Riverland Community College

Business Department Mission Statement: Riverland's Business Department provides accredited business degrees and transfer options to achieve professional and personal goals.

The Department offers high quality, flexible, affordable on-campus and online educational opportunities in a culturally sensitive learning environment promoting lifelong learning and community engagement while enhancing personal development.

Would you like to reach your career goals by completing a Business certificate program?

The 22-credit Business certificate meets the needs of those currently employed in the field, those individuals who want to change careers, or those who want to enter the business field. The certificate provides a concentration of business courses for individuals interested in increasing or updating their business knowledge. The credits earned in the Business certificate also apply toward the completion of the Associate in Arts (AA) degree with Business Concentration or Associate in Science (AS) Business degree.

This curriculum is designed to provide a strong foundation for business fundamentals. Emphasis is placed on business technology along with management and marketing. As a student, you may select from a variety of Business electives--business law, communications, international business, management information systems, and personal finance--to meet your individual and professional needs.

Are you a working adult?  Read about the Business (FlexPace™) certificate designed specifically for working adults who are motivated, disciplined, and self-starters.  Students take one class at a time in a condensed format schedule.  The certificate can be completed in approximately 12 months. 

All full-time Riverland Business faculty members have advanced degrees plus work experience. They maintain membership in professional business organizations to help them stay current in their field. Small class sizes, personal attention, and the flexibility of taking classes on-campus or online are distinct advantages of this program. If you prefer, you can complete this major totally online.

A student successfully completing this certificate will be able to

• Apply critical thinking processes to ethically analyze and evaluate business situations.
• Demonstrate the ability to use application software, technology, and other resources to research, analyze, and integrate data to solve business problems.
• Demonstrate knowledge in critical business areas including management, marketing, and the legal and regulatory environment.
• Prepare and present oral, written and group materials that inform, persuade, and influence others.
• Demonstrate the ability to effectively work in a team environment to achieve goals.
• Advance employment opportunities in the selected career field.

Basic Program and Job Skill Areas

Learning: Business students are expected to have strong study skills. Counselors recommend spending a minimum of two hours studying for each credit. A 3-credit lecture class equals 3 hours in class and 6 hours studying outside of class each week. You will be expected to take notes from textbooks and lectures; incorporating the information into assignments and tests. Several of the business courses require strong reasoning skills. Students and graduates apply general principles to specific cases or situations; drawing conclusions from information to make sound recommendations and decisions. It is important to understand cause-effect relationships and apply problem-solving skills.

Reading: Business students read textbooks, general periodicals, trade journals, and newspapers. Reading is a central part of courses and textbooks are written at a college level. Students who transfer to four-year institutions can expect reading assignments of increasing length and complexity. In the business world, graduates can expect to read trade journals, professional reports, and manuals.

Communication: For success it is important that students have good oral and written communication skills, as well as the ability to work with groups to reach a common goal. Writing skills should be at a college level. Written work includes reports, case studies, research papers, and essay tests. In the business world, graduates prepare reports, letters, memos, presentations and e-mails and use speaking skills on a one-to-one basis and in presentations.

Computer: In the classroom and on the job, expect to use software applications and apply your computer skills. Professional documents are prepared that require critical thinking and problem solving.

Last Updated: March 30, 2017