Business Administration
School of Business
Dr. Julie Fitzpatrick, Department Chairperson
Email: business.administration@fredonia.edu
Website: https://www.fredonia.edu/academics/colleges-schools/school-business/business/business-administration
Business Administration, accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)-International for its programs in Accounting, Public Accountancy, Finance, Management, Marketing, and Business Administration, provides its majors with a contemporary, quality education in Accounting and Business Administration. The students in the discipline gain an awareness of their individual strengths and vocational interests in order to make appropriate career decisions. The discipline offers a rigorous, up-to-date curriculum that prepares students for domestic and international leadership roles in business management. While the programs offered are career-oriented, the discipline realizes that successful business professionals must bring a broad and varied perspective to their crafts.
Career Options
The department's programs are designed to provide the knowledge and skills required for success in the job market and in graduate programs. Students who major in Business Administration are prepared for a cross-section of opportunities. Recent graduates have embarked on careers with small businesses, large corporations, and public entities. The banking and investment fields have interested many graduates. Others have entered fields such as sales promotion and personnel management.
The 120-credit hour Accounting program prepares students for the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) examination. The 150-credit hour program qualifies graduates to take both the CMA and CPA (Certified Public Accountant) examinations. There are three major areas of employment for accounting graduates. Public accounting firms provide clients with a wide variety of services including auditing and tax consulting. Management accountants are employed by companies to perform various activities such as cost accounting and budgeting. Governmental accountants have the responsibility to monitor the revenues and expenditures of the public sector.
Student Clubs and Activities
Students majoring in Business Administration or Accounting can participate in a number of clubs and activities that are designed to supplement classroom work. Student clubs include Business Club; American Marketing Association; Enactus; American Society for Quality; Accounting Society, and Beta Gamma Sigma, the international honor society for students enrolled in programs accredited by AACSB. Moreover, students are always encouraged to actively participate in the affairs of the department through serving on various committees, being a member of the Student Council, and attending departmental functions.
Beta Gamma Sigma honor students meet high scholarship standards and perform important community service. The Business Club conducts various entrepreneurial activities and organizes the annual “Business Person of the Year Award” banquet, honoring an outstanding community business leader. The American Society for Quality tours manufacturing plants and holds educational workshops. The Enactus Team competes in national academic competitions, offers consulting services to regional businesses, and conducts a wide variety of important community service.
The Accounting Society conducts the Volunteer Income Tax Assistant Program under the auspices of the Internal Revenue Service, and brings professional guest-speakers to campus to offer career development information. The American Marketing Association conducts various fundraising activities to finance their annual trip to the AMA International Collegiate Conference.
Internship Opportunities
In addition to its regular course offerings, the department has an active internship program. Internships are work experiences for which students receive academic credit. Having an internship experience is a graduation requirement for students majoring in Business Administration, Accounting, and Public Accountancy. Out of the minimum 120 credits needed for a B.S. degree, students are allowed up to 24 credits of internship. The department offers many internship opportunities with various local and regional firms and organizations such as the Fredonia Technology Incubator, Chautauqua Institution, Disney World, M&T Bank, Wal-Mart, Corning Glass, Cummins, Citi Bank, Merrill Lynch, Enterprise, and Frito-Lay.
Honors and Awards
Students who excel in their studies are eligible for recognition through membership in the campus chapter of Beta Gamma Sigma. In addition, each year the faculty presents a number of awards/scholarships to students for outstanding scholastic and/or extra-curricular achievements:
- the M. R. Poummit Achievement Award to the graduating senior with the highest grade point average;
- the New York State Society of CPAs Awards, given to outstanding students in accounting;
- the Donald C. Brandt Memorial Scholarship to an outstanding sophomore;
- the Students In Free Enterprise Scholarships to outstanding Enactus members;
- the Alumni Scholarships, given to students with outstanding records of academic achievements;
- the Franklin B. Krohn Memorial Scholarship to a junior with outstanding academic and extra-curricular accomplishments;
- the Stephen and Carol (Eck) Ward Scholarship, given to a student with an outstanding record of scholastic and extra-curricular achievements;
- the Bennett Accounting Scholarship to an outstanding junior-level transfer student majoring in accounting;
- the Morris and Marian Poumitt Scholarship, given to an outstanding freshman, sophomore, or junior;
- the Gary M. Tripp Memorial Scholarship to a junior finance major with outstanding scholastics;
- the Mancuso Family Scholarship, given to an outstanding local student majoring in finance;
- the Business Club Scholarship to an outstanding Business Club member;
- the Morton and Barbara Cherney Scholarship, given to a junior with a high grade point average in the major courses;
- the Michael J. Quatroche Scholarship to a finance major in good academic standing;
- the John Richter Family Scholarship, given to graduates of Western New York high schools with active involvement in extracurricular activities;
- the Tom Reilly Scholarship to a graduating Senior majoring in Business.;
- the Peter R. and Arelene L. Merz School of Business Finance Scholarship
- the Kenneth Plucinski Memorial Scholarship.
The following programs are included within Business Administration: