Academic Catalog

School of Business

Michael Johnson-Cramer, Dean
Dawn Kline, Associate Dean

The Ithaca College School of Business offers bachelor of science degree programs in six majors: accounting, business analytics, finance, marketing, sport management and strategic leadership. We also offer two graduate degree programs: a Master of Science in Accounting and a Master of Business Administration in Entertainment & Media Management. All programs are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International.

Three characteristics distinguish our programs from their equivalents at other schools: (1) close faculty-student mentoring relationships; (2) the use of field- and project-based learning to enrich the academic experience; and (3) our continued engagement with our graduates long after they finish their degree, as evident in the many ways that alumni engage with the School and participate in the learning community.

An extensive support network, starting with a student’s faculty advisor, the staff in the dean’s office, and the student services team (SST), work together to help students make the choices necessary to be successful at Ithaca College and in the future.

OUR MISSION
We provide business education for students who care about the experience as much as the outcome. We offer them real world learning, mentorship, and new ways of thinking – because sustainable enterprises need creative leaders.
Business skills for the journey.

OUR VALUES
Real Education. Education is about facilitating our students’ growth and development – in class and out, theory and practice, experiences and ideas. We meet students where they are and help them grow from there.

A Community that Learns Together. We want every student to feel seen, heard, respected, and challenged. We make an intellectual and an emotional investment in our work. Our collegiality, friendships, and mutual respect are the basis for authentic community.

A Sense of Purpose. We have an obligation to make business a catalyst for positive social change. Our students’ curiosity energizes our research, and our insights inspire their curiosity. We succeed when we help them envision a more sustainable future and build careers that get them there.

AACSB Accreditation

Accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) is the hallmark of excellence in business education and has been earned by less than five percent of the world's business programs. Founded in 1916, AACSB International is the longest serving global accrediting body for business schools. Ithaca College School of Business has maintained accreditation for its business degree programs at the undergraduate and masters levels since 2005.

The Professions Program

The Professions Program is a professional development curriculum required for all School of Business students. It is a four-year pathway that allows students to develop skills and gain experiences that will prepare them to launch their careers. As one step in this pathway, School of Business students should ordinarily complete at least one internship prior to graduation. Students are not required to complete an internship for academic credit, but have the option to do so.

Majors

Minors

Certificates

Pathways

Academic Policies

 

Satisfactory/D/Fail Option

Typically, no courses may be taken on an S/D/F basis to meet business major or minor requirements. ICC Themes & Perspectives and Diversity courses and liberal arts electives may be taken S/D/F. Business courses taken as open electives above and beyond required courses may be taken S/D/F with approval of the Dean.

APPLying COURSES TO MORE THAN ONE Major (or Minor)

Students may use a course to satisfy degree requirements in two business majors (or a business major and minor) as long as they complete at least 12 unique credits in each. If a program of study outside the School of Business requires a business course, students majoring in that subject may also apply the course toward a business major or minor, subject to the 12 unique credit requirement.

ACADEMIC ADVISING

Faculty Advising
Facilitating student growth and learning is a priority for business school faculty and staff. Each student who is a business school major is assigned a faculty adviser to assist with progress toward completing their major requirements and to serve as a resource for exploring interests and career goals. It is strongly recommended that business school majors meet with their advisers at least twice each semester, once at the beginning of the semester and again during the advising period before online registration for the following semester. Students who are business school minors are assigned to a faculty adviser in the School of Business in addition to their major adviser.

Professional and Peer Advising

Student Services Team & Academic Services Coordinator
The Student Services desk is staffed by team of highly-trained students and overseen by the Academic Services Coordinator. The Student Services Team (SST) is available on a drop-in basis to help students with HomerConnect, academic forms, curriculum and prerequisites, mapping out a plan to graduation, and the Professions Program requirements. The Academic Services Coordinator oversees student records and degree progress for students in the School of Business, offers prescriptive advising to students, and serves as a resource to faculty advisors on degree requirements and program planning.

Peer Advising Program
Peer advisers are students trained in academic policies and procedures and in skills to help first-year students in matters relating to academic programs. Each year a selection process is conducted for interested and competent students. The availability of this service encourages students to view advising as an ongoing process that involves more than just registering for a course.

DEAN’S LIST

In order to earn a place on the dean’s list in the School of Business, students must satisfy all of the following criteria:

  1. a minimum semester grade point average of 3.50;
  2. completion of a minimum of 15 credits, of which at least 12 are graded (not pass/fail or Satisfactory/D/F option); and
  3. no final grades of D, F, or I.

INTERNSHIPS FOR CREDIT

For business students, there are two types of internships for credit. Students can choose to do an internship for credit only. Credits earned can be counted towards a 300-level general business requirement or open elective. The second type of internship is designed to allow students to synthesize the academic theory they have learned with real-world experiences. Credits earned in an internship with academic enhancement may be counted towards a 400-level major or concentration-specific elective.

Students wishing to complete an internship for credit should meet with the associate dean to discuss the application process. Internships are available during the fall, spring, summer semester, and winter breaks. An internship may not be repeated for credit with the same employer. A maximum of 12 credits may be earned in any combination of internships.

For internships with academic enhancement, students must be seniors and they must have attained a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.70 and completed the appropriate principles course in their respective major or concentration. London Center internships are for 3 credits per semester only. Internships in the School of Business are graded on a pass/fail basis only. To qualify for internships for credit, students must be juniors and in good academic standing.

For more information, please visit the School of Business internships website.

Study Abroad

The London Program

School of Business majors are encouraged to participate in the London Center study-abroad program during their sophomore or junior year. We recommend that discussion and planning begin in the student’s first year. Students can obtain descriptive literature from the Office of International Programs. Course planning should be worked out with the faculty advisor and the Office of International Programs. For more information, please visit the Office of International Programs website.

Other Study-Abroad Opportunities

School of Business majors are encouraged to study abroad during their sophomore or junior year. Both affiliated and non-affiliated programs offer opportunities for students to learn about other cultures, improve their foreign language skills, and, in some cases, fulfill business course requirements. Course planning can be worked out with the faculty adviser. More information about study-abroad options is available on the Office of International Programs website.

Independent Study

Students may pursue an independent study with the guidance of a faculty member. The purpose of independent study is to enable students to pursue personal academic interests in an area not covered in or beyond the scope of existing courses. Independent-study projects normally involve research into a topic, with a written report as the final product, but variations are accepted when appropriate. A variable amount of credit may be earned toward the degree. To qualify, a student must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 and must have completed at least 6 credits in the subject matter. Guidelines are available at the School of Business office. Please note carefully the application deadlines for each term, which usually occur at the end of the add/drop period.

Honors

Dean’s Award

Each year the dean, in consultation with the school’s faculty, selects one or more graduating seniors for the Dean’s Award. The award is given in recognition of superior scholastic achievement and extracurricular service to the College, school, and student body.

Dean’s Leadership and Distinguished Service Award

Each year the dean, in consultation with the school’s faculty, selects one or more graduating seniors for the Dean’s Leadership and Distinguished Service Award. The award is given in recognition of distinguished leadership activities and service to the College, school, and student body.

Accounting

Three students are selected by the accounting faculty to receive awards for excellence by the Southern Tier chapter of the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants in the areas of auditing, taxation, and accounting. Each year the top senior finance major is selected by the finance faculty to receive the Wall Street Journal Student Achievement Award.

Beta Alpha Psi

Beta Alpha Psi is an honorary organization for finance and accounting students and professionals. The primary objective of Beta Alpha Psi is to encourage and give recognition to scholastic and professional excellence in the field of business information. Ithaca College’s Mu Alpha chapter invites undergraduate students in good student conduct standing with a declared major in accounting or a concentration in finance or corporate accounting who have completed at least 30 credit hours and attained a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.30 to join as candidates for initiation. Upon completion of participatory and community service requirements, at least 60 credit hours, a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.30, and at least a 3.30 cumulative GPA in upper-level accounting and finance courses at Ithaca College, candidates may be initiated as student members into the Mu Alpha chapter of Beta Alpha Psi. Degree-seeking graduate students focusing on accounting or finance also shall be eligible for membership.

Beta Gamma Sigma

Lifetime membership in Beta Gamma Sigma is the highest recognition a business student anywhere in the world can receive in a business program accredited by AACSB International. Founded in 1913, the mission of Beta Gamma Sigma is to encourage and honor academic achievement in the study of business and to foster personal and professional excellence in the practice of business. Undergraduate 2nd semester sophomores in Accounting or Business Administration who have completed 30 credits at Ithaca College, 18 credits in Business and Economics, and who rank in the top 7.5% of their class will be invited to membership.  Juniors and seniors who rank in the top 10% percent of their class who have completed 30 credits in the School of Business will also be invited. Master’s candidates must rank in the upper 20 percent of their graduating class in order to be eligible for induction. Candidates must also be of good moral character.

Minors

A minor is a program of study that introduces a field and provides modest depth in its subject matter. Students should take care to satisfy all prerequisites and to note other information in the catalog pertaining to sequences of courses, class standing, and regulations of other schools. Specific guidelines concerning business minors can be found on the catalogue pages devoted to each minor.