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Program
1
AS-T in Business
Administration
2
Certificate in Business
(transfer)
3
AS in Business
(General,
Management,
Marketing)
4
5
Certificate in
Management
Certificate in
Marketing
What questions or investigations arose as a result of PLOs
related reflections or discussions
What program-level strengths have the assessment
reflections revealed?
In Fall 2012, the program replaced the AA degree in
Business Administration. The curriculum is state-mandated.
Currently, we are discussing two possible changes in
curriculum: (1) Business Communciation course might
The program represents a diverse and challenging blend of
require ENGL-1A as a prerequisite and (2) creating a
Business, Math, Computer, and Economics courses. This is
Business Statistics course as an addition to MATH-43. In the
the most popular degree on campus.
narrative for the state approval of the program, the
discipline discussed job opportunities available for students
completing the degree before they complete the intended
BA/BS degree.
Major requirements are diverse and include at least one
Modern managers increasingly make decisions involving
course from each "major" area of the business
financial data. Because of that, discussions took place of administration umbrella. The program-specific requirement
requiring both BUS-1A and BUS-1B for the program
of Business Communication emphasizes the importance of
(currently, a student has a choice of BUS-7 or BUS-1A).
"soft" skills. This is an ongoing theme with our advisory
What job opportunities exist for graduates of the programs? committee: graduates must have stronger "soft" skills to be
Are there internship/externship opportunities?
successful in business. These strengths make this the 1st
most popular degree at Chabot.
6
AS in Accounting
7
Bookkeeping
certificate
8
Accounting Technician
Certificate
9
10
11
What kind of software skills do graduates have to have?
What are the job opportunities fro holders of the AS degree
in Accounting? What are philosophical differences between
the Bookkeeping and Accounting Tech certificates? How
important are upper level accounting courses for the
program: Cost Accounting, Nonprofit, Intermediate. Should
we split Intermediate Accounting into two 4-unit courses?
Should we add a lab component to our BUS-1 and BUS-1?
Should we offer a shorter, Accounting Cycle course?
After discussions with the colleagues, advisory committee,
and colleagues from other two-year colleges at conferences,
we are confident of the strong preparation in various areas
of accounting for our graduates. Our programs are well
aligned with each other. Bookkeeping and Accounting Tech
have different niches. All three programs have just been
updated to stay current, update required software skills.
Classes were updated to include new IFRS requirements. All
of these strengths make these programs extremely popular.
We are noticing an increasing number of students majoring,
especially in two certificates
How valid is the program for students pursuing the program
outside of the grocery retailing? How do we deal with the
curriculum developed and required by an outside agency
AS Retail Management (Western Association of Food Chains) while cuts are made The curriculum is developed by the Western Association of
Food Chains (WAFC) and is the same across California,
locally and some classes are not offered. Are these
Nevada, and Arizona. Employers financially support
programs any longer valid? Should we seek opportunities to
students and give them various benefits, including
teach the program at the retailers site as we used to do?
promotions and cash rewards upon graduation. We offer
How can we still offer the program's core, Retail
most courses in the program online, which allows students
Certificate in Retailing
Management class if FTEF are cut further. The class is
from different areas to access and complete the program.
specialized and not required by any other program. As the
program is not the department's priority, who should
Certificate in Retail
coordinate it?
Management
12
As a relatively new certificate, suggested partially by
counselors, we had numerous discussions on what courses
This is a unique to Chabot program: students are able to
to include in addition to our BUS-50 series. How valuable is
acquire specific business skills that will make them more
the certificate? Who is the student interested in the
successful in any job or career. The program is highly
program? How do we sustain the program when facing with
flexible and allows students to customize the choice of
Certificate in Business
further cuts? BUS-50 courses are the core of the program.
classes to better fit their particular needs. As such, the
Skills
We used to develop new courses, offer 6-8 every term.
program has a great value to new workforce entrants, as
Now, we can offer only 3-4 per term. None has been
well as current and future small business owners, as well as
offered in the summer. As elective courses, Business 50
working adults, and those who are currently unemployed
classes were often first to be cut. We also have not created
and/or are changing careers.
any new BUS-50 classes because of budget cuts.
13
What is the program value to students without previous
This is a program unique to Chabot. We are very proud to
health care experience? How to improve retention in online
offer this as the only program of its type in the Bay Area
courses (the core of the program is offered online only)? If
community colleges. Faculty teaching the program are
we are faced with further FTEF cuts, will the program
Certificate Health Care
experts in their field. The program is popular with eth
survive? Should BUS-7 or BUS-1a (or both) be made a
Management
students. The program is structured and is usually
requirement for the program to better prepare students for
completed fully online in only three semesters. The
the Health Care Financial Management class? what is the
program offers a unique blends of general business skills and
program's niche compared to similar programs at the
business skills specific for health care.
master's and continuing education levels?
14
The job projections for HR assistants have been negative, is
there still value in completing the program? What specific
This is the only program of that type in the Bay Area
technical and soft skills should a modern HR assistant have?
community colleges. The program is popular with students.
How important are accounting/payroll/bookkeeping skills?
At the most recent advisory committee meeting, the
What software skill should we teach students in the
program was complemented for its rigorous level of
program? how important is the knowledge of Access? how
accounting and computer application preparation.
can we prepare students for successfully handing HRIS in the
future workplace?
Certificate in Human
Resource Assistant
15
Certificate in Small
Business Management
Should the program be independent from Entrepreneurship
or merged with it? How are the Small Business
Management and Entrepreneurship programs different?
The program offers a set of practical skills for current and
future small business owners. Most classes can be
completed online, which improves student access. The
program includes a small required core and a large list of
electives. This makes it flexible: student customize the
courses to be taken to fit the needs of their particular
business or business interest.
What actions has your discipline determined might be
taken to enhance learning of students completing your
program?
Because of lower passing rate fro BUS-1A, the discipline
included BUS-7 as a strongly recommended course on the
program page in the catalog and online. As BUS-12 becomes
part of the requirement to transfer, faculty teaching the
course continue their effort to enhance the class teaching
methodology. Another point is to advise students in the
program to begin with completing the Math requirement(s)
as soon as possible.
Updating the course content delivery to include constantly
changing business standards and trends in all major business
areas.
Changes to curriculum to delete two investment courses,
give students an option of taking Nonprofit and Government
Accounting, Payroll Accounting, as well as "beefing" up our
requirements of Excel and Access skills have recently been
done.
Ensuring all classes required for the program are scheduled
at least once in three semesters. It becomes more
challenging as FTEF are cut further. Moreover, two classes
in eth program are offered outside of the discipline. Thus,
we have no control over their scheduling.
We have to have enough resources to introduce new
courses to keep the program current. We need to advertise
the program to a broader population. Because the program
is online, the faculty participation in the Online Retention
FIG, hopefully, will lead to some enhancements in online
teaching. Some of the classes in the program have a high
drop rate.
Possible inclusion of a required accounting course to
enhance students' experience in Health Care Financial
Management class.
The program was revised last semester (effective fall 2012)
to update required computer application skills. If time get
better, we need to add some additional short term courses
in Employee Benefits, Employee Compensation, LaborManagement Relations.
None