Frequently Asked Questions

Program Requirements

Do I have to complete a minor in order to successfully meet the requirements of the new business program? Yes, the new program requires you to complete a minor in any area. However, if you have successfully completed a double major, you will be waived from the minor requirement.

If I transfer in with a two year degree from a community college, does this waive me from the minor requirement? No, you still have to complete the minor requirement for the business major.

BUS 110 “Business in the 21 st Century” who needs to take this course? BUS 110 is a required prerequisite for ALL business courses.

What is the Upper Division Writing Requirements and when should it be completed ? The Upper Division Writing Requirement is a method of evaluating the ability of business majors to communicate in writing and express ideas related to business and management. It consists of three documents: 1) a resume; 2) a letter of application for a real job advertised in a newspaper or other medium; 3) a two-page memorandum describing the results of an analysis or similar topic appropriate to a business organization. Sample materials are available on the College of Business Office of Student Services Blackboard website http://blackboard.sunysb.edu/. The Upper Division Writing Requirement should be completed in your junior year and be supervised by each student’s faculty advisor. You must register for BUS 300 in the semester you complete your upper division writing requirement. You must obtain permission from the College of Business, Office of Student Services in order to register for BUS 300.

Can I double major in Business and Economics ? Will the major in Economics satisfy my minor requirement? Yes, a student can double major in Business and Economics. Yes, the Economics major will satisfy the minor requirement. The following courses can be taken to help satisfy the requirements in both the Business and Economics majors: BUS 210 (Financial Accounting); BUS 220 (Introduction to Decision Sciences); BUS 249 (Management Science); BUS 347 (Business Ethics); BUS 355 (Investment Analysis); BUS 440 (International Management); BUS 441 (Business Strategy); ECO 108 (Intro. to Economics); and ECO 389 (Corporate Finance); MAT 122 (Overview of Calculus). In addition, ECO 360 (Money and Banking) and ECO 383 (Public Finance), which are elective courses in the Finance specialization, can be applied to the Economics Major requirements.

If I major in Economics and minor in Business, are there courses offered that would satisfy some of the requirements of each simultaneously ? Yes, the following courses can be taken to satisfy some of the requirements of both the Economics major and the Business minor: BUS 210 (Financial Accounting); BUS 220 (Introduction to Decision Sciences); BUS 249 (Management Science); BUS 441 (Business Strategy); and ECO 108 (Introduction to Economics).

Can I take a course for Pass/No Credit to satisfy the Business Major or Minor? No. All courses must be taken for a letter grade in order to satisfy the Business Major or Minor.

If I have taken courses at another college, which have already been accepted by the University, do they automatically apply to my Business Major or Minor degree ? No. Any transfer courses must be evaluated and formally approved before they can be applied to the Business Major or Minor. Transfer course evaluations forms can be picked up in the College of Business Office of Student Services, room 102 Harriman Hall. You should complete the form and attach a copy of the course syllabus that was used when the course was taken. The appropriate faculty member will then evaluate business courses. Courses other than Business courses must be brought to the appropriate department (Applied Math, Economics, Political Science, etc.) for initial evaluation, and then must be submitted to the College of Business Office of Student Services for further processing. Students should have courses evaluated for potential consideration well in advance of registration for the current semester. If a transfer course is not approved by the appropriate department, then the student would have to fulfill the stated required course by taking the course here at Stony Brook.

How do I apply for the Business (a) Major and (b) Minor ? a) Students are admitted to the Business Major in three ways: 1) as freshmen with admission to the University; 2) as transfers with admission to the University and 3) as enrolled students at Stony Brook with a minimum G.P.A. of 3.1. If you were not admitted directly into the Business Major when you arrived at Stony Brook, you may apply to the major during your academic career subject to the application deadlines and provided that you’re cumulative grade point average for all course work is 3.1 or higher. Application forms are available in the College of Business Office of Student Services, room 102 Harriman Hall. Completed applications should include the application form, a personal statement, transcripts from all institutions of higher education you have attended, and a copy of your Stony Brook academic record. b) Students can declare the Business Minor at any time during the academic year. There is no minimum G.P.A. requirement in order to declare a minor in business. The signature of a minor coordinator is required. Please contact the College of Business Office of Student Services in room 102, Harriman Hall.

Is there a deadline to apply for the major ? Yes, for admission for the fall semester, the College of Business Office of Student Services (102 Harriman Hall) must receive your completed application no later than July 15 th. For admission for the spring semester, the College of Business Office of Student Services (102 Harriman Hall) must receive your completed application no later than January 15 th.

If I am not accepted what do I do ? You can bring up your G.P.A. and apply again or you may wish to select another major and declare a business minor.

Which D.E.C. (Diversified Education Curriculum) requirements do I follow? Students who were admitted to the Business Major must follow the College of Arts and Sciences’ D.E.C. requirements.

Is there a specific order in which courses should be taken while satisfying the requirements for the Business Major ? While there is no required course sequencing in effect, in general, 100- and 200-level courses are taken before 300- and 400-level courses. The College of Business has prepared a “Typical Program for Business Management Majors” that may be of assistance in planning your course of study.

What do I do if I need to see an advisor ? Business Majors are assigned a faculty advisor upon entering the major. Check first with the College of Business Office of Student Services in Harriman Hall 102, and if they cannot answer your questions, check with your faculty advisor.

Can I do an internship in Business ? Yes. Internships can help you gain valuable practical experience and can be done for academic credit or just for experience. If you want to receive credit (BUS 488) you must be a senior Business Major and have completed your Upper Division Writing Requirement in order to qualify for BUS 488. The Career Center has postings for internships (credit and non-credit).

If I do an internship for credit, can I substitute BUS 488 for a required course (either for the major or minor?) No. All majors and minors must take the required courses in the business major or minor. BUS 488 may be used to fulfill an elective course in the related specialization, with the approval of the Director of Undergraduate Studies, if the internship is in the area of the student’s declared specialization. If the internship is not in the area of the declared specialization, it can be completed and will count as upper division credit toward the university degree total credit requirement.

Can I be a teaching assistant for a course ? Any student can be a teaching assistant for a business course, which was previously taken, and a minimum grade of A- was received. The students should contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies at the conclusion of the current semester for consideration in the upcoming semester. Once permission is given, the student will register for BUS 475 or 476 Undergraduate Teaching Practicum I & II respectively. This will require designation to a faculty member who is teaching the related course. The credits obtained for BUS 475 or BUS 476 will count as upper division credit toward the university degree total credit requirement.

How will a special topics course be considered when completing the business major ? Any business course taken as a special topic under the designation of BUS 390 can be used to fulfill a Management Elective course.

Can a course taken to fulfill “required core” courses for the Business Major or Minor also be used to satisfy an elective? No. A course may satisfy either area but cannot be used for both requirements simultaneously.

Specializations

What specializations can I choose from? You can select an area of specialization in Accounting, Finance, Marketing and Operations. For more information click specializations. 

What types of employment opportunities will I be able to pursue when I successfully complete and area of specialization? Click for more information on employment opportunities.

Can I declare two specializations? You may declare two specializations provided that you are able to complete the additional credits which are required. However, it is possible that you may experience scheduling conflicts between courses in different specializations if you select more than one area. If you change your specialization please notify the College of Business, Office of Student Services to have your academic record updated accordingly.

Can two specializations substitute for the minor requirement? No, a minor in any area, other than business must be completed in order for you to successfully meet the requirements for the business major.

Can a specialization be selected and then subsequently changed? Yes, you can subsequently change a specialization. However, it is recommended that you do not change your specialization during your senior year. If you do, it may be difficult to complete the necessary course requirements, since not all specialization courses are offered every academic year. If you change your specialization please notify the Office of Student Services so that they an update your academic record accordingly.

Can I transfer in courses from other universities and colleges to apply to an area of specialization? With the approval of the Director of Undergraduate Studies, transfer courses can be applied to the area of specialization that you select.

Transfer Courses & Substitutions

Can AMS 102 be considered as an equivalent for BUS 215 – Introduction to Business Statistics? No, the only acceptable equivalent for BUS 215 is AMS 310 (Survey of Probability and Statistics) or AMS 315 (Data Analysis) or ECO 320 (Mathematical Statistics).

I already completed BUS 249; do I have to take BUS 220 – Introduction to Decision Sciences? No, if you have completed BUS 249 (Management Science) with a minimum grade of C, you do not have to complete BUS 220 – Introduction to Decision Sciences.

What do I do if I want to take a course at another institution and have it transferred to Stony Brook? Courses that you want to take at another institution for credit at Stony Brook must receive formal departmental approval before the course is taken. You will have to complete a request form, attach the course description, attach the course syllabus and submit it to the appropriate department. A faculty member will then review the material submitted.

Business Honors Program

If I am currently following the business honors program, can I choose to follow the new business program and graduate with business honors and a specialization? Yes, you can follow the new business program and choose a specialization but you must also complete a minor, or double major in lieu of the minor, in order to comply with the requirements of the new business program.

Do any of the courses in the business honors program satisfy any of the requirements of the new business program? The Honors Research Methods and Business Honors Research I courses can be used to satisfy the management elective group. The Business Honors Research II course can be used to satisfy one course in the area of specialization provided that the research course relates to the specific area of specialization.

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