Academic Programs

Building a career dedicated to helping others.

Become an agent of change in the field of human services. Our innovative curriculum is constantly evolving to provide students with the skills necessary for employment after graduation. Opportunities to take cutting-edge courses, engage in practical experience within the field, and involvement in our vibrant Human Services Club provide students with foundational skills and experiences employers want. Students have the opportunity to choose between newly-offered alternative courses and existing coursework:

• Chemical Dependency; Trauma Informed Care; and Group Counseling
• Mental Health Association in NYS (MHANYS) CarePath™ Program OR Social Psychology

The Chemical Dependency, Trauma Informed Care, and Group Counseling courses provide students with an opportunity to gain exposure and knowledge in relevant topics in the areas of study related to chemical dependency, how to develop and facilitate a counseling group, and to understand the continuum of wellness as it relates to various forms of trauma.

Offered in the student’s final semester, the MHANYS CarePath™ program provides an unprecedented opportunity for graduating students to become certified CarePath™ coaches through the Mental Health Association in New York State. Herkimer College is the first two-year college to partner with MHANYS to provide the CarePath™ course and certification. Students who successfully complete the CarePath™ program with their Human Services A.A.S. degree will obtain certification to help individuals and families manage stress the first 90 days post discharge from any treatment through methods of reducing stress, promoting confidence, avoiding crisis, reducing hospitalizations, and improving overall health outcomes.

Uncovering the possibility within.

Explore the art, music, and literature of cultures throughout the ages. As a Humanities major, you’ll immerse yourself in the humanist tradition, unlocking your potential.

Herkimer College’s Humanities A.A. program is flexible, and provides you with a springboard for many majors and career options. Graduates transfer to four-year institutions to continue studies in writing, literature, speech, interpersonal relations, journalism, communication, music, art, philosophy, and religion.

You’ll have opportunities to express yourself in so many ways—from contributing to the college’s award-winning arts and literary magazine, Phaethon, to joining the General’s Theater Group or being featured in our Student Art Show at the Cogar Gallery. Plus, you can participate in Art Club and enjoy field trips to galleries, as well as take part in the many cultural events on campus.

Discover a career in Legal Studies.

Herkimer College’s Legal Studies program prepares you for positions in law offices, banks, real estate firms, brokerage houses, federal, state and local government agencies, and other institutions requiring employees with legal training. Responsibilities include assisting an attorney in legal research, the preparation of documents for hearings or trial, and other support services.

As a graduate, you'll be prepared to:

• Interview a client and gather a case history
• Conduct both independent and directed legal research and fact gathering activities
• Draft pleadings, bills of particulars, motions, wills, contracts, memorandums of law, and other commonly encountered legal documents
• Perform standard filing and recording procedures
• Summarize documents in a case file

Stake your claim on the cutting edge of an exciting industry.

Interested in the fast-paced world of marketing? In Herkimer’s Marketing A.A.S program, you’ll learn fundamental marketing principles and up-to-date practices that will give you access to diverse employment opportunities in one of the fastest growing fields.

From performing market research to studying advertising techniques and developing a marketing plan, you’ll leave Herkimer armed with the skillset and the tools to hit the ground running.

A solid foundation for your future. 

The Medical Coding/Transcriptionist Certificate program gives you the opportunity to gain the entry-level skills necessary to acquire and maintain a position relating to Medical Coding and/or Medical Transcription. 

With a Herkimer College certificate in hand, you’ll be prepared to 

• Identify and correctly apply ICD-9-CM codes based on the diagnoses presented
• Identify and correctly apply CPT codes based on the surgical procedures presented
• Recognize, understand, and spell a variety of medical terms
• Demonstrate proficiency in keying dictated tapes based on medical cases
• Distinguish different medical forms and show familiarity with content
• Communicate effectively

The program trains students in the core legal content areas—torts; property/real estate law, contracts; wills, trusts and estates; legal research and writing; civil procedure and litigation; criminal law; family law; and legal ethics.

As a graduate you’ll be able to apply the ethical rules and aspirations governing the legal profession to specific factual scenarios, conduct legal research on defined issues via computer-assisted and manual methods, and prepare drafts of legal memoranda and select pleadings pertinent to various legal content areas.

Upon completion of the certificate program you’ll be prepared to work as a paralegal/legal assistant in law firms, District Attorney's Offices, Public Defender's Offices, business, governmental agencies, or other settings where paralegals are utilized.

Turn your curiosity into a career.

Have you ever wondered why people behave in certain ways? Do you love solving practical or theoretical problems? Or maybe you’ve always dreamed of making a real difference in other people's lives? Earning a degree in psychology might be a great choice for you.

An associate degree in psychology can be an excellent starting point for further study. Herkimer College's associate degree in psychology is designed to provide a solid foundation in psychological studies which will prepare students for a successful transfer to a four-year college or university. Graduates of psychology programs can find career opportunities in fields such as clinical psychology, social work, counseling, educational psychology, art therapy, security, human resources, business management, advertising, and public relations. Earning an associate degree in psychology can help you make an informed choice on the direction of your career goals.

This program is designed for transfer to a four-year institution such as SUNY Plattsburgh or SUNY Polytechnic Institute for more specialized study before entering the workforce.

Develop critical skills needed for successful quality management.

Interested in quality management? At Herkimer, you’ll explore the concepts of quality assurance and control, and develop the basic skills to succeed in a management or technician role in a variety of private sector industries, such as manufacturing, health services, food and drug production, and environmental/construction services. 

With your Herkimer College degree, you’ll be able to devise, implement, and track adherence to procedures. You’ll also be able to compile data for record keeping and reporting purposes, and determine the root cause of incidents.

Transfer Information:

Upon graduation from this unique program, you’ll have the opportunity to transfer into the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) program at Morrisville State College or SUNY Cobleskill.

Develop quality assurance and quality control skills.

From business management to a technician role within a variety of private sector industries—manufacturing, advanced manufacturing, health services, food and drug production, and environmental/construction services—your Quality Assurance degree will prepare you for real-world application.

Successful graduates from this program will be prepared for entry-level positions in quality assurance and for transfer to a four-year college or university.

Take your management skills to the next level.

New to business? This one-year certificate program in Small Business Management will help you gain key foundational principles and skills to enter the job market. And, if you already have a background in business, this is the perfect program to elevate your career. 

With a Small Business Management certificate from Herkimer, you’ll be able to prepare budgets, maintain accounting records, supervise employees, and interpret contracts, and more—which will unlock access to positions in retail, service and manufacturing businesses, not-for-profit organizations, and government agencies.

The first step to starting your own business.

Attention all aspiring entrepreneurs: This is the program for you. 

Designed for students who would like to own and operate their own business, Herkimer’s Small Business Management A.A.S. provides the essential entrepreneurial tools needed to get a business up and running. 

As a Herkimer graduate, you’ll be able to write solid business plans, use relevant business software applications, organize a sole proprietorship, form a partnership and incorporate a small business, and prepare budgets—all of which will also set you up for success in entry-level business management positions.

An exploration into the sources of human behavior.

The social sciences deal with human society and social relationships. Coursework includes various topics, including:

• History
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Sociology
• Geography
• Economics
• Anthropology

Through your studies, you'll understand more fully topics like prejudice, family life, democracy, human personality, crime, poverty, and unemployment.

A degree in Social Science from Herkimer College prepares you for careers in law, government, social work, and teaching. It is also designed for students who plan to transfer to four-year institutions.