Binghamton University’s School of Management (SOM) is one of five professional schools on campus. Its programs allow students to appreciate the complexity of modern organizations, the intricate relationships that exist between organizations and the social frameworks of which they are a part, and the challenges of administration at its broadest levels. The curriculum offerings are diverse, and they prepare students for professional careers as well as for undertaking advanced academic work.
The undergraduate programs of the school have a pre-professional orientation and stress breadth of knowledge while allowing limited specialization. They provide students with a comprehensive management education aimed at developing and expanding their capacity for dealing with an increasingly complex business environment, on both a national and international level, and they familiarize students with the computer and its applications to the functional areas of management. As part of their graduation requirements, students take a course in management policy and strategy, which acts as a capstone experience.
The undergraduate management curriculum provides students with a strong liberal arts background; a sound foundation in the basic disciplines and functional areas of management; and an awareness of the legal, environmental and societal factors that affect decision making in organizations. In addition, the undergraduate management student has the opportunity to acquire greater depth of understanding in one or more functional areas by electing concentrations in those areas.
The undergraduate accounting curriculum option provides strong pre-professional training in the theory and practice of accounting, within the context of a sound general education that exposes the student both to the liberal and to the management arts. The program serves students interested in careers in public and corporate accounting, as well as students who intend to pursue advanced studies in various graduate and professional schools.
The School of Management also offers an undergraduate honors program to which highly qualified entering freshmen are offered entrance at the time of their admission to the School of Management.
The procedure for individuals applying for admission to the School of Management, as either freshmen or transfer students, is the same as for other undergraduate components of the University. Specific information may be found in the Admissions section of the Bulletin.
Students in SOM are subject to all general regulations listed in the Academic Policies and Procedures section of the Bulletin. In addition, the following policies also apply to management students.
Cross-disciplinary study is urged, and students are required to take approximately one-half of the coursework for their degrees in the other undegraduate components of the Binghamton campus (the various departments of Harpur College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Community and Public Affairs, the Decker School of Nursing, the School of Education or the Thomas J. Watson School of Engineering and Applied Science). Students enrolled in the accounting curriculum must include some specific coursework in the liberal arts in order to be eligible to sit for the CPA examination.
The following are valid grades in SOM undergraduate courses: A, A–, B+, B, B–, C+, C, C–, D, F, W, WF and I. The grade of P (Pass) may be given only in internship, teaching practicum, independent study or readings and research coursework. This grading option (P) is available for independent study and readings and research courses only with consent of both the instructor and the school’s advising office; whereas it is the default grading option for internship and teaching practica experiences. Students matriculated in SOM must adhere to this grading system in all courses taken in SOM.
When taking courses in other schools at Binghamton University, SOM students are permitted to take the grading option of those schools if they wish. They may also petition to be graded according to the SOM system, if the instructor is willing and if the school offering the course permits such petitions. Grades earned in other schools at Binghamton University by SOM students are entered into the student’s record and printed on transcripts as they are given.
Undergraduate students from other schools at Binghamton University who register for SOM courses may petition the respective instructors to be graded by the system existing in the school in which they are enrolled.
All graduate students taking an undergraduate course in SOM are graded according to the grading policies of the Graduate School.
To remain in good academic standing, students must demonstrate that they are passing courses at a satisfactory rate, and with satisfactory grades, to earn a bachelor’s degree in the usual period of time. To remain in good academic standing, students are required to maintain a minimum grade-point average of 2.0 in all courses taken for credit, as well as for courses taken in SOM. The standard as applied to SOM coursework is not invoked until a student has attempted at least 12 hours of SOM coursework. Students who fail to meet these minimum criteria are placed on probation and are expected to raise their averages to a 2.0 level or better within a semester or two of full-time study. Students who fail to raise their grade-point averages to acceptable levels within the required period are subject to dismissal. Academic probation does not necessarily preclude a student from registering or from receiving financial aid; standards for financial aid eligibility are described in the Financial Information section of this publication.
While students may carry an overall grade-point average slightly below 2.0 and be allowed to continue their studies “on probation” for one or more semesters, those who fall considerably below a cumulative GPA of 2.0 are dismissed rather than allowed to continue. These decisions are made in accordance with the following guidelines.
|
Hours Completed |
|
|
(including advanced |
Cumulative |
|
minimum standing) |
GPA |
|
1-34 |
1.440 |
|
35-51 |
1.625 |
|
52-68 |
1.715 |
|
69-85 |
1.800 |
|
86-102 |
1.875 |
|
103-119 |
1.950 |
|
120+ |
2.000 |
At the very least, students are expected to carry the cumulative GPA indicated for their respective levels of progress. Failure to meet the minimum GPA specified above results in the student’s dismissal.
The GPA used for academic standards purpose is also used in the determination of graduation honors and reflects all coursework attempted. It is calculated by assigning the following point values to the respective grades:
|
A |
= |
4.0 |
C |
= |
2.0 |
|
A– |
= |
3.7 |
C– |
= |
1.7 |
|
B+ |
= |
3.3 |
D |
= |
1.0 |
|
B |
= |
3.0 |
F |
= |
0.0 |
|
B– |
= |
2.7 |
WF |
= |
0.0 |
|
C+ |
= |
2.3 |
P, W and similar grades generate no grade points and are not included in the GPA calculation.
A student who has been dismissed for academic reasons for the first time may apply for immediate readmission. In some instances, this may be granted. In other cases the school may stipulate that the student must wait for a semester or two before being readmitted. A student may be readmitted only by formal petition to the Office of the Dean of SOM. The student must explain any extenuating circumstances that contributed to the poor record.
If readmitted, students are given an “academic contract,” the provisions of which they must fulfill. Such a contract normally requires them to complete specified amounts of coursework in a specified period of time at a specified level of performance. The object of this contract is to raise the student above the minimum acceptable grade-point average for his or her stage of degree completion, as indicated on the preceding academic dismissal chart. Failure to satisfy the conditions of this academic contract usually results in the student being dismissed ("second dropped") for a second and final time.
A notation of Incomplete, rather than a grade, may be reported by the instructor when a student has made substantial progress but has not been able to complete a course. The student must have a valid reason, such as, illness or other justifiable circumstances, for requesting an Incomplete. The issues of substantial progress, potential to pass the course and the reason for the request are decided by the instructor. When giving an Incomplete, the instructor must:
An Incomplete grade becomes a grade of “F” 72 hours after the last scheduled final in the next regular semester following the issuance of the Incomplete, unless a change of grade is submitted by the instructor. It is the student’s responsibility to ascertain that the coursework has been completed according to the contract and that a new grade is submitted. An extension of this deadline must be approved by the instructor and the Dean’s Office and is approved only in highly unusual circumstances. Contracts and other required forms may be obtained from the SOM Advising Office by the instructor.
If they wish their records to indicate good standing, students who withdraw from the University must follow a formal withdrawal procedure. Mere absence from class does not constitute due notice of withdrawal. Withdrawal applications may be obtained from the Office of the Registrar. When students withdraw entirely from SOM, and also simultaneously withdraw from all courses for which they are registered, there is no academic penalty associated with the withdrawal from courses. A grade of W is assigned to each course, and a notation indicating withdrawal from the University is placed on the transcript.
Formal readmission is necessary for any student who has not been in attendance for one or more semesters. Students who officially withdraw during the regular academic year are eligible to register for the next academic semester without requesting a formal readmission.
The following regulations govern withdrawals from individual SOM courses:
The Registrar’s Office maintains a single transcript for SOM students, which serves both internal and external purposes. As an external transcript, it is the official record of the student’s performance and is forwarded to prospective employers and graduate schools. As an internal transcript, in conjunction with a degree audit report (commonly referred to as a DARS report), it is used by the University and SOM for administrative and academic advising purposes. The following reflects SOM policy on transcripts:
All grades are recorded on the student’s transcript as they are received in courses.
While independent study is a useful and important adjunct to a student’s academic preparation, no student is allowed to present more than eight credit hours of independent study, internship and/or practicum in college teaching coursework in fulfillment of SOM degree requirements. Independent study, internships and practicum in college teaching generally are taken on a Pass/Fail basis.
[ top ]Physical education for SOM students is governed by the General Education policies in place at the time of matriculation. Students should contact the SOM Advising Office for more information on how health and physical education courses may count towards their degree.
The writing requirement consists of completion of two composition (C) courses from within Harpur College or equivalent courses transferred from other colleges or universities. One of these C courses serves as the General Education Composition course. Joined courses (GenEd “J”) are also acceptable as these courses combine the Composition component with an Oral communications component.
Undergraduate students with outstanding academic records are awarded graduation honors at Commencement. Determinations are made in accordance with the following guidelines:
Students who fail to satisfy any of the above criteria are not considered for graduation honors unless an exception is granted through the Dean’s Office.
At the end of each regular semester, SOM students who have earned exceptional grades during that semester are accorded Dean’s List recognition. Such recognition is limited to those students having the highest semester grade-point averages while completing at least 16 credit hours for letter grades. A minimum grade-point average of 3.75 is required.
See “Awards and Honors” in the Scholarships, Awards and Fellowships section of the University Bulletin.
In order for students to receive a bachelor of science degree from SOM, they must have:
All petitions that request modification of academic requirements must be approved by the school’s dean or designee(s).
Students who wish to specialize in accounting to qualify for the CPA license in New York state are urged to elect the degree program in accounting and to confer with the SOM Academic Advising Office no later than their sophomore year. Students completing the baccalaureate program in accounting are eligible to sit for the CPA examination only through August 2009. After that date a degree program consisting of a minimum of 150 credit hours is required to qualify to take the exam. SOM offers a BS/MS in accounting program to satisfy the new rules. Students who wish a career in accounting other than with public accounting firms are also advised to elect the BS/MS in Accounting degree program. For further information, consult with the school’s advising office.
Students in the management baccalaureate program may elect one or more concentrations, preferably by the end of the fifth semester. A concentration consists of three or more courses designed to provide depth in a specialized area, in addition to the broad program provided by the core requirements. Through judicious selection of a concentration and the remaining electives, a student may tailor a program of study to meet specific needs and goals. The student’s concentrations are recorded on the official transcript at the time of graduation.
Students who intend to continue their studies in graduate school should consider the fact that many graduate programs may require additional competence in mathematics and statistics. Consequently, students with this goal may want to select as electives additional courses from these areas.
To be granted the bachelor of science degree in accounting from SOM, students must complete the following courses:
| Minimum | |||
| number of | |||
| courses | |||
| A. |
Liberal Arts |
||
| 1. |
Requirements |
||
|
• ECON 162. Macro-economics |
1 | ||
|
• MATH 221 or 220. Calculus |
1 | ||
| 2. |
Electives |
||
|
• Liberal arts electives (to include two composition |
|||
|
courses and no |
|||
|
more than nine courses at the introductory level)** |
13 | ||
| B. |
School of Management |
||
| 1. |
Requirements |
||
|
• CQS 111. Computer Tools in Management |
1 | ||
|
• BL&S 111-112. Legal Environment of Management I and II |
2 | ||
|
• CQS 112. Statistics for Management* |
1 | ||
|
• IBUS 311. International Business |
1 (3 cr.) |
||
|
• MGMT 311. Organizational Behavior |
1 (3 cr.) |
||
|
• FIN 311. Financial Management |
1 (3 cr.) |
||
|
• MIS 311. Management Information Systems |
1 (3 cr.) |
||
|
• MKTG 311. Introduction to Marketing |
1 (3 cr.) |
||
|
• OPM 311. Operations Management |
1 (3 cr.) |
||
| . CQS 311. MIS/OPM Lab | 1 (2 cr.) | ||
|
• MGMT 411. Global Strategic Management |
1 | ||
|
• ACCT 211. Financial Accounting |
1 | ||
|
• ACCT 305. Cost Accounting*** |
1 | ||
|
• ACCT 311. Intermediate Accounting Theory I |
1 | ||
|
• ACCT 312. Intermediate Accounting Theory II |
1 | ||
|
• ACCT 460. Auditing |
1 | ||
|
• ACCT 375. Federal Income Taxation I |
1 | ||
|
• ECON 160. Micro-economics |
1 | ||
| C. |
Physical Education (two semesters)**** |
1/2 | |
*SOM recommends that students take CQS 112 as their required course in statistics. No more than one introductory statistics course may count toward the degree.
**Students must take two writing-emphasis courses (C) in liberal arts to fulfill the writing requirement. The term “introductory level” refers to those courses for which there are no prerequisites and/or courses numbered below 300. A course with no prerequisite and a number below 300, but specified as being intermediate or advanced in nature by the department teaching the course, may be used as a non-introductory elective.
***No credit is granted in the accounting curriculum for ACCT 212.
****Students must take two credits and may elect to take up to four more credits to substitute for an elective under Part A2.
The following represents the normal sequence of courses that SOM students are expected to follow in completing degree requirements in accounting during their four years at Binghamton University. It reflects the school’s belief that professional coursework must be preceded by a sound liberal arts background combined with coursework in necessary foundation areas. Courses OPM 311, MIS 311 and CQS 311 constitute the S-Core and must be taken together in the same semester. FIN 311, MGMT 311, MKTG 311 and IBUS 311 constitute the J-Core and must be taken together in the same semester. Transfer students should consult their academic advisers to determine where and how their previous work fits into this sequence. Each course is four credits unless noted.
First Semester (17 hours)
Second Semester (17 hours)
Third Semester (16 hours)
Fourth Semester (16 hours)
Fifth Semester (16 hours)
Sixth Semester (16 hours)
Seventh Semester (16 hours)
Eighth Semester (16 hours)
*Students must take two composition courses (C) in liberal arts to fulfill the writing requirement.
To be granted the bachelor of science degree in management from SOM, students must complete the following courses.
|
|
Minimum |
||
| A. |
Liberal Arts |
||
| 1. |
Requirements |
||
|
• MATH 221 or 220. Calculus |
1 | ||
|
• ECON 160. Micro-economics |
1 | ||
|
• ECON 162. Macro- economics |
1 | ||
|
• CQS 112* Statistics for Management |
1 | ||
| 2. |
Electives |
||
|
To include two composition and no more than nine |
|||
|
courses at the introductory level** |
12 | ||
| B. | School of Management | ||
| 1. |
Requirements |
||
|
• CQS 111. Computer Tools for Management |
1 | ||
|
• ACCT 211-212. Financial and Managerial Accounting |
2 | ||
|
• BL&S 111. Legal Environ of Management |
1 | ||
|
• IBUS 311. International Business |
1 (3 cr.) |
||
|
• MGMT 311. Organizational Behavior |
1 (3 cr.) |
||
|
• FIN 311. Financial Management |
1 (3 cr.) |
||
|
• MKTG 311. Introduction to Marketing |
1 (3 cr.) |
||
|
• OPM 311. Operations Management |
1 (3 cr.) |
||
|
• MIS 311. Information Systems and Their Applications |
1 (3 cr.) |
||
| . CQS 311 MIS/OPM Lab | 1 (2 cr.) | ||
|
• MGMT 411. Global Strategic Management |
1 | ||
| 2. |
Concentration |
3 | |
Each student in this degree program may elect one or more concentrations by the junior year by filing a Declaration of Concentration form in the SOM Advising Office.
The concentrations and their requirements are:
[ top ]The purpose of this concentration is to prepare students for entry-level consulting positions in areas such as human resource management, management information systems or marketing. Courses in the concentration focus on individual leadership and influence, team and shared leadership, and strategic leadership and change management. Communication technologies such as the Internet, e-mail, groupware collaborative systems and videoconferencing are used extensively. Students usually combine this concentration with a second concentration in areas such as marketing or management information systems.
The focus in these courses is on the identification and evaluation of new venture opportunities; the development of effective business plans; and financing, establishing and operating new businesses. Three courses are required: ENT 460, MKTG 325 and FIN 480.
Recent innovations in financial markets have led to an increased demand for analytically skilled students. Understanding pricing models in derivatives and other exotic securities requires knowledge in finance and also statistics, stochastic processes and differential equations. The financial engineering program is designed to provide students with opportunities to pursue a mathematically challenging program of study.
In addition to meeting the usual School of Management requirements, students in the financial engineering concentration complete courses in the following groups:
The program is designed for placement of students in investment banks. Only outstanding undergraduate students with a cumulative GPA above 3.5 will be admitted. It is in their best interest to maintain that GPA while they are in the program.
Select any three undergraduate MKTG electives above MKTG 311, excluding independent studies. Students should consult with faculty or the advising office to select courses that reflect their career choices.
Management Information Systems students must take MIS 323 (Systems Analysis and Design) an any two additional courses from the the set of MIS electives that are offered, excluding independent study and internship.
[ top ]· Students may take any three undergraduate management electives above the 311 level.
|
C. |
Electives or second concentration |
3 |
|
D. |
Physical education (two semesters)*** |
1/2 |
*SOM recommends that students take CQS 112 as their required course in statistics. No more than one introductory statistics course may count toward the degree.
**Students must take two writing-emphasis courses (GenEd C or J) in liberal arts to fulfill the writing requirement. The term “introductory level” refers to those courses for which there are no prerequisites and/or courses numbered below 300. A course with no prerequisite and which is numbered below 300, but specified as being intermediate or advanced in nature by the department teaching the course, may be used as a non-introductory elective.
***Students must take two credits and may elect to take up to four more credits to substitute for an elective under Part A2 or Part C.
The following represents the normal sequence of courses that SOM students are expected to follow in completing degree requirements in management over their four years at Binghamton University. It reflects the school’s belief that professional coursework must be preceded by a sound liberal arts background combined with coursework in necessary foundation areas. OPM 311, MIS 311 and CQS 311 constitute the S-Core and all must be taken together during the same semester. FIN 311, MKTG 311, MGMT 311 and IBUS 311 constitute the J-Core and all must be taken together during the same semester. Transfer students should consult with their academic advisers to determine where and how their previous work fits into this sequence.
First Semester (17 hours)
Second Semester (17 hours)
Third Semester (16 hours)
Fourth Semester (16 hours)
Fifth Semester (16 hours)
Sixth Semester (16 hours)
Seventh Semester (16 hours)
Eighth Semester (16 hours)
*Students must take two writing-emphasis courses (GenEd C or J) to fulfill the writing requirement.
The purpose of the PricewaterhouseCoopers Scholars (PwC Scholars) Program is to attract superior students and challenge them to reach their full academic potential. PwC Scholars augment the normal SOM curriculum with additional requirements in writing and management. PwC Scholars are provided with special opportunities to enhance both their written and oral communication skills through coursework and seminars. Writing skills are also enhanced through an additional required composition course. PwC Scholars are required to complete additional coursework in their primary field of management concentration, to complete a second concentration in another management area or to complete a minor in another school at Binghamton University.
Completion of the PwC Scholars Program is noted on the student’s official transcript and through a PwC Scholars Program certificate issued by SOM.
Admission to the program is competitive and is limited to no more than 10 percent of the entering freshman class. Students are invited to participate in the program when they are accepted for admission to the University. SOM students admitted to the PwC Scholars Program have concurrent admission into the Binghamton Scholars Program.
SOM requirements that are unique to the PwC Scholars Program are designed to further enhance students’ breadth and depth of knowledge in management and their area of specialization. While it is not required, it is expected that many of the participants in the honors program will have earned college credit prior to their enrollment at Binghamton University. These credits may partially or fully offset the additional credit requirements. PwC Scholars students augment their programs with the following additional requirement:
PwC Scholars students are also required to fulfill one of the following options:
Participants in the PwC Scholars Program are expected to successfully complete a minimum of 16 credits per semester. They are also expected to maintain and graduate with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5. If the student’s cumulative GPA is below 3.5 for two consecutive semesters, the student may not continue in the program. Because Scholars coursework may also be counted toward the traditional SOM degrees, discontinuation of participation in the program does not normally result in additional coursework requirements.
For more information about the program contact the SOM Advising Office at 607-777-2316.
SOM offers opportunities to further students’ understanding of and exposure to the arena of international management.
Opportunities for study in England, Australia, Italy, Scotland, Korea and other countries have provided students in accounting and in management with an opportunity to study management practices at prestigious business schools in these countries. Students interested in any of these programs should contact the school’s advising office or the respective program directors. An interdisciplinary program in East Asian and Management Studies has been approved by the faculties of Harpur College and School of Management.
This special program responds to requests by non-SOM students for the opportunity to complete a limited selection of courses in SOM while completing degree requirements in their chosen school. The adjunct management option gives a limited number of students an introduction to basic subject matter in the areas of management and accounting. It is not in any way equivalent to an academic major or minor, but rather is a supplement to appropriate majors in another school. The Adjunct option consists of the completion of four specific courses which are offered on a distance learning basis during the winter (month of January) and summer sessions. The four courses are: ACCT 211 (Principles of Accounting), FIN 311 (Principles of Finance), MKTG 311 (Principles of Marketing) and MGMT 311 (Introduction to Organizational Behavior). In order to properly prepare for taking the Finance, Marketing, and Organizational Behavior courses, students should have completed the appropriate prerequisites as part of their non-SOM course work. These include calculus, statistics, micro and macro economics.
To qualify, non-SOM students must:
Students who successfully complete this special program option will have this fact reflected on their transcripts on graduation.
Note: Students should be aware that the adjunct management option is not related to the five-year program described later in this publication. Students who contemplate study for the MBA degree are well advised to complete their regular liberal arts degrees and to put off their professional studies until entering graduate school or to consider the Combined Degree programs noted below.
The accounting five-year program provides an opportunity for qualified students to complete their BS and MS degrees in accounting within a five-year period. In addition, the five-year program meets the requirements for the 150-credit-hour degree that will be required for licensing in most states in the near future (the New York state 150-hour requirement is scheduled to become effective in 2009).
To be eligible for admission into this special program, students must possess academic qualifications that allow admission into the graduate programs at the end of their senior year. Interested students must begin the application procedure early in their senior year by:
· sitting for the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) andFurther information about the five-year program for accounting may be obtained from the SOM Advising Office or at http://www2.binghamton.edu/som/prospectivestudents/graduate/msaccounting.html.
These special programs allow a limited number of highly qualified and well-motivated undergraduate students from the above stated programs the opportunity to combine their undergraduate studies with graduate work in Binghamton University’s School of Management, whereby they may complete both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree within a five-year period. The combined program is more completely described in the SOM graduate portion of this publication.
Further information about the combined program for Harpur College students may be obtained from the Harpur College Academic Advising Office or the SOM Advising Office.