The Business Department at Alvernia University embraces the Catholic, Franciscan tradition. Therefore, Alvernia’s business programs examine the contemporary business world from both practical and ethical standpoints. The Alvernia University Business Department is committed to providing quality opportunities for students to obtain the necessary knowledge, skills, and advisement to become productive members of the business community. Opportunities are available for business majors to combine classroom learning with real-world knowledge through experiential learning opportunities and cooperative education internships. This broad-based approach prepares Alvernia business majors to succeed professionally by developing the supervisory and managerial skills necessary for career advancement. The Alvernia business faculty members have solid academic qualifications and years of business experience. They are aware of the latest trends and issues in the business world and incorporate these into class lectures.
Admission Requirements for Junior Level: Students will not be fully admitted into their respective business majors unless:
- They have an overall grade point average of 2.0 or higher (grades and credits from developmental courses are not considered) and
- They have completed 60 credits and have completed the following required courses with a minimum grade in each class of C: BUS 101, MAT core elective (MAT 110 suggested), BUS 206, and BUS 207
Graduation Requirement - Experiential Learning:
Alvernia business students in all majors and all modalities regardless of status as traditional freshmen, adult education, transfer, or mid-degree students, must complete an experiential learning opportunity of at least 75 hours as part of the core requirements in the business program. The 75 hours applies to transfer students as well. Students are strongly encouraged to complete this requirement in their junior or senior year and are also encouraged to exceed the hours required. Completing an experiential learning opportunity provides students with an opportunity to apply what they are learning outside of the classroom setting and develop a network of professionals in their discipline.
Students can select a combination of opportunities and activities to achieve the total number of hours required. Some of the ways to secure experiential learning opportunities to meet the Business Department graduation requirement to satisfy the 75-hour requirement, may include, but are not limited to:
1. Internship* opportunities in the community or within Alvernia advertised through Career Services, identified by faculty, the student intern, or other networking;
2. Experiential projects with community organizations
3. Satisfactory completion of the BUS 441 Co-op course or other approved internship course;
4. Completion of at least 75 hours as an O’Pake Institute or Holleran Center Fellow. Students may complete the experiential learning opportunity
Students may complete the experiential learning opportunity with any organization, including Alvernia, provided the opportunity relates to the student’s discipline.
*Internships satisfy the Business Department Experiential Learning graduation requirement regardless of whether the student is enrolled in BUS 441, BUS 442, or another course for academic credit in conjunction with such internship for those hours. The hours may be double-counted for such a course as well as for the Business Department Experiential Learning graduation requirement.
5 Year MBA (4+1)
Alvernia University offers a five-year business program that results in a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Business Administration degree. Students who apply and declare an intention to continue into the MBA program are guaranteed a seat in the program if their GPA meets or exceeds a cumulative GPA of 3.0. If a student’s GPA falls below a 3.0, the student will need to apply for admittance into the MBA program. This program meets the 150-credit requirement for the CPA licensure exam.
1 year MBA
This program is for students who have obtained a bachelor’s degree in business but want to earn a Master of Business Administration degree immediately after attainment of the bachelor’s degree. This program meets the 150-credit requirement for the CPA licensure exam.
Students prepare for careers in industry and/or public accounting and are encouraged to consider obtaining a Certified Management Accountant (CMA) or Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certification at the completion of their coursework. Students can satisfy the 150-hour CPA requirement, including the required 36 hours in accounting, by completing appropriate additional undergraduate courses currently available in the business curriculum, or by earning an Alvernia MBA degree. All accounting courses selected for the 36-credit requirement, in addition to those required to earn an undergraduate accounting degree, shall be approved by the student’s advisor in order to ensure compliance with CPA rules. Accounting is a dynamic field which provides a vast array of employment possibilities including specialties such as management accounting, cost accounting, tax accounting, financial analysis, small business planning, mergers & acquisition work, forensic accounting, and auditing.
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