The Associate in Arts in Economics Degree program is designed to prepare students for transfer to four-year institutions; to enter the business world with knowledge of economic trends and conditions; or to provide training for such positions as a market analyst, sales analyst, or stockbroker.

Accountants play an essential role in keeping businesses within their budgets, and this program offers real-world application of skills related to private accounting, institutional accounting, certified public accounting, and other career opportunities within the private and public sectors. To qualify for the Associate of Arts in Accounting degree, students must satisfactorily complete the Degree Major requirements specified below and the local AA/AS General Education requirements.

Want to start your own business? Interested in the way goods and services are moved around the world? Looking to advance in your existing career or try something new? This degree allows you to earn an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Business focusing on either Entrepreneurship or Global Logistics. It's designed so that students earn certificates that add up to a degree. An Associate of Arts in Business degree opens doors to a variety of careers in sectors such as commerce, government, media, and nonprofit work. The bachelor's degree you earn after transferring to a 4-year institution can pave the way to starting or running your own business, positions in entry-level management, bookkeeping, market analysis, and many other careers.

The Associate in Arts in Economics for Transfer (AA-T) degree is intended to meet the lower-division requirements for Economics majors or majors that have been deemed similar in the California State University (CSU) system. The study of economics at Merritt College is intended to provide students with the knowledge, appreciation, and the ability to analyze the production, distribution, and consumption of wealth in human society.

Have the demonstrations against the World Trade Organization puzzled you? What has changed in the electric power industry? Did a Federal Reserve change in the discount rate catch your attention? How well do you feel you understand the economic events reported in the news? The Economics Program at Santa Barbara City College will provide you with a solid foundation from which you can build analytical skills. These skills will improve your decision making processes in many aspects of your life: as a consumer, an employee, an employer, a voter, etc. Courses in economics will offer the transfer student both theoretical and empirical foundations which will prepare you for further study in many fields, including environmental studies, global and international studies, sociology and history, as well as economics.

The Associate in Arts in Economics for Transfer (AA-T in Economics) provides a clear pathway to a CSU institution for students who plan to transfer and complete a CSU major or baccalaureate degree in Economics. California Community College students who are awarded an Associate in Arts in Economics for Transfer (AA-T in Economics) are guaranteed admission with junior standing somewhere in the CSU system and given priority admission consideration to their local CSU institution or to a program that is deemed similar to their community college major.

Economics is the study of people and the choices they make regarding the production, distribution and allocation of resources. Does this dynamic world hold a special fascination for you? Do you seek a working knowledge of the principles of modern finance, as applied to the public and private sectors of our economy? If you can answer affirmatively in each instance, SBCC's two year Economics program can be your biggest stepping stone to a four year degree and a rewarding professional career. The program at Santa Barbara City College is designed to instill a general understanding of the economic realities of our world, with an emphasis on the mechanics of the American economy and its comparison to other economic systems. You will study business organization and finance, national income, business cycles, competition and monopoly, distribution of income and the problems of labor. For the Economics major, two semesters of the Principles of Economics and two semesters of Accounting can represent the needed base from which to launch a solid transfer program at a four-year college or university.

The Global and International Studies major helps students develop an understanding of how globalization continues to evolve. It also aims to provide an academic background that prepares students to enter today’s many career fields, which require knowledge of global problems, connections, actors, and processes. Examples of possible career fields include careers in diplomacy and/ or with an international organization, careers with many types of non-governmental organizations, careers in the economics/ business field, and in the fields of journalism, research, and teaching. Many other fields, such as engineering, and health, also benefit from a global perspective.

The Business Department offers transfer programs and non-transfer occupational programs leading to Associate Degrees and Certificates in several business areas. A student who wishes to transfer to a four-year college in business and wants to complete an associate degree prior to transfer should complete the degree in Business Administration or General Business. Accounting, General Business, and Office Skills programs will provide you with the skills needed for immediate employment; they will prepare students for advancement to positions that require more in-depth knowledge of organization and business principles; they will develop and upgrade skills in related business and office technology areas; and/or they will help students acquire entry-level job skills.

For success in business, a liberal education is invaluable. Particularly important are communication (written, oral and behavioral), quantitative (mathematics and statistics), and computer skills (word processing, spreadsheets, presentations and database management). This program has been designed to equip the student with the specific techniques of business financial management—anticipation of cash needs, acquisition of financial resources, and allocation of cash in the company. Financial statement analysis, financing business activity, capital budgeting and working capital management are emphasized.

Economics provides a sequential course of study that prepares you for transfer to four-year institutions with an economics major or acquisition of economics proficiency necessary for career fields that emphasize the value of familiarity with economics or accounting.

Richfield College’s Associate of Arts in Business Administration with option in Accounting degree program provides a solid foundation of

The Economics major consists of courses appropriate for the Associate in Arts in Economics for Transfer degree, which provides a foundational understanding of the discipline, a breadth of coursework in the discipline and preparation for transfer to any CSU that accepts the Transfer Model Curriculum (TMC). The Associate in Arts in Economics for Transfer is intended for students who plan to complete a bachelor’s degree in Economics (or an approved similar major) at a CSU campus. Students completing this degree are guaranteed admission to the CSU system, but not to a particular campus or major. Students transferring to a CSU campus that does accept this degree will be required to complete no more than 60 (semester) units after transfer to earn a bachelor’s degree. This degree may not be the best option for students intending to transfer to a particular CSU campus or to a university or college that is not part of the CSU system. In all cases, students should consult with a counselor for more information on university admission and transfer requirements.

The Associate of Arts Degree in Economics allows students to build a foundation in Microeconomics and Macroeconomics principles. It also prepares students to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Economics or a related field. Students will learn about complex real-world questions as well as human behaviour. Students will be able to explore various areas in Economics such as microeconomics, macroeconomics, environmental economics, labour economics, as well as money, banking and financial markets.

The associate degree in Accounting prepares students for a variety of positions in the accounting field. Many students find part-time employment after completing the initial accounting courses in the program and continue to work while fulfilling program requirements. Lower division accounting courses are required for all business administration degree programs. These accounting courses provide an important foundation for students who plan to transfer to a four-year bachelor's degree program.