A World of Opportunity
A degree in business prepares students to work in a wide variety of industries and settings. Graduates holding business degrees accept jobs in for-profit businesses, government agencies and nonprofit organizations. In general, business management degrees and business administration degrees provide the skills needed to help an organization run smoothly or to help develop a business idea.
Areas of Study for Business Degrees
Most institutions that provide business degrees require that their undergraduate students take a variety of classes in general arts and sciences as a freshman and sophomore, and then begin their professional business courses in their junior year. In addition, business students generally declare a specific business major (e.g., accounting, finance or marketing) near the start of their junior year.
Since many people who are currently employed look to a degree in business to help them get ahead in their chosen career or to prepare for a job change, there are a large number of accredited providers of online degrees in business. Many institutions that provide business degrees online have structured their programs so that a bachelor's degree in business can be obtained in less than the four years the same degree would take at a traditional college or university.
Although courses may vary a bit by the educational institution, students who major in business can expect to take courses in the following areas of study:
- Accounting
- Calculus
- Computer science
- Finance
- Human resources
- Macroeconomics
- Management
- Marketing
- Microeconomics
- Probability and statistics
- Psychology
- Operations management
- Sales
Prospects for Business Graduates
There are many jobs for which a bachelor's degree in business prepares a student. From government agencies to philanthropic organizations and from large companies to small start-ups, business graduates are in high demand. Depending on your area of specialization, you might work in one of the following job functions:
- Assistant product manager
- Computer programmer
- Database manager
- Economic forecasting expert
- Entry-level manager
- Financial analyst
- Human resources associate
- Market researcher
- Sales representative
- Securities analyst
- Staff accountant
Some graduates with a bachelor's degree in business decide to pursue a higher degree, most often a Master's in Business Administration (MBA) degree. In general, MBA. Students have at least two years of work experience before going back to school, but a small percentage of MBA students go directly from their undergraduate program to graduate studies.
For those who are interested in teaching business courses at a college or university, a doctorate level degree is usually required.
