Business Administration AAS

This online associate degree from RIT’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) will prepare you for a career in business operations. You will learn the fundamentals of business planning, communication, and critical decision-making skills--all essential, high-growth skills for the jobs of the future. You also will receive essential leadership and computer software applications proficiency training.

This degree prepares deaf and hard-of-hearing students to enter the workforce immediately following graduation, and is ideal for deaf and hard-of-hearing working professionals who would like to advance their career by enhancing their skills with a degree from this nationally recognized university. While this associate degree is a stand-alone credential valued by employers, qualified students can choose to continue their education.

RIT graduates have the edge on the competition because of our co-op program, enabling you to gain exposure to a variety of professional work environments, career paths, employers, and industries. Students in the business administration program are required to complete a cooperative education work experience prior to graduation. You may schedule your co-op after completing your second-year coursework.

• NTID mission—The primary mission of the National Technical Institute for the Deaf is to provide deaf and hard-of-hearing students with outstanding state-of -the-art technical and professional education programs, complemented by a strong arts and sciences curriculum that prepare them to live and work in the mainstream of a rapidly changing global community and enhance their lifelong learning.
• NTID faculty—many of whom are deaf or hard of hearing - have years of higher education experience teaching deaf and hard-of-hearing learners as well as specialized experience in their professional fields from working in business and industry.
• High-quality accessible educational materials and technologies—NTID uses a variety of strategies to make the online learning environment as flexible and accommodating as possible to ensure access, participation, and progress for all deaf and hard-of-hearing learners. Most video instructional materials include ASL interpretation and all videos include captions.
• Outstanding academic support services—Academic tutoring is available online from your instructors and from qualified tutors familiar with course content and sign language.
• Personal and career counseling services—Academic advising, personal counseling, and career counseling are provided to all deaf and hard-of-hearing students by the NTID Counseling & Academic Advising Services (CAAS). Every enrolled student receives an assigned NTID academic advisor/counselor to support their personal and academic success.
• Access and accommodation services—NTID’s Department of Access Services provides interpreters and captionists for in-person classes and Zoom meetings. Students with secondary disabilities also can receive academic accommodations from RIT’s Disability Services Office.
• Required cooperative work experience—This tuition-free, paid career experience provides students with on-the-job training and work experience in their field prior to graduation. NTID’s Center on Employment assists deaf and hard-of-hearing students with their job search and works with employers to facilitate hiring after graduation.
• Job Placement Rate—95% of deaf and hard-of-hearing students who seek jobs after graduation find one within a year.

First Year

Second Year

Third Year

• English: Placement into a First-Year Writing course, such as FYW: Writing Seminar (UWRT-150). Students who qualify for Critical Reading and Writing (UWRT-100) will be considered for admission if they are at NMTH-140 or higher in mathematics.
• Mathematics: Placement into mathematics NMTH-140 or higher. Typically, students entering this major will have completed at least two years of high school mathematics.
• Science: Placement into science NSCI-250 or higher. Typically, students entering this major will have completed at least one year of high school science.

• Regular and frequent access to a computer that is less than 5 years old, with at least 1GB of RAM
• Reliable high-speed internet access (broadband, cable, or fiber)
• A current web browser (Safari, Chrome, Internet Explorer, or Firefox)
• Microsoft Windows (Vista, 7+ or later) or Mac OS X
• Built-in or external webcam for videoconferencing and recording activities.
• Access to printer
• Additional requirements as noted in course syllabus or as specified by instructor