News

June 30, 2015

Saint Rose Launches Three New Business Majors

New Majors in Business Economics, Finance and Financial Planning

            The College of Saint Rose today announced the launch of three new business majors, to answer the growing demand for graduates with analytic and applied business skills and in the fast-growing fields of finance and financial planning.

            A new degree in business economics will combine knowledge of the structure and operation of the nation’s economy with the study of the many functional areas of business.  The major is a fusion of economics, which is the science of decision-making, and business, the science of implementing the decisions made.  Students pursuing the business economics degree will gain a strong understanding of today’s global business environment, market structure, market forces and the interplay of government policies and business decisions.

In addition, Saint Rose has elevated what were once business concentrations in finance and financial planning to full majors.

Graduates of all three programs will earn the bachelor of science degree.

Classes are taught in the College’s Huether School of Business, which provides the latest in technology, classrooms and seminar rooms, and dedicated spaces for internship coordination, entrepreneurship and leadership programming. 

“Employers today seek graduates who are already trained in such specialized business fields as market research and financial planning.  These three new majors tell potential employers that our graduates are business-ready and with their internships have exactly the degrees, training and experience that today’s hyper-competitive global market demands,” said Dr. Hadi Salavitabar, Saint Rose vice president for academic affairs and provost.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates that jobs in all three majors have bright outlooks over the next 10 years, with growth estimated at up to 32 percent for market research analysts and 27 percent for financial planning advisers.

ABOUT THE BUSINESS ECONOMICS MAJOR

            The business economics degree will provide students with the skills needed to investigate and evaluate trends and business conditions.  Concentrations within the 122-credit major afford students the opportunity to further focus their study on specific disciplines including accounting, finance, marketing, international business and management.  Graduates with business economics degrees are highly sought for their unique mix of analytic and applied business skills.

            A requirement of two internships that students must complete before graduation sets this major apart from those at other colleges.  Placements through the Center for Economic Growth, Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce and other public and private institutions will give students hands-on, job-ready experience.

ABOUT THE FINANCE MAJOR

            Providing a firm foundation in the core theories of finance, this major is designed for students who want to enter such fields as commercial and investment banking, insurance, asset and portfolio management, and pension and mutual fund management.  The existing finance concentration within the business administration major has been expanded to a 122-credit major with courses that emphasize direct experience in securities analysis and portfolio management.  Required business internships will give student valuable field experience while developing their networking skills.

ABOUT THE FINANCIAL PLANNING MAJOR

            Financial planning involves the management of financial resources to establish an individual’s financial goal and design a plan for how to achieve it.  Developing such strategies requires a comprehensive approach that includes such areas of personal finance as investments, insurance, retirement benefits, estate planning and personal taxes.  The 122-credit major will prepare students for financial planning jobs in banks, credit unions, insurance companies and investment firms and will provide the skill set for those who aspire to establish their own private practices. 

            For more information about the business programs offered at Saint Rose, contact Dr. Suzanne Wilhelm, dean of the Huether School of Business, at 518-454-5272 or e-mail wilhelms@strose.edu

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The College of Saint Rose (www.strose.edu) is a dynamic, progressive college in the heart of New York’s capital city where teaching is the first priority.  With 59 undergraduate programs, nine undergraduate certificates, 37 master’s degrees and 26 graduate certificates, and a mission of service to the urban community, the Saint Rose experience empowers students to improve themselves and the world around them.