Business Degree Programs

The business world impacts our daily life. From the global economy to the banking industry, manufacturing to sales, students who major in business make the decisions that affect how our economy works.

Let’s begin exploring a business degree: Are you ready to learn more about studying business? Check out the basics:

How long does it take to earn a business degree?

Depending on your goals, you can complete a business degree in a few years. Many modern students are opting to return to school to get an MBA or other business graduate degree.

Many colleges offer four-year degrees in business, economics, finance or management. Typically, students start with basic classes in English, history or the humanities, and then build in their degree-specific coursework. If you stay full time, you should be able to complete it all in four years.

If you want to speed up your courses for business, summer school can help you complete your program much faster – some analysts say up to 50 percent. Beyond the classroom, make sure you explore internship programs and other partnerships your college has with local businesses. Business school students often find that a summer internship or semester partnership can help them find work once they graduate. It could extend your time in school, but it also can help you get your foot in the door when it comes time to work.

Where could a business degree take me?

Students who study business have an extremely wide variety of career paths open to them. This includes strict business degrees as well as related degrees in management, economics, finance, international business, and accounting. Nearly every type of industry and corporation has a large percentage of its workforce related to business degrees. If you decide to study business or even return to school and get an MBA, you’ll probably want to consider a career as a financial analyst, accountant, consultant, loan officer, salesman, manager, or executive. Business majors tend to be drawn toward fields that involve finance, money and the economy. Because this is such a wide field, it means you’re looking at careers that start at the entry level of a company and go all the way to the board of directors.

What types of business degrees are available?

Business students have a wealth of options available to them when it comes to their degree. Most students earn a four-year degree, but a surprising number return to school later on to earn an MBA, another graduate degree, or even a business PhD. Remember that the career you want could dictate the degree you need. If you want to become a financial analyst, for example, you would need a Bachelor’s degree and possibly some certifications after you graduate. But if you want to become a loan officer at a mortgage company, you might only need some basic classes or an Associate’s Degree.

You can earn these types of business degrees:

• Certificate: A certification in a particular field, such as accounting or financial analysis. Many careers require that workers go back to school periodically and receive certifications so they are up-to-date with laws and regulations.
• AA: An Associate’s, or two-year degree.
• BA/BS: A Bachelor’s, or four-year degree.
• MA/MS: A Master’s, or post-baccalaureate degree.
• PhD: A doctorate.

Be sure to find out which programs your college offers, and meet with a career counselor to determine how far you need to go to reach your goals.