Undergraduate Business Program at Cornell University

Cornell University's Undergraduate Business Program is a department in the New York State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University and became accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business in 2002. The department, known as "Applied Economics and Management", has only one major though several specializations are available. Historically, Cornell's Undergraduate Business program as undergone a series of shifts regarding the focus of its studies. Originally conceived as an agriculturally centered program, it has developed over the years to focus on both resource economics and applied economics. For many years until 2002, the department's name was "Agricultural Economics." Prospective students apply for admission to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and can either join as a Freshman or later select this program as a major after their Freshman year.

Concentrations

Cornell undergraduates, and particularly its business students, are strongly encouraged to take a wide breadth of courses including especially classes in the New York State School of Industrial and Labor Relations and the Johnson School of Management. Students in the AEM major may specialize in one of three areas: Business (General Management), Agribusiness, and Applied Economics. AEM's two Business specializations—Business and Food Industry Management — provide a flexible curriculum that is grounded in the liberal arts, yet focused on the practical, real world of business. There are four concentrations within the business specializations: strategy, finance, marketing and management. The two Agribusiness specializations—Farm Business Management and Finance and Agribusiness Management—draw on the general business curriculum as well as their own specialized courses for students interested in careers in the agricultural and food sector, which is one of the largest sectors of the global economy. The two Applied Economics specializations—Environmental and Resource Economics and Agricultural and Applied Economics — give students strong training in economic theory and methods, with specialized coursework oriented towards the environment, natural resources, agriculture, and other applied areas that lead to careers in the public sector, academia, and the private sector. Students starting after Fall 2007 are subject to a new set of course requirements for graduation.

Profile

According to Businessweek's 2007 Ranking of Undergraduate Business Programs, Cornell was ranked tenth among other top tier programs. Graduates typically pursue a career in investment banking, as 8 of the top 10 recruiters are New York Investment banks - including Lehman Brothers, Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch. The program graduates roughly 200 students a year with an acceptance rate of 16%.

In 2008, Businessweek named Cornell AEM the 4th ranked Undergraduate Business Program.

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