Business Administration: Accounting Concentration
Business Administration Programs at Fisher College
The Associate of Science Degree in Business Administration is an excellent option for students who wish to explore a career in business but are not ready to commit to a 4 year program. This could be right for a student who is anxious to enter the workplace or is looking to build their resume and GPA for possible transfer into a four year program. This degree provides foundation knowledge in the major functional areas of business along with current and marketable administrative skills. The focus of this program is to prepare students for entry level positions in the business world or further study.
For students with an interest in bookkeeping and accounting, we offer an Accounting concentration. This concentration allows students to take 2 additional classes in accounting that provide them with the entry level skills for bookkeeping or accounting clerk positions. This is also an excellent background for entry into a four year management or accounting program.
Students who complete the Associate of Science Degree in Business Administration at Fisher College can transfer at any time into the Bachelor of Science in Management program, provided they achieve the required GPA. The programs are designed to fit together perfectly so that every course taken for the Associate degree is applicable to the Bachelor Degree.
| First Year | Credit hours | |
|---|---|---|
| AC121 | Financial Accounting | 3 |
| CM105 | Public Speaking | 3 |
| CS101 | Computer Concepts and Applications | 3 |
| EC101 | Macroeconomics | 3 |
| EC102 | Microeconomics | 3 |
| EN101 | English I | 3 |
| EN102 | English II | 3 |
| Is105 | Common Experience | 3 |
| MA106 | Elementary Algebra* | 3 |
| Math/Science Elective | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
| Second Year | Credit hours | |
| AC122 | Managerial Accounting | 3 |
| AC203 | Computer Based Accounting | 3 |
| AC204 | Income Taxes |
3 |
| FI201 | Principles of Business Finance | 3 |
| LA204 | Business Law | 3 |
| MG201 | Principles of Management | 3 |
| MG202 | Human Resource Management | 3 |
| MK201 | Principles of Marketing | 3 |
| PS101 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| Humanities Elective | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
| *A higher level of math (MA 107, MA 109, MA 110 or MA 121) may be substituted. Minimum credits required for graduation--60. |
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Graduate Competencies
Graduates of the Associate of Science degree in Business Administration will have foundation knowledge in all major areas of an organization:
- Accounting
- Finance
- Business Law
- Human Resources Management
- Marketing
Students who earn the Associate of Science degree in Business Administration will gain marketable computer skills using the Microsoft Office Suite of products. These skills combined with general knowledge of the functions of business will allow them to pursue job opportunities in any type of for profit or non-profit organization or continue their education.
These business skills are complimented by a general education program that includes writing skills, public speaking, psychology, math and science courses to develop the whole student.
Potential Careers and Earnings
Administrative Assistants and Coordinators take on many responsibilities previously reserved for managers. These include preparation of presentations, spreadsheets, event planning and report writing. They often plan and coordinate meetings, collect and distribute information, update web sites, conduct research and manage projects. The options and opportunities are as varied as the list of for profit and non-profit businesses within the area of job pursuit.
Administrative jobs as described above are expected to grow at a rate of 9% over the period from 2006-2016*
Median salary for Administrative Assistants in May 2006 was $37,240.* Entry level positions for students with an Associate degree in Business Administration in the Boston area could expect to earn between $22,000 and $30,000** depending on the job and the industry. Higher levels of education typically draw higher salary levels.
Donna Brady
Donna Brady is a Certified Public Accountant licensed to practice accounting in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Accountancy at Northeastern University, where she graduated with honors. Additionally she holds two masters degrees, one in taxation from Bentley University and one in Applied Management from Lesley University. She has over 20 years teaching experience, which includes adjunct teaching positions at Bentley University, Suffolk University and Western New England College. For the past 10 years she has taught Accounting and Tax courses at Fisher College. Donna has been working in the field of accounting for over 35 years. Her experience ranges from starting as a Bookkeeper at a small high tech company to becoming a Supervisor at the international accounting firm, Coopers and Lybrand (now Price Waterhouse Coopers).
"In 1988 after working in industry for many years, I made the decision to establish an Accounting firm. While I was trying to build a client base, I decided to teach on a part time basis. I immediately fell in love with teaching and the students that I taught. It was a wonderful combination of practicing in a profession that I truly enjoyed and being able to introduce the subject of accounting and taxation to students. Because I have been a practitioner for a number of years, my approach to teaching is hands-on. I believe that students benefit from hearing about real life situations. Since the day that I started, I have loved teaching accounting at Fisher College. Over the years, I have had students from all over the United States and the World. I have come to know most of them on a personal level and have learned about their culture and background. Also, I have met a number of students that have the same background as me. In fact many of them graduated from the same high school that I did, Cambridge High and Latin (now Cambridge Rindge and Latin)".
John Hogan
John Hogan teaches accounting and finance courses at Fisher College. He possesses over 17 years of teaching experience and has previously taught at Newbury College, Dean College, Northeastern University and Babson College. During his career in financial services, John co-founded the fund administration department at Brown Brothers Harriman, a major custodian bank, where he was employed for ten years. Prior to his employment at BBH, he worked at The New England, Moseley Hallgarten, Estabrook and Weeden and Shawmut Bank.
"Before joining the faculty at Fisher College, I was fortunate to have had a 28 year career in financial services. My first position was as a portfolio accountant at a small Boston mutual fund company. From there, I moved to a much larger company that competed in the banking arena. Subsequently, my career path took me to employment at small, medium and larger companies in both individual contributor and management roles. In 1994, I became an adjunct instructor in accounting and finance and immediately found that I loved doing that job more than my primary position. I find teaching at Fisher College is truly rewarding and something that I love to do. I am able to use my business experience to educate students on how the business world operates and to help them develop the accounting and finance skills needed to navigate through the dynamic and evolving business environment."
Neil Trotta
Professor Neil Trotta teaches the following courses in the Division of Management and Public Service: Marketing, Operations Management, Human Resource Management, Strategic Management and Senior Project. Mr. Trotta earned his MBA from Western New England College and spent over 10 years in the healthcare staffing industry in the areas of sales, marketing and sales management. Neil spent the bulk of his time as the Director of National Accounts selling to "C" level executives at major healthcare systems across the United States.
"My aspiration to share my knowledge came while I was working in the corporate world. I had an opportunity to look back at my education and decided I could provide a hands on and practitioners approach to teaching. For over a decade I have had the pleasure of teaching both traditional students and the adult learners where I use real-world and personal experiences to enhance the learning process."