What Can You Do with a Business Degree?


A degree in business is your key to great career opportunities.

This includes management, sales, accounting, finance, entrepreneurship and more.

At first, it seems that getting a degree in business is a vague idea.

But in fact, there are a lot of directions in this discipline.

Depending on whether you prefer to work in a team or independently you can plan to get a job in a well-known corporate office or start your own business.

Perhaps you want to open up your own restaurant or you imagine yourself in the marketing team of Human Resources or accounting department.

You’ll always need a suitable business degree.

In all sectors of our economy, there are common business principles.

A degree in business gives you the information and tools you need to build a great career.

If you want to know more, continue on.

The first thing to start with is accreditation.


What Kind of Accreditation Should My Degree Program Have?

To be sure that future employers will be interested in your degree, it is important to know that your school has the appropriate accreditation.

For any higher education discipline, particularly for the Business, accreditation is crucial when choosing an institution.

The college or university is eligible for financial support if the Department of Education has recognized an association that provided the accreditation.

First of all, accreditation shows that an educational institution adheres to the standards.

Secondly, the program is relevant and continues to expand in its field.

There are institutional and programmatic accreditation processes.

One is required for schools, another is for a specific discipline and degree program.

Regional Accrediting Agencies

Regional and national accreditation agencies can provide institutional accreditation.

In short, regional accreditation agencies enhance reputation and credibility.

When studying the conditions of colleges and universities, it is advisable to obtain a “stamp of approval” from one of these accreditation agencies depending on the region:

  • The Higher Learning Commission
  • Middle States Commission on Higher Education
  • New England Association of Schools and Colleges
  • Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
  • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
  • Western Association of Schools and Colleges

National Accrediting Agencies

As regards national accreditation agencies, the situation is different.

Sometimes, an accreditation agency that specializes in a specific program is important.

Some employers require you to obtain a degree in a specific program from a national accreditation course.

Of course, if you need a business to find employment, it is not necessary to look for the stamp of the national accreditation commission that confirms the program.

However, you should be remembered that the accreditation of one of the major national associations indicates the quality of vocational training and graduate employment.

And if you want to get a master’s degree, you will first have to study at a bachelor’s degree program recognized by one of the following 2 accreditation associations:

The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International)

It is the highest level of accreditation among business schools in the United States.

In total, about 25% of business schools have that quality mark.

As a result bachelor’s students or graduates of the accounting and business management program can be accredited by AACSB.

The Accreditation Council for Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)

It evaluates the learning outcomes of business schools and continuously improves them.

ACBSP provides accreditation to various private and public schools that will train bachelor’s and master’s and doctoral junior specialists, and to teachers’ schools.

To determine accreditation status, you simply need to contact the chosen school.

Chiefly, the database of the Department of Education contains all accredited companies within its competence.

If you know about accreditation, you can consider several options for obtaining a degree.


What Kinds of Business Degrees Are There?

Associate Degree in Business Administration (AAS or AS)

An associate degree in business is a good way to adjust to the right thinking.

Most of the colleges or other educational institutions usually grant a specialist degree in 2 years of study.

During this time, you will take several introductory courses and learn the main principles of doing business.

Some courses will provide general concepts about specific subjects such as accounting, management, and marketing.

Associate degree programs are quite affordable.

You will save money even if you get a bachelor’s degree.

Don’t forget that your credits must be transferred to public and private 4-year educational institutions.

As an option, you can start working in the business world with an associate degree.

Although in that case, you won’t have access to higher management and leadership positions.

What Courses Will You Take?

  • Principles of Management
  • Business Law
  • Introduction to Marketing
  • Business Writing
  • Financial Accounting
  • Global Business Issues

What’s the Difference Between an AAS and an AS?

An associate degree in business administration (AAS) suggests reviewing the essential rules of doing business and also teaches basic skills.

In addition, an associate in the science of business administration (AS) will develop your practical skills in working with computers and databases, as well as initiative and voluntary work skills.

Bachelor in Business Administration (BBA, BSBA, or BABA)

You can usually get a bachelor’s degree in business administration from a private or public 4-year university.

This is available after completion of a full program of advanced and specially designed introductory courses.

Certainly, the BBA program provides you with the skills and knowledge you need to work in a modern business environment.

For this purpose, you will develop communication organizational and leadership skills.

Accordingly, you will have a choice of courses to specialize in.

You will also get a chance to work on a specific case or to take an internship.

Markedly, various leading firms require this degree for employment.

What Courses Will You Take?

  • Accounting
  • Operations Management
  • Information Systems
  • Business Ethics
  • Economics
  • Marketing
  • Business Law
  • Supply Chain Management

What’s the Difference Between a BBA, a BSBA, and BABA?

You can choose one of the study options as a business bachelor student.

These are the BBA Bachelor of Business Administration, BSBA Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and BABA Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration.

The BBA views business in general with an emphasis on economics, management, and marketing.

In turn, the BSBA builds training on financial analysts and mathematical calculations.

Finally, BABA specializes in business and liberal arts education in parallel.

Master of Business Administration (MBA or MS)

A Master of Business Administration is a degree in higher education.

In general, the master’s program includes most of the same theory as the bachelor’s program, including management, accounting, economics.

Studying tends to go deeper into science and analysis in the field.

This is a great start if you want to take the primary role in your career.

Depending on your sphere of interest, you can choose a specialized program or a general one.

By the end of the course, you will have demonstrated your knowledge and skills acquired during the studying.

Master’s degree usually takes 2 years to complete.

Sometimes it is possible to combine a bachelor’s and a master’s degree.

In this way, you can reduce time and money expenses.

Students receive flexible opportunities for daytime and distance or online learning while taking a master’s program.

At the same time, many candidates are already progressing in their careers.

What Courses Will  You Take?

  • Operations Management
  • Organizational Development
  • Advanced Topics In Managerial Economics
  • Corporate Finance
  • Management Communications
  • Employment Law
  • Corporate Social Responsibility
  • Organizational Behavior

What’s the Difference Between an MBA and an MS?

The Master’s level offers two main options for study – MBA and MS Natural Sciences.

An MBA degree gives a broad overview of the business as a continuation of a bachelor’s degree.

In contrast, MS allows you to go deeper into the study of a particular direction, such as accounting or statistics.

What’s the Difference Between a DBA and Ph.D. in Business?

A little advice to follow up on the advanced degrees.

You are probably well aware if you plan to continue your business studies at the Ph.D. level.

It’s worth knowing that DBA is a doctoral thesis on professional practice and real business.

Instead, the candidate of science pays attention to the scholarship in this field.

Therefore, the Ph.D. contributes to the development of the field through research discussions and training in the field.


What Kind of Licensing or Certification Do You Need?

Certificates

Your choice of certificates and licenses for professional activities depends on the type of business degree.

Your particular field of activity usually requires a specific type of licensing and certification to legalize your activities.

For example, in addition to a diploma of a business specialist specializing in accounting, you need to have a license of a certified public accountant (CPA).

The person who calculates the salary in a large firm may need to become a Certified Payroll Professional (CPP).

This status is granted by the American Payroll Association.

In order to become a practicing Actuary, you must obtain a license.

Licenses

It is usually issued by the Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS) or the Society of Actuaries (SOA).

In any case, special certification courses and exams are required.

In fact, if you want to focus on a specific professional activity, you might need a special licensing or certification beyond your bachelor’s or the post-graduate degree to obtain a certain degree in business.

You might get this certification during your regular training sessions.

In the case of CPA, you can continue your studies specifically at the bachelor’s level in order to earn credits for your college or university certificate.

Equally, if you plan to obtain a business degree with specific directions, you should know in advance what types of certificates you may need to work for the company.

So you’ll be aware of the time and money required.

Optional Certifications

Some other licenses and certificates are not required for your career but will be useful in your career progression.

It is possible to obtain a business quality certificate to advance in a certain area of business.

And in order to grow as a professional, some certification programs are necessary for you.

Such programs provide a complete list of subjects with different durations and availability.

Some combine a bachelor’s or master’s degree with certification and programs.

And others, first of all, need to complete the degree program.

Among the optional yet very significant certifications are:

  1. American Marketing Association Professional Certified Marketer (PCM) program.
  2. American Association of Healthcare Administrative Management (AAHAM) Certification.
  3. National Association of Sales Professionals’ Certified Professional Sales Person (CPSP) designation.

Absolutely, make sure that the authoritative association or group recognizes the licensing or certification program that you want to start.

In most cases, you will need to complete an educational program or training to get a certificate.

Popular Degree Programs


What Can You Do With This Degree?

Perhaps, you’ve already decided on a direction.

It’s known that a degree in business is a great opportunity.

You will gain unique knowledge and skills with it.

That’s why you’ll have a wide choice of professions in the field.

You decide what to do with the knowledge and skills you have gained and how to take advantage of the opportunities.

You can do this in any business career:

  • Actuaries
  • Accountants and Auditors
  • Appraisers and Assessors of Real Estate
  • Budget Analysts
  • Claims Adjusters, Appraisers, Examiners, and Investigators
  • Cost Estimators
  • Financial Analysts
  • Financial Clerks
  • Human Resources Specialists
  • Insurance Underwriters
  • Loan Officers
  • Logisticians
  • Management Analysts
  • Market Research Analysts
  • Meeting, Convention and Events Planners
  • Operations Research Analysts
  • Personal Financial Advisors
  • Purchasing Managers, Buyers, and Purchasing Agents
  • Statisticians

Of course, that’s not a complete list.

How is this possible?

When you have a university degree in business, there are so many opportunities that it is difficult to name them all.

You can attribute this knowledge to an enterprise or an idea and get something completely new.

It’s amazing how fast you can make progress.


How Much Can You Make With This Degree?

Your career choice determines the prospects for raising money.

Regardless of your approach, a degree in business gives you great prospects.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts an 8% increase in employment in entrepreneurship and financial operations for over 10 years.

Thus, you will have the chance to choose one of 632,400 new upcoming jobs in the labor market.

The current average salary is 68,000 dollars per year for all business and financial professions.

Interestingly, the bureau also gives such average annual salaries for the best professions in 2019:

  • Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners: $47,350
  • Appraisers and Assessors of Real Estate: $51,850
  • Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents: $52,060
  • Fundraisers: $54,130
  • Training and Development Specialists: $59,020
  • Human Resources Specialists: $59,180
  • Buyers and Purchasing Agents: $60,700
  • Cost Estimators: $61,790
  • Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists: $62,080
  • Labor Relations Specialists: $62,310
  • Market Research Analysts: $62,560
  • Loan Officers: $63,650
  • Claims Adjusters, Appraisers, Examiners, and Investigators: $63,670
  • Insurance Underwriters: $67,680
  • Accountants and Auditors: $68,150
  • Budget Analysts: $73,840
  • Logisticians: $74,170
  • Financial Examiners: $79,280
  • Management Analysts: $81,330
  • Financial Analysts: $81,760
  • Personal Financial Advisors: $90,530

What Professional Associations or Societies Should You Join?

The best way to establish new connections in your field is to join a professional association.

Here you can also learn about useful seminars or contests and improve your personal knowledge.

Obviously, your chosen career path will determine which associations you decide to join.

Find out about business associations that match your professional direction:

  1. Business Management&Development Associations.
  2. American Management Association (AMA).
  3. Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO).
  4. The World Federation of People Management Association (WFPMA).

Accounting & Finance

  1. American Bankers Association.
  2. The American Finance Association (AFA).
  3. American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).
  4. American Society of Women Accountants (ASWA).
  5. The Association of Accountants and Financial Professionals in Business (IMA).
  6. Association for Financial Professionals, Inc. (AFP).
  7. International Federation of Accountants (IFAC).
  8. National Association of Black Accountants.
  9. Professional Accounting Society of American (PASA).

Sales & Marketing

  1. American Marketing Association (AMA).
  2. Business Marketing Association (BMA).
  3. The National Association of Sales Professionals (NASP).

Human Resources/Administration

  1. The American Association of Healthcare Administrative Management (AAHM).
  2. Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM).
  3. Professionals in Human Resources Association (PIHRA).
  4. Health Care Administrators Association (HCAA).
  5. American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS).
  6. The International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP).

Summary

Now you have a more particular vision of your business career.

Choose your own path and start applying your talents in work.

The Business degree allows you to choose one or more interesting and promising directions.

It’s a great opportunity to realize your entrepreneurial potential and express business thinking.


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