Degree: Certificate
HEGIS Code: 5003
Curriculum Code: 0907
Campus Location: City
Business & Public Service Division
Program Description
Numerous private sector employment opportunities exist in a segment normally referred to as the financial services industry. This field historically embraces banking, insurance and real estate, with the later two requiring state licensing for many of the positions offered.
Buffalo is currently home to a number of financial institutions. Erie County serves as a regional base for GEICO Insurance, Merchants Mutual and a handful of smaller operators. Its real estate market, compared with much of the nation, is strong and growing.
Human resources officers at many of these financial entities report aggressive recruitment efforts in place. They encounter bright, well-intentioned employment candidates. Coupled with developmental work in math and English skills, a new certificate in Financial Services will rectify this lack of job preparation.
This certificate program is grounded in the belief that local employers have developed strong in-house training programs that focus on the business at hand. However, ancillary knowledge and skills make the student a more attractive candidate for employment and promotion. For example, M&T Bank is equipped to thoroughly acquaint new hires with the details of banking operations, but employees need collateral knowledge of business law, accounting, insurance, etc. to be truly effective bank assets. Ten of the 12 courses mandated in this program would also count toward the Associate of Applied Science in Business Administration degree. This program thus fills an immediate need and applies credit toward the A.A.S. in Business, a degree many employers are willing to subsidize.
Program Competencies
- Interpret various accounting/financial statements.
- Demonstrate good reasoning and analytical skills.
- Understand the ethical and legal foundations of business.
- Understand the basic concepts of business.
- Be prepared to enter employment upon graduation in the financial field.
Curriculum
Total Degree Credits: 37
While technically a two-semester certificate, some students may need remediation in math and/or English early in the program. The mandated credit hours are rather high for a certificate, so the sequence shown below may be appropriate only for those with substantial available time. Most students will likely need one and a half years for program completion.
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