A bachelor of arts in business degree is a college or university-level degree that typically requires four years to complete. Most of the time, students earn their bachelor of arts in business while attending college full-time, often at a school that has a specific business or management program. Attending college full-time is not the only way to study business or get a business degree, however. Many schools offer bachelor’s degree programs online, or on a part-time basis for working students or adult learners seeking a career change. There is no one “right” way to get a bachelor of arts in business, though different methods may be better suited to different people.
The most popular way to earn a bachelor of arts degree in business is to choose either management or business administration as your college major. These majors are typically only available at colleges with dedicated business degree tracks. The majority of large universities, particularly those that support graduate-level business programs, offer undergraduate college degrees in business. Many small colleges have business programs, as well, but not all do. If you are intending to earn your bachelor of arts in business in the course of your college studies, it is imperative that you choose a college that offers that degree.
Majoring in business as a part of a full-time college program is not the only way to earn a business degree, however. Some schools offer bachelor of arts in business degrees on accelerated tracks to students who already hold a preliminary bachelor’s degree in some other field. This usually means that students must take certain number of business credits, but often can be waived out of other credits that would normally be required for the degree.
Depending on the school, students can sometimes elect to take some or all of the required courses for a bachelor of arts in business online. The popularity of online education is rising, due in part to the advances in technology that are becoming more readily available: students can often watch live streams of real-time lectures over the Internet, can participate in chats with professors and other students, and can collaborate with classmates through video conferencing and document-sharing applications, among other things.
Online degree programs in many cases offer students more flexibility in earning their business degrees. Most schools that offer an online option or an online component to their bachelor of arts in business programs require at least some credit hours to be logged in person, but often times this is organized to occur over a series of weekends or condensed weeks to allow students to maintain a largely self-made schedule. Schools that exist entirely online are usually a bit different, sometimes not even following an academic schedule at all. Online-only education can often be completed either much faster or much slower than traditional college courses, depending on the student’s needs.
Earning a bachelor of arts in business can be a good way to start a career in the business world, be it in finance, management, or business administration. There is more than one way to earn a bachelor’s degree in business, and all options should be explored before embarking on your career. If you are unsure of where to begin, you may find some guidance by talking to a college admissions officer, e-mailing a business professor at a local school, or meeting with someone who works in business that you trust. Asking for candid advice on programs, school reputations, and which path into business would be best for you can go a long way towards getting you set in the right direction.