Business Programs
in New York
New Yorkers love to go shopping
because of the tremendous range of
first class stores and products that
are available. If you decide to study
in New York State, you’ll find
the same staggering choice of business
schools to attend. As a consumer of
education, you will find that New
York is a world capital in business
education. This choice extends from
one end of New York to the other;
from the Statue of Liberty and Wall
Street to the majesty of Niagara Falls
to the northern skiing trails, you
will find the best business schools
for your needs.
New York State is ranked first in
the nation in the number of first
tier universities based on 70 different
criteria, according to the Entrepreneur
Magazine in 2004. Plus, there are
numerous business programs to choose
from, with 105 four-year business
programs and 68 MBA programs.
Why does this state excel in providing
business education? A major reason
is the array of first class businesses
that populate the state. There are
51 Fortune 500 and20 Fortune 100 companies
headquartered throughout the state.
The output of the state approaches
one trillion dollars, making it the
eleventh largest economy in the world.
This economic might supports business
education financially. It also provides
students with internships and job
placement upon graduation. The reach
of these global firms provides job
opportunities in New York or the surrounding
East Coast states, across the nation,
or around the world. Again, you will
have more choices and opportunities
by studying in New York.
There are many things to consider
in choosing the right business school
for you. In New York you have the
choice of quality public and private
schools. The public universities and
colleges exist throughout the state.
The City University of New York (CUNY)
serves metropolitan New York City.
The list of the private schools is
extensive, perhaps more so than any
other state, which again reflects
the economic stature of New York.
Prominent business programs are “upstate,”
like the Simon School at the University
of Rochester, Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute, or Niagara University with
its sister school, St. John’s
University in New York City. Examples
of other prominent “downstate”
private schools are Columbia University
and the Stern School at NYU.
One criterion that both domestic
and international students often inquire
about is business accreditation. The
premier business accreditation body
is The Association to Advance Collegiate
Schools of Business–International
or simply AACSB-International. Fewer
than 3 of 10 business programs in
the United States have this prestigious
designation. Accreditation is based
on many important factors, such as
the number of business Ph.D.s on the
faculty, curriculum quality, and learning
assessment, to name a few. Accreditation
means that both the undergraduate
and graduate programs have successfully
met accreditation standards. You can
not have separate accreditation, with
one program accredited and the other
program not accredited. Also, you
will find that firms which send recruiters
to campuses will often visit predominantly
accredited programs. When choosing
a business school, look for that AACSB
logo!
Business programs often have very
similar majors, such as accounting,
finance, marketing, management information
systems, and international business.
However, there are specialty programs
at many campuses that are unique and
renown. For instance, Cornell University
has a world acclaimed hotel school.
They also have an acclaimed degree
program in Industrial and Labor Relations.
Supply chain management is an area
that is increasingly important in
industry. Niagara University and Clarkson
University both have very prominent
programs.
Entrepreneurship is increasingly
studied in today’s business
curricula.
This trend reflects the increased
importance of “growing”
new start-up companies as well as
the necessity of keeping established
firms primed to develop new products
and markets. It also reflects the
new economy that is being populated
by the “knowledge firms”
of the 21st Century. It is noteworthy
that New York State is ranked second
in the nation for attracting new expanded
corporate facilities. Syracuse University
and RPI have developed entrepreneurship
programs that are unique and highly
acclaimed. Niagara University has
an active Family Business Center which
is serving as a platform for entrepreneurial
studies.
International studies are often
mentioned as an area of interest for
prospective business students. Today,
more and more programs offer international
opportunities. They may range from
study abroad for a few weeks to an
entire semester or longer.
Internships and cooperative education
are also of interest to students.
These formal employment programs provide
opportunities to practice interview
skills, to earn money, and to have
valuable experience in your field.
Some programs, like at Niagara University,
have award winning programs and actually
have mock interviews on campus to
fine tune those skills. It is best
to investigate the extent of the university’s
commitment to internships so that
you are assured a meaningful experience.
The vast array of businesses in New
York is a big plus to getting your
career started in an internship that
is worthwhile.
Your entire business career will
be a series of interesting and meaningful
decisions. Your first career decision
is finding a business school that
meets your needs. You will find that
New York has the right school for
you.
By
John A. Helmuth, Ph.D., Dean
College of Business Administration
Niagara University
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