Academic Programs

Real world skills for the workplace.

An A.A.S. in Accounting from Herkimer College means not only being prepared to join the workforce, but having the skills to hit the ground running as an entry-level accountant.

As an accountant, you will 

• collect and analyze financial data
• design and maintain accounting systems
• prepare budgets, financial statements, and tax returns
• conduct audits

Herkimer College graduates find jobs in public accounting, private industry, government, and the not-for-profit sector. And the demand is strong—according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of accountants is projected to grow 10% before 2026. That’s faster than the average for all occupations. 

Many graduates also choose to transfer to exceptional four-year colleges and universities throughout the northeast, including SUNY Poly, Utica College, SUNY Oswego, SUNY Geneseo, SUNY Plattsburgh, and SUNY Binghamton.

It's a visual world. Stand out with a degree from Herkimer.

Your creative journey starts here. Express yourself through painting, sculpture, drawing, pottery, and photography. Explore the applied arts of graphic design and fashion. And collaborate with top-notch faculty who’ll inspire your best work. 

Opportunities abound at Herkimer College—from getting published in our award-winning arts and literary magazine to exhibiting your work in the campus art gallery, which features artists from across the country. 

The experience you gain here is second to none and will serve as a strong foundation for continued education. Plus, we have a wide range of transfer agreements with other colleges that ensure the seamless transfer of credit.

A strong business background that paves the way forward.

Explore the basic management principles and fundamentals of accounting, marketing, and computer technology. Become familiar with the terminology used in the business legal environment and polish your communication skills.

Herkimer College’s Business Administration A.S. degree program is the solid foundation you need to successfully transfer to a four-year school to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.

Strong management skills for a successful career.

Learn the most up-to-date business operations necessary for today’s manager. Herkimer College’s Business Administration A.A.S. program provides the skills necessary to move into responsible entry-level management positions in the public and private sectors.

As a graduate, you will be prepared to:

• Understand the fundamentals of accounting, marketing, and computer technology
• Deal effectively with employee relations issues
• Work with basic computer software packages
• Apply management theory to practical case problems
• Communicate effectively in a business environment

Your journey in Childhood Education starts here.

Do you want to become an elementary school teacher? The Childhood Education program at Herkimer College is designed for students interested in teaching Pre-K through Grade 6. Upon graduation, you'll be prepared for transfer to a four-year institution by completing general education coursework, including courses in your chosen area of concentration: English, History/Social Studies, Biology, Chemistry or Math.

As a successful graduate you'll be able to:

• Identify and implement a prepared lesson
• Use effective classroom management techniques and pedagogy
• Build a skill set necessary for seamless entrance into the next level of study for educators

Think. Engage. Create.

Join a program founded on over 40 years of communication and media excellence. As a student in the Communication and Media, A.S. program you’ll acquire the fundamental skills of media production and human communication. You’ll learn how to create and share media, including video, audio, graphics, and journalistic content.

Features of the program include an experienced and supportive faculty, Adobe graphics and photo lab, Avid Media Composer Lab, and a transfer-friendly course of study.

Key aspects of study: 

• Video, audio, and graphics production
• Journalism
• Visual communication
• Social media
• Media writing

Graduates are prepared for transfer to a wide variety of four-year media and communication programs. The program meets requirements for three SUNY Transfer Paths—Communication: Media, Communication: Non-Media, and Media Production. This helps ensure a smooth transition to continue your studies at many SUNY schools and programs.

Master Competitive Analytics for Real-World Success

Unlock your potential in the Competitive Analytics program, where you'll master the skills to turn data into a competitive edge. Gain hands-on experience analyzing both internal and external business information, empowering organizations to stay ahead of the curve. You’ll dive deep into business operations, learn how technology drives value, and develop the analytic tools needed to solve real-world challenges. With a capstone project featuring partnerships with industry leaders, you’ll graduate with practical, in-demand experience. Flexible online courses are available, with key in-person components to enhance your learning and networking opportunities.

Successful graduates from this program will be able to:

• identify and analyze information across the breadth of a business and provide strategic input of competitive value to the business
• apply critical thinking techniques to show understanding of the importance of information and how to extract critical information to create competitive advantage
• utilize data analytic tools extract and analyze internal and external business information to achieve competitive advantage

Hands-on experience for tech success.

Prepare for a career in computer and network security and help desk services. The Computer and Network Security program at Herkimer College emphasizes hands-on experience as well as theory. All network and PC courses are 50% lab, and seniors complete either a topics course or fieldwork. This program prepares you (along with some additional study) for A+ Certification, Network+ Certification, and various Microsoft Certifications.

As a graduate, you'll be prepared to:

• Perform the day-to-day tasks of administering a PC network consisting of various switches, routers, printers, and network operating systems
• Plan and install a PC network
• Perform help desk functions to support network users, including training and problem solving
• Build, repair, and upgrade PCs

A firm foundation in a strong field.

The employment opportunities in Computer Science are growing—in fact, it’s one of the areas with the largest job growth according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Projections 2018 report.

Herkimer College's Computer Science A.S. program curriculum places a strong emphasis on programming theory, object-oriented programming, and data structures, currently using the Java and/or Python programming language.

You'll be able to transfer to a four-year college at full junior status, continue your studies in a more specialized area of computer science, and develop software using either the Java or Python programming language.

Develop the skills to build a career in criminal justice.

Develop research and analytical skills to be used in crime analysis or intelligence for criminal justice agencies. Explore crime analysis and intelligence theories. Build your analytical, writing, and team management skills. And collect and analyze data to forecast criminal profiles to solve crimes and predict future crimes. 

Herkimer College’s Crime & Intelligence Analysis A.A.S program prepares you with the knowledge, skills, and critical thinking to succeed in a variety of public and private careers. Potential employers for graduates of the Crime and Intelligence Analysis program include any local, state, or federal law enforcement or intelligence agency. 

Plus, various branches of the military utilize analysts as well as private contractors in dealing with security issues.

A solid foundation in criminal justice.

Herkimer College’s Criminal Justice A.S. program prepares you to transfer to a four-year college or university to major in criminal justice and related social science disciplines. Building on a solid foundation of required courses in law, criminology, criminal justice, and private security, our curriculum allows you to take elective coursework in such areas as policing, juvenile justice, corrections, and security to suit your own professional interests. Plus, you’ll take courses in forensic science, math, and social science.

With your Criminal Justice A.S. you’ll be armed with a comprehensive understanding of the philosophical and historical background of the criminal justice system, the theories of crime causation, and a working knowledge of penal and procedure law.

Where classroom knowledge meets practical field experience.

The Criminal Justice A.A.S. program at Herkimer College is designed to prepare you for a successful career in law enforcement, criminal investigation, probation, parole, and similar fields. A three-credit internship experience is designed to integrate the theoretical knowledge learned in the classroom with the practical knowledge of working in the field.

As a graduate, you'll be prepared to:

• Effectively engage in proactive approaches to deter crime, and to investigate and apprehend those who break the law
• Participate in the field of corrections in the areas of detention, supervision, administration, and rehabilitation of incarcerated persons or those who obtain alternatives to incarceration
• Contribute to the criminal justice system as professionals in Federal and State courts
• Successfully perform operations necessary to ensure security in both the private and public sector
• Demonstrate an understanding of police ethics and how to resolve issues of an ethical nature
• Demonstrate an understanding of our correctional system, the concepts of probation and parole, the nature of punishment, and trends in corrections