School of Business and Economics
Develop the business expertise needed to thrive as an ethical leader.
Learn to Lead in the Real World
The School of Business and Economics at Concordia University Irvine prepares emerging and established business professionals to lead and serve in today’s workplace and world.
Our undergraduate and graduate programs are taught by Christian faculty — many of whom run successful businesses throughout Orange County and Greater Los Angeles. Throughout your program, you will learn applicable, real-world business skills while collaborating and connecting with like-minded peers and faculty.
The School of Business and Economics has been accredited through the International Accreditation Council for Business Education since 2016. IACBE also recognized Concordia as the first school in the world to earn IACBE’s specialized accounting accreditation.
Explore our Programs
Find the business and economics degree or certificate program that’s right for you and your career goals. Use our helpful program finder to search by keyword, degree level, and class format.
A Leader in Business Education
IACBE Accreditation
Concordia University Irvine has received specialized accreditation for its business degree programs through the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE). It’s considered the leading outcomes-based professional accrediting organization for business programs in student-centered colleges around the world. Concordia’s IACBE accreditation is valid for a maximum of seven years, currently through July 2030.
Commended for Excellence
The business programs at Concordia have undergone rigorous self-evaluation and on-site evaluation by highly trained reviewers. This peer review process culminates in a review by the IACBE Board of Commissioners, which determines the accreditation status of an institution’s business programs.
During its last review, the IACBE found that the School of Business and Economics met or exceeded compliance with the eight IACBE principles:
- Commitment to Integrity, Responsibility, and Ethical Behavior
- Quality Assessment and Advancement
- Strategic Planning
- Business Curricula and Learning Opportunities
- Business Faculty Characteristics, Activities, and Processes
- Student Policies, Procedures, and Processes
- Resources Supporting Business Programs
- External Relationships
The School of Business and Economics was commended for “its excellent work in engaging advisory board members in the activities of the school and in selecting highly committed and involved advisory board members.”
Available Programs
Undergraduate Programs
Majors
Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration
Bachelor of Arts in Economics
Bachelor of Arts in Sports Business
Minors
Accounting
Business
Business Data Analytics
Economics
Finance
Marketing
Sports Business
Graduate Programs
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Managerial Science
Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Sports Business
Certificate Program
School of Business and Economics Events
Information Sessions
Attend an Information Session to learn about the application process, financial aid, payment plans, and more about your future in business and economics.
Business Insights Series
Held quarterly, the Business Insights Series events give a platform to experts in their fields. Speakers address topics of interest to business leaders in Southern California. The series is presented by the School of Business and Economics.
Concordia Business Plan Competition
The Concordia Business Plan Competition (CBPC) allows the Concordia community to participate in the entrepreneurial experience by turning an idea into a business. Current undergraduate students and high school teams from the Orange County area may be eligible to participate.
“The whole faculty at Concordia are there because they want to help students learn. They’ve had their own businesses and worked corporate, and genuinely care about the students.”
Maria Sartin ’24
Founder, Uncontainable activewear
Entrepreneur in Residence Program
One of the most valuable experiences Concordia can offer students is to be mentored by experienced, successful Christian entrepreneurs. The Entrepreneur in Residence program is one initiative used to facilitate these mentoring opportunities.
Meet Our Entrepreneur in Residence
Charlie Zhang
Principal founder, Zion Enterprises
Charlie Zhang is an exemplary mentor. Before accepting this role, Zhang applied his experience and leadership skills to other high-impact entrepreneurship programs at Concordia, like the Dean’s Advisory Board for the School of Business and Economics, as a Teen Entrepreneur Academy Business Plan Judge, and as a team mentor with the Concordia Business Plan Competition.
Zhang is a celebrated entrepreneur and success story. With only $20 in his pocket, he immigrated to the United States from Shanghai. He created the food brand Pick Up Stix, and within a decade he’d built an empire with more than 100 locations before selling the restaurant enterprise to TGI Fridays.
Zhang then established Zion Enterprises, a real-estate development company involved in over $200 million of commercial, retail, and residential projects in the Western United States. Revitalizing communities and adding value at every level are among Zion Enterprises’ core tenets.
Meet Our Faculty
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Karl Hoenecke
Dean, School of Business and Economics
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Catherine Sinardi
Program Director and Professor of Healthcare Management and Public Health
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Drew Wolf
Professor, School of Business and Economics
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Elizabeth McLaughlin
Professor & Paralegal Program Director
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Kit Nagel
Professor, School of Business and Economics
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Kossi Makpayo
Professor, School of Business and Economics
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Michael Kinnen
Associate Professor, School of Business and Economics
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Yi Schuler
Associate Professor of Business
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Tammie Burkhart
Associate Professor of Business
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Todd Kane
Associate Professor of Healthcare Management
Ready to Explore Your Future and Faith?
Request more information to learn about our programs, financial aid options, and the Concordia student experience.
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