By Susan Ott
Degree Major: BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
What Is It?
A bachelor’s in business administration (BBA or sometimes simply BA), also known as a bachelor’s of science in business administration (BSBA), will prepare you for a career in almost any area of business. This major will train you in understanding a variety of businesses, along with the social systems in which they operate, so you can develop business solutions within an ever-changing global economy. Most business administration programs also allow you to choose a specialty or minor to focus and enhance your degree. A BBA can also be a great choice if you don’t want to go on to get an MBA, since it’s similar in structure but on an undergraduate level.
Who should choose this major?
If you have a lot of general or liberal arts credits to transfer to your business degree, then a BBA can be obtainable in a short period of time. The first two years of a BBA are heavily comprised of liberal arts courses, so you won’t have to start over when you go back to college. Many schools will accept up to 50% of the total credits for this type of degree in transfer from another college, and a few will allow you to transfer in as many as 75% of the total credits.
This major is also great for students who enjoy working with others or as part of a team. Business administration is a major which prepares you for jobs in which you need to work with people on a daily basis, either managing them or working alongside them to derive processes and solutions. Finally, business administration requires a certain amount of multitasking, coupling practical business skills with information on subjects such as ethics and social responsibility. If you enjoy the social and psychological aspects of business but excel in the practical areas as well, business administration can potentially be a strong fit for you.
Which careers can you obtain?
Business Administration majors are trained to prepare, direct, plan and organize processes within a firm or organization. Possible careers include:
- Business Operations Manager
- Human Resource (HR) Manager
- Regional Sales Manager
- Retail Sales Manager
- Operations/Data Analyst
- Financial Controller/Manager
- Financial Analyst
- Health Services Manager
- Marketing Manager
Note: Some of these careers may be dependent upon specializing your BBA in a specific area of business such as finance, marketing or human resources.