The educational philosophy of the School of Business and Economics at California State University, Hayward, emphasizes a broad-based business education with less emphasis on functional area specialization.
All students graduate as business majors.
They are required to take a large core requirement and to gain depth in a functional area by declaring one of these areas as their option. In addition, practicing or retired successful entrepreneurs serve as part-time instructors as needed. The School of Business and Economics provides support for its Center for Entrepreneurship, and the Small Business Institute. The mission of the Center for Entrepreneurship is to promote research, teaching and the practice of entrepreneurship among its faculty and students. The Small Business Institute promotes hands-on learning through interaction with practicing entrepreneurs in the San Francisco Bay Area, which includes the Silicon Valley.