Business Administration (A.A.)
Associate in Arts
Program Advisor: Karen Hines, Associate Professor of Business
413-236-4533 - khines@berkshirecc.edu
The Business Administration A.A. program, designed to be a transfer program toward a bachelor's degree, will set you on a path toward an advanced degree in a number of business-related four-year programs. In addition to providing a solid background in accounting, economics and core business courses, the program requires course work in liberal arts and sciences to help students understand themselves and their society.
Students who complete this program receive a solid two-year foundation in the field of business and, in many cases, can transfer with junior status to a four-year college or university. Students transfer into programs such as business, finance, marketing, accounting, economics and management. This program qualifies for MassTransfer, which guarantees credit transfer to Massachusetts state universities and the University of Massachusetts with the appropriate grades and GPA.
After completing their baccalaureate work, BCC graduates have built successful careers in business throughout Massachusetts, across the nation and globally.
Expected Outcomes
Graduates of this program should be able to:
- Use their academic skills, behaviors and attitudes to successfully pursue further studies in a business-related discipline;
- Demonstrate knowledge of the practice of management, marketing and accounting, and the applications of these topics in the business environment and their contribution to strategic planning
- Use critical thinking skills to appraise and evaluate business practices, including the use of quantitative and qualitative techniques;
- Possess excellent communication skills to relate well to customers, management and their peers in the workplace; using written, oral and nonverbal techniques, including the use of technology in the gathering and presentation of information
- Recognize the presence of various cultures in the business world and comprehend the need to have a global perspective when analyzing and planning in a business environment;
- Comprehend the rapid change taking place in the business environment and demonstrate an ability to engage in ongoing professional development.
Graduation Requirements
To earn a degree in this program, a student must complete all program and general education credits, plus the following Additional Requirements.
Program Courses
| BUS-107 | Fundamentals of Business | 3 |
| BUS-111 | Principles of Accounting I | 3 |
| BUS-112 | Principles of Accounting II | 3 |
| BUS-220 | Managerial Accounting | 3 |
| CIS-102 | Fundamental Computer Literacy | 4 |
| ECO-212 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
| BUS-206 | Principles of Management | 3 |
| BUS-208 | Principles of Marketing | 3 |
| BUS-251 | Law for Business I | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 28 |
General Education Courses
| COM- | Communication | 3 |
| ECO-211 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| ENG- | English Composition/Writing | 6 |
| HIS- | History | 3 |
| - | Or | |
| PSY- | Psychology (3) | 3 |
| - | Or | |
| SOC- | Sociology (3) | 3 |
| MAT-121 | Precalculus | 4 |
| MAT-123 | Elementary Statistics | 3 |
| - | Or | |
| MAT-151 | Calculus I | 4 |
| - | Humanities & Fine Arts | 6 |
| - | Natural or Physical Science | 7 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 35 |
MAT Mathematics: See footnote 1
Natural or Physical Science: See footnote 3
Additional Requirements
| Core Competencies Portfolio |
4 items |
| FORUM |
4 units |
| Health/Fitness |
30 hours |
Minimum Cumulative Average
| Overall |
2.000 |
| All required BUS & ECO courses & CIS-102 courses & science electives |
2.000 |
Suggested Pathway to Graduation
The following is a suggestion for completing this program in two years. The actual time to complete the program may vary according to each student’s individual needs.
First Semester
| BUS-107 | Fundamentals of Business | 3 |
| BUS-111 | Principles of Accounting I | 3 |
| CIS-102 | Fundamental Computer Literacy | 4 |
| ENG- | English Composition/Writing | 3 |
| - | History | 3 |
| - | Or | |
| PSY- | Psychology (3) | 3 |
| - | Or | |
| SOC- | Sociology (3) | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 16 |
Second Semester
| BUS-112 | Principles of Accounting II | 3 |
| BUS-206 | Principles of Management | 3 |
| - | Or | |
| BUS-208 | Principles of Marketing | 3 |
| - | Or | |
| BUS-251 | Law for Business I | 3 |
| COM- | Communication | 3 |
| ENG- | English Composition/Writing | 3 |
| MAT-121 | Precalculus | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 16 |
MAT Mathematics: See footnote 1
Third Semester
| BUS-220 | Managerial Accounting | 3 |
| BUS-206 | Principles of Management | 3 |
| - | Or | |
| BUS-208 | Principles of Marketing | 3 |
| - | Or | |
| BUS-251 | Law for Business I | 3 |
| ECO-212 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
| - | Humanities & Fine Arts | 3 |
| - | Natural or Physical Science | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
Natural or Physical Science: See footnote 3
Fourth Semester
| ECO-212 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
| BUS-206 | Principles of Management | 3 |
| - | Or | |
| BUS-208 | Principles of Marketing | 3 |
| - | Or | |
| BUS-251 | Law for Business I | 3 |
| MAT-123 | Elementary Statistics | 3 |
| - | Or | |
| MAT-151 | Calculus I | 4 |
| - | Humanities & Fine Arts | 3 |
| - | Natural or Physical Science | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 16 |
MAT Mathematics: See footnote 2
Natural or Physical Science: See footnote 3
Footnotes
- Students meeting this MAT-121 (or higher) requirement with a 3-credit course will need to add 1 free elective credit. Mathematics to be chosen from MAT-123, Elementary Statistics.
- If attending UMass Amherst is must be MAT151 Calculus or Applied Calculus I transferred in.
- The Natural or Physical Science requirement must be fulfilled with two 4-credit laboratory science courses. Students who complete an environmentally focused laboratory science, such as BIO-109, BIO-110, ENV-101, ENV-102, have fulfilled both the Natural or Physical Science and the Environmental Studies requirements.