College of Business

Frequently Asked Questions about the BUS Major

 Program Requirements

1. What is BUS 115 and who needs to take it?

BUS 115, "An Intro to Business for Business Majors," is a new course beginning in Fall 2007. All students who are accepted into the BUS major in Fall 2007 or subsequent will need to complete this course.

2. I am a current BUS major and already took BUS 110, do I need to take BUS 115?

No, current BUS majors (anyone who has been accepted to the BUS major prior to Fall 2007), does not have to take BUS 115, unless you never completed or transferred in the equivalent of BUS 110.

3. What is BUS 111, and who should take it?

BUS 111 is an "Intro to Business for Non-Business Majors". Anyone who is not in the BUS major can register for BUS 111. Students who declare the BUS minor in Fall 2007 or subsequent are required to take BUS 111.

4. What is the Upper Division Writing Requirement?

The Upper Division Writing Requirement is a method of evaluating the ability of business majors to communicate

5. For majors who declare Fall 2007 or later:

Anyone who is accepted in the BUS major in Fall 2007 or subsequent is not required to take BUS 300. The upper division wirintg requirement will be satisfied within the writing requirements for BUS 347, Business Ethics.

6. For majors who declared prior to Fall 2007:

The BUS 300 requirement consists of three documents: 1) a resume; 2) a letter of application for a real job advertised in a newspaper or other medium; and 3) a two-page memorandum describing the results of an analysis ir similar topic appropriate to a business organization. The Upper Division Writing Requirements 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.

7. I am a current BUS major who has not completed BUS 300. Can I take BUS 347 instead?

If a student registers for BUS 347 in the Fall of 2007 or later, they will fulfill the upper division writing requirement through this class and do not need to register for BUS 300.

8. Do I have to complete a minor or a double major in order to successfully meet the requirements of the business major?

Yes, the business major requires you to complete a minor in any area, other than business, or a double major.

9. If I transfer in with a two year degree from a community college, does this waive me from the minor requirement for the business management major?

No, you still have to complete the minor/double major requirement for the business major.

10.If I double major in Business and Economics, are there courses that satisfy both majors' requirements?

Yes, a student can double major in Business and Economics. 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 347 (Business Ethics); BUS 355 (Investment Analysis); BUS 440 (International Management); BUS 441 (Business Strategy); ECO 108 (Intro to Economics); ECO 389 (Corporate Finance); and MAT 122 (Overview of Calculus). In addition, ECO 360 (Money and Banking) and ECO 383 (Public Finance), which are elective courses i the Finance specialization, can be applied to the Economics major requirements.

11. If I major in Economics and minor in Business, are there courses offered that would satusfy 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 441 (Business Strategy); and ECO 108 (Intro to Economics).

12. 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.

13. 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 by the College of Business faculty before they can be applied to the Business major or minor. Visit the Office of Student Services for more information on this process, and for an intial review of transfer credits. In many cases, a transfer course hs already been evaluated in the past, and transfer credit will be immediately assigned to your record. If further evaluation is necessary, you should complete a Transfer Course Evaluation form and attach a copy of the course syllabus that was used when the course was taken, along with a copy of your transcript. Turn in the completed form to the OSS. The appropriate faculty member will then evaluate these business courses, and you will be contacted when the evaluation is complete. Courses other than Business courses must be brought to the appropriate department (Applied Math, Economics, Political Science, etc.) for intial evaluation, and then must be submitted to the College of Business Office of Student Services for further processing. Please note: You 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 deartment, then you would have to fulfill the stated required course by taking the course here at Stony Brook.

14. 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 through admission to the University; 2) as transfers through admission to the University and 3) as enrolled students at Stony Brook with a minimum cum 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 (see below) and provided that you’re cumulative grade point average for all course work (including transfer credits) 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, letters of recommendation if needed, 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.  The minimum G.P.A. to declare the Business minor is a 3.1. Students who do not meet the 3.1 criteria, can fill out an application for the minor.  Completed applications should include the application form, a personal statement, and all academic transcripts. Please contact the College of Business Office of Student Services in room 102, Harriman Hall.

15. Is there a deadline to apply for the major or minor?
 
No, the admissions committee is reviewing applications on a rolling basis and there is no longer a deadline.  Please provide ample time for an admission decision, the average decision is rendered in approximately one month.  If the faculty is on break, this may extend the process. Please note that admission into the major may not happen until after the semester begins, therefore, you will have to schedule your classes for the semester independently of the possible business major/minor admission.

16. If I am not accepted what should I do?

You can bring up your G.P.A. and apply again or consider declaring a major related to business (i.e. Economics) and/or completing an internship in business.  Please visit the Career Center (ground floor of the library) for information on completing an internship in business without being a BUS major or minor.

17. 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.  

18. 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, and all prerequisites must be adhered to.  The College of Business has prepared a “Typical Program for Business Management Majors” that may be of assistance in planning your course of study.  It is available in the College of Business Office of Student Services, Harriman Hall 102.
 
19. What do I do if I need to see an advisor?

In general, if you have a check off sheet for the term that you matriculated as a business major and a list of the prerequisites, you should be able to schedule your classes every semester without a problem. If you have a question, please contact Office of Student Services This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it


20. 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.

21. 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 faculty member who teaches the class 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 or II respectively. The credits obtained for BUS 475 or BUS 476 will count as upper division credit toward the university degree total credit requirement and cannot be used to satisfy any course requirement for the business management major.

22. 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.

23. Can a course taken to fulfill a “required core” course 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
        
24. How do I declare my specialization?

Please go to http://www.cobsb.info/ --  go to "Enrolled Students" and "Login" then enter your student ID and “111” as the initial password.  This will allow you to declare your specialization.  If you encounter an error, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it with your name, ID and specialization.

25. What specializations can I choose from?

You can select an area of specialization in Accounting, Finance, Marketing and Operations.

What types of employment opportunities will I be able to pursue when I successfully complete an area of specialization?

For more information on employment opportunities, please speak with your faculty advisor and/or career counselor.

26. Can I take two specializations?

Yes, you can take the courses for two specializations, as long as you give yourself enough time to complete the requirements.  Please note that your specializations will appear on your transcript after graduation and not on your degree.
 
27. Can two specializations substitute for the minor requirement?

No, a minor or double major in any area, other than business must be completed in order for you to successfully meet the requirements for the business major.

28. 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 can update your academic record accordingly.

29. 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

30. Can AMS 102 be considered as an equivalent for BUS 215 – Introduction to Business Statistics?

No, there are NO substitutions for BUS 215 under the current curriculum.  BUS 215 is a required to be taken by every BUS major, with the following two exceptions:

1. If you are a double major with ECO and BUS, ECO 320 can be substituted for BUS 215.
2. If you are a double major with AMS and BUS, or AMS minor, AMS 310 or AMS 315 can be substituted for BUS 215.

31. 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.  Visit OSS for more information.  You may have to complete a transfer course evaluation request form, attach the course description with course syllabus and submit it to the appropriate department. A faculty member will then review the material submitted and make a determination.


Business Research Program

Please see Professor Gerrit Wolf in Rm 314 of Harriman Hall if you are interested in the Business Honors Program or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Contact Info

32. How can I find a professor’s contact details?

Please see the directory page on stonybrook.edu to look up faculty contact info.  It is also in the display case next to OSS.

33. How do I know a professor’s office hours?

The professors will have office hours posted on their doors and on their Backboard course web site.  You can also e mail them to inquire.  OSS tries to maintain a list of current office hours, so you can e-mail them for assistance.

State University of New York at Stony Brook
College of Business, Office of Student Services
Harriman Hall, Room 102
Stony Brook, NY 11794-3775
Phone: (631)632-7171
Fax: (631)632-8181
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