General Business
Associate Degree
General Business Associate Degree
Program Outline
- Flexible curriculum
- All current college transfer credits considered
- Excellent foundation for a bachelor's degree
$500
The Associate of Science Degree in General Business curriculum provides a well-rounded business program, combining general education courses and core business courses. The flexible curriculum makes it easy to transfer credits into the program. Once you are accepted, the maximum number of previously earned college credits will be considered. And you will have your choice of exciting elective courses.
Each course is developed with the input of industry professionals, ensuring that you receive an online education with practical career applications and a high standard of quality. Successful completion of the general business program prepares you for a variety of career settings. You also have the option of continuing your education in an Ashworth bachelor's degree program.
Associate of Science in General Business Curriculum
Semester 1
EN110 - Achieving Academic ExcellenceThis course teaches the students fundamental principles while emphasizing skills development in the practice of public speaking. It covers purposes, methods and steps in preparing speeches, develops communication skills in listening, speech criticism, audience analysis and writing, and provides effective delivery techniques to present a variety of speeches.
Credit Hours: 3
This course offers an introduction to basic writing skills that is especially relevant to academic assignments. It focuses on paragraph development and organization in conjunction with a review of basic grammar and mechanics. The course also covers the construction of multi-paragraph essays, the development of writing style and tone, and techniques for critically editing and revising one',s work.
Credit Hours: 3
This course is designed to assure a basic level of computer applications literacy, including word processing, spreadsheet, database, email, and the Internet. The course also covers various types of computer hardware and networking methods. (This course has been designed so that access to a computer is helpful, but not required.)
Credit Hours: 3
This is an introduction to the principles and practices of management, with emphasis on the management functions of planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling. Topics also include effective leadership and motivational techniques, communication, social responsibility and ethics, managing change and conflict, and control.
Credit Hours: 3
Semester 2
EN130 - English Composition IIThis course offers an introduction to written composition especially relevant to academic assignments. It begins with an emphasis on composing stronger expressions at the sentence level and then covers development of multi-paragraph essays, development of writing style and tone, and how to revise and edit one',s work critically. An introduction to academic research is included.
Prerequisite for C02
Credit Hours: 3
View General Education Elective (Science 100-200 Level) offerings.
This course presents the basics of written communication in business. It also explores differences in approach and format for various business documents, and covers techniques for planning, researching, organizing, and writing reports.
Credit Hours: 3
This course explores current ethical issues in the business world, including social and professional responsibilities, organizational relationships, employee rights and obligations, workplace discrimination, organizational culture, and ethics in a global economy.
Credit Hours: 3
This course reviews the fundamentals of double-entry bookkeeping and the debit/credit method of recording transactions. The bookkeeping cycle, from recording transactions to preparing financial statements, is included. Emphasis is placed on service concerns operating as sole proprietorships.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisite for BU330
Semester 3
General Education Elective (Behavioral/Social Science 100-200 Level) General Education Elective (Humanities/Fine Arts 100-200 Level)View General Education Elective (Humanities/Fine Arts 100-200 Level) offerings.
This course focuses on the facilitation of exchange relationships in a dynamic environment through the creation, distribution, promotion, and pricing of goods, services, and ideas. The concepts of market segmentation, buyer behavior, branding, marketing strategies, and services marketing will be stressed, in addition to the processes of planning, organizing, implementing, and controlling marketing activities.
Credit Hours: 3
C07: This is a consumer-oriented overview of the practical application of economic concepts. The course emphasizes decision making about budgeting, savings, consumer strategies, insurance, investing, retirement planning, and estate planning.
Credit Hours: 3
C09: This course provides a focused look at the management of capital in a business firm. Emphasis is placed on policies and actions relating to asset structure, risk, income, and cash flows. Operating and financial analysis are also explored.
Credit Hours: 3
This is an introduction to microeconomics, with emphasis on the functioning of individual markets and their effectiveness for resource allocation. Topics include price and production theory, competition, labor, the distribution of income, and the theory of household behavior.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisite for C11, BU310
Semester 4
C17 - College Mathematics or MA240 - College Algebra*C17: This is a comprehensive review of mathematical skills and concepts commonly used in academic and vocational applications. Topics include whole numbers, fractions, decimal notation, ratios and proportions, percents, statistics and measurement, geometry, real numbers, and algebra.
Credit Hours: 3
MA240: This course introduces the major concepts of college-level algebra. The course begins with basic concepts such as sets and numbers but quickly moves into intermediate algebra topics, emphasizing concepts most often used in computer science. The student will gain extensive experience in evaluating and manipulating expressions, equations, inequalities, and functions.
Credit Hours: 3
This course examines the broad implications of technological innovation on social organization in terms of personal, political, economic, and environmental issues. Topics covered include technological progress within society, issues of energy use and creation, positive and negative environmental impacts of technology, the use of technology in war and politics, social responsibility, personal health, and economic development.
Credit Hours: 3
This course presents the basic principles of business law as applied to contracts, personal property, sales, negotiable instruments, agency and employment, business organization, insurance and bankruptcy, and real property.
Credit Hours: 3
View Elective (100-200 Level) offerings.
View Elective (100-200 Level) offerings.
* If student expects to complete a bachelor's degree, C09 and MA240 are required.
Or, consider our...
Associate of Applied Science in Business Management Degree Program
- Occupation-oriented curriculum
- For students with few or no transfer credits
- Excellent workforce foundation
You may also consider the Associate of Applied Science Degree in Business Management program. The curriculum is more career-directed, combining a broad general education with core specialty courses to prepare you for a clearly defined career path. When you graduate, you will have solid business management skills that are applicable in the workplace.
This professionally developed program is ideal for those who want a quick start in the job market, and don't necessarily want to attain a further degree. Call 1-800-957-5412 to enroll in the Associate of Applied Science degree program. (For all Applied Science programs, enroll by phone only.)
View the Associate of Applied Science Degree in Business Management outline.
Semester 1
C01 - Introduction to BusinessThis course offers a broad overview of the business world for both business and non-business majors. It is an introduction to the business environment, business ownership, management, marketing, technology and information, and finance.
Credit Hours: 3
This course presents the basic principles of communication that are particularly applicable in business and industry, providing a foundation for more effective communication skills. It focuses on the proper use of English grammar in business settings.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisite: EN130
This is a comprehensive review of mathematical skills and concepts commonly used in academic and vocational applications. Topics include whole numbers, fractions, decimal notation, ratios and proportions, percents, statistics and measurement, geometry, real numbers, and algebra.
Credit Hours: 3
This is an introduction to the principles and practices of management, with emphasis on the management functions of planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling. Topics also include effective leadership and motivational techniques, communication, social responsibility and ethics, managing change and conflict, and control.
Credit Hours: 3
This is a survey of the field of psychology, including the development of behavior, physiological mechanisms of behavior, perception, motivation and emotion, consciousness, learning, memory, personality, and mental health.
Credit Hours: 3
Semester 2
M01 - Human Resource ManagementThe principles and human relations problems involved in the administration of personnel are thoroughly explored. Topics include job analysis and specification, recruitment, selection and training, job evaluation, supervision of employees, salary and wage administration, and labor relations. The students will gain familiarity with modern methods of selection, testing, training, and solving various personnel problems.
Credit Hours: 3
This course presents the basics of written communication in business. It also explores differences in approach and format for various business documents, and covers techniques for planning, researching, organizing, and writing reports.
Credit Hours: 3
This course explores current ethical issues in the business world, including social and professional responsibilities, organizational relationships, employee rights and obligations, workplace discrimination, organizational culture, and ethics in a global economy.
Credit Hours: 3
This course reviews the fundamentals of double-entry bookkeeping and the debit/credit method of recording transactions. The bookkeeping cycle, from recording transactions to preparing financial statements, is included. Emphasis is placed on service concerns operating as sole proprietorships.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisite for BU330
This course provides an overview of the structure and operations of the federal government, including constitutional principles, rights and liberties, the political process, and the relationships among the three branches of the federal government.
Credit Hours: 3
Semester 3
M02 - Total Quality ManagementThis is a study of quality management processes from teams to organization-wide systems and the behavioral and analytical tools that support fully integrated quality management. Topics include competitive advantage and strategic management, quality in customer-supplier relationships, leadership, performance excellence, and organizational change.
Credit Hours: 3
This course is designed to assure a basic level of computer applications literacy, including word processing, spreadsheet, database, email, and the Internet. The course also covers various types of computer hardware and networking methods. (This course has been designed so that access to a computer is helpful, but not required.)
Credit Hours: 3
This course focuses on the facilitation of exchange relationships in a dynamic environment through the creation, distribution, promotion, and pricing of goods, services, and ideas. The concepts of market segmentation, buyer behavior, branding, marketing strategies, and services marketing will be stressed, in addition to the processes of planning, organizing, implementing, and controlling marketing activities.
Credit Hours: 3
This is a consumer-oriented overview of the practical application of economic concepts. The course emphasizes decision making about budgeting, savings, consumer strategies, insurance, investing, retirement planning, and estate planning.
Credit Hours: 3
Basic principles of financial accounting are studied as a foundation for more advanced study and vocational skill. Areas of emphasis include cash, payroll, and accounting for merchandizing businesses.
Credit Hours: 3
Semester 4
M03 - Organizational BehaviorThis is a study of the theory, research, and practice related to human behavior in organizational settings. Attention is focused on the theories and realities of leadership, power, motivation, work satisfaction, group dynamics, decision making, and organizational change. The course also aims to broaden perceptions of the causes and effects of interpersonal and group behavior, its dynamics and influences, and organizational behavior relating to organizational climates, conflict, and structural design.
Credit Hours: 3
This is an introduction to microeconomics, with emphasis on the functioning of individual markets and their effectiveness for resource allocation. Topics include price and production theory, competition, labor, the distribution of income, and the theory of household behavior.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisite for C11, BU310
This course provides a focused look at the management of capital in a business firm. Emphasis is placed on policies and actions relating to asset structure, risk, income, and cash flows. Operating and financial analysis are also explored.
Credit Hours: 3
This course presents the basic principles of business law as applied to contracts, personal property, sales, negotiable instruments, agency and employment, business organization, insurance and bankruptcy, and real property.
Credit Hours: 3
A continuation of the study of basic financial accounting principles as a foundation for more advanced study and vocational skill. Areas of emphasis include acquisition, depreciation, and disposal of long term assets, receivables and payables, inventory, partnerships, corporations, long-term liabilities, the statement of cash flows, financial statement analysis, and manufacturing accounting.
Credit Hours: 3
Ready to get started on your General Business degree? Enroll online or call 1-800-957-5412 to speak with an Admissions Advisor.
