"Mini-Guide" to Business Administration Degrees Online

• "This major teaches you how to plan, organize, lead and control the human, financial, and physical resources of an organization to achieve business goals. You will be expected to meet the many demands of your employer, your organization’s internal and external customers, and society in general.”

- College Board Book of Majors, 2nd edition

• "Most students enter a business major program to both learn about business and to obtain a broad college education. To this end, you'll find that many undergraduate business programs are designed with a liberal arts curriculum in mind. In addition to requiring business students to complete the business core, many schools require those pursuing a course of study in business to select a concentration—that is, a specific discipline in the field of business.”

- What Can You Do with a Major in Business? Kate Shoup Welsh, Wiley Publishing, Inc., 2005

• "Be the boss’s boss. Or, at least, be a boss. And while you may not be the boss’s boss on day one, organizational gurus with stellar people skills and a head for business will flourish in business administration/management. Creating and perpetuating a successful business has always been a challenge. And in the only-the-strong-survive world of modern business—rampant with new, ever-advancing technology—managers need unshakable knowledge, top-notch training, and a serious set of skills."

- Princeton Review

Think about an online business degree if:

• You are naturally confident and able to sell yourself and your achievements.
• You have a high degree of personal integrity.
• You are creative and well-organized.
• You have a strong track record of delivering results.
• You enjoy keeping up with current events.
• You are computer-savvy.
• You have natural leadership skills and like working with diverse people.
• You enjoy working with numbers and have good problem-solving, theorizing, and number-crunching skills.
• You are driven and determined.
• You know what people need and have a lot of ideas and solutions.
• You are enthusiastic and approach situations with a "can-do" attitude.
• You are able to motivate others and can give people a sense of the importance of what they're working on.
• You can keep your cool under pressure and take problems in stride.

If an online business degree or becoming a manager isn't quite right for you, consider these fields instead:

• Accounting:
  Expose yourself to a variety of business disciplines; focus on the collection, interpretation and communication of an organization?s performance.
  Online Accounting Degrees | Online Certificates in Accounting
• Economics:
  Explore the theories and principles dedicated to the understanding of what drives a market and how policies, laws, and other factors affect it.
  Online Economics Degrees | Online Certificates in Economics
• Finance:
  Understand the complexities of the domestic and global markets; learn how financial decisions are made and the ways that financial risk is managed.
  Online Finance Degrees | Online Certificates in Finance
• Marketing:
  Delve into a discipline that analyzes the anticipated the needs of consumers, how new business opportunities are discovered and product development.
  Online Marketing Degrees | Online Certificates in Marketing
• Public Administration:
  Learn about the current ways in which services and programs are being developed and managed to meet the needs of society and its individual communities.
  Online Public Administration Degrees | Online Certificates in Public Administration

Most business schools allow you to choose elective courses to customize your curriculum. This enables you to develop expertise in specific fields by choosing a concentration:

• Accounting
  Expose yourself to a variety of business disciplines; focus on the collection, documentation, interpretation and communication of an organization’s financial performance.
• Business Information Systems
  Learn about the importance of technology to a business and how to apply it in a way that yields solutions; know how to be able to protect and secure sensitive information.
• E-Commerce/E-Business
  Understand the World Wide Web and potential strategies for new business development or the growth of an existing brick-and-mortar organization.
• Finance
  Understand the complexities of the domestic and global markets; learn how financial decisions are made and the ways that financial risk is managed.
• Human Resource Management
  Familiarize yourself with the skills necessary to manage issues relating to organizational staffing, compensation, and employee well-being.
• International Business
  Think about business on an international level; how the interplay international culture, policy, and law affect business operations.
• Project Management
  Focus on the process of project management and how to optimize time, budget and resources while minimizing risk and other potential variables.

While the exact curriculum will vary from school to school, here are some of the courses you might take in your online business degree program:

• Accounting Principles
• Advertising Media Planning
• Auditing
• Business and Tax Planning
• Business Ethics and Social Issues
• Business Law And Ethics
• Consumer Behavior
• Corporate Finance
• Corporate Risk Management
• Elementary Statistics
• Employee Labor Relations
• Financial Risk Management
• Foundations of Entrepreneurship
• Information Services Management
• Introduction to E-Business
• Investment Analysis
• Investor Relations and Funding
• Managing in a Global Economy
• Managing Individuals and Teams
• Organizational Design and Development
• Principles of Macroeconomics
• Principles of Microeconomics
• Product Development
• Production and Operations Management
• Project Scheduling
• Selling and Sales Management
• Systems Analysis and Design

When you have completed your degree in business, you will likely have gained many of the following skills and competencies:

• Ability to apply theoretical concepts to solve practical management problems
• Ability to collect and analyze quantitative information
• Ability to create value and profitability for an organization
• Analytical and critical thinking
• Appreciation for the global marketplace
• Comprehension and listening
• Creativity and ingenuity
• Decision-making
• Ethics and integrity
• Excellent organizational skills
• Proficiency at building and leading teams
• Qualitative or computation strength
• Respect for values, ethics, and professional standards
• Supervision and management skills
• Time-management and prioritizing
• Working understanding of fundamental economic, financial and management principles.
• Written and spoken communication skills

As a career-oriented major focusing upon entrepreneurship, business management and operations, and consumer needs, business majors are needed in a variety of industries, such as:

• Advertising agencies
• Brokerage firms
• Colleges and universities
• Consulting firms
• Hi-tech firms
• Investment banks
• Insurance companies
• Local, state, and federal level government offices
• Management consulting firms
• Market research firms
• Mortgage banks
• Non-profit organizations
• Pharmaceutical companies
• Public relations firms
• Retail establishments (casinos, food companies, hotels, restaurants, etc.)
• Security and information management companies
• Start-up companies
• Telecommunications companies

Possible Job Titles for Associate’s or Bachelor's Business Degree Holders/Entry Level Job Titles

Here is a sampling of jobs you for which you may be qualified with a degree in business. Use this for inspiration, remembering that this many represents some, but certainly not all, of the careers can consider.

• Auditor Evaluator
• Assistant Buyer
• Budget Analyst
• Business Analyst
• Corporate Finance Analyst
• Cost Analyst
• Futures Associate
• Human Resources (HR) Specialist
• Import/Export Specialist
• Internet Business Developer
• Investment Associate
• Investment Banker
• Merchandise Manager
• Stockbroker
• Systems Analyst
• Portfolio Management Analyst
• Project Engineer
• Research Associate
• Risk Analyst
• Strategy Consultant

Possible Job Titles for Advanced Degree Holders/Additional Experience Often Required

• Acquisitions Project Manager
• Chief Executive Officer
• Chief Financial Officer
• Chief Investment Officer
• Chief of Information Technologies
• Development Manager
• Director of Acquisitions
• Director of Business Development
• Director of Sales
• Event Coordinator
• Functional Unit Manager
• Managing Director
• Portfolio Manager
• Product Director
• Project Leadership Consultant
• Senior Project Manager
• Software Product Manager
• Technology Manager
• Vice-President of Operations
• Vice-President of Sales & Development