With so many degrees out there, a degree in business administration is one of the most popular degrees to study due to its flexibility for business and financial occupations after graduation.
When it comes to business, there are several business management degree specialization options you can study.
From management to finance to marketing, the list goes on.
What is business administration?
Not to be confused with business management, a business administration degree covers all the essential functions and mechanics of operating a business, from accounting and finance to marketing and human resources.
It is a comprehensive, multidisciplinary program with core courses ranging from marketing management skills, and accounting to human resources specialist and economics, along with mathematics, business law, finance, and ethics.
While related majors or degree programs might focus on a select aspect of business, such as management, business administration covers all of the topics listed above to provide students with a well-rounded understanding of how to operate a business successfully.
What do students learn?
Students learn specialized areas in business operations under the guidance of professors with relevant experience related to business success.
A great business administration program will give students a broad understanding of being in a leadership role as a business owner, and sharpen communication skills, problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and conflict resolution.
A business administration degree is versatile as it provides a professional springboard for aspiring entrepreneurs for small business management, future financial advisors, business consultants, market research analysts, and more.
Throughout your time in the business administration bachelor’s degree, you will learn, analyze, and apply many business principles and build crucial skills.
In most cases, when majoring in business administration, you can choose to study the field in its entirety or select a specific concentration or focus, depending on your interests.
When pursuing a business administration degree, you can expect to take courses such as:
- Microeconomics
- Macroeconomics
- Business Statistics
- Business Law
- Business Policy and Strategy
As stated, students can also choose a specific concentration to focus their students on throughout their time in the program.
These include:
- Entrepreneurship
- Economics
- Finance
- Management
- Marketing
Elective courses in a bachelor’s degree in business may include the following:
- supply chain management
- human resource management
- healthcare administration
- information systems
- public relations
- quantitative skills
Once you receive your bachelor’s degree in business administration, you can continue your education with an MBA degree.
Taking a master’s degree is a great route if you’re looking to become more competitive in the business field or find an advanced leadership position.
An MBA is advantageous because it can boost your job growth as a business manager in any business program and increase your overall job opportunities, especially in management occupations.
What can I do with a Business administration degree?
A degree in business administration is designed to provide students with a strong academic foundation in core business functions.
This includes general business administration, accounting, finance, project management, information technology, human resources, marketing, international business, logistics and organizational behaviour.
These competencies are flexible enough that upon graduation, careers in a variety of different fields may be available.
A business administration program is designed to teach students how to plan strategically to create organizational value and master financial principles.
In addition, students will be able to learn project management as business managers, business administrators, or business analysts across all areas of industry (from maritime trade, to pharmaceuticals!).
The business administration coursework is typically designed to align with real-world business scenarios taught from an industry-relevant perspective.
By studying business theories and learning best business practices, business majors may learn how to develop the skills required in business management such as:
- knowing how to analyze problems by using and applying data
- management analysis
- leadership skills
- running their own business
- Accounting
- Marketing
Business administration majors also have the opportunity to gain proficiency in managing large groups of people and becoming a people person who is adept at fostering professional communications.
This will broaden career options as employers from a multitude of industries look for this wide range of skills in business administration degree earners.
What are the possible career opportunities with a business administration degree?
Sales Manager
A sales manager is in charge of the company’s sales team and is ultimately responsible for revenue production within an organization.
Responsibilities typically include:
- looking for new clientele or market
- projecting sales
- setting sales goals
- analyzing sales data
- creating sales training programs
- assess the profitability of products and services
Business Consultant
Business consultants or otherwise known as management consultants are responsible to help companies propose ways to improve a business’s efficiency.
Their roles include:
- planning and advising management occupations job roles
- uncover ways to increase profit and reduce costs
- supply chain management consultants
- organize information about a problem
- design a procedure for improvement
- recommend new systems and organization changes
- confer with managers to ensure changes are working
Financial Analyst
Financial analysts gather data such as earnings releases, run financial models, and make financial recommendations.
Once they have developed a solid understanding of a particular business, industry or sector, they will proceed with delivering presentations that communicate their investment opinions.
Financial analysts fall into two categories:
1) Buy-side analysts
Buy-side analysts usually work for a pension fund or mutual fund company, where they perform research and make recommendations to the fund’s money managers.
2) Sell-side analysts
Sell-side analysts work for a brokerage or firm that manages individual accounts.
They make recommendations to the firm’s clients to buy and sell certain stocks.
Market Research Analyst
A market research analyst or a marketing manager helps a company understand who its customers are, what products they should be selling, and how they can successfully promote those products.
A Marketing Manager can do this by designing surveys and training and supervising interviewers who conduct the surveys.
They then analyze the research and report the results to management.
Human Resources (HR) Specialist
A human resources specialist’s job is to recruit, screen, interview and hire employees.
Most human resources specialists are trained in all HR functions, and therefore they frequently handle other human resources work, such as employee relations, compensation and benefits, and training.
These daily tasks could include processing payroll and administering benefits, as well as ensuring all human resources functions are in compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.
Loan Officer
Loan officers evaluate, authorize or recommend approval of loan applications for people and businesses.
Their daily responsibilities could include:
- obtaining, verifying, and analyzing loan applicants’ financial information, such as credit scores and income levels
- reviewing loan agreements to make sure they are in compliance with federal and state regulations.
Most loan officers are employed in large companies such as commercial banks, credit unions, mortgage companies, and related financial institutions.
Additional Career Paths for business administration graduates include:
- Logistician
- Real Estate Appraiser
- Buyer or Purchasing Agent
- Compensation and Benefits Analyst
- Insurance Underwriter
- Labor Relations Specialist
The Best Place to Get Your Business Administration Degree
Particularly in Europe, Business schools are a dime a dozen across the continent. It becomes difficult to compare especially when each school has a different philosophy of teaching.
However, being one of the schools that have consistently ranked top three for its MBA program, UBI is an exceptional choice if you are looking for versatility and real-world exposure.
With faculty members having at least 15 years of experience leading businesses, students are given the opportunity to experience a paradigm shift in the way business is conducted. UBI also has a venture creation lab for aspiring entrepreneurs, as actionable steps are taken to see if startup ideas are valid in real-life applications.
Find out more about the various modules offered, as well as the different perks offered by UBI that no other school does!
