Degrees in business management come with various options. Students can pursue two-year, four-year or graduate-level degrees in business management – in person, online or through correspondence. These degrees include:
Associate Degrees
Associate degrees – the lowest degrees in the hierarchy – indicate that a student has completed two years of introductory business management education. They are awarded by community colleges, junior colleges, polytechnic institutes, and some four-year universities and colleges. Holders of associate degrees transfer to bachelors degree programs or may pursue entry-level employment.
Bachelors Degrees
Bachelors of Business Administration (BBA), Bachelors of Commerce (B.Com) and Bachelors of Management (B. Mgmt) are the usual undergraduate education options. They are awarded by universities and four-year colleges. These four-year degrees introduce students to economics, business law, organizational behavior, marketing, finance, taxation, statistics, accounting, and management information systems.
MBAs and Graduate Degrees
A graduate degree is the highest level of business management education. A doctorate (PhD) is the pinnacle in the academic world, although an MBA (masters in business administration) typically garners more prestige. Students planning on an academic career usually complete a masters in management or an MBA, then go on to the PhD or Doctor of Business Administration (DBA). PhDs and DBAs require the student to become an expert in a field, generate original research and write and defend a 100,000-word thesis, which may take three or more years. But those with business careers in mind almost always pursue an MBA. An MBA provides graduate-level education in the core business management areas of finance, marketing, human resources, accounting, and strategy. An MBA is a one- or two-year program.
Business management degrees are available on campus, online and via distance education. Some programs even allow students to pick and choose among these options. Nervertheless, the traditional on-campus format remains the most popular choice for people pursuing a degree in business management.
This article was originally published on Suite101 by Andrea Coutu of Become a Consultant at ConsultantJournal.com.
I wouldn’t completely disregard an online MBA degree. I recently completed my MBA online through California College San Diego and would highly recommend distance learning to those interested. The online MBA program I enrolled for offers advanced business education online and is most suited for those already working in the field of their choice. I found the coursework dynamic and up to date and the flexibility a boon since I was juggling a job as well at the time. Interaction between students and faculty is encouraged and I felt no lack of a traditional class room setting. In fact being online, researching on the Net, attending virtual classes, discussing and solving problems in forums all taught me much more than I suspect an ordinary course would have. And the most important reason working in favor of an online education programs is that it is relatively cheaper than a traditional course.