Business Education Department

The Business Education curriculum has a three-fold purpose: to provide knowledge and skills as a foundation for college, to give students information helpful in carrying on personal business affairs more efficiently, and to prepare students for making informed economic decisions in life. A five-unit sequence in business may be used toward a Regents diploma with advanced designation, and those choosing this sequence may waive the foreign language requirement.

The Business Education Program offers students the opportunity to fulfill career and technical education sequences by taking courses as outlined. Business courses are offered as part of a sequence or may be taken as electives.

Several courses offered by the Business Education Department allow students to earn college credit through the University in the High School Program in cooperation with Schenectady County Community College. This program enables students to earn college credit while completing their course work at Niskayuna. Participation in the program is optional and a tuition fee is required. Students should see their counselor or a Business Education faculty member for additional information.

Business/Marketing Education Sequence
5-Unit Sequence

*Students pursuing a sequence must complete both Course I and II

7202  CAREER and FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT I 
1 semester, 1/2 credit, Grades 9-12
The purpose of this one-half unit course is to provide students with the opportunity to learn about features of our economy, explore a variety of careers, learn the skills and competencies needed for success in the workplace and to become financially literate. Employment practices from a personal and personnel perspective will be explored and an understanding of the employment and job selection processes will be developed. This course is required for students pursuing a sequence in any occupational education program (Business, Family and Consumer Sciences, Technology). This course seeks to develop progressive skills and behaviors that help young people integrate their role within the workplace, home and the community.

7204  CAREER and FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT II
1 semester, 1/2 credit, Grades 9-12
Economic concepts of the workplace are presented, including factors influencing the entrepreneur and consumer, and the rights, responsibilities and activities of business organizations. The fundamental elements of human relations and decision making are explained, as well as their importance both personally and on the job. Opportunities for career exploration will be provided through study, projects and guest speakers. Field experiences and on-the-job site shadowing will be offered. This course is necessary for students who need one unit of Career Dynamics for their sequence.

7206  CAREER EXPLORATION INTERNSHIP PROGRAM (CEIP) 
1 year, 1/2-1 credit, Grades 11-12
This elective course combines in-school instruction with workplace internships. It is designed for students who wish to explore career opportunities by observing, working alongside and dialoguing with adult role models in the workplace. CEIP was created to better prepare students to make responsible career choices while becoming active, contributing members of their community. Students will spend most of their time working in the field. Individual student interests will be accommodated as much as possible. Internships may occur outside of the school day. Students will need to provide their own transportation. This program provides an excellent opportunity to explore individual interests and skills. Credit is awarded based on the successful completion of in-school instruction and 54 internship hours. (CEIP can only count as 1/2 credit toward the calculation of a student's course load). No prerequisite.

7210  BUSINESS ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT 
(University in the High School Program)
1 year, 1 credit, Grades 10-12
This course offers students a global overview of modern business organization and operation. Through analysis and computer applications, the student will learn the overall workings of business. Areas discussed include:  management skills, finance, marketing, evolution of American business, business ethics and business careers. Microsoft Office Professional is used for the computer applications segment. It includes Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint. Students will have the opportunity to visit area businesses and speak with professionals in the business field. This course is recommended for students interested in pursuing a business degree in college.

7215  BUSINESS LAW
(University in the High School Program)
1 year, 1 credit, Grades 10-12
This course emphasizes the relationship of business law to an individual’s personal life and career. Business Law is comprised of six areas:  knowing about the law, entering into contracts, being a consumer, getting a job, planning for the future and looking toward later life. A variety of experiences will be provided for the student, such as actual case studies, in-class skits and a mock trial. Students will also have the opportunity to visit the courthouse, attend an actual trial, visit the county jail and listen to guest speakers.

7247  e-COMMERCE
(University in the High School Program)
1 year, 1 credit, Grades 10-12
Students in this class run a real business from within the classroom using marketing and business management strategies. Students operate and maintain a school information web site by writing articles on school sports and events, selling banner advertisements, and hosting an on-line auction.

7220  ACCOUNTING I
(University in the High School Program)
1 year, 1 credit, Grades 11-12
This course is designed to develop competencies in accounting. The course content encompasses the complete accounting cycle. The major concern is with understanding the basic accounting principles, methods of recording business transactions, the preparation of financial statements, as well as providing students with the ability to keep records for personal use. The course provides students with the ability to keep business records and provides understanding of the principles of financial transactions. Practice sets and computer simulations are used to give practical application of the accounting theory. This course is highly recommended for students pursuing a two- or four-year business program in college.

7225  ACCOUNTING II
1 year, 1 credit, Grades 11-12
This course is a continuation of Accounting I. The complete accounting cycle will be reviewed. Emphasis is placed on completing the accounting cycle for a merchandising business and partnerships.
Prerequisite: Accounting I

7230  MARKETING
(University in the High School Program)
1 year, 1 credit, Grades 10-12
Designed to teach students about one of today’s fastest growing fields, this course provides an excellent opportunity to explore the effects of the global marketplace on our economy. Topics covered include: advertising, selling, pricing of goods, display techniques used in stores, marketing research and the psychology of buyer behavior. Students will have an opportunity to develop an advertisement campaign and conduct market research. Units on sports marketing and entertainment marketing are included. A variety of experiences will be gained that can be applied to personal and business use, and the opportunity to interact with professionals in the field through field trips and guest speakers will be provided. This is an excellent course for those who have an interest in pursuing business and marketing studies in college.

7235  KEYBOARDING AND COMPUTER APPLICATIONS
1 semester, 1/2 credit, Grades 9-12
This one-semester course is designed to develop and improve alphabetic as well as numeric keyboarding skills needed for computer use. Emphasis is placed on the preparation in correct form of a research paper, including an outline, the title page, the table of contents, the manuscript with footnotes and the bibliography. Attention is given to the typing of correspondence including personal and business letters, composition at the computer and typing from rough drafts. Students will get an introduction to useful communication programs such as PowerPoint, Microsoft Word and Excel.

7245  WORD PROCESSING AND PRESENTATION GRAPHICS
1 semester, 1/2 credit, Grades 9-12
This course will cover the principles of word processing with emphasis on personal use. Such skills as text editing techniques, desktop publishing and presentation graphics will be presented using Microsoft Office. Students will be allowed to produce reports and papers required for other courses and submit them for credit in Word Processing and Presentation Graphics.
Prerequisite: Keyboarding 

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