When one thinks of global hubs of commerce, New York is always at the top of the short list. 52 Fortune 500 companies are headquartered here in New York State, and to build the workforce required to run these companies and others, the best and the brightest in the world of business are needed to manage and deliver the goods and services that are produced.
One advantage of business and management degrees is their versatility. The skills and knowledge you gain from these programs are transferable to positions in many fields, not just in private companies. Many jobs these days require some knowledge in select software programs, accounting, budget management (even a small one), and previous internship and job experience.
If you have ever thought that business degrees are a dime a dozen, think again. Business degrees are not as basic as you might think; degrees in business can run the gamut from administration, finance, management, accounting, marketing, and management in specialized fields.
The business world is changing. The image of the ruthless Gordon Gecko has been replaced with one more like Bill Gates – using money to fulfill needs that are not being met.
- City, county, state, and federal government agencies are contracting with businesses to provide services to under-served areas, build roads and bridges, and purchase workplace needs like computers.
- Entrepreneurship is encouraged at every age. NYS even sponsors an annual collegiate business plan competition that will be held again this spring.
- Global companies, like GE and Google, were once known for producing electric light bulbs and an internet search engine. Currently, their portfolios are rich with work in such diversified areas as MRI systems manufacturing, turbojet production, advertising services, and language translation.
According to the New York State Department of Labor, many management and business operations fields are projected to have favorable or very favorable employment prospects between 2012 – 2022. Some of the areas where with the highest needs include financial specialists, management and market research analysts, and general operations managers.
Meeting future needs of business
According to a 2014 report by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), 77.8% of employers surveyed responded that “leadership” and “the ability to work in a team structure” were the two biggest assets they were looking for in job candidates.
To help fulfill the growing business workforce needs of New Yorkers, 9 of Open SUNY+’s newly announced 56 Wave II programs were chosen specifically to address New York’s position as a global commercial center. These programs join the Associate of Applied Science in Business Information Management (SUNY Broome); Bachelor of Science in Business, Management, and Economics: Human Resources Management (Empire State College); Masters of Business Administration (SUNY Oswego); Associate of Applied Science in Tourism Management (Finger Lakes Community College); and Graduate Certificate in Human Resources Management (Empire State College) programs that were announced in the launch of Open SUNY in January 2014.
The full list of Open SUNY+ business programs include:
- Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance through SUNY Canton
- Bachelor of Business Administration in Management through SUNY Canton
- Bachelor of Technology in Emergency and Disaster Management through SUNY Canton
- Undergraduate Certificate in Business and Environmental Sustainability through Empire State College
- Master of Business Administration in Management with a Veteran and Military Pathway through Empire State College
- Associate of Science in Quality Assurance – Business through Herkimer County Community College
- Associate of Science in Sport Management through Monroe Community College
- Associate of Applied Science in Business Administration through Rockland Community College
Nearly 3,500 students will benefit from the services offered by these new Open SUNY+ programs.
For students who are not ready to enroll in a degree program, or students who take traditional courses on a campus, individual courses are also available for viewing through the Open SUNY Navigator.
Business degree programs aren’t the only programs that Open SUNY+ supports. Open SUNY+ also supports degree programs in: health care, information technology, criminal justice and legal studies, education, and many other areas. We will be highlighting more Open SUNY+ programs in the coming weeks.
