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I am pleased to welcome visitors, especially students who will be joining us in Fall 2008, to the website of the Division of Economics and Business. The new academic year begins with the excitement of continuing the use of our financial markets laboratory classroom. State-of-the-art display boards simulate the ambiance of a financial services operation while permitting students in finance, economics, accounting and management to track actual data and announcements.  Since Fall of 2006, students in upper-division finance courses have been managing mutual fund portfolios of College endowment funds in real-world simulations. 

The 2007-2008 academic year marks the continuation of  our approach to business ethics in the curriculum. Economics and Business faculty have adopted a textbook and materials to be used in several courses throughout the curriculum. By reinforcing ethical reasoning and decision making in various key courses, students will build and refine their skills in this area across the disciplines of management, marketing, management information systems, accounting, finance and economics.

If you are a prospective student who is still in the process of selecting a college to attend and choosing an academic program, you certainly want to consider the advantages of Economics and Business with more than forty years of experience in preparing students for careers and entry into graduate or professional schools.  Students can choose from three undergraduate majors: Professional Accounting, Business Economics, and Economics. Elective concentrations are offered in accounting, finance, and marketing. We offer the majors and specialties that are among the top ten most demanded undergraduate degrees according to recent data from the National Association of Colleges and Employers. They are also among the highest paying.

The Division focuses on offering three undergraduate majors and striving to do it extraordinarily well. Instruction takes place in a learning environment of moderate-sized classes in beginning courses and small upper-division classes in technologically advanced classrooms.  Most faculty members possess Ph.D. degrees and bring to the classroom an extensive collection of industry, government, consulting, and international experience that is not commonly found in a small business school. The result is programs that go beyond the ordinary with their infusion of economics, management information systems, production management and operations research, and business and professional ethics. 

Award-winning chapters of the American Marketing Association and Financial Management Association provide students with exposure to practical experiences and participation in various team-oriented projects. The Economics Club and Accounting Society are also sources of exciting co-curricular experiences as well as contact with prominent alumni. Participation in the Economics and Business Internship Program is another practical complement to academic work for qualified students.

Academic achievement is recognized and rewarded. The Division is home to the Alpha-Lambda Chapter of Omicron Delta Epsilon—the international honor society in economics--and a local chapter of the Financial Management Association’s National Honor Society.  Outstanding graduates are recognized with College and Divisional Honors.  A growing number of scholarship awards are made each year from two endowed scholarship funds targeted at top students from Economics and Business who demonstrate academic excellence. First-year students and transfer students with excellent academic records are eligible for one of many scholarships for academic merit awarded by the College. Additional information is available at http://www.oneonta.edu/academics/econbu/scholarships.html.

 If you are enrolled for the Fall semester or considering Oneonta for your college career, I invite you to thoroughly explore the Division website. You can contact us at Business@oneonta.edu or by phone at 607-436-3458 if you want more information or have questions. 

Dr. Wade L. Thomas, Associate Dean

Division of Economics and Business