Graham School of Business

Graham School of Business Policies

The mission of York College’s Graham School of Business (GSB) is to establish and deliver distinctive, high-quality academic programs, facilitate linkages between academic and business communities, and to encourage ongoing scholarship. The School’s main purpose is to facilitate student learning and prepare students/graduates at the associate, baccalaureate, and graduate levels to best meet their goals and the needs of the business community.

To accomplish this mission, the Graham School of Business offers a diverse array of business majors, and affiliated majors in Integrated Marketing Communication, Public Relations, Sport Media, and Sport Management.

Business majors are linked together by the Common Professional Component (CPC). The CPC describes the competencies and experiences that are necessary for successful performance in the complex, global, and flexible workplace of the 21st century. All business students take courses in Accounting, Economics, Finance, Information Systems, Management, Marketing, Operations Management, and Statistics. The CPC also includes two different capstone courses. Business Strategy is designed to integrate all areas of a student’s learning into a business strategy, policy making, and analysis framework for Bachelor of Science majors. Integrated Business Experience is an experiential course designed to engage students in a comprehensive hands-on evaluation of an organization to gain greater understanding of optimal business flow and function for Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Business Administration majors. The Common Professional Component provides a solid base for specialized courses in each major, and provides opportunities for students to interact with members of the business community.

Integrated Marketing Communication and Public Relations majors provide students both theoretical and practical experience for the highly competitive practice of public relations. The student-run Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) chapter at YCP participates in a variety of activities, including the prestigious annual Bateman Team Case Study Competition.

The Sport Management program is accredited through the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA), a specialized accrediting body that recognizes excellence in sport management education worldwide. COSMA’s accreditation process is quite thorough examining areas like curriculum, student learning outcomes, faculty qualifications, and industry engagement. As of January 2018, only 53 sport management programs had achieved accreditation through COSMA.

Sport Media is a newly developed program. Sport organizations are increasingly focusing on communication specialization skills to utilize as a promotional tool for external marketing, (e.g., website content, social media) and internal operations (e.g., game, practice, and scouting purposes). The Sport Media program merges a core sport management curriculum with extensive communication courses.

York College of Pennsylvania, through its Graham School of Business, is nationally accredited by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs to offer the following business degrees:

Bachelor of Science Degree (BS) with majors in Accounting, Business Administration, Economics, Engineering Management, Finance, and Supply Chain Operations Management.
The Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs does not offer accreditation recognition until two classes of students have graduated. New majors in Advertising and Digital Marketing (BBA), Business Analytics (BS), Cybersecurity Management (BS), Entrepreneurship and Innovation (BBA), Human Resource Management (BBA), Integrated Marketing Communication (BA), Leadership and Organizational Dynamics (BBA), International Business (BA), Marketing (BBA), and Social Enterprise and Not-for-Profit Management (BBA) have been introduced and follow the same criteria of coursework that has led to the accreditation of our on-going programs.
Associate of Science Degree (AS) with a major in Business Administration.
Students who have not decided on a major field of study within business may enter as a “business major.” The Graham School of Business has selected business courses to enable these students to complete a set of courses common to all majors while they determine their chosen field of study. Further consultation with an academic advisor, faculty within the various disciplines, and independent inquiry of professionals in the field are encouraged in the process of determining a major.
Normally, a student will take a minimum of 24 semester credits in the major component subject area for a baccalaureate degree (15-18 credits are required for a minor). The associate degree in Business Administration requires a student to complete a program of 33 credits in business. Each major program also requires the completion of General Business Component courses. In some cases these departmental requirements also serve to fulfill the General Education Requirements of the College. Each student should consult with the assigned faculty advisor every semester and review the program requirements and progress toward graduation.

Graham School of Business Policies

Enrollment in 300-400 level Business courses is restricted to students of at least junior status unless specifically exempted by the requirements in a particular program or the instructor of the course. All required 100-200 level courses in the College Common Core and General Business Component must be completed before enrolling in 300-400 level Business courses unless specifically exempted by the faculty advisor.
Courses that serve as prerequisites to subsequent Business courses must be completed with a grade of 2.0 or higher. If a student is not successful in attaining a 2.0 in a prerequisite course, the course may be repeated an additional two times (maximum three attempts). Withdrawing from a course during the normal withdrawal period will not be counted as an unsuccessful attempt. Students receiving lower than a 2.0 in any prerequisite course should consult with their advisor. Because many of the upper-level Business courses require prerequisites, failure to attain a 2.0 or higher on the first attempt of a prerequisite course may delay the intended date of graduation. If a student is unsuccessful in attaining a 2.0 in a prerequisite course after three attempts, a change in major may be necessary.
Credits transferred from a two-year institution will normally not be accepted as satisfying 300-400 level Business course requirements unless verification of competency is achieved or through an articulation agreement with the transferring college. This verification, as determined by the Graham School of Business, may require satisfactory completion (a 2.0) or higher in a higher-level course in the same or similar area or Credit By Examination. For transfer students, at least four 300-400 major subject area component courses, as determined by the Graham School of Business, must be completed at York College.
The Graham School of Business believes in the integration of writing and communication skills throughout the business student’s curriculum. Each baccalaureate degree business major is required to take writing/communications focused courses during the sophomore (200-level), junior (300-level), and senior (400-level) years as partial fulfillment of graduation requirements. The sophomore-level courses will include case studies, an organizational analysis report (library research), and oral presentation. The junior-level courses will require writing assignments geared to descriptive or technical writing. Descriptions of a business process or a business transaction are examples of this type of writing. In addition, case studies and oral presentations may be included. The senior-level courses require writing assignments of the type that a student with a particular major is likely to do after graduation as well as a major research project and presentation.