The B.S. in Business Administration is designed to prepare students for a professional career in business or for graduate study. Emphasis in management, accounting, finance, or marketing is based on a selection of elective courses developed jointly by the student and Academic Adviser.
Requirements for the Major
A major in Business Administration is achieved by completion of the following requirements, in addition to the General Education and electives required for a degree:
Required Core Courses
BUS 120, 130, 240, 315, 363, and 366
Required Capstone Course
BUS 475
Required Concentration Courses
Choose one (1) of the following four (4) areas of concentration and complete course work, as indicated:
Accounting
BUS 323, 324, 326, 327 (also see below for the Public Accounting Option)
Finance
ECO 332; BUS 346 and 368; and one (1) ECO or BUS course at the 200-level or above
Management
BUS 345 and 364, one (1) ECO or BUS course at the 200-level or above; and one of the following—BUS 324, COM 302, PSY 210, SOC 348, or TEC 455, and other courses subject to departmental approval.
Marketing
BUS 257 and 367; one (1) ECO or BUS course at the 200-level or above; and one of the following—COM 202, ENG 280A, TEC 180, and other courses subject to departmental approval.
Non BUS/ECO courses would count in the 21 credits required outside the major.
Required Collateral Courses
ECO 101 (or 301, if 101 waived), 102 (or 302, if 102 waived), 250, and MAT 115 (OR MAT 125, if MAT 115 waived; or MAT 135, if 125 waived).
Exploring the Major
Students considering Business Administration as a major should begin exploring the discipline through these courses: BUS 120, ECO 101, and 102.
Admission to the Major
To be admitted to the Business Administration major (all concentrations), students must: 1) waive or complete MAT 115 with a grade of C or higher; 2) complete three of the following four courses with a grade of C or higher: BUS 120, 130, ECO 101, and 102; and 3) demonstrate computer competency by satisfactorily completing the competency exam.
The mission of the Economics and Business Department is to provide inclusive educational opportunities aimed at developing competencies necessary for meaningful contribution to the professional and academic fields of business and economics. These opportunities are provided in a continuous learning environment for faculty and students. Departmental goals are based on the College’s established broad learning goals, Great Commitments, and aims of General Education.
General Departmental Goals
* To develop skills in critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making;
* To develop oral and written communication skills (as described in plans posted on the Department’s Web site), quantitative skills, and technological receptivity;
* To connect learning within the major, between the major and General Education curriculum, and between the major and the students’ experiences beyond the College; and
* To develop and enhance awareness of personal responsibility for individual actions, an ethical consciousness, and a commitment to service.
The Public Accounting Options
Students interested in pursuing a career in public accounting have two options for completing the 150 credit hours necessary to qualify for CPA Certification.
For this purpose Berea College courses are considered 4 credit hours, while most courses at other institutions are considered 3 credit hours.
1. Students may choose the Public Accounting Option offered by the Economics and Business Department. (It is possible to complete the 150-hour requirement in eight terms by taking full course loads coupled with careful planning. If more than eight terms are required to complete this option, a student may apply for a one-term extension by submitting a letter of explanation and a Curriculum Plan prepared in consultation with his or her Academic Adviser. Unless a student declares the Business Administration major late or has other extenuating circumstances, one additional term should generally be adequate to meet the 150-hour requirement.)
2. Alternatively, upon completing a B.S. degree in Business Administration at Berea, the student can complete a Master’s Degree program (recommended) or otherwise obtain the additional credits needed elsewhere.
In addition to the requirements for the Accounting Concentration, a student, in consultation with his or her Academic Adviser, will select the additional courses to be taken to complete the 150 hours. The recommended elective courses offered at Berea for the Public Accounting Option, more or less in order of preference, include the following.
“F” denotes Fall Term and “S” denotes Spring Term:
* BUS 437: Auditing (every 3rd term)
* BUS 306: Accounting for Government and Nonprofits (offered every second or third Short Term)
* BUS 368: Intermediate Corporate Finance (every 3rd term)
* ECO 332: Money and Banking (F)
* BUS 346: Investment Analysis (every 3rd term)
BUS 427: Accounting Theory and ECO 335: Managerial Economics, offered at Berea, are viable options, as well, but are offered infrequently and irregularly.
Accounting courses currently not offered regularly at Berea may be taken through an articulation agreement with, and transferred, from Eastern Kentucky University. Listed more or less in order of priority, they are:
* ACC 440: Legal Aspects of Accounting (to be taken after BUS 240: Business Law at Berea College) (F)
* ACC 501: International Accounting and Combinations (S)
* ACC 523: Taxation of Corporations (S)
* ACC 525: Forensic Accounting (F)
Alternatively, equivalent courses may be transferred from other institutions in accordance with existing policy on transfer credit.
At this time, neither the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) nor the Kentucky State Board of Accountancy specifies which courses are needed to meet the education requirement. The State Board merely specifies a requirement for the Bachelors Degree, 39 semester hours in business/economics of which 27 must be in accounting, and 150 hours overall. The courses suggested above are selected based on their content relative to the content of the CPA exam. As such, these courses are not required, but are recommended in order of priority. Your interest in a particular area of accounting, or your plans for a particular graduate program, may lead you to consider other options for the required additional courses, perhaps including Mathematics, Computer Science, Economics, or other areas. A student must explore these in consultation with her or his Academic Adviser.