Business (ABus)
Pathway Map
A vast array of careers awaits you with a degree or certificate in the field of business or commerce. A degree in business leads to careers in Accounting, Consulting, Commerce, Business Administration, e-Business or e-Commerce, Finance, Marketing and Management. Some people with a business administration degree will choose to work in private retail or wholesale businesses while others will select government work. Fierce competition is expected for highly competitive and peak-earning positions such as management consultant or business analyst.
No matter where you choose to work, your business degree or certificate brings you to the eye of hiring employers. It provides you with the flexibility to move among small or large firms. Your skills combined with your education allows you to keep pace in today’s rapidly evolving business world. Completion of a business educational program helps you maintain a higher employability status and propels advancement in a broad scope of industries.
CAC offers two pathways in business degrees.
The first is the Associate of Business (ABUS) transferable degree (60-64 credits) into State University Business Programs. The Associate of Business (ABUS) Degree suits students who plan to transfer to the university to earn a baccalaureate degree in Business-related areas, such as Accounting, Business Administration, Computer Information Systems, Economics, Finance, Human Relations, Marketing and Public Administration.
The other is the Business Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree (64 credits) which, if completed, will also transfer all credits to a university, but will be evaluated depending on the program you select at the University. The A.A.S. does not contain all the Arizona General Equivalency Curriculum (AGEC) and the higher math requirements of the ABUS degree. See more details in each degree to compare course contents and possible transfer programs. This A.A.S. degree allows you to stack a specialty certificate or courses, such as Accounting, Management, Hotel and Restaurant Management or Computer Information Science certificate courses towards its fourteen elective credit requirements. If you plan accordingly, you could earn a certificate within the A.A.S. Business degree to become more marketable.
Two smaller certificates, one in Business (18 credits) and another in Management (24 credits) are also available and credits stack towards the Business A.A.S. degree. Completing the certificate portion of a degree offers immediate employability in a shorter period of time and provides basic business skills for entrepreneurship ventures. Students often feel more rewarded after earning a college graduation certificate and then advance to complete the additional degree requirements. Individuals who already possess a degree, but desire to change career paths, may complete a certificate to enter business employment.
Next Steps
Questions about this pathway?
Dr. Christopher Demaline
Division Chair
Professor of Business and Accounting
480-677-7778
christopher.demaline@centralaz.edu
The Associate of Applied Science Degree prepares students for employment directly into the workforce of their chosen degree. A degree in business leads to careers in Accounting, Consulting, Commerce, Business Administration, e-Business or e-Commerce, Finance, Marketing and Management. Some people with a business administrative degree will choose to work in private retail or wholesale businesses while others will select government work. Fierce competition is expected for highly competitive and peak-earning positions such as management consultant or business analyst.
Certificate programs prepare students for entry-level employment opportunities. Some certificates offer advanced training or build foundations for future completion of an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) or Associate of General Studies (A.G.S) Degree. Most certificate required courses will stack into the coordinating A.A.S. Degree. Completing the certificate portion of a degree increases accomplishment, provides basic business skills for entrepreneurship ventures and increases employability.
The Management Certificate is designed to prepare individuals who desire to work in mid-level management positions. Courses are designed to include the business essentials and also emphasize the skill sets needed for effective management and communication in the work environment. The eight (24 credits) provide instruction in the background and knowledge necessary for students to develop the judgment skills they must exercise as business managers. These courses can be applied towards the Business A.A.S. degree.
The Management Certificate focuses on communication, finances, legal issues, basic marketing and management principles that develop leadership and supervision skills. Most careers often lead to management level positions. The Management Certificate will also qualify for the national “Retail Management” industry credential.
Find out more about the employee tuition reimbursement for the Retail Management Certificate Program (RMCP) through the Western Association of Food Chains (WAFC) national partnership. The RMCP certificate is comprised of these eight basic management foundation in Central Arizona College’s Management Certificate. Industry participant employer’s include Albertson’s, Bashas’, Coca Cola, Costco (Calif.), Fry’s, Pro’s Ranch Markets, Safeway, Smith’s Food & Drug, Smart & Final Corporation and Whole Foods.
WAFC Flyer – Retail Management