Degree Options
The bachelor of science in Business (BSB) major is intended to prepare students for careers in accounting, banking, insurance, business management, and marketing. Students complete basic and intermediate core business courses including accounting, economics, management information systems, marketing, business logistics, and finance. Penn State York business students elect an 18-credit option to prepare them for a specific employment sector.
Accounting Option
Accounting focuses on the development and interpretation of financial information critical to managerial decision-making. This option prepares students to pursue careers in business with an emphasis on the areas of financial and managerial accounting, systems and controls, auditing, and taxation. The Accounting Option prepares students for a wide range of careers, including corporate controller, treasurer, budget director, auditor, tax planner and consultant. The Accounting option provides students with a foundation in intermediate accounting, managerial accounting, taxation, information systems and auditing.
Courses (18 credits)*
PRESCRIBED COURSES (9 credits)
- ACCTG 404(3)
- ACCTG 471(3)
- ACCTG 472(3) (Semester: 5–6)
ADDITIONAL COURSES (6 credits)
- ACCTG 403(3) or 403W(3) (Semester: 7–8)
- ACCTG 405(3) or FINSV 411(3) (Semester: 7–8)
SUPPORTING COURSES AND RELATED AREAS (3 credits)
Select 3 credits of 400-level courses from ACCTG, B A, ECON, ENTR, FIN, FINSV, H P A, I B, MGMT, MIS, MKTG, R M, or SCM (Semester: 7–8).
Management and Marketing Option
This option prepares students to pursue careers in business organizations with an emphasis on the skills and knowledge necessary for the business professional to function in community and regional centers of commerce. The Management and Marketing option’s dual emphasis allows students to select courses in both disciplines as a foundation for leading small businesses or units of large organizations. Courses in the option include human resource management, leadership, international management, retailing, global marketing, market research, communications and ethics.
Courses (18 credits)*
ADDITIONAL COURSES (0–6 credits)
Select 0–6 credits from:
- B A 250(3)
- ENGL 419(3)
- MKTG 220(3)
or one of the following:
- CAS 250(3)
- CAS 252(3)
- CAS 352(3)
- CAS 404(3) (Semester: 5–8)
SUPPORTING COURSES AND RELATED AREAS (12–18 credits)
A minimum of 3 credits of supporting courses must be selected at the 400-level.
- Select 3 credits from 300 or 400-level MGMT courses (Semester: 5–8)
- Select 3 credits from 300 or 400-level MKTG courses (Semester: 5–8)
- Select 6–12 additional credits in 300 or 400-level courses from MGMT or MKTG courses (Semester: 6–8)
Individualized Option
This option provides the opportunity for students to pursue an approved business-focused interdisciplinary program of study. Students pursuing the Individualized option have paired business with information sciences and technology, hotel and restaurant management, professional writing, and other course work, to pursue studies focused on their unique interests and/or career plans.
All the options include courses that emphasize oral and written communication; active and collaborative learning; team-building; critical-thinking; and problem-solving skills. Students also participate in a capstone experience, choosing to conduct an undergraduate research project, participate in a collaborative project in business, or pursue professional experience through an internship.
Penn State’s associate degree in business administration articulates with the bachelor’s degree. The college also has transfer guides with a number of community colleges, allowing students with an associate degree in Business to efficiently transfer credits into Penn State York’s Bachelor of Science in Business program. The BSB program is offered days and evenings to meet the needs of both traditional and adult learners.
Individualized Option Courses (18 credits)*
Select 18 credits of study (with at least 3 credits at the 400-level) as submitted by the student and approved by the campus BSB program coordinator (Semester: 5–8)
*A student enrolled in this major must receive a grade of C or better in all option courses.