By: The Capella Editorial Team with Bradly Roh, PhD, DBA, Interim Dean and Vice President, School of Business, Technology and Health Care Administration
Reading Time: 8 minutes
Things change fast in the business world. New technology, shifting marketing conditions and regulations mean organizations need strong leaders with the skills and knowledge it takes to adapt and succeed.
A business management degree is all about helping you develop those skills.
Studying business management enables you to move beyond the basics of business administration. You’ll focus on knowledge areas like strategic management, resource allocation and team development.
Remember that requirements may vary depending on your career goals, so be sure to research all the professional and educational options available to you. Find out what a business management degree is, how it stands apart from other types of business degrees and what career paths could look like once you’ve earned your degree.
A business management degree is an undergraduate program that teaches the fundamentals of how organizations operate and succeed.
It’s designed to help you build a strong foundation in both the “big picture” of how businesses function and the day-to-day skills needed to keep them running smoothly.
Business management degrees usually focus less on the “what” of business. Instead, they emphasize the “who” and “why.” In practice, that means you can learn how to:
A business management degree can also help you develop technical competencies in areas such as financial data analysis and data interpretation.
Generally speaking, business administration is the process of organizing a company’s people and resources to ensure that organizational objectives are achieved.
On the other hand, a business management degree focuses on the skills that support business professionals as they pursue managerial or organizational leadership positions. Examples of these skills include:
Business management degrees place a stronger emphasis on how to manage teams effectively.
For example, Capella’s BS in Business, Management and Leadership specialization includes courses on virtual team collaboration, organizational structure and leadership to help you acquire skills to support staff and help businesses achieve their goals.
Business management degrees vary by level and focus, which can influence how they align with different career goals.
Some industry organizations, such as the American Management Association (AMA), also offer business management certifications. These certifications can help you deepen your understanding of particular areas within management. However, they don’t offer the broad skill set you gain from a degree, which is why many students pursue management through degree-level study.
Many professionals choose a business management degree for its broad scope and versatility. Instead of concentrating on a single function, the curriculum covers core business concepts that apply across industries, roles and organizational settings.
This type of degree helps you build a well-rounded understanding of how businesses operate, from strategy and finance to operations and team leadership. Because these skills transfer across verticals, a business management degree can support a range of professional directions over time.
Because business management focuses on broadly applicable skills, graduates may find opportunities across a wide range of industries. Potential employment settings you could explore after graduation include:
This list is by no means exhaustive. These are just examples to help give you an idea of potential fields. Different industries may require different levels of experience, certifications, licensure or other designations alongside your degree.
If you do have a specific field or industry you’d like to work in, it’s essential to do research beforehand to understand what prospective employers are looking for in that sector.
A business management degree may lead to opportunities in various roles. The roles available to you will often depend on the level of study you’ve completed and your experience level.
For example, after completing Capella’s BS in Business, Management and Leadership, you might explore positions like:
If you choose to advance to the master’s or doctoral level, you may be able to pursue other roles, including:
Keep in mind that roles, organizations and industries can vary widely. These examples are only a general guide to give you a rough idea of potential roles you could explore after graduating.
Your workload, experience and personal commitments can all influence which type of business degree makes the most sense right now.
When weighing your options, it can help to think about:
Busy working professionals may find it easier to pursue an online degree. Online study allows you to continue working while you earn your degree and may make it easier to balance family or caregiving responsibilities. It also removes the need to commute.
At Capella, that adaptability is built into our business degrees through two online learning formats:
Regardless of which learning format you prefer, Capella’s competency-based curriculum focuses on mastering the knowledge and skills you'll need to succeed in your chosen field.
Capella graduate Angela Wiley shares how flexibility shaped her experience:
“Although I had a successful career as a result of hard work, dedication and drive, I lacked the formal education needed to advance my career,” explains Angela Wiley, who completed her BS in Business and her MBA at Capella.
“I chose Capella because it was affordable, in addition to the flexibility it offered through self-paced learning.”
Next, consider how different degree programs align with your goals, such as:
If you’re unsure which option fits best, reach out to the universities you’re considering and ask for detailed information about each program’s focus and structure.
Finally, confirm that the universities you’re considering hold appropriate accreditation. Accreditation indicates that an institution meets established academic standards and can be an important factor when evaluating degree programs.
Capella is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, an institutional accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Capella's business degree programs, including the BS in Business, Management and Leadership specialization, are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).
A business management degree can support a wide range of professional directions. Choosing a program that aligns with your goals and fits alongside your schedule can help you make the most of the experience.
Exploring program details can help you compare options and decide what makes sense for you right now.
Capella’s range of business degree programs, together with flexible online learning formats like FlexPath, are built for busy professionals like you.
A business management degree may be worth pursuing if you want to develop essential skills like strategic management, resource allocation and team development. Earning your degree may also help you demonstrate your knowledge to prospective employers or help you build the knowledge it takes to start your own business.
The jobs you can pursue with a business management degree will vary depending on your degree level, experience and the type of industry or organization you’d like to work with. A bachelor’s degree may equip you to pursue a role like account manager or general manager. Meanwhile, with a master’s degree, you could explore advanced management positions. You should conduct your own research to find out more about the requirements for specific roles you’d like to pursue.
Management and leadership are closely related but involve different attitudes, skills and behaviors. Management includes the day-to-day planning, organizing and executing of business tasks. Corporate leadership focuses more on communicating a vision and inspiring others to realize it.
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