Economics and Business
Department | Economics
Program | Business Administration
Program | Economics Courses | Business
Administration Courses
B.S. Degree with a Major in Business Administration
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.
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, 125, 315, 363, 366, and 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, and one (1) ECO or BUS course at the 200-level or above (see below for the Public Accounting Option)
- Finance—ECO 332; BUS 346, 368, and two (2) ECO or BUS courses at the 200-level or above
- Management—BUS 240, 345, 364, and two (2) ECO or BUS courses at the 200-level or above
- Marketing—BUS 257, 367, 465, and two (2) ECO or BUS courses at the 200-level or above
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, 102, and BUS 125.
Admission to the Major—To be admitted to the Business Administration major (all concentrations), students must waive or complete MAT 115 with a grade of C or higher and complete three of the following four courses with a grade of C or higher: BUS 120, 130, ECO 101, and 102.
Course Sequencing Considerations (in order to complete degree requirements within eight terms)—Students planning to major in Business Administration need to complete satisfactorily these courses during their first four terms, if possible—MAT 115 or MAT 125, if MAT 115 waived; or MAT 135, if MAT 125 waived; BUS 120, 130, ECO 101, and 102. The ECO 101 and 102 are not sequential. However, the Accounting courses are sequential—BUS 120 must be taken before BUS 130. We strongly recommend that a student take 130 in the term immediately following satisfactory completion (with a grade of C or higher) of BUS 120. Other core courses, which are not required for admission to the major but are degree requirements for all concentrations, also may be taken during the student’s first two years. These include BUS 125 (first year), ECO 250 (after MAT 115 and BUS 125, or with permission of instructor), BUS 315 (second year, after taking prerequisite BUS 120 or ECO 102), and BUS 363 (second year). Courses offered during Short Term and Internships may count toward the required
concentration courses. Students may enroll in up to two departmental Internship experiences for a maximum of three credits. However, no more than one credit from Internships may be counted toward a single concentration. Students choosing the Public Accounting Option (see below) are not eligible for BUS 475 until the final regular term of attendance. Taking this course earlier might jeopardize any possibility of qualifying for a one- or two-term extension, if needed.
Proficiency Requirements for Retention in and Completion of the Major—In addition to completing specified course requirements and meeting the Admission to the Major requirements, each student must satisfy departmental standards for written and oral communication. Opportunities to do so are provided in a number of courses throughout the curriculum. The Department also requires that a majority of courses taken to satisfy departmental major and minor degree requirements must be taken at Berea. Students also must meet the minimum requirements for graduation.
Other Considerations and Recommendations—Students preparing for graduate school should take MAT 135 (or waiver) and BUS 240.
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.
- 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.)
OR
- 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 240: Business Law (F)
- BUS 306: Accounting for Government
and Nonprofits (offered every
second or third Short Term)
- BUS 368: Intermediate Corporate Finance (S)
- ECO 332: Money
and Banking (F)
- BUS 346: Investment Analysis (F)
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.
Curriculum Guide
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