Letter from the Dean


Welcome to the School of Business Administration

Oregon has a long history of attracting strong individuals with a different way of doing things. From the pioneers of the Oregon Trail to the pioneers of Oregon'‚s Silicon Forest, people are drawn to the quality of life, scenic beauty and opportunity for innovation and creativity that abounds in Oregon. No wonder Money Magazine continuously names Portland as a "Best Place to Live."

The School of Business Administration (SBA) at Portland State University continues this pioneering tradition through its role as a key player in the region's economic future. Our traditions include a commitment to innovation and change, a student body distinguished by its professional experience and intelligence, a faculty committed to academic excellence and strong ties to the surrounding business community. Specifically,

  • Each year, the SBA graduates approximately 800 business majors and 200 graduate students, the majority of whom stay in the region to serve as the next generation of business leaders. See Quick Facts for more information.
  • As partners with the business community, the SBA provides a wide range of resources to area business, ranging from faculty research expertise and professional development courses to small business consulting and the MBA+ Project. See Corporate and Executive Programs for more information.
  • Our faculty include some of the country's leading scholars, including H. Thomas Johnson, whose research in management accounting has had significant impact on the direction of business in the last 20 years. For more about SBA Faculty, click here.
  • We continually develop innovative programs that respond to the needs of business. The MBA+ offers a unique approach to management education, fusing the development of personal and professional leadership competencies and innovation management into the traditional curriculum. Click here for more about undergraduate and graduate curriculum.

We are, indeed, a school on the move. In 2010, we will break ground on the next milestone in our history - a state of the art 100,000 sq. ft. business school building located at the corner of SW Park and Market. A great community like Portland deserves a great business school, and the School of Business at Portland State intends to fill that role.

Scott Dawson, Ph.D.
Dean and Vergil Miller Professor