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.

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

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

Join the first line of defense in network protection.

Cybersecurity professionals are the first line of defense in protecting the cyber network in fields such as banking and finance, transportation, petrochemical industry, law enforcement and defense communications, government, and homeland security. You’ll  take a combination of criminal justice and computer technology courses to help develop the skills needed to work in the field. Computer literacy is required for entry into the program.

Cybersecurity is a growing, emerging career field, and there’s an ever increasing need for skilled professionals. A bachelor’s degree is expected in most entry-level positions, which start between $42,780 and $69,760 a year. 

As a graduate of this program, you'll:

• Understand criminal justice, information security, cyber intelligence, and computer forensics
• Use critical thinking skills and creative problem solving
• Use proactive approaches to investigate, apprehend, or deter cybercriminals

The Cybersecurity program at Herkimer College is certified by the Information Assurance Courseware Evaluation (IACE) Program. This certification recognizes that Herkimer College’s courses have met all elements of the Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS) National Training Standards for Information Systems Security Professionals and Senior Systems Managers. The IACE Program provides consistency in training and education for information assurance skills. CNSS is a United States intergovernmental organization that sets policy for the security of the U.S. security systems, and is chaired by the U.S. Department of Defense.

Lead the digital revolution.

Learn the essential elements of creating impactful and engaging visual and social media content. With our microcredential, you'll acquire proficiency in graphic design, Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, strategic planning and creation of social media content, photography essentials, and digital photo editing skills.

Contact Associate Dean William McDonald for more information: mcdonalwh@herkimer.edu | 315.866.0300 x8241.

Looking to gain expertise in emergency management?

The one-year certificate program in Emergency Management provides contemporary knowledge and expertise to lead, manage, or support disaster mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery in emergency management.  

This online, one-year program is designed for transitioning professionals and those seeking industry-specific course work essential to support whole community emergency management programs.

Participants will gain specialized knowledge and skills necessary to work within various aspects of emergency management, including preparedness, response and incident management, disaster recovery, hazard mitigation, continuity of operations, and other related assignments. Participants will learn practical skills from experienced emergency managers. 

The goals of this program are:

• To prepare students to lead, manage, or support mitigation of, preparedness for, response to, and recovery from a disaster.
• To graduate students who have the knowledge and skills necessary to be able to support whole community emergency management programs.

Successful graduates from this program will be able to:

• Apply a knowledge base of necessary skills to include whole community critical incident management; emergency planning; emergency operations center organization and management; resource and capability planning; and the application of national emergency management standards prior to, during, and in the aftermath of disasters.
• Demonstrate critical thinking, communication, and management skills by analyzing situations, determining proper actions, evaluating possible alternatives and unforeseen circumstances, and then taking appropriate actions as an emergency program manager.

The program was designed utilizing industry standards such as the National Incident Management System (NIMS); the National Preparedness Goal; the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP); and NFPA 1600: Standard on Continuity, Emergency, and Crisis Management. The program also integrates FEMA incident command system (ICS) training courses.

Students enrolled in this program may be eligible for financial aid.

Thanks to a new partnership, students of the program can transfer up to 18 credits toward the fully online Bachelor of Science in Emergency Services degree offered by Embry-Riddle’s Worldwide Campus.

A program tailored to your needs and interests.

Humanities and fine arts, the natural sciences and mathematics, the social sciences—you’ll learn them all when you enroll in Herkimer College’s General Studies A.A. program. 

You'll work closely with an advisor to tailor a specific program according to your needs and interests—a very beneficial step if you are uncertain of the major you wish to pursue.

As a graduate with a degree in General Studies you'll be able to transfer into a wide array of baccalaureate degree programs, or take advantage of specialized training offered by future employers.

Solid skills to succeed as business office personnel.

Herkimer College’s Health Services Management Technology A.A.S. degree program prepares students for positions such as service coordinators, personal assistants, office managers, field staff supervisors, administrative assistants, and other business office personnel.

Graduates are prepared to:

• Describe current issues in healthcare
• Identify the challenges and responsibilities of healthcare providers
• Explain financial considerations in the healthcare industry
• Describe access to care
• Identify reimbursement issues and the changes which have an economic impact on the healthcare delivery system, Medicare, Medicaid, Managed Care, and Insurance
• Describe the ethical and social implications of the healthcare industry

A successful HR career is within reach.

Learn the ins and outs of all things Human Resources—from employee benefits, recruiting, and job analysis to compensation, employee welfare coordination, and training.

As a Herkimer College graduate, you’ll be perfectly positioned for employment in both public and private institutions. With your Human Resource Management A.A.S. in hand, you’ll be prepared to write and perform job evaluations, complete job analysis, write job descriptions, and understand both employee compensation and benefits issues, labor laws, and health and safety issues. 

You may also choose to continue your education at four-year programs such as SUNY Oswego, SUNY Polytechnic Institute or a wide variety of other excellent schools.