Business, Management, and Economics: A.A., A.S.
Students pursuing an Associate of Arts (A.A.) or Associate of Science (A.S.) degree in Business, Management and Economics will develop critical thinking, analytical, management, communication and quantitative skills, increase their understanding of economic principles, social responsibilities, and disciplinary methods and learn about the effective use of information technologies to support career or personal goals and aspirations.
The 60-credit A.A. or A.S. in Business, Management and Economics includes a set of required courses that all students must take, along with SUNY General Education and other academic requirements, in order to be eligible to receive a degree. The required courses for programs in Business, Management and Economics can be found on the “Program Details” tab. Students should speak with their mentor to see if any credit earned through individualized Credit for Prior Learning (iCPL) or Professional Learning Evaluation (PLE) might fulfill these course requirements.
Program Details
Business, Management and Economics (BME) programs are expected to meet the University Learning Goals, which include active learning, breadth and depth of knowledge, social responsibility, communication skills, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, quantitative literacy, information and digital media literacy.
Academic Planning takes the form of a course (commonly but not exclusively referred to as “Educational Planning”) wherein students develop a degree plan and rationale essay with their primary faculty advisor/mentor.
In their degree programs and rationale essays, students must address the BM&E Area of Study general guidelines and then, as relevant to the degree, the concentration guidelines, the registered program guidelines, or the individualized concentration they develop in consultation with their primary mentor.
An associate degree in Business, Management and Economics is meant to introduce students to a range of foundational subjects related to Business, Management and Economics.
Associate degree programs in Business, Management and Economics must include the following four foundations:
- Communications Skills
- Economics
- Quantitative Skills
- Understanding People in an Organizational Context
These foundations may be met through transcript credit; college-level knowledge demonstrated through individual prior learning assessment (iCPL), professional learning evaluations (PLE), or credit by examination; or individual courses, a series of courses, or components within individual courses with Empire State University. The student’s Degree Plan Rationale Essay should clearly explain how the degree plan meets each of the foundations in the Area of Study, what will be learned, and how the student will build on these foundations to meet personal, academic, or career goals. For details about the academic planning process and requirements, please see the Individualized Degree Design page.
Students who are interested in pursuing their Bachelor's degree in BME, will then need to meet an additional three foundations. More information on the bachelor's degree in BME can be found within this academic catalog.
ASSOCIATE IN ARTS (AA) AND ASSOCIATE IN SCIENCE (AS)
Courses that meet the four foundations, must be College of Business courses (ACCT, BUSN, ECON, FSMA, HRMS, MGMT, MRKT) or equivalent.
Foundation #1: COMMUNICATION SKILLS
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ACCT 3015 | Federal Income Tax I: Individual Income Tax | 4 |
| ACCT 3020 | Federal Income Tax II: Business Income Tax | 4 |
| ACCT 3035 | Principles of Fraud Examination & Financial Forensics | 4 |
| ACCT 4005 | Accounting Information Systems | 4 |
| ACCT 4015 | Auditing | 4 |
| BUSN 1005 | Business Communication | 4 |
| MRKT 4040 | Marketing Strategy | 4 |
Foundation #2: ECONOMICS
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ECON 2005 | Principles of Economics | 4 |
| ECON 2010 | Introductory Economics: Micro & Macro 6 Cr. | 6 |
| ECON 2015 | Macroeconomics | 4 |
| ECON 2020 | Microeconomics | 4 |
| ECON 3005 | Applied Microeconomics | 4 |
| ECON 3010 | Behavioral Economics | 4 |
| ECON 3025 | Econometrics | 4 |
| ECON 3035 | Economics of Crime | 4 |
| ECON 3040 | Economics of Gender Work & Family | 4 |
| ECON 3045 | Economics of Labor Markets | 4 |
| ECON 3050 | Environmental Economics & Policy | 4 |
| ECON 3055 | Healthcare Economics | 4 |
| ECON 3070 | Industrial Organization | 4 |
| ECON 3075 | Intermediate Macroeconomics | 4 |
| ECON 3080 | Intermediate Microeconomics | 4 |
| ECON 3085 | International Economics | 4 |
| ECON 3090 | International Political Economy | 4 |
| ECON 3100 | Public Finance | 4 |
| ECON 3122 | Money & Banking | 4 |
| ECON 3125 | New Perspectives in Economics International Programs Only | 4 |
| ECON 3130 | Topics in Contemporary Business & Economic Issues International Programs Only | 3 |
Foundation #3: QUANTITATIVE SKILLS
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ACCT 1005 | Accounting for Decision Makers | 6 |
| ACCT 2005 | Introductory Accounting I: Financial Accounting | 4 |
| ACCT 2010 | Introductory Accounting II: Managerial Accounting | 4 |
| ACCT 3005 | Accounting For Governmental & Not-For-Profit Organizations | 4 |
| ACCT 3010 | Cost Accounting | 4 |
| ACCT 3025 | Intermediate Accounting I | 4 |
| ACCT 3030 | Intermediate Accounting II | 4 |
| ACCT 4010 | Advanced Accounting | 4 |
| BUSN 2010 | Business Statistics | 4 |
| BUSN 2175 | Personal Finance Management | 4 |
| BUSN 3127 | Business Analytics | 4 |
| MRKT 4035 | Marketing Research | 4 |
| ECON 3025 | Econometrics | 4 |
| FSMA 2005 | Introduction to Finance | 4 |
| FSMA 3005 | Behavioral Finance International Programs Only | 4 |
| FSMA 3010 | Corporate Finance | 4 |
| FSMA 3015 | Entrepreneurial Finance for Small Business | 4 |
| FSMA 3025 | Healthcare Finance | 4 |
| FSMA 3030 | International Finance | 4 |
| FSMA 3045 | Investment Management | 4 |
| FSMA 3055 | Risk Management & Insurance | 4 |
| MGMT 3080 | Supply Chain Management In The Global Context | 4 |
| MGMT 4025 | Manufacturing Management | 4 |
| MGMT 4030 | Project Management for Business | 4 |
Foundation #4: UNDERSTANDING PEOPLE IN An Organizational CONTEXT
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HRMS 3015 | Human Resource Management | 4 |
| HRMS 3035 | LGBTQ Workplace Issues | 4 |
| HRMS 4015 | Organization Development & Change | 4 |
| MGMT 3025 | Leadership | 4 |
| MGMT 3060 | Organizational Behavior | 4 |
| MGMT 3090 | Women in Management | 4 |
Learning Outcomes
- Foundation 1: Communication Skills. Students will draft basic professional communications for relevant organizational contexts (Core Foundation).
- Foundation 2: Economics. Students will be able to explain economic problems using appropriate and relevant economic principles and concepts.
- Foundation 3: Quantitative Skills. Students will apply basic quantitative methods to describe business problems.
- Foundation 4: Understanding People in an Organizational Context. Students will identify key factors that influence individual and group behavior in the workplace and describe how these factors affect professional environments.
Concentration Guidelines
ASSOCIATE OF Arts or Associate of SCIENCE IN BUSINESS, MANAGEMENT AND ECONOMICS WITH A CONCENTRATION IN ACCOUNTING
These guidelines for an Associate of Science in the area of study of Business, Management and Economics (BME) with a concentration in accounting is intended to provide a framework for students who seek an associate degree in this field. Whether this associate degree would be for purposes of obtaining an entry level clerical positions as a standalone degree, or a pathway toward a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting or BME (BS/BPS) degree program with Concentration in Accounting Practices, the degree provides students with a sense of accomplishment by dividing the long-term goal, towards the bachelor’s degree, and then graduate programs, into short-term goals that results in an Empire State University degree. Students can then nest the associate degree into a Bachelor of Science in accounting, or a different type of bachelor’s degree in BME It is also intended to support students who are interested in exploring the field of accounting, to determine if a longer-term career goal (and corresponding preparation with a bachelor’s degree, and/or master’s degree) is suitable. The degree also provides students who already have work experience in accounting, to obtain a SUNY Empire degree, therefore strengthening their academic credentials and expanding their job horizons.
WHERE YOU MAY BE PLACED IN A JOB MARKET WITH AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE IN BME WITH A CONCENTRATION IN ACCOUNTING?
Students who obtain an associate degree in BME with a concentration in accounting strengthen their ability to obtain entry level bookkeeping or accounting clerk positions. Employers require a foundational knowledge of accounting. Moreover, having an associate degree may qualify someone to apply for Certified Public Bookkeeper (CPB) license, which is accredited by the National Association of Certified Public Bookkeepers (NACPB). The license is recognized throughout the United States and its properties. Please see Certified Public Bookkeeper (CPB) License. In addition, holding an associate degree, may qualify someone for a Certified Accounting Paraprofessional (CAP) license, which is accredited by the National Association of Certified Accounting Paraprofessionals (NACAP). It is recognized throughout the United States and its properties. These licenses enhance one’s credibility and job prospects in the field. While an associate degree strengthens one’s credentials, it does not guarantee that one will successfully obtain the CPB or CAP licensure or a particular job.
RECOMMENDED GUIDELINES FOR AN A.S. IN BME WITH A CONCENTRATION IN ACCOUNTING
The recommended guidelines for the associate degree follow the same requirements for any associates at SUNY Empire. These requirements include thirty-two credits for liberal arts courses and thirty credits across 7 SUNY General Education requirements. Associate degrees in BME with a concentration in accounting must include a minimum of 15-16 credits in accounting. Most of SUNY Empire courses are four credits. Many students bring community college courses, which are often three credits. Transfer credits for accounting courses that are equivalent to SUNY Empire accounting courses, will be considered as part of the minimum accounting course requirement. For example, if a student has a three credit Introductory Accounting I: Financial Accounting course from a community college, that course counts toward the accounting requirements [If equivalent contents]. These guidelines pertain to an associate degree, therefore, there is no advanced level credit requirement. Below is a sample of course requirements for an Associate of Science in BME with a concentration in accounting.
Sample of course requirements.
- General Education coursework (24 credits - liberal)
- Statistics (4 credits - Gen. Ed. Math - liberal)
- Total Credits (36 liberal, twenty-eight non-liberal)
- Macro or Micro-Economics (4 credits - Gen. Ed. Social Science - liberal)
- Educational Planning (4 credits - liberal)
- Business Law I (4 credits)
- Organizational Behavior or equivalent (4 credits)
- Introductory Accounting I: Financial Accounting (4 credits)
- Introductory Accounting II: Managerial Accounting (4 credits)
- Intermediate Accounting I (4 credits)
- Select at least one of the following (4 credits):
- Intermediate Accounting II
- Federal Income Tax I
- Cost Accounting
- Accounting Information Systems
- Elective
- Total Credits (36 liberal, twenty-eight non-liberal)
Students interested in pursuing a degree towards the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) career, may be eligible to join directly- upon completing the associate degree - the Dual Degree registered CPA Licensure Qualifying program; BS in Accounting/MBA Business Management Dual Program [Nine credits are cross counted towards both the bachelor's and Master's degrees]. This program is listed among the licensure-qualifying programs by the NYS Education Department's Inventory of Registered Programs CPA 150 and CPA 150E.
Upon completing 60-cr with GPA average 3.2 or higher, students may enroll in the Combined program BS/BPS BME/MBA [twelve credits are cross counted towards both the bachelor's and Master's degrees], BS/BPS In BME Concentration Accounting Practices/MBA Business Management program. Each program awards a bachelor's degree upon its completion while working towards the achievement of the master's degree and provides a substantial cost saving taking cross-listed graduate courses at undergraduate tuition rate per course. No requirements for a concurred degree plan.
Students pursuing a career to a bachelor's degree may be eligible to enroll in some graduate courses [nine credits] while undergraduate. It is an opportunity for cost saving and advancement to a graduate program when completing the bachelor's degree. An undergraduate student must be within thirty-two (32) credits of completing a bachelor’s degree and must have a concurred degree program.