How to Earn Your Management Degree
Working in today's business environment offers a multitude of options when it comes to available positions. Many people start off at the entry level and work their way up to management.
While it's possible to earn a management degree while you work, if you know that you want to be a manager, it's best to earn one prior to starting your first full-time job.
You can earn either an associate's degree or a bachelor's degree in business management. Some people even choose to go further and earn a master's degree in business. With each degree, you can work in certain fields and in specific positions. Keep reading to learn more about which management degree is right for you.
The Associate's Degree
According to Rasmussen College, those who earn an AS in Business Management can find the following types of jobs:
- Customer service associate
- Sales associate
- Administrative assistant
- Relationship banker
- Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks
Keep in mind, service associates and administrative assistants don't always need a degree. Some employers will hire entry level associate and assistants with high school diplomas and some work experience.
To earn an AS in Business Management, you must complete the following coursework:
- English Composition
- Communications
- Humanities
- Mathematics
- Sciences
- Social Sciences
- Introduction to Business
- Principles of Management
- Accounting
- Functional Management
- Human Resources
- Conflict Resolution
- Economics
- Project Management
While taking your coursework, it's a good idea to land an internship with a local company. That experience will look good on your resume and give you an advantage over your competition when it comes to the interview process.
The Bachelor's Degree
Rasmussen College also breaks down the types of work you can do with a BS in Business Management:
- Business analyst
- Account manager
- Financial analyst
- Marketing manager
- Sales manager
To earn a BS in Business Management, you must complete the following coursework:
- Business Analytics
- Organizational Behavior
- Financial Accounting
- Business Law
- Marketing Principles
- Quantitative Methods
- English Composition
- Communications
- Humanities
- Mathematics
- Sciences
- Social Sciences
- Introduction to Business
- Principles of Management
- Accounting
- Functional Management
- Human Resources
Just as with an AS in a Business Management program, an internship during the pursuit of a BS in Business Management will also be beneficial.
The Master's Degree
Candidates who are thinking long-term (climbing the corporate ladder) will benefit from completing an MBA program. MBA's are highly sought after in upper management positions. According to the Harvard Business School, an MBA program would include the following coursework:
- Finance I
- Financial Reporting and Control (FRC)
- Leadership and Organizational Behavior (LEAD)
- Marketing
- Technology and Operations Management (TOM)
- Process analysis
- Cross-functional and cross-firm integration
- Product development
- Information technology
- Technology and operations strategy
- Business, Government, and the International Economy (BGIE)
- National income and balance of payment accounting
- Exchange rate theory
- Political regimes
- International trade
- Foreign direct investment
- Portfolio capital
- Global environmental issues
- Strategy
- The Entrepreneurial Manager (TEM)
- Finance II
- How to evaluate complex investments
- How to set and execute financial policies within a firm
- How to integrate the many financial decisions faced by firms
- Leadership and Corporate Accountability (LCA)
An MBA recipient has the opportunity to work in some high-paying positions (averages listed):
- Business Operations Manager: $71,000
- Management Analyst: $64,000
- IT Director: $112,000
- Marketing Manager: $62,000
- HR Manager: $83,000
- Top Executive: up to $300,000
- Product Manager: $90,000
- Project Manager: $100,000
- Logistics Manager: $62,000
- Purchasing Manager: $64,000
- Sports Manger: $75,000
- CEO: $100,000+
- COO: $100,000+
- Executive Assistant: $75,000+
Occupational Outlook
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, managers can make anywhere from $46,000 annually to $139,000 annually, depending on the type of manager and the area of business.
Administrative managers make around $90,000 annually and hold positions that require a BS in Business Management. But, hospitality managers make an average of $51,000 annually, and usually need nothing more than a high school diploma.
Carefully research the type of manager you wan to be, and the education that is required to achieve your goals.
Conclusion
Whether you start right out of high school, or you choose to purse a Bachelor's Degree or MBA, you should be able to find a position in one of many different industries.
For those interested in working in corporate America, it is best to pursue at least a Bachelor's degree to secure an entry level position. If retail or restaurants are your area of interest, you might get into a training program right out of high school that won't require a degree.
If you are looking to climb the corporate ladder, combine some mid-level management experience with an MBA and you can reach the top.
There are options everywhere, in every industry, for ambitious management candidates.
