Accounting-Economics-Finance

Study Abroad

Studying in another country offers you an unparalleled learning experience, which is why we encourage our students to plan a study-abroad experience while they’re here.

“Studying Abroad has changed my life. I have become a more independent and outgoing person. I can’t imagine my life without these past 4 months in Germany and I will do anything I can to go back. It is hard to wrap up my experience in any type of sentence, paragraph, paper, anything, because it is something that everyone should experience. I recommend Studying Abroad to everyone and anyone, you won’t regret it.”

–Victoria Sweeney ’15, business management major

Academic exchanges
For a full semester abroad, consider studying business in Ireland or Germany.  In each case, you pay regular tuition at Albright but study abroad. Your advisor will help you select courses in the host country that will be most beneficial for you.

• Reutlingen Exchange and Danzer Scholarship – Students in business and economics may apply to study business courses in Reutlingen, Germany (Reading’s sister city) for the fall semester. Since classes are in English, it is not necessary to speak German. This program includes also company tours – past visits have included BMW and Daimler Engine automobile plants – and cultural events. There is an additional scholarship to offset the cost of travel and living expenses. Click here for more information.
• Irish American Exchange – Albright College participates in the Irish American Exchange, through which students at Albright can study at one of FIVE universities in Northern Ireland tuition-free. Through this program, we also host business students from Northern Ireland in our classes. Click here for more information.

Other semester- and year-long programs
Students also partner with many fine programs offered by both U.S. and non-U.S. institutions. The arrangements differ from program to program, but your faculty adviser and the study abroad office will help you coordinate plans and coursework to be taken at other universities.

In addition to the programs above, our business and economics students have studied in:

• Seville, Spain
• Dublin, Ireland
• London, England
• Marburg, Germany
• Cannes, France
• Sydney, Australia

Faculty-led study abroad programs
Sometimes a full semester abroad is not feasible. Work, athletics, on-campus activities or even finances may make this impossible. Through faculty-led, short-term study abroad programs, you can fulfill course requirements and experience international environments accompanied by you Albright professors.

The Department of Business, Accounting and Economics offers interdisciplinary study abroad programs open to any Albright College student and focused on diverse business and cultural environments. Because of the rapidly expanding influence of Asian economies, recent courses have explored the culture and economic and business environments of Japan and India.

• Click here to see more about Albright students in India.
• Click here to see more about Albright students in Japan.
  
• Click here for a study abroad slideshow.

How to get started
Courses in international management, international marketing and international economics are the courses most commonly taken abroad. Elective courses on specific business environments are also encouraged, even though these are not explicit program requirements in business.

To coordinate your study abroad, first visit the coordinator of study abroad programs in the Experiential Learning and Career Development Center. Once you have identified a program of interest and what courses you would like to take, arrange an appointment with the department head. Bring your pamphlets, and the chair will help you schedule courses that will be most beneficial based on your interests and program requirements.

In addition, Albright College offers scholarships to help defray the cost of study abroad. The study abroad coordinator can assist you in identifying and applying for these funds.

Student Research

As a student in the Department of Business, Accounting & Economics, you’ll have the chance to gain invaluable experience by rolling up your sleeves and working side by side with instructors. Through the Albright Creative and Research Experience (ACRE) program, you engage in College-funded research projects alongside faculty members. Projects can be completed either during the summer (10 weeks) or the Interim (three weeks in January) terms.

Noteworthy Projects

Austin Marich, “Investigating the Public-Private Wage Differential in Post-Great Recession United States,” with Lisa Wilder

Austin, an Economics and International Relations major, researched the differences in wages between those working for the federal government and those in private industry after the great recession. His three-week ACRE study of 56,000 workers in the United States found the reasons differential was largest for federal compared to state and local employees and much of that could be attributed to the older and longer job tenure of federal workers. Austin has graduated and is in the process of applying to graduate school.

Adam Dayke, “A Continuation of The Effect of the SEC’s Approval of Releasing Key Information Through Social Media Outlets and Its Correlation to Revenue in the Financial Management Industry,” with Bonnie Rohde

Adam, an Accounting, Economics and Finance major, explored the use of social media by financial industry firms. Through the administration of a survey, he gathered information that could help financial firms meet consumer needs for information through social media.

Eric Mack, “An Analysis of Altruism and Income Elasticity,” with Lisa Wilder

Eric, an Economics and Political Science, investigated philanthropy, looking at giving of money and time across countries. He found that income had little to do with giving; instead, he found altruism was highest in countries with the strongest group ties. Eric presented his research at the Society for Cross-Cultural Research’s conference in Las Vegas.

Chak Hei (Bill) Chan, “The Evolution of a Brand’s Advertising Slogan,” with Jay Rajan

Bill, an Economics major, analyzed the factors that contribute to the success of brand advertising slogans— short phrases used to sell a product and increase how memorable it is. Using the case study method, he examined the evolution of several global brands that have continually incorporated the companies’ visions, values, historical evolution and cultural differences into their slogans. Read more about Bill’s ACRE.

Nick Loris, “Comparison of Wage Differentials in the Former East and West Germany,” with Lisa Wilder

Nick, an Economics and Political Science major, presented his work at an Eastern Economics Association meeting and published it in Issues in Political Economy. He is now a media-quoted economist and policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C., where researches, writes and speaks about energy, and environmental and regulatory issues.

Jean Philippe Bli, “Economic Development in Sub-Saharan African Countries: A Case Study of Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, and Mali,” with Farhad Saboori

Jean Philippe, an Economics major, had a strong desire to learn more about economic development, especially in his homeland of Africa.  In his ACRE he explored different models of economic development.

Adam Galczynski and John Harding, “Correlation of Social Media Followers and Revenue in the Chain Restaurant Franchise Industry,” with Bonnie Rohde. Presented at the Mustang International Academic Conference, Las Vegas.

Zachary Binkley, “Budget Deficits, National Debt, and Interest Rates: An Empirical Analysis,” with Farhad Saboori. Presented at Undergraduate Research at the Capitol-Pennsylvania.

Sek Wai Michel Wong, “The Influence of Income Inequality on Self-Reported Happiness in a Cross-section of Nations,” with Lisa Wilder. Presented at the Eastern Economics Association Annual Meeting.

Fred Eiswert, “The Impact of Unionization in Transition Countries: Lessons from Estonia.” Presented at the Society for the Advancement of Management’s conference and published in the conference proceedings.

Meghan Hennessey , “The Gender Wage Differential in Four Transition Countries.” Presented at the International Atlantic Economic Society meetings.

Our Graduates

The Department of Business, Accounting & Economics has an excellent track record in placing its graduates in a wide variety of professional positions, as well as graduate and professional programs. The flexible, adaptable nature of an Albright education prepares you for careers in the private and nonprofit sectors, academia, government, and more.

Business and Economics

Albright’s business and economics graduates find a plethora of career options open to them. Recent employers that have hired our alumni include:

• Accenture Consulting
• Adidas
• Vanguard
• Merck and Co.
• JP Morgan Chase
• Smith-Barney
• Met Life
• Liberty Mutual
• Sungard
• TD Bank
• Pepsi, Vietnam
• Mitsubishi, Japan
• Penske Truck Leasing
• Enterprise Rent-A-Car
• Lehigh Financial Group
• Fordham University
• Rosemont College
• Northern Virginia Community College
• The Heritage Foundation

Accounting

Most Albright accounting graduates go on to attain certified public accountant (CPA) designation. Our job placement rate is over 90 percent. The current chief financial officers of Kellogg’s, Cigna and REI received their accounting degrees from Albright. Other employers our alumni have joined include:

• Ernst & Young LLP
• PricewaterhouseCoopers
• Santander Bank
• Herbein & Company, Inc.
• Alan Ross & Company
• First Energy Corporation
• Booz Allen Hamilton
• Penske Corporation

Graduate and Professional Programs

Graduates of the department have gone on to enroll in law school, MBA programs and graduate programs in specialized areas, including sports marketing, public relations and advertising, economics, and international business. Recent Albright graduates have gone on to study at the following institutions:

• Seton Hall University
• Villanova University
• Syracuse University
• Old Dominion University
• Lehigh University
• Drexel University
• Temple University
• Fordham University
• George Mason University
• Rutgers University School of Law
• Norwich University
• Villanova Law School
• Dickinson School of Law
• Rosemont College
• Boston College
• Widener University
• Pennsylvania State University

Alumni Stories

• Chasing Dreams: Tiara Willis
• Amber Grace: Helping Girls Succeed
• The Evolution of a Brand’s Slogan
• Albright Profs and Students Travel to India to Explore Social Roles and Family Ties in a Rapidly Changing Society
• How to go from $0 to $1.65 billion in a year and a half: Brent Hurley ’01