certification in one of those fields upon graduation. The BBA is also an excellent preparation for advanced study in business.

The BBA in Accounting prepares students for professional careers in accounting and auditing, and satisfies the content-specific educational requirements for the CPA designation. The demand for graduates in accounting has continued to grow, and is forecast to remain strong throughout the next decade. This career offers excellent job and earning opportunities.

Special Aspects of the Program

Internships with local businesses and organizations are available to qualified students.

The College also sponsors an active chapter of Beta Gamma Sigma (ΒΓΣ), the premier honorary society for students of business, which inducts outstanding students from each year’s graduating class.

Requirements for Students in Related Programs or Special Circumstances

Students pursuing Agribusiness, Recreational Management, or other major, minor, or certificate program that include some Business Administration courses, as well as other non-business students wishing to register for upper-division (300-400 level) Business Administration courses, must have:

  • Completed 50 or more earned semester hours at the 100-level or higher at the time of initial enrollment;
  • Successfully completed all course-specific prerequisites;
  • Secured permission of the Business Administration department chair, who will consult with the course instructor; and
  • Accumulated no more than 30 total credits at any level in courses offered by the Business Administration Department, including any courses for which registration is being requested in the current semester.

Curriculum