School of Business
Faculty
Interim Dean
Hany A. Shawky, Ph.D.
Ohio State University
Associate Dean
Suraj Commuri, Ph.D.
University of Nebraska at Lincoln
Director of Undergraduate Student Services
Susan Maloney, M.B.A.
University at Albany
Director of Student Engagement
Jason C. Cotugno, M.S.
University at Albany
Associate Director of Digital Forensics, Student Services
Damira Pon, A.B.D.
University at Albany
Distinguished Professor Emeritus
William K. Holstein, Ph.D.
Purdue University
Professors Emeriti
Donald D. Bourque, Ph.D.
University of Washington
Hugh T. Farley, J.D.
American University
Ronald W. Forbes, Ph.D.
State University of New York at Buffalo
Michael J. Kavanagh, Ph.D.
Iowa State University
Paul A. Leonard, Ph.D. (Collins Fellows)
University of Oregon
Charles M. Schaninger, Ph.D.
Thomas D. Taber, Ph.D.
University of Illinois
University of Rochester
Gary A. Yukl, Ph.D.
University of California
Professors
Peter Duchessi, Ph.D.
Union College
Sanjay Goel, Ph.D.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Janet Marler, Ph.D.
Cornell University
Hany A. Shawky, Ph.D.
Ohio State University
David M. Smith, Ph.D.
Virginia Tech
Giri Kumar Tayi, Ph.D.
Carnegie Mellon University
Associate Professors Emeriti
Donald D. Ballou, Ph.D.
University of Michigan
Salvatore Belardo, Ph.D.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
W. Christian Buss, Ph.D.
University of Pennsylvania
William D. Danko, Ph.D.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
David J. Marcinko, Ph.D.
Boston College
Nicholas Mastracchio, Jr., Ph.D.
Union College
Lakshmi Mohan, Ph.D.
Columbia University
Harold L. Pazer, M.B.A.
University of Washington
John P. Seagle, Ph.D.
Stanford University
Associate Professors
Rita Biswas, Ph.D.
Texas A. & M.
Dennis Caplan, Ph.D.
University of California, Berkeley
Uday Chandra, Ph.D.
Purdue University
Seok-Joo Chang, Ph.D.
University of Connecticut
Indushoba Chengalur-Smith, Ph.D.
Virginia Tech
Jakov J. Crnkovic, Ph.D.
University of Belgrade, Yugoslavia
Na Dai, Ph.D.
University of Kansas
Saurav K. Dutta, Ph.D.
University of Kansas
Guy Dinesh Fernando, Ph.D.
Syracuse University
Ingrid Fisher, Ph.D.
University at Albany
Richard Johnson, Ph.D.
University of Maryland
Paul Miesing, Ph.D.
University of Colorado
Saggi Nevo, Ph.D.
York University
Eliot H. Rich, Ph.D.
University at Albany
Kinsun Tam, Ph.D.
University of Connecticut
William Wales, Ph.D.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Yvonne Wang, Ph.D.
Pennsylvania State University
Wei Zhang, Ph.D.
University of Nebraska at Lincoln
Assistant Professors
Devipsila Bhattacharga, Ph.D.
University of Arizona
Stephanie Black, Ph.D.
University of Texas, San Antonio
Aaron Brauner, Ph.D.
University of Florida
Kathryn Enget, Ph.D.
Virginia Tech
Justin Giboney, Ph.D.
University of Arizona
Ioannis Kareklas, Ph.D.
University of Connecticut
Victoria Kisekka, Ph.D.
University at Buffalo
Aleksandre Kovacheva, Ph.D.
University of Pittsburgh
Alfred Liu, Ph.D.
University of California, Irvine
Louis Piccotti, Ph.D.
Rutgers University
William Riccardi, Ph.D.
Florida International University
Richard Schneible, Ph.D.
Syracuse University
Hillary Wiener, Ph.D.
Duke University
Visiting Assistant Professors
Martin L. Fogelman, Ph.D.
University at Albany
Raymond K. Van Ness, Ph.D.
Union Institute & University
Lecturers
Fabio Auffant, M.S.
Champlain College
Thomas Collura, J.D.
Albany Law School of Union University
Marisa Lester, M.S.
University at Albany
Michelle Moshier, M.S.
University of Hartford
Eric Ofori, Ph.D.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Heidi Reale, M.B.A.
Rensellaer Polytechnic Institute
Ethan Sprissler, M.S
University at Albany
Mary Wladkowski, Ph.D.
Northcentral University, Prescott Valley, Arizona
Adjuncts (estimated): 15–20
Teaching Doctoral Assistants (estimated): 2–3
The School of Business offers degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels that prepare students to enter managerial and professional careers. All programs are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). The School is one of only three public universities in New York State to have dual AACSB accreditation in business administration and accounting.
All School of Business courses are preceded by the prefix letter B. The following School of Business courses are considered “Liberal Arts and Sciences” courses by the University: B BUS 250, B LAW 200, 220, B MGT 341, 430, 465, 481, B MKT 351, B ITM 215, 220. No more than six credits from these courses may be counted as “Liberal Arts and Sciences” courses by students majoring in business administration or accounting.
At the undergraduate level, the school offers Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees in accounting, business administration, digital forensics, and an interdisciplinary studies major with a concentration in financial market regulation. The B.S. degree is granted only to students who have been formally admitted to the School of Business prior to taking their upper division courses in business.
At the graduate level, the school offers a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.), a Master of Science in Accounting (M.S.), and a Master of Science in Taxation (M.S.). The full-time M.B.A. is a two-year program open primarily to non-business undergraduates. In addition, the School participates in the Information Science Ph.D. in cooperation with other academic units. Information on this graduate program is available in the Graduate Bulletin.
The UAlbany School of Business has developed a national reputation for the quality of its undergraduate programs. The school is unable to accommodate all undergraduate students who wish to enroll as upper-division majors.
Majors in Accounting or Business Administration
Application and Admission
The following guidelines have been developed as a means of selecting the best-qualified students to study accounting or business administration.
Initial Admission of Freshmen to the School of Business
All students admitted to the University whose basis of admission is “FRESHMAN” can be admitted to the School of Business as Accounting or Business Administration majors by declaring their major as “School of Business.” To remain a School of Business major during the freshman and sophomore years, each student must meet the retention standards set by the School of Business. These standards require students to maintain a 3.25 overall average at the University at Albany and at least a 3.00 average for the designated admission core course categories taken at Albany.
To remain a School of Business major in Accounting or Business Administration, students must also have satisfactorily completed any five of the seven admission core course categories after three semesters at the University, and all seven of the admission core course categories after four semesters at the University. (Note: all core course categories not completed prior to matriculation must be taken at the University and graded on an A–E basis.) These categories are: (1) B ACC 211 (2) B ITM 215 (3) A MAT 108 or A ECO 320 (4) A ECO 110 (5) A ECO 111 (6) A PSY 101 and (7) A SOC 115 or A ANT 108. In addition, students must have completed a total of at least 56 degree applicable credits after four semesters at the University to remain a School of Business major.
Students’ records will be evaluated after their second semester, and those falling below the retention standards will receive a warning letter indicating they are in jeopardy of losing their status as a School of Business major. Students’ records will again be evaluated after their third and fourth semesters to determine that all of the above retention standards have been met.
Students not meeting these standards by the end of their fourth semester at the University at Albany are not guaranteed admission to the School of Business.
Students in the School of Business who have attained junior standing (i.e., 56 degree applicable credits) and who have met all the retention standards shall be eligible to enroll in the upper division School of Business courses.
Direct Admission as Freshmen
A select group of freshmen will be offered admission to the School of Business Accounting or Business Administration majors without any additional conditions beyond those for continuing enrollment at the University. Such admission will be based on a review of the student’s performance in high school as reflected in grade point average (HSGPA) and performance on school-based tests such as Regents exams, scores on the SAT or ACT national exams; and a competitive rank in class. The minimum criteria for consideration will be a minimum score of 3,000 calculated as: HSGPA times 20 plus SAT score.
Students must complete the same set of business core course categories during their first two years that are required of all students in order to begin the upper division sequence of business courses in the junior year. The business core course categories must be completed with an average grade of at least C (2.00).
Direct admission as freshmen to the School of Business represents an act of confidence in a cadre of well-prepared students, and it is expected that these students will perform at the highest academic levels at the University at Albany. Students must meet University at Albany requirements for good academic standing to retain their enrollment in the School of Business.
Initial Admission of Transfers with Sophomore Standing or Above to the School of Business
All students whose basis of admission is “TRANSFER” can be admitted to the School of Business by declaring their major as either Accounting or Business Administration at the time of their application to the University as long as they will have met the following criteria:
Students must have completed a total of at least 32 degree applicable credits by the end of the spring semester preceding their summer or fall admission to the University, or by the end of the fall semester preceding their spring admission to the University. They must also have a final cumulative average of 3.25 or higher and have completed elsewhere a minimum of four of the designated admission core courses with at least a 3.00 average prior to matriculation.
To remain a School of Business major, students must achieve a minimum overall average at the University at Albany of at least a 3.25 and a minimum 3.00 average for the admission core course categories taken at Albany by the end of their second semester at this university. They must also have satisfactorily completed all seven of the admission core course categories after those two semesters. These categories are: (1) B ACC 211 (2) B ITM 215 (3) A MAT 108 or A ECO 320 (4) A ECO 110 (5) A ECO 111 (6) A PSY 101 and (7) A SOC 115 or A ANT 108. (Note: all core course categories not completed prior to matriculation must be taken at the University and graded on an A–E basis.) Additionally, they must have achieved 56 degree applicable degree credits after two semesters at the University.
Subsequent Admission to the School of Business
Students who did not declare their major as “School of Business” by the deadlines stated above but whose basis of admission is “FRESHMAN” or whose basis of admission is “TRANSFER” with fewer than 32 degree-applicable credits may directly apply (or reapply) for admission to the School of Business Accounting or Business Administration major once they have attained junior standing (i.e., 56 degree applicable credits) and have satisfactorily completed all seven of the admission core course categories. These categories are: (1) B ACC 211 (2) B ITM 215 (3) A MAT 108 or A ECO 320 (4) A ECO 110 (5) A ECO 111 (6) A PSY 101 and (7) A SOC 115 or A ANT 108.
(Note: all core course categories not completed prior to matriculation must be taken at the University and graded on an A–E basis.)
Other “TRANSFER” students who were admitted with 32 or more degree-applicable credits but who were not initially admitted to the School of Business may still be considered for admission within the following guidelines:
a. Students who can demonstrate that their previous transfer record would have qualified them for admission had they applied initially to the School of Business will be admitted under the conditions and criteria described above for other sophomore or junior transfers.
b. Students who do not initially qualify for admission as a transfer student to the School of Business may apply directly to the School of Business in the semester in which they will have completed 56 credits and all seven core course categories. Applications are available in the Office of Student Services in BB 201 on May 1st, June 1st, or December 1st and are due in that same office prior to the end of final exams for a fall, spring, and summer session.
Appeals
Special Admissions: Students not admissible by any of the established criteria but who believe they have extenuating circumstances may write a letter of appeal to the School of Business. Contact the Director of Undergraduate Student Services, BB 201, for the procedure.
Degree Requirements for the B.S. in Accounting
| Required Liberal Arts & Sciences Courses | |
| *A ECO 110 Principles of Economics I: Microeconomics | 3 |
| *A ECO 111 Principles of Economics II: Macroeconomics | 3 |
| Writing (A lower level writing intensive or writing and critical inquiry course) | 3 |
| *A PSY 101 Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| *A SOC 115 Introduction to Sociology or *A ANT 108 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology |
3 |
| Economics elective 300 level or above where A ECO 110 and 111 are prerequisites, excluding A ECO 320, 496, and 497 | 3 |
| A MAT 106, 111, 112, 118, or equivalent Calculus | 3 |
| B MGT 341 Behavioral Foundations of Management | 3 |
| B BUS 300 Accounting and Communications | 1 |
| 25 | |
| General Education Requirements: as needed to fulfill University General Education Program requirements, minimum 30 credits; some credits may be filled by required Liberal Arts & Sciences or Business courses. (For clarification, see the General Education section of this Bulletin.) | |
| Other Liberal Arts & Sciences elective credit: total credits will vary based on courses selected for General Education requirements. | |
| Total Liberal Arts & Sciences credits | 60 |
| Business and Accounting Requirements | |
| *B ACC 211 Financial Accounting | 3 |
| B ACC 222 Cost Accounting Systems For Managerial Decisions | 3 |
| B ACC 311 Financial Accounting Theory I | 3 |
| B ACC 312 Financial Accounting Theory II | 3 |
| B ACC 381 Financial Information Systems | 3 |
| B ACC 411 Financial Accounting Theory III | 3 |
| B ACC 440 Survey of Taxation | 3 |
| B ACC 461 Auditing | 3 |
| B LAW 220 Business Law | 3 |
| *B ITM 215 Information Technologies for Business | 3 |
| *A MAT 108 or A ECO 320 Statistics | 3 |
| B FIN 300 Financial Management | 3 |
| B FIN 301 Corporate Financial Policy and Strategy or B FIN 375 Money and Capital Markets or A ECO 350 Money and Banking | 3 |
| B LAW 321 Law of Business Organization | 3 |
| B MKT 310 Marketing Principles | 3 |
| B ITM 330 Improving Business Performance with Information Technologies | 3 |
| B MGT 481W Strategic Management | 3 |
| Total Business and Accounting Requirement Credits | 51 |
| Additional Business or Liberal Arts & Sciences Elective Credits | 9 |
| Total Graduation Credits (minimum) | 120# |
* These are Admission Core Course Requirements (see above).
Degree Requirements for the B.S. in Business Administration
The programs in business administration, combining a major-minor sequence, are designed for students planning careers in management science, marketing, and financial analysis, or a combination of these three major areas.
| Required Liberal Arts & Sciences Courses | |
| *A ECO 110 Principles of Economics I: Microeconomics | 3 |
| *A ECO 111 Principles of Economics II: Macroeconomics | 3 |
| Economics elective 300 level or above where A ECO 110 and 111 are prerequisites, excluding A ECO 320, 496, and 497 | 3 |
| A MAT 106, 111, 112, 113, 118 (or equivalent) Calculus | 3 |
| *A PSY 101 Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| *A SOC 115 Introduction to Sociology or *A ANT 108 Cultural Anthropology |
3 |
| 18 | |
| General Education Courses: as needed to fulfill University General Education Program requirements, minimum 30 credits; some credits may be filled by required Liberal Arts & Sciences or Business courses. (For clarification, see the General Education section of this Bulletin.) | |
| Other Liberal Arts & Sciences Electives: total credits will vary based on courses selected for General Education requirements. |
|
| Minimum Total Liberal Arts & Sciences Credits |
60 |
| Business and Accounting Requirements | |
| *B ACC 211 Financial Accounting | 3 |
| B ACC 222 Cost Accounting Systems For Managerial Decisions | 3 |
| B FIN 300 Financial Management | 3 |
| *B ITM 215 Information Technologies for Business | 3 |
| *A MAT 108 or A ECO 320 Statistics | 3 |
| B ITM 330 Improving Business Performance with Information Technologies | 3 |
| B LAW 220 Business Law or B LAW 200 Legal Environment of Business | 3 |
| B MKT 310 Marketing Principles | 3 |
| B MGT 341 Behavioral Foundations of Management | 3 |
| B MGT 481W Strategic Management | 3 |
| Credits in selected concentration | 15 -21 |
| Total Business and Accounting Requirement Credits | 45 -51 |
| Unrestricted Elective Credits: these may be Liberal Arts & Sciences courses or other electives | 9 -15 |
| Total Business and Unrestricted Elective Credits | 60 |
| Total Graduation Credits (minimum) | 120 |
* These are Admission Core Course Requirements (see above.)
Approved Concentrations:
Entrepreneurship/Finance Concentration (18 credits): B FIN 301, B FIN 333, B FIN 375, B FIN 404, B MGT 400, B MGT 460.
Entrepreneurship/Information Systems and Business Analytics Concentration (18 credits): B FIN 404, B ITM 322, B ITM 331, B ITM 415Z, B MGT 400, B MGT 460.
Entrepreneurship/Marketing Concentration (18 credits): B FIN 404, B MGT 400, B MGT 460, B MKT 300 or 400-level elective, B MKT 351, B MKT 400-level elective.
Finance/Information Systems and Business Analytics Concentration (18 credits): B FIN 301, B FIN 333, B FIN 375; B ITM 322, B ITM 331, B ITM 415Z.
Finance/Management Concentration (18 credits): B FIN 301, B FIN 333, B FIN 375; B MGT 430, 6 Credits B MGT 400-level electives.
Finance/Marketing Concentration (18 credits): B FIN 301, B FIN 333, B FIN 375; B MKT 351, 3 credits B MKT 300-level or B MKT 400-level elective, 3 credits B MKT 400-level elective.
Financial Analyst Honors Program Concentration (21 credits): B ACC 313; B FIN 380, B FIN 400, B FIN 410, B FIN 436, B FIN 485 or B FIN 470 if offered, B FIN 490Z.
Information Systems and Business Analytics Concentration (15 credits): B ITM 322, B ITM 331, B ITM 415Z, B ITM 416, B ITM 434.
Management/Information Systems and Business Analytics Concentration (18 credits): B ITM 322, B ITM 331, B ITM 415Z; B MGT 430, 6 credits B MGT 400-level electives.
Marketing Concentration (15 credits): B MKT 312, B MKT 351, 3 credits B MKT 300-level or 400-level elective, 6 credits B MKT 400-level electives.
Marketing/Information Systems and Business Analytics Concentration (18 credits): B ITM 322, B ITM 331, B ITM 415Z; B MKT 351, 3 credits B MKT 300-level or B MKT 400-level elective, 3 credits B MKT 400-level elective.
Marketing/Management Concentration (18 credits): B MGT 430, 6 credits B MGT 400-level electives; B MKT 351, 3 credits B MKT 300-level or 400-level elective, 3 credits B MKT 400-level elective.
Note: In order to complete concentrations in a timely manner it is necessary to follow specific course sequencing. For more detailed information on concentrations, consult Undergraduate Student Services in the School of Business.
Financial Analyst Honors Program
This program is designed to provide serious students of finance with the opportunity for a special educational experience in small seminars where they can develop their analytical and communication skills.
School of Business students may continue in the Honors Program at the end of the first semester of the junior year so long as they have achieved a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.50 for:
(1) all courses taken through the first semester junior year, and
(2) the following four courses: B ACC 211, B ACC 222, B FIN 300, and B ACC 313.
NOTE: Students will be allowed to advance register for second semester junior year courses with the understanding that if they do not meet the minimum qualification for retention in the Honors Program, they will receive a letter informing them of their non-retention in the Honors Program and will be deregistered for courses in the program.
Maintenance of a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.50 overall and a 3.50 in all courses required in the Honors sequence is required to remain in the program.
The Honors Program has a mandatory mentoring program and all students in the program will be matched with a mentor as assigned by Finance department faculty in consultation with the Office of Student Services. Students will retain the mentor relationship so long as they are registered in the program.
Required Honors Program courses for the concentration are:
B ACC 313; B FIN 380, B FIN 400, B FIN 410, B FIN 436, B FIN 470 or B FIN 485, B FIN 490Z.
Financial Analyst Honors Program Sequence:
Fall semester junior year:
B ACC 313 Financial Statement Analysis
B FIN 300 Financial Management (Required of all School of Business students)
Spring semester junior year:
B FIN 380 Investment Valuation and Analysis
B FIN 400 Financial Case Problems
B FIN 410 Fixed Income Securities Market
Fall semester senior year:
B FIN 490Z Financial Analysis Seminar and Thesis
Spring semester senior year:
B FIN 436 International Financial Management
B FIN 470 Special Topics in Finance or B FIN 485 Derivatives and Risk Management
During the Financial Analysis Seminar and Thesis course, students will be required to present oral and/or written progress reports on their ongoing research and critique each other’s work. Each student must submit his or her senior honors thesis to the Finance faculty for review and eventual acceptance.
NOTE: Students who drop or are dropped from the Financial Honors Program at the end of their junior year will be allowed to use any completed courses in Finance toward a combined concentration in Finance/ITM, Finance/Management or Finance/Marketing after consultation with the School of Business undergraduate advisement personnel.
Students who successfully complete the courses in the Financial Analyst Honors Program and have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.50 will be awarded the Bachelor of Science with Honors in Financial Analysis, and will be recognized formally at the School of Business recognition ceremony in May. Students whose cumulative GPA is below 3.50 will be awarded the Bachelor of Science in Financial Analysis (without honors).
Major in Digital Forensics
The undergraduate curriculum in Digital Forensics is designed to nurture the development of students who are able to think critically, perform high-level analysis, adapt to changing environments through innovation and exploration, and have a deep understanding of the technical, legal, financial and socio-psychological influences that are related to the practice of digital forensics and investigation of cyber-crime.
The curriculum is structured with four components: foundational principles, core competencies, concentration, and capstone. The first two components are designed to integrate the dissemination of fundamental principles with the cultivation of the critical skill set necessary for advance undergraduate coursework and interdisciplinary research. The remaining two components expand on these foundational skills to develop the topical expertise, technical depth, and independent analytic abilities that are essential to a well-rounded undergraduate educational experience.
This program will provide students with foundational technology skills in the areas of communications and networking, computer hardware, software development and database design, information security and the law. It will build core competencies in the area of data preservation, and examination and discovery in multiple areas including information security, criminal investigations, accounting and finance. The program culminates with capstone courses that consolidate the student learning in context of real problems. Overall, the program offers an academically rigorous preparation for students intending to pursue careers in digital forensics related fields as well as to pursue graduate education in the area of information security, digital forensics, and data analytics and law.
Admission Requirements
Incoming freshmen who indicate an interest in the Digital Forensics major and meet eligibility criteria (a high school grade point average of 89 in conjunction with an SAT score of 1200 (1600 scale)/ACT score of 25) will be offered Direct Admission status. To maintain enrollment in the major, at the completion of 56 credits, these students must also have completed with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 the following seven courses: A SOC 115, R CRJ 281 or A MAT 108, B ACC 211, B FOR 100, B FOR 201, B FOR 202, and B FOR 203.
Students not admitted as Direct Admission may apply for the major at the time of completion of 56 credits. Eligibility criteria at that time include a cumulative GPA of 3.25 in addition to completion of the same seven courses, with a minimum cumulative GPA 0f 3.00 (A SOC 115, R CRJ 281 or A MAT 108, B ACC 211, B FOR 100, B FOR 201, B FOR 202, and B FOR 203). Transfer student designated courses may differ according to articulation agreements, but cumulative GPA from the transfer institution must be a 3.25.
Requirements for the B.S. in Digital Forensics
The B.S. program in Digital Forensics requires the completion of the following courses (69 credits) clustered in four components:
- Foundational Principles courses (24 credits)
A PSY 101 Introduction to Psychology
A SOC 115 Introduction to Sociology
B ACC 211 Financial Accounting
B FOR 100 Introduction to Information Systems
B ITM 215 Information Technologies for Business
R CRJ 201 Introduction to the Criminal Justice Process
R CRJ 203 Criminology
R CRJ 281 or A MAT 108 Elementary Statistics - Core Competencies courses (16 credits)
R CRJ 202 Introduction to Law and Criminal Justice
B FOR 203 Networking: Introduction to Data Communications
B FOR 204 Fundamentals Information and Cybersecurity
B FOR 300 Databases for Digital Forensics
B FOR 400 Forensic Accounting and Fraud Detection - Concentration courses (21 credits)
B FOR 201 Introduction to Digital Forensics
B FOR 202 Cyber Crime Investigations
B FOR 301 Computer Forensics I
B FOR 302 eDiscovery Forensics
B FOR 303 Computer Forensics II
B FOR 304 Network and Mobile Forensics
B FOR 404 Forensic Accounting Investigative Techniques - Capstone courses (8 credits)
B FOR 401W Advanced Digital Forensics
B FOR 402 Digital Forensics Moot Court
