Guide to Getting Your Business Management Associate Degree Online
An associate degree in business management not only gives students a strong professional foundation — it also prepares them to earn more advanced degrees across many fields. In addition to general education courses, students in these programs learn several facets of business, including leadership and organization.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), business and financial occupations will grow 8% between 2020 and 2030, which is on par with the growth rate of all occupations. However, the median annual salary in business and finance is nearly double the average yearly wage for all occupations. Partly because of these reasons, business represents the most popular undergraduate major, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
Read on to learn more about business management associate degrees online and the following career outlook.
What Will You Learn in a Business Management Associate Degree Program Online?
Each school and business management degree offers students something unique. The curriculum and outcomes also change with the individual learner's choices. However, these programs provide students with core business and liberal arts training. To make this degree as useful and widely applicable as possible, programs feature courses and training many organizations and professions require.
The following are courses that students may take when pursuing a business management associate degree online, and students should seek out specific courses and skills that best help them meet their career goals:
Common Courses
Marketing courses teach the purchasing process, consumer behavior, product research, pricing, advertising, and promotion. Students learn how to understand what their customers need and develop products and services to meet these needs. Professionally, marketing skills apply to many business careers, including sales, management, and advertising positions.
Students in communications courses learn how to build interpersonal relationships, utilize common communication technologies, and create and understand business documents and reports. Learners can apply this training in most business and related professions. Understanding effective communication practices is especially important for students who aspire to work in leadership roles.
Students learn about laws that govern business operations in this course. They explore how organizations interact with these policies and why governing bodies and agencies develop them. With this knowledge, students can make informed decisions in management and better understand sales, marketing, and general business processes.
Accounting courses offer students in-depth training in handling various financial documents, such as payroll, benefits, and investing. They also teach learners to look at business operations for inefficiencies and areas of improvement. In addition to accounting positions, students can employ this training in various consulting and management professions.
Economics courses teach students about financial markets and trends. Students learn to analyze business financial operations, diagnose issues, and spot future opportunities or risks. With this training, students can employ their skills in management, marketing, and accounting professions.
Core Skills
When studying a business management associate degree online, students gain critical-thinking skills, communication skills, and business operations training, all of which may help students acquire and thrive in entry-level business careers or with advanced academic training:
One skill everyone in business management must possess is critical thinking. If you know how to think critically about where your resources lie, you'll be in a better position to make decisions for your company.
Communication courses taught during an online associate degree should help business professionals communicate successfully with coworkers, customers, and employees.
Learning the ins and outs of business operations — overseeing organizations, assessing problems, and arriving at realistic and efficient solutions — should yield graduates careers in sales, marketing, and management.
What Can You Do With a Business Management Associate Degree Online?
Graduates with an online associate degree in business management gain access to a range of careers and professional opportunities. Students' decisions in school, the courses they take, and the experiences they gain can all influence their eventual career path.
The following are some potential careers and salaries available to graduates:
Sales representatives work in organizations selling goods and services to businesses and individual consumers. These professionals may require training in sales, communication, and marketing.
Average Annual Salary: $73,500
Customer service representatives look to satisfy a customer's needs. They listen to complaints, solve problems, and oversee orders and purchases. These professionals often need training in sales, marketing, and communication.
Average Annual Salary: $38,520
Advertising sales agents manage advertising space and needs for organizations. They should understand the marketing and sales processes and may need design experience. For employment, these agents often need college-level training.
Average Annual Salary: $68,040
Real estate brokers oversee the buying and selling of property. They need an understanding of the sales process, advertising, home-buying laws, and communication.
Average Annual Salary: $81,630
Transferring to a Four-Year Degree Program After Getting Your Business Management Associate Degree Online
Equipped with an online associate degree in business management, graduates can pursue an entry-level career, or they can look to continue their education. An associate degree provides general education and some core business training that may transfer easily into four-year degrees. The following are some of the best educational options available to associate degree graduates:
Business Management
A bachelor's degree in business management delves into core business disciplines in greater detail than an associate degree. In addition to earning transfer credits, associate degree graduates can use their business training to inform them on what areas of business they enjoy most.
Information Systems
These degrees provide students with an understanding of computer information systems from design to implementation. In a business setting, you'll use information systems training to solve problems and improve processes and efficiencies.
Economics
Economics degrees provide an understanding of financial markets and commerce. Students with a business background can apply their advanced understanding of the interaction between people and markets to a business career or apply their business training to a career in economics.
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