Business Administration (A.A.)
Associate in Arts
Program Advisor: Kevin Bechard, Dean of Business & Outreach
413-236-2109 • kbechard@berkshirecc.edu
The Business Administration degree program parallels the freshman and sophomore years of business studies at a baccalaureate college or university. In addition to providing a solid background in accounting, economics and business electives, the program requires course work in liberal arts and sciences to help students understand themselves and their society.
After completing their baccalaureate work, BCC graduates have built successful careers in business throughout Massachusetts, across the nation and globally. Business Administration students should check the academic requirements of the college or university where they plan to transfer and select their BCC courses to meet those requirements.
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;
- Use the necessary math skills to handle complex economic, accounting and finance problems;
- Recognize, analyze and calculate sales, cost, revenue, profit and other financial data to make informed business decisions;
- Possess excellent communication skills to relate well to customers, management and their peers in the workplace; and
- Demonstrate ethical and social responsibility as they go to work in the real world for business firms or government organizations.
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 |
BUS-
| Electives | 3 |
| CIS-102 | Fundamental Computer Literacy | 4 |
| CIS-225 | Spreadsheets and Databases for Professionals | 4 |
| ECO-212 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 26 |
BUS Elective: See footnote 3
General Education Courses
COM-
| Communication | 3 |
| ECO-211 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
ENG-
| English Composition/Writing | 6 |
HIS-
| History | 3 |
| MAT-121 | Precalculus | 4 |
MAT-
| Mathematics | 3 |
-
| Environmental Studies | 1 |
-
| Humanities & Fine Arts | 6 |
-
| Natural or Physical Science | 8 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 37 |
MAT-121: or higher
MAT-121: See footnote 4
MAT Mathematics: See footnote 1
Environmental Studies: See footnote 2
Natural or Physical Science: See footnote 2
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 |
| MAT-121 | Precalculus | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 17 |
Second Semester
| BUS-112 | Principles of Accounting II | 3 |
BUS-
| Electives | 3 |
COM-
| Communication | 3 |
ENG-
| English Composition/Writing | 3 |
MAT-
| Mathematics | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
MAT Mathematics: See footnote 1
Third Semester
| BUS-220 | Managerial Accounting | 3 |
BUS-
| Electives | 3 |
| ECO-212 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
-
| Humanities & Fine Arts | 3 |
-
| Natural or Physical Science | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 16 |
BUS Elective: See footnote 3
Natural or Physical Science: See footnote 2
Fourth Semester
| ECO-211 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
HIS-
| History | 3 |
-
| Environmental Studies | 1 |
-
| Free Elective | 1 |
-
| Humanities & Fine Arts | 3 |
-
| Natural or Physical Science | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
Environmental Studies: See footnote 2
Free Elective: See footnote 4
Footnotes
- Mathematics to be chosen from MAT-123, Elementary Statistics or MAT-145, Applied Calculus I.
- 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.
- Business Elective to be chosen from BUS-206, Principles of Management; BUS-208, Principles of Marketing; BUS-251, Business Law I; BUS-255, Principles of Finance; BUS-260, Business Ethics. Substitutions must be approved by the program advisor.
- Students meeting this MAT-121 (or higher) requirement with a 3-credit course will need to add 1 free elective credit.