Accounting is the language of business. Accountants collect, maintain, and analyze financial records for businesses and compile reports for the use of managers, investors, creditors, regulators, and tax authorities. They are an essential part of the management, planning, risk assessment and decision making teams of all organizations. Many accountants work as independent auditors who certify records and reports and verify their truthfulness.

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Actuarial Science is the analysis of mathematical data to predict the likelihood of certain events, such as death, accident, or disability.  Essentially, actuarial science is the statistical and mathematical underpinning of every kind of insurance on earth: health insurance, life insurance, property insurance, pension plans, etc.  Insurance companies are the main employers of actuaries.  Actuaries determine how much the insurers charge for policies.

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When students’ educational objectives cannot be fully attained solely by study within an existing department, program, or school, they are given the option of devising an ad hoc pattern of courses in an area of concentration of their own choosing.  A student may embark upon an arts and sciences ad hoc major following preparation and formal acceptance of a proposal outlining the area of study, the desired outcomes, and the educational values of the program.

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The Biological Sciences Major offers a rich variety of courses in biology, chemistry, and environmental studies. The major provides students with an understanding of the tenets of modern biology; skills to develop/critique hypotheses and to design experiments to address these hypotheses; and, the ability to use appropriate instrumentation to collect, analyze, and interpret scientific data. Some students may gain a unique learning experience by participating in faculty research or conducting independent research/study under faculty supervision. Biological Sciences prepares students for careers or advanced studies in many science and health-related fields.

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Business communication considers the many ways in which information and ideas are exchanged in modern society.  You may study the history of political and religious speeches; write reviews of television programs and films; gain an understanding of how image and word work together to communicate ideas, explore the sociology of interpersonal and group dynamics; evaluate the impact of the media on individuals and society; access a deeper level of visual literacy, and inquire into the ethics of communication.  The successful conduct of business demands effective communication, both verbal and visual; and you can hone your skills and gain valuable new knowledge with a major in business communication.  You’ll learn how to interview, turn words into effective visual communication, create images, make presentations, deliver a ceremonial speech, or explain a policy analysis.  At the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences, three specializations are offered: Business Writing, Corporate Communication, and Graphic Communication.

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Communication Studies focuses on how people use messages to generate meaning. Students examine all aspects of communication, including the channels through which messages are transmitted (e.g. nonverbal, verbal, visual) and the media we use (e.g. print, television, computers). Students choose one of four concentrations that reflect the core contexts in which communication takes place: Interpersonal and Group Communication, Intercultural and International Communication, Rhetoric and Public Advocacy, and Digital Communication and Culture. As one of the most pragmatic and popular fields of academic study, Communication Studies provides an ideal springboard for a large variety of graduate degrees and an increasing number of careers.

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The Computer Information Systems (CIS) program provides a strong foundation in the business and managerial issues related to information systems. Computer Information Systems are presented as tools for strategic advantage in the marketplace. To facilitate this, course offerings provide computer, technological and problem solving skills. The CIS program addresses such areas as CASE (Computer Assisted Software Engineering), Networks and Telecommunications, Structured Query Language, and Object Oriented Technologies.

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The economics major provides a framework for analyzing issues such as inflation, unemployment, monopoly, and economic growth.  You learn how economic systems function to provide goods and services.  As you study theory, policy, and trends, you explore ways to deal with the economic problems that confront individuals, businesses, and nations.

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English majors read, discuss, and write about literature.  Literary works include poetry, prose, and drama but may also be drawn from film, journalism, and television.  Study focuses on the critical, historical, linguistic, and cultural contexts of these works.  In addition, you practice your own writing, developing your language-use and composition skills.  A working knowledge of literature is an invaluable component of any liberal arts education.  It is tremendous preparation for a future in law (or any professional training that requires interpreting written material), journalism, publishing, graduate studies, and just about anything else.

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Financial mathematics is the application of mathematical methods to the solution of problems in finance. (Equivalent names sometimes used are financial engineering, mathematical finance, and computational finance.) It draws on tools from applied mathematics, computer science, statistics, and economic theory. Investment banks, commercial banks, hedge funds, insurance companies, corporate treasuries, and regulatory agencies apply the methods of financial mathematics to such problems as derivative securities valuation, portfolio structuring, risk management, and scenario simulation. Quantitative analysis has brought efficiency and rigor to financial markets and to the investment process and is becoming increasingly important in regulatory concerns. As the pace of financial innovation increases, the need for highly qualified people with specific training in financial mathematics intensifies.  Currently, there are a limited number of undergraduate programs which makes Baruch’s program that much more special.

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The finance major provides you with a general understanding of financial decision-making and an insight into the way financial markets perform.  Finance is a very professionally oriented major designed to prepare you for a career in financial management which is the art and science of managing money or the way people, institutions, markets, and countries generate and transfer wealth.  Emphasis is on the financial management function in firms and not-for-profit organizations, the valuation of financial securities, and the appropriate management of financial risk.  Finance majors learn to determine prices of assets such as stocks, bonds, and businesses and to manage assets to maximize their economic value.  The banking and insurance industries, as well as investment service companies, employ graduates of this field.  A bachelor’s degree is good preparation for entry-level jobs.

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History is the study of the record of past human experience.  Working with written, oral, visual, and artifacts, history majors examine the causes, contexts, and chronologies of historical events to understand how human experiences have both remained the same and changed over time.  History studies past civilizations in order to understand the present, preserve our heritage, and appreciate the richness of human accomplishment.  Almost every field—whether it be in the field of arts, science, or health—includes some study of its past.  Therefore, many job opportunities in this field are in teaching.  Other historians may work as archivists, genealogists, or curators.  Some graduates use the critical-thinking skills they develop from history to go into administration or law.

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Industrial and organizational psychology (I/O Psychology) majors study psychology as it applies to the workplace—attitudes of employees and employers, organizational behavior, workplace environment and its effects, and much, much more.  You will probably study such things as personality, cognition, perception, and human development, as well as learn about the biological side of behavior and might be given the chance to take relevant business courses such as management, since you will focus on organizational settings.

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The major in International Business will provide students with a comprehensive understanding of international business principles as they apply in a business setting.  It will enhance expertise in a functional area within traditional business disciplines such as marketing or finance, and increase appreciation and awareness of foreign cultures and practices in both business and social settings.  Students will have knowledge of a second language in order to understand the culture and the complexity of conducting business in a foreign country, and practical business experience in an international environment, i.e., the practicum project in the capstone course and possibly an international internship.

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Journalism majors learn how to find information and communicate their findings through writing, audio, video and photography.  Journalism is good preparation not only for news reporting and writing, but for editing, public relations and new-media production.  Journalistic research, interviewing and writing skills are useful across a broad range of careers, including law, business and social services. Competition for entry-level journalism jobs can be keen, especially for prestigious publications and media outlets. Expect to start in a smaller operation and move on as you build your career. At the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences, two specializations are offered: Journalism and Creative Writing, and Business Journalism.

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Management is the science and art of running an organization.  It involves setting goals, planning, organizing human and other resources, implementing plans, and guiding the organization to achieve desired goals. The management major is designed for the generalist who wants a broad business background.  Students take courses in business areas, such as accounting, marketing, finance, and business law, and courses that prepare them to function as managers in any organization.  Students in business management learn about principles of economics, the legal and social environment in which business operates, and quantitative methods for measuring and projecting business activity.  At Baruch, the field of Management consists of four majors: Entrepreneurship, Human Resource Management, Operations Management and Sustainable Business (MBA only).  The four majors lead to distinctive career paths.

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Marketing Management is the study of how buyers and sellers of goods and services find one another, how businesses can tailor their offerings to meet demand, and how businesses can anticipate and influence demand.  It uses the findings of economics, psychology, and sociology in a business context.  A bachelor of business administration degree is good preparation for a job in marketing research.  Usually some experience in this field is required before a person can move into a marketing management position.  Job outlook varies, with some industries looking more favorable than others.  At the Zicklin School of Business, six specializations are offered: Advertising & Marketing Communications, Business-to-Business Marketing, Digital Marketing, International Business, International Marketing, and Marketing.

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Mathematics majors develop the ability to explore, conjecture, and reason logically, as well as use mathematical methods to solve problems.  Mathematics is both a discipline and a tool used extensively in the sciences, medicine, engineering, and industry.  Mathematicians have a romance with numbers.  They deal with the hard realities of statistics and the fragile beauty of complex theorems.  Mathematics majors study exactly what you would expect: lots and lots of math.  Some programs offer opportunities to combine a degree in mathematics with one is business, economics, physics, or computer science.

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Within the world community, the arts and humanities disciplines have traditionally exerted a major influence upon cultural and intellectual life.  Participation in the arts and humanities is a significant factor in broadening a person’s vision and human awareness.  Education in music is designed to develop a thorough, working knowledge of the field through courses in music history, literature and theory.  Musicians extend this knowledge into areas of composition, performance, teaching, research, sales, publications, consultation and management.

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Philosophy is concerned with the most basic questions about the human experience, such as what reality is, what the ultimate values are, and how we know what we know.  Philosophy majors are trained to think independently and critically, and to write clearly and persuasively.  They may go to work in a number of managerial business and government careers where these skills are appreciated and may be used in leadership positions.  Some find that a philosophy major combines well with further training in law, computer science, or religious studies.  Those with a graduate degree in philosophy may teach in a college or university setting.

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“What is government itself,” asked James Madison, “but the greatest of all reflections on human nature?”  As human nature is imperfect, so is government.  Yet we demand that it be strong enough to protect us against foreign powers, domestic criminals, and all sorts of misfortunes.  At the same time, we insist that it respect our rights and liberties, and not take so much of our property that we cannot use it to create a good and comfortable life for ourselves and our families.  The never ending struggle to achieve a proper balance among these competing purposes helps to shape our lives, our communities, and our world.  Political science provides students with an understanding of the multifaceted ideas, institutions, and processes of politics.

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Psychology courses familiarize students with the scientific study of mind and behavior. This discipline relies on methods ranging from simple observation to rigorous experimentation. Its subjects include how we develop and learn, how our actions are motivated, how we perceive the world around us, how we respond to it intellectually and emotionally, and how these processes change throughout life and are integrated into the personality under social influences. The department offers courses that apply psychology to a variety of practical settings, including the workplace, clinical, legal, and school environments. To be licensed as a clinical or counseling psychologist, you usually need a Ph.D.  About half of psychologists are self-employed.  Because psychology is about behavior, many people do not realize that it uses scientific methods and that students are expected to have competencies in this area.

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The Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs focuses on the advocacy and analysis of public policy.  It is designed for those seeking to have a positive impact on society.  Students learn to formulate, implement, and evaluate creative solutions to challenging global, national, state, and local problems. The coursework examines how public and nonprofit organizations are involved in the policy process. Civic engagement skills are developed in economic and financial analysis, political negotiation, qualitative and quantitative methods, and rhetoric. Policy areas of interest include community development, education, the environment, healthcare, housing, and social welfare.  An excellent foundation is provided for graduate-level education in communications, law, management, public administration, public policy, and urban planning.

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The real estate major provides you with an understanding of the economic and social principles that affect how real property—as buildings and land—is developed, financed, operated, and traded.  The real estate field, which is constantly changing, is a challenging area.  To creatively meet the needs of owners, landlords, tenants, purchasers, financiers, and others involved in property transfers, real estate professionals must understand the many aspects of business and work well with a variety of individuals and representatives.

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Sociology is the study of social relationships and social structures.  It focuses on relations among people, groups, organizations, classes, cultures, and societies.  Through study in sociology, students gain an understanding of the social character of human life and of the impact of varying forms of social organization on human affairs.  Students are introduced to the methods by which such knowledge is obtained and to the applications of sociological knowledge.

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The study of language is fundamentally about communication.  It includes knowledge about peoples’ culture, history, and literature.  The purpose of studying a language, though, is more than to foster communication; today knowledge of a foreign language is an essential aid to fostering international relations and serves as a foundation for international business.  Spanish has become the second language in the United States, as well as maintaining its importance as a world language, especially in the Western Hemisphere.

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This major provides students with the basic preparation needed to pursue careers in the decision sciences. The area also provides fundamental quantitative knowledge required by those who major in other business areas.  Statistics and Quantitative Modeling majors will develop interdisciplinary skills that will provide them with the technical versatility required to succeed in today’s business environment.  Emphasis is placed on modeling methods, analysis, and implementation relevant to operational and management planning issues in many business areas, including marketing, production, finance, accounting, and information technology.

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Statistics is the practical science of dealing with data—information in the form of numbers, often from many sources.  In this major, you study the most efficient ways to collect data and to analyze and interpret it.  Statistics, which forms the backbone of all research methods, includes the study of experimental design, regression analysis (the relationships between measurements), probability, and sampling theory.  A statistician’s primary tools are mathematics and computers.  Science and logic underlie their thinking.

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