General Catalog 2007-2009

Department of Business Administration

---

The mission of York College’s Department of Business Administration is to establish and deliver distinctive, high quality academic programs, facilitate linkages between academic and business communities, and to encourage ongoing scholarship. The Department’s main purpose is to facilitate student learning and prepare students/graduates at the Associate, Baccalaureate and Graduate levels to best meet their goals and the needs of the business community.

To accomplish this mission, the Department offers a diverse array of majors which are linked together by the Common Professional Component (CPC). The CPC describes the competencies and experiences which are necessary for successful performance in the complex, global and flexible workplace of the 21st century. All business students take courses in Accounting, Economics, Finance, Information Systems, Management, Marketing, Operations Management, and Statistics. The CPC also includes a capstone course designed to integrate all areas of a student’s learning into a business strategy, policy making, and analysis framework. The Common Professional Component provides a solid base for specialized courses in each major, and provides opportunities for students to interact with members of the business community.

York College of Pennsylvania, through its Department of Business Administration, is nationally accredited by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs to offer the following business degrees:

Master of Business Administration Degree

The York College MBA is designed to meet the needs of both practicing and potential managers. Course work in the MBA program integrates theory with practice and offers participants the opportunity to develop their personal managerial skills along with their knowledge base. Course methods are purposefully varied between lecture, case analysis, presentations, outside research and group work. MBA courses incorporate the advantages of both the conventional and virtual classrooms. This multiple method approach emphasizes organizational diagnosis, analysis, and decision-making processes. The York College MBA considers both manufacturing and service enterprises and, as such, is beneficial to students with a wide variety of undergraduate and career experiences.

The MBA curriculum is based on a nine-course core covering the fundamental areas of business administration and allows students to choose a concentration in one of the following areas: Accounting, Finance, General Business, Human Resource Management, Management, or Marketing. To earn an MBA, students must successfully complete the nine core courses and three courses in the concentration area for a total of 36 graduate credit hours. Students who do not have a thorough background in a business-related field will be required to complete additional courses as foundation courses to the MBA courses.

Admission requirements and detailed program information is available in the Graduate Studies Catalog. Catalogs can be obtained from the MBA Office, Department of Business Administration, or the Adult Learner Center in Campbell Hall. Information about the MBA Program is also available by visiting www.ycp.edu/mba.

Baccalaureate/MBA Dual Degree Program

The Dual Degree Program is designed to provide high-achieving undergraduate students with the opportunity to begin their graduate studies while in the senior year of undergraduate coursework. Dual Degree students are permitted to take up to nine credits of graduate coursework and apply those credits to the baccalaureate degree, generally as free electives. Those nine credits also count again towards fulfilling the MBA degree requirements. Ideally, the Dual Degree Program allows a student to complete both the undergraduate and MBA degrees in a five-year period.

Admission to the Dual Degree Program is open to students in any undergraduate discipline. Pursuing the MBA is an excellent opportunity for students in many of the baccalaureate programs offered at York College. Current Dual Degree students come from diverse fields such as art, history, psychology and political science. Undergraduates interested in the Dual Degree Program should talk with their advisor and plan a program of study to facilitate admission into the MBA Program. Non-business majors may not be able to meet the five-year time frame without using summer sessions to complete the necessary business foundation courses.

Detailed information about the Dual Degree Program and its admission requirements can be found in the Graduate Studies Catalog or at www.ycp.edu/mba.

Baccalaureate Degree Programs

Baccalaureate degree programs are available in Accounting, Business Administration, Engineering Management, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Informatics, Information Systems/End-User Support, Information Systems/Development, Management and Marketing. Minors may also be earned in many of these programs. An associate degree program is offered in Business Administration.

Normally, a student will take a minimum of 24 semester credits in the major component subject area for a baccalaureate degree (15-18 credits are required for a minor). The associate degree in Business Administration requires a student to complete a program of 33 credits in business. Each major program also requires the completion of general business component courses. In some cases these departmental requirements also serve to fulfill the general education requirements of the College. Each student should consult with the assigned faculty advisor every semester and review the program requirements and progress toward graduation.

Business Department Policies

• Enrollment in 300-400 level business courses is restricted to students of at least junior status unless specifically exempted by the requirements in a particular program or the instructor of the course. All required 100-200 level courses in the College Common Core and General Business Component must be completed before enrolling in 300-400 level business courses unless specifically exempted by the faculty advisor.

• Courses which serve as prerequisites to subsequent business courses must be completed with a grade of 2.0 or higher. If a student is not successful in attaining a 2.0 in a prerequisite course, the course may be repeated an additional two times (maximum 3 attempts). Withdrawing from a course during the normal withdrawal period will not be counted as an unsuccessful attempt. Students receiving lower than a 2.0 in any prerequisite course should consult with their advisor. Because many of the upper-level business courses require prerequisites, failure to attain a 2.0 or better on the first attempt of a prerequisite course may delay the intended date of graduation. If a student is unsuccessful in attaining a 2.0 in a prerequisite course after 3 attempts, a change in major may be necessary.

• Credits transferred from a two-year institution will normally not be accepted as satisfying 300-400 level business course requirements unless verification of competency is achieved. This verification, as determined by the Chair, advisor or Program Coordinator, may require satisfactory completion (a 2.0) or higher in a higher level course in the same or similar area or Credit By Examination. Transfer students need to complete a “Transfer Evaluation Form” in order to have 300-400 level credits considered for transfer. These forms are available in the Business Department Office. For transfer students, at least four 300-400 major subject area component courses, as determined by the advisor or program coordinator, must be completed at York College.

• The Department of Business Administration believes in the integration of writing and communication skills throughout the business student’s curriculum. Each baccalaureate degree business major is required to take writing/communications focused courses during the sophomore (200 level), junior (300 level) and senior (400 level) years as partial fulfillment of graduation requirements. The sophomore level courses will include two case studies, an organizational analysis report (library research) and oral presentation. The junior level courses will require writing assignments geared to descriptive or technical writing. Descriptions of a business process or a business transaction are examples of this type of writing. In addition, case studies and oral presentations may be included. The senior level courses require writing assignments of the type that a student with a particular major is likely to do after graduation as well as a major research project and presentation.

To earn a degree, students must meet the following criteria:

Bachelor of Science Degree with a Major in Accounting

The Accounting Major provides the academic background for students considering accounting as a career field. The knowledge, skills, and techniques learned are used by our graduates working for CPA firms, private industry, and not-for-profit organizations. As a result of the evolving nature of the accounting profession, the accounting program undergoes a constant review so that a balance of general business and advanced training in accounting is received by the student.

Students with the goal of attaining the CPA should be aware that in some states regulations have been passed which require successful completion of 150 credit hours prior to receiving permission to take the CPA exam. York College has two options for students who will be living in states that require 150 credit hours: 1) obtain a double major at the undergraduate level; or 2) obtain a BS/MBA through the Dual Degree Program. Students should research their home state’s requirements and discuss them with their advisor, so that the curriculum is planned accordingly.

Requirements for Graduation:

To be eligible for graduation, students majoring in Accounting must complete a minimum of 124 credits, achieve a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher, and complete the General Education Requirements of the College. Courses used to complete the General Education Requirements may not be taken on a pass/fail basis, and credits earned in WRT100 may not be applied to degree requirements.

Students majoring in Accounting must maintain a 2.0 average in the General Business Component Courses, a 2.0 average in the Accounting Component Courses, and successfully complete IFS100 or IFS105 within the first 30 credits at the College. In addition, students must attain a 2.0 or higher in each course that serves as a prerequisite to a subsequent business course. (Refer to the course description section of this catalog for specific prerequisites.) Failure to attain a 2.0 in prerequisite courses may lengthen the time to graduation. Students graduating with a declared major in Accounting may not simultaneously declare a minor in Accounting.

The required courses for the Accounting Major are:

Accounting (suggested course sequence)

Bachelor of Science Degree with a Major in Business Administration with a Selected Business Minor

The Bachelor of Science Degree with a major in Business Administration allows a student to gain a broad-based background in business and also study one field of interest in depth. This major is especially beneficial to the students who plan to own or operate a small business, are undecided as to the field of business in which they wish to specialize, or are considering the Dual Degree Program.

Requirements for Graduation:

To be eligible for graduation, students majoring in Business Administration must complete a minimum of 124 credits, achieve a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or above, and complete the General Education Requirements of the College. Courses used to complete General Education Requirements may not be taken on a pass/fail basis, and credits earned in developmental courses (WRT100) may not be applied to degree requirements.

Students majoring in Business Administration must maintain a 2.0 average in the General Business Component Courses and successfully complete IFS100 or IFS105 within the first 30 credits at the College. In addition, students must attain a 2.0 or higher in each course that serves as a prerequisite to a subsequent business course. (Refer to the course description section of this catalog for specific prerequisites.) Failure to attain a 2.0 in prerequisite courses may lengthen the time to graduation. Students graduating with a declared major in any Department of Business Administration program may not simultaneously declare a Business Administration major with a minor in the declared major.

The required courses for the Business Administration Major
with a Selected Business Minor are:

Business Administration (suggested course sequence)