What Types of Business Degrees Exist?
Associate Business Degrees (AA, AS or AAS)
An associate degree in business is a two-year postsecondary degree program that equips students with an in-depth foundation in various aspects of business. It aims to educate individuals who wish to enter the workforce quickly, with the knowledge and abilities necessary to start out successfully in business careers. By earning an associate degree in business, students gain the chance to secure entry-level roles in business operations, sales, customer service, or management. Students may even transfer credits earned toward a bachelor’s degree program in a relevant field.
Bachelor’s Business Degrees (BS, BA or BBA)
A BBA degree provides a solid grounding in various business disciplines like accounting, finance, marketing, and management. These programs typically take four years and are tailored for individuals looking to get into the work force immediately after graduating. Much like an associate degree, curriculums typically cover both general core courses like English, mathematics, and social sciences, as well as specific business courses related to your major. These specialized classes might cover accounting, marketing, finance, business law, or organizational behavior, among others.
Master of Business Administration
An MBA, on the other hand, is a graduate-level degree program that offers more specialized and detailed studies of business concepts. Professionals looking to advance their careers, increase their business knowledge, and develop leadership abilities usually opt for an MBA degree. Pursuing either an MBA or specialized master’s degree offers valuable opportunities for individuals looking to advance their career, increase earning potential and broaden knowledge within an area of business.
Part-time MBA programs are tailored for working professionals looking to advance their careers while simultaneously earning an advanced degree. Students typically attend classes either evenings or weekends and can expect completion in three to five years. Executive MBA programs are tailored for individuals with extensive professional experience and are intended to hone their leadership and strategic thinking capabilities. Many programs feature flexible schedules so that executives can continue working while earning their degree.
Master’s Business Degrees (MA or MS)
In addition to MBAs, there are also specialized master’s degree programs geared specifically toward those with less work experience. These degrees tend to focus on specific aspects of business such as finance, management, or marketing – and some common titles for these degrees include Master of Management (MM), Master of Finance (MFin), Master of Science in Business (MSB), or Master of Arts in Business (MA). Master’s degree programs with specialized curriculum typically provide students with more focused and in-depth education that explores specific fields of business, enabling them to acquire highly sought-after expertise for today’s highly competitive job market.
Alternatively, a DBA is designed for those aspiring to become professors or consultants in business studies. Choosing an appropriate degree depends on your career goals.
Accelerated Business Degrees
Accelerated business degrees are designed for motivated individuals looking to quickly advance their careers or enter the business field with high-level knowledge. These accelerated degrees offer students a faster track to earning their degree compared to traditional programs. Business programs offering accelerated degrees vary but may include bachelor’s degrees in business administration, accounting, finance, and marketing all the way up to master’s programs that specialize in areas like business administration, finance, or entrepreneurship.
Accelerated business degree programs offer students many advantages, including the use of past credits and experience. Many programs allow students to transfer credits from previous coursework or professional certifications – not only saving them time but also cutting tuition costs significantly. Accelerated degrees also provide students with greater flexibility by offering options like online classes or hybrid formats that enable them to tailor their learning experience based on personal and professional commitments. By offering more condensed and focused curriculums, these programs enable students to acquire essential business knowledge quickly.
What Can You Do with a Business Degree?
Professionals holding an accounting business degree can pursue careers as financial analysts, auditors, or tax consultants for accounting firms, corporations, or own an accounting business themselves. Business degree graduates can pursue management careers and find success as business consultants, operations managers, retail managers, or supply chain managers in industries like healthcare, manufacturing, or retail. Human resources is another area in which business degree holders excel. They may choose careers as human resources specialists, talent acquisition managers, or training and development coordinators within corporations or non-profit organizations.
Business degree holders have many career options open to them: project management, entrepreneurship, marketing, international business, finance, etc. They can work in industries such as technology, finance, hospitality, or consulting. Overall, a business degree offers individuals a strong foundation in business principles and skills, giving them access to various rewarding career paths.
Types of Business Degree Major Concentrations Available
Accounting
Accountants play an essential role in organizations of all sizes and industries. They assist businesses with complex financial processes, analyze and interpret data for accurate financial statements, ensure compliance with laws and regulations, budgeting, forecasting, and making strategic financial decisions – all vital roles.
An additional goal for accountants is becoming certified public accountants (CPA). Achieving CPA status involves rigorous professional testing and may require extra college credits. This credential increases an accountant’s credibility, while opening doors to higher-level positions and greater earnings potential.
Business Administration
Business administrators play an essential role in helping their organizations adapt to adversities like economic downturns or market shifts, using their analytical skills to assess external forces on the company and make sound decisions to reduce risks while capitalizing on opportunities.
Data Science and Analytics
Job titles associated with a data science and analytics degree include data scientist, analytics manager, data engineer, software engineer and data analyst. These professionals play an essential role in collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data to help companies expand and innovate.
According to the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, data scientists earned an average annual salary of $100,560 in 2020. As companies increasingly depend on data for business operations, demand for data scientists is projected to skyrocket – the Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates a 31% compound annual growth rate from 2019-2029 for this occupation, more rapidly than for any other.
An advanced degree in data science and analytics opens numerous career possibilities across industries like finance, healthcare, technology, and e-commerce. Employers highly value the skills acquired in such programs as data analysis, programming machine learning and data visualization acquired during these programs.
Consider studying data science and analytics as a path towards an enjoyable career in an exciting, rapidly expanding industry. With competitive salaries and excellent job prospects, organizations are seeking professionals capable of using insights from data insights to make informed business decisions – offering promising career opportunities to those interested in data-driven decision making.
Economics
Students pursuing an economics degree program typically take core courses that provide an essential basis for understanding the complex dynamics of an economy including microeconomics, macroeconomics, econometrics, and economic theory. This helps them understand the effects of inflation rates, unemployment levels, and national income figures. Students develop essential abilities to interpret data and make accurate forecasts, knowledge which is indispensable when improving business operations and performance.
Entrepreneurship
Students can gain valuable insights into the inner workings of business operations, develop skills needed to identify opportunities and overcome challenges, foster creativity and innovation, gain critical thinking skills, and more. Graduates can find many career options upon graduating: starting their own businesses, taking leadership roles within established firms to promote growth and development, and more.
Finance
Graduates with a finance degree have numerous career options open to them after earning their diploma including becoming financial analysts, investment bankers, financial planners, or corporate finance managers. Other job paths could include working in insurance, real estate consulting, or government roles; these positions often provide lucrative salaries and advancement opportunities, making finance an appealing field for anyone with an aptitude for numbers and strategic decision-making.
Hospitality Management
Food services and lodging industries are expected to experience significant expansion in terms of management roles in the coming years, according to projections by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment of lodging managers is predicted to rise 10% from 2019-2029, outpacing other occupations’ average growth rates. This surge is driven by increasing international travel and travel for leisure or business purposes. Moreover, as hospitality industries develop and grow, there will be an ever-increasing need for professionals who can effectively lead and oversee this dynamic field.
Human Resources Management (HR)
Human resources management is a specialized subfield within business that offers courses pertaining to managing human assets. Students pursuing this specialization gain the knowledge and abilities needed for conflict resolution, personnel selection processes, recruiting and developing personnel, and management strategies. Fundamental courses in Human Resources include behavioral science, performance management and assessment, employee training and development, and more.
An HR specialization equips graduates for a range of career options such as human resource specialist, HR manager, recruitment coordinator, training and development professional, and more. These professionals play a pivotal role in shaping workplace culture, employee satisfaction, and workforce growth and development. Organizations today recognize the significance of effective human resource management and there is an ever-increasing demand for professionals specializing in this field.
International Business
International business majors often combine business courses and international-focused courses. Students may take classes that give students a comprehensive knowledge of global markets, international business strategies, cultural differences, and conducting cross-border business operations. International business majors develop an array of valuable skills for success in today’s global marketplace. They learn analytical and critical-thinking abilities that enable them to analyze international market trends and make strategic business decisions, as well as strong communication and negotiation abilities that enable them to work with individuals from various cultures and backgrounds. Furthermore, they gain a solid understanding of global economics and finance, allowing them to navigate international financial markets effectively.
Management
With a management degree, individuals can pursue careers as administrative assistants, operations managers, human resource managers, or project managers – among many others. These roles involve overseeing daily operations while overseeing staff, implementing strategies, and making sure an organization runs efficiently. Jobs in management can be found across industries. With businesses constantly growing and changing, a skilled manager who can lead teams successfully is in demand. A management degree equips students with all of the knowledge and training they need to excel in these roles and make an impactful mark in business world.
Management Information Systems
Students pursuing MIS degrees will take courses designed to give them a comprehensive knowledge of how information systems are employed across different business environments including database design, E-commerce, project management, and systems analysis. Graduates of these programs have various career options open to them. They can start by interning at organizations and helping maintain computer systems and eventually become specialist IT administrators responsible for the implementation and management of information systems, among other options. Graduates also have ample opportunity for professional advancement within this sector due to an ever-increasing reliance on technology for businesses.
Marketing
Digital marketing focuses on engaging with target audiences via various online platforms and optimizing marketing campaigns with data analysis techniques. This may include using social media strategically for branding purposes and customer relations engagement as part of the digital marketing process. Marketing communications involves crafting and delivering consistent messaging across various channels to effectively connect with customers and build brand recognition. Professionals in marketing communications often collaborate closely with advertising agencies to create comprehensive marketing campaigns. All these skills, and more, are things you can learn in a marketing degree.
Organizational Leadership
Graduates of these programs have many career options open to them, from human resource managers who recruit and manage talent within an organization to manager roles aimed at providing positive working environments and encouraging employee motivation and engagement. Or they could work as operations managers, overseeing the day-to-day operations of businesses, maintaining efficient processes, and allotting resources while motivating teams effectively to optimize business operations. Organizational Leadership program graduates can also pursue positions as executive directors of nonprofit organizations or managing various departments within a company. Their knowledge in motivating employees helps drive organizational success.
Project Management
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, project managers have an expected growth rate of 6% over time. This increase can be attributed to the increasing complexity of projects and an increasing need for professionals with expertise in these roles. Project management degrees provide individuals the chance to work across a wide variety of industries such as construction, IT, healthcare, and marketing. They can lead cross-functional teams and collaborate with stakeholders while meeting objectives.
Public Administration
With a degree in public administration, you may also pursue roles such as program analyst and policy advisor – performing analysis and evaluation on government programs, developing policies, conducting research studies, and making suggestions for improvement. Public administration degrees provide graduates with an opportunity to serve the public, influence policy-making processes, and have an enduring positive effect on society.
Public Relations (PR)
Public relations is an essential aspect of business as it ensures harmonious interactions among various parts of an organization including customers, employees, management, and the general public. PR acts as a strategic communication process that aims to develop and uphold positive associations with an organization in terms of image and reputation management.
A degree in public relations equips students with all the tools and knowledge needed to successfully navigate this industry. Students acquire skills in strategic communication techniques for creating messages that resonate with various audiences, as well as event planning expertise which allows them to organize successful events that promote business while engaging communities. Media relationship management is another essential aspect of public relations degrees. Students learn how to build and nurture positive relationships with journalists, bloggers, and influencers while developing media outreach techniques, such as press release writing and crisis communication to effectively respond to media inquiries or changes in public perception.
Real Estate
Earning a degree in real estate can open doors to exciting careers in property and asset management. Graduates could pursue positions as real estate agents, property managers, developers, appraisers, and more. As part of their preparation, students in real estate programs generally study coursework related to property valuation, market analysis, property management, real estate law, and finance. These give students a solid understanding of how real estate markets function under legal and regulatory frameworks.
Knowledge of property valuation and market analysis are indispensable skills for professionals working in real estate and accurate assessment of properties’ values and analysis of market trends must be used to make informed decisions when buying, selling, or leasing properties. Property management courses enable individuals to effectively oversee the daily operations, maintenance, and financial aspects of properties they manage. Real estate law classes equip participants with knowledge of legal responsibilities, contracts, and regulations governing real estate transactions.
Sports Management
A degree in sports management opens numerous career options within the world of sports. By emphasizing business and management principles applied specifically to this arena, those holding such degrees can pursue various job roles. And careers in sports management offer many advantages, with the potential for rewarding salaries being one of them.
Sports management degrees provide graduates with a variety of career options in the industry. Marketing managers are responsible for developing and implementing effective marketing strategies for sports teams, events, or organizations; marketing directors lead marketing teams in creating marketing campaigns; operations managers ensure smooth daily operation at sports facilities; and account managers work closely with clients or sponsors to form and build relationships between parties involved.
Sports management degrees can also open doors for individuals interested in the educational side of sports; those looking to the athletic director job market could pursue one as part of their degree to oversee sports programs in educational institutions and ensure their smooth functioning.
Supply Chain and Logistics Management
Degree programs in supply chain and logistics management encompass a range of foundational courses to equip students with the essential knowledge and skills for the field. These include inventory management, where students learn how to effectively control inventory to meet customer demands; supply chain risk covers ways of identifying, mitigating, and controlling potential risks to supply chains; and international business provides students with insight into globalizing business operations and opportunities.
By completing a degree in supply chain and logistics management, graduates gain the expertise needed to navigate the complexities of this field and contribute to business success. Given its rising importance in today’s interconnected world, this degree offers promising career prospects across various industries.