Types of Business Programs

A business degree can open the door to exciting opportunities in the global business market. You can pursue a wide variety of specialties. Some are broad and can be applied to a number of different types of business careers. Others are quite specific and offer niche employment opportunities.

Here are some of the business jobs that may be available to you:

• Accounting: Graduates with degrees in accounting are in high demand. There are three classes of accountants. You could become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA), or Certified Internal Auditor (CIA). Each of these requires a different type of course load. However, virtually all accounting students will study managerial accounting, financial analysis, budgeting, and other core information.
• Business Administration: A degree in business administration can prepare you for numerous types of jobs. You could become an administrative executive, a banker, a CEO, a city manager, a controller, a department store manager, a school administrator, and more. Because of the versatility of this degree, it remains one of the most popular business school majors. Your studies will include classes like accounting, budgeting, economics, and management.
• Pre-Law: If you have strong analytical and communication skills and think you’d like to be a lawyer, you may want to consider a major in pre-law. Competition to get into top law schools is fierce, so you’ll need to have great grades. You will study courses in both business and law with this major.
• Marketing: Many students who major in business administration combine this specialty with marketing. With a degree in marketing, you may work in fields like advertising or product development. Your coursework will include these types of electives.
• Finance: With a degree in finance, you can become a budget analyst, a loan officer, a money market manager, an investment banker, and more. This degree is likely to put you in high demand, as this field is expected to grow quickly over the next decade.
• Entrepreneurship: If you would like to start your own business, you may want to study entrepreneurship. Your courses will run the gamut of economics, finance, operations management, marketing, and other courses that will prepare you for this career.
• Economics: Although a person with a bachelor's degree in economics has limited career choices, this degree is a great preparation for graduate school. Many Econ degree holders go on to get an MBA, or attend law school, or pursue a master's or doctorate in economics.
• Information Systems: IT is a huge field, and it's still growing by leaps and bounds. The computer revolution has changed the life of every person in America, and it has thoroughly reshaped the way we do business. With a degree in Information Systems you can be a part of the ongoing revolution.
• Human Resource Management: HR used to be seen as something of a dead end job, but not anymore. These days companies realize just how vital a role HR professionals play in the continued success of their enterprise. Consequently salaries in this sector are much more competitive than they used to be.
• International Business: The telecommunications revolution has made global marketing a possibility for more and more American businesses, and they need trained professionals to make it happen. International Business should be a strong growth sector for the foreseeable future.
• Sports Management: This is a trendy field, but with America's love of all things sports related, it doesn't appear to be a flash in the pan. It will take drive and determination to succeed, as this is one of those careers that are dominated by a few people at the top who make extremely high incomes. If you love sports, and also love a challenge, it might be right up your alley.
• Real Estate: Yes, real estate is still a viable career option, even after the foreclosure crisis of recent years. It's true that home and commercial building sales are down, and prices are dropping, which leads to a double whammy on sales commissions, but there are still plenty of opportunities to do well in real estate in America. If you take a contrarian view, this is the ideal time to enter the business.
• Public Relations: PR is another burgeoning business career, and many people have started their own company and turned it into a multi-million dollar a year enterprise.
• MBA Programs: They're expensive, grueling and time consuming, but there's no denying that MBA degrees are rapidly becoming a must have tool in many business careers.

Accounting

There is always need for a good accountant, and studying accounting at school can lead to a wide variety of business careers. Accountants organize, summarize, and interpret information about economic activities for individuals, companies, and organizations. Corporations need accountants to review monetary information within the business and then to offer relevant advice to decision makers. Individuals and businesses need accountants to provide taxation services, money management, and independent audit services.

If you enjoy business mathematics and are interested in the role accounting systems play in the business world, then accounting may be a good major for you. Within the realm of accounting, you can specialize in auditing, governmental accounting, certified public accounting, taxation, and more.

To be an accountant, you must be detail-oriented. You must like math. It helps if you are analytical. You must also be able to recall federal and state laws that control accounting systems. In addition, you need to be able to see the “big picture”—how business organizations function.

Students who major in accounting have an above-average amount of coursework. In general, they must do well at school, because the firms that hire them will want graduates who have maintained a high GPA.

If the idea of creating and analyzing balance sheets sounds exciting to you, then an accounting major may be perfect for you. You will have to study tax law and learn how to prepare tax filings. You will also have to use accounting information systems.

The three main types of accountants are the Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA), and Certified Internal Auditor (CIA). The CPA is the most popular accounting type, but the CPA exam is quite difficult. CPAs help individuals and corporations with their taxes and other monetary issues. If you want to become a CPA, you'll need to spend up to five years in school.

A CMA works specifically with a company to offer advice about financial issues. A CIA provides independent audits to businesses.

Accounting majors take courses such as economics, marketing, computer systems, auditing, finance, management, and accounting information systems. After you graduate, your starting salary will depend largely on the company that hires you, your chosen career path, your experience, and your location. The median starting salary in the United States for an accountant is $46,500. In the middle of your career, you might make about $77,600.

Business Administration

A bachelor's degree in business administration will help qualify you for a wide range of business careers in many fields, including government, large or small private business, education, retail, and more. With this business degree, you can choose to specialize in areas like finance, human resource management, marketing, international business, hospitality management, legal studies, health services, accounting, and more. It will also be a great foundation to build on should you later decide to pursue an MBA.

When you earn a business administration degree from school, you'll learn all about the functional areas of a company and how they connect with one another. You'll improve your management and communication skills, and you'll practice decision making in the context of business. Because jobs for this degree require you to understand the “big picture” when it comes to business, you will most likely be given ample training opportunities and practical experience. You'll want to take advantage of internship programs and other interactions with real businesses during your time at school.

As a business major, you can expect to have a balanced and comprehensive education with more than just business courses. During your freshman and sophomore years, you'll take arts and science courses, including writing workshops, psychology or sociology, economics, communications, calculus, and more. You'll delve into your professional business education around the beginning of your junior year, with courses in finance, management, and organizational skills. You'll spend the rest of your junior and senior years focusing on your chosen specialization within the field of business administration.

If you have the ability to communicate effectively and are able to lead and manage others, this may be a good degree for you. You will also need strong reading, writing, and speaking skills. A job in business administration can include a lot of responsibility. You must be comfortable making decisions and accepting consequences for them. You must also be a team player and have superior organizational and computer skills.

The increasingly connected global market has an expanding need for school graduates to apply their skills in international commerce, government, the arts, health care, and the nonprofit sector. With a degree in business administration, you can choose to immediately enter one of these areas, or you can continue on to earn your Masters in Business Administration. The business principles you learn will serve as the foundation for all economic, social, and political systems you might encounter.

Pre-Law

Perhaps you are interested in the legal aspects of business. If so, then you may want to consider a business degree in pre-law. In spite of how it may sound, you do not need a degree in pre-law to get into most law schools. However, a pre-law major will help you develop your critical reading, writing, and thinking skills, which are extremely useful in business jobs. You'll take courses to learn about business law, crime, government, and international issues. You'll also get a broad base of the humanities and social sciences. This will help you gain insight into human nature, maximize your oral and written communication skills, and learn how to think creatively and carefully.

As you study pre-law, you'll get to take courses in a wide variety of disciplines, including logic, government, political science, anthropology, psychology, foreign languages, and more. This is because law schools, which are often the goal after obtaining a pre-law degree, are more interested in students who can demonstrate knowledge in many areas. With a pre-law degree from a business school, you might become part of a political team or serve at a law firm, or you could offer your broad-based skills and knowledge to a private business, large or small.

In addition to these things, of course, you can continue on to law school and study to become a lawyer. Because of this, your internship opportunities as a pre-law major will probably include time at law firms, government entities, or related organizations.

If you have strong analytical and communication skills, you may be a good candidate for a pre-law major. If you study pre-law because you want to attend law school later, keep in mind that you will have to work very hard. You'll be in fierce competition with other candidates who want to attend high-ranking law schools. You will probably need to maintain a high GPA, and you'll need to take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and achieve a good score. You'll need to be the kind of person who doesn't mind hard work and long hours, as lawyers generally have rigorous schedules. People who become lawyers are usually interested in becoming influential people within society and want to try to have a positive effect on the world around them.

Marketing

Are you a social person who enjoys talking to others? Perhaps you've always been fascinated with why people buy certain brands over others, or why a specific store or restaurant chain is so popular. If so, business careers in marketing could be a great fit for you. Most schools offer marketing degrees or specializations.

Marketing is fundamental to the business world. It's a modern development in business, as only during the early 1900s did businesses begin to think about the types of economic and social settings that influence people to buy. Soon, executives were trying to use the information they gained about what influenced people in order to sell more of their products and services. Thus, the field of marketing was born.

A degree in marketing from a school will help ready you for careers in marketing and advertising. Marketing degree programs combine the liberal arts focus of the business administration major with the math and statistics courses of an accounting degree. In addition, marketing majors spend plenty of time studying human behavior and, in the present times, principles of e-commerce and Web-based marketing. With the education you receive, you'll learn all about market research, design, and maintenance. This in turn will help you discover how to create an environment that will be satisfying to your target consumers, so that they will purchase and be happy with your product or service.

A large part of the workforce is either directly or indirectly involved in marketing, so a degree that helps you become an expert in this field can place you high in demand. You'll have a greater chance of being able to advance more quickly up the career ladder with a degree in marketing.

Because a marketing degree is so helpful, many people attend online B school to obtain this degree so that they can advance in their careers without giving up their jobs. With a bachelors degree in marketing, you'll have opportunities for management-level jobs in marketing, sales, promotions, marketing research, public relations, advertising, retail management, and more. Or you may choose to work in registered charities, arts groups, and special interest communities. A degree in marketing can prepare you for exciting work in a wide variety of fields.

Finance

You can choose from many types of business careers if you obtain a degree in finance from school. Almost every kind of business needs a financial expert. You might choose to work for a large corporation, small business, or bank, or you might decide to open your own consulting company. Finance is different from an accounting job because it calls for you to be a decision maker and to offer advice that will further the financial goals of your client or organization.

If you like working with money and have strong math skills, you might consider a degree in finance. With this degree, you'll do best if you are both outgoing and inquisitive. You'll need to interact with your client or with your company's management team. You'll have to be able to hear and understand their goals and to take into account their resources and options as you make suggestions to grow their financial base.

While in school, finance majors must pay attention to their grades. This is one field where potential employers will most likely consider your GPA as well as your previous professional experience.

With a degree in finance, you may want to become a credit analyst and assess the risk of offering credit to either businesses or individuals. Or you may want to become a financial advisor or a financial planner. These people help individuals invest their money and achieve their financial goals. Or, on a corporate scale, you could become an investment banker. As such, you would advise and raise funds for a corporation. You can also become a loan officer at a bank or a credit union. As such, it would be your job to determine the creditworthiness of individuals and decide whether they would be eligible for a loan. These are a few of the careers available to you if you earn a finance degree.

The field of finance has continued to grow rapidly and shows no signs of shrinking. A degree in finance could help you maintain a satisfying and long career in the world of business.

Economics

A career in economics can lead to some interesting business jobs, even if it is known as "the dismal science." If you enjoy studying the rise and fall of the economy, and you think you might be able to figure out a solution to economic instability, then you might want to consider a degree in economics. When you earn an economics degree from one of America's business schools, you get to learn the principles and theories of natural science, and then apply them to the logic and rules of mathematics. In other words, you get to problem-solve.

An economics degree allows you entry into multiple career fields. You could work in banking, transportation, government, manufacturing, investment, political consulting, or even in the nonprofit sector.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than half of all employed economists work for local, state, or federal government agencies. As such employees, they can analyze the effect of tax revenue, mortgage rates, and employment statistics. They may be able to assist in developing economic plans for the regional economy.

Economists may work in business, humanities, or the social sciences. They evaluate issues related to money, production, profit, and loss. They study data from factors including labor output, machinery, raw materials, finished goods, natural resources, and land. After they assess the data, they prepare reports and predict economic trends.

A variety of economics degree programs are available to high school graduates. If you pursue a bachelor's degree, you will study mathematics as well as the humanities, including English, history, literature, and various electives. You will also develop your analytical skills. After you complete your core courses, your classes will probably include mathematical economics, statistical mathematics, micro and macro economics, statistical analysis, and more. Obviously, you will want to enjoy math and statistics if you plan to become an economics major.

Many bankers and other professionals may choose to enhance their careers by obtaining an economics degree. Some choose to attend online schools in order to have the flexibility to keep their current jobs. Whether you attend an online school or classes in an actual classroom, you will be given the opportunity to engage in lively discussions about economic issues and theories with faculty and peers.

A degree in economics is extremely versatile, and starting salaries for economics graduates tend to be higher than those for graduates with other business degrees. It's important to keep in mind, however, that those with a master's degree or Ph.D. in economics will greatly increase their options in the job market.

Information Systems

Its no secret that the world of technology and information systems is exploding, and that there is no end in sight. Despite the fact that many students are hurrying to obtain degrees in information systems, and even though many schools are offering more and more programs in IT, the demand is so enormous that there are simply not enough trained professionals to fill all the business jobs in this area.

The field of information systems includes fiber optics, computers, digital systems, satellite, cable systems, and more. All of these areas require specialists with a high level of training and skill. If you decide to obtain a degree in information systems, you will be primed to enter this burgeoning market.

IT, or information technology, unlike many other fields and theories in business, changes and evolves at a rapid rate. Therefore, people who work in IT must keep themselves abreast of the latest and greatest in their specific field of expertise. As an IT student, you might specialize in systems analysis and design, business process design, software engineering, database management, or project management.

If you obtain an information systems degree from B school, you will be prepared to design, build, and execute software solutions for businesses. You will also learn how to analyze existing systems and develop methods to improve performances. If you enjoy problem solving and are adept with technology, this may be the perfect career for you.

Within the field of information systems, you may become a computer programmer, computer systems analyst, computer support specialist, chief technology officer (CTO), information systems manager, web game programmer, or computer forensics expert. These jobs and more are available to qualified graduates.

With your degree in information systems, you'll be able to combine your knowledge of cutting-edge technology in database, hardware, software, and networking to meet the needs of your employer. You'll have the opportunity to become an important contributor to modern-day business and technology.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has found that the fastest-growing sector in the economy is IT. If you earn your degree in information systems, you'll be poised to earn up to 82 percent more per year than people in the same field who have only a high school diploma. If you enjoy technology and find it easy to understand, you'll be able to obtain the satisfaction of making a good living while working at something you love.

Human Resource Management

These days, many students are choosing to go into human resource management. Every organization wants to attract the most qualified employees and place them in the business jobs where they are best suited. These organizations also find it crucial to remove workers who are unneeded or who are no longer performing for the corporate good. This is why, for every corporation, nonprofit agency, and government organization, human resources experts are so vitally important.

In current times, if you work in human resources, you are no longer just managing employee benefits and recruiting and hiring new employees. More and more, your job in human resources requires you to collaborate with executive-level management, offering your expert advice regarding policies that affect the work force.

The demand for qualified human resource specialists is growing along with the recognition that happy, competent employees give an organization the edge over its competitors. Companies with employees who believe they are valued and well-compensated have higher production rates and are more efficient than companies whose employees believe they are not appreciated.

If you are considering obtaining a degree in human resources, you should look at your personal skills and strengths. Are you fair-minded and relaxed under pressure? Do you set others at ease? Do you act with integrity and discretion? These are all important personality traits of successful human resource professionals. In addition to these traits, you should be proficient with computers, math, and business concepts, and you should have strong oral and written communication skills.

Usually, specialization in human resources begins at the master’s degree level, but some schools offer undergraduate degrees in this area. Even if your school does not offer this, you can select a specialty that will allow you to choose the most effective course of study to enter human resources. Keep in mind that a bachelor’s degree will probably only get you into an entry-level human resources position. Most organizations require specialists with a master’s degree for upper-level positions.

When you pursue a degree in human resources, you'll study business and social sciences, including psychology, public administration, organizational structure, recruitment, and training and development. For some fields, you'll need additional training in technical or specialized areas like engineering or finance.

Job opportunities for trained human resource specialists continue to increase. A degree in human resources, along with practical internship and training opportunities, will help you enter this exciting and dynamic profession.

International Business

The global market is becoming increasingly interconnected. As it does, the need for experts in international business continues to expand, and nearly every college in America is changing to meet this demand. If you are excited about working in the worldwide marketplace, then an international business career may be right for you.

In the case of international business, the majority of business is done while dealing with different languages, cultures, and trade regulations across borders. Americans who want to do this type of work must study harder and seek out more practical training in order to compete. They must be adept at learning languages and sensitive to cultural differences. However, if this sounds like something you would enjoy, you'll find that your efforts in these areas will be rewarded.

By earning an international business degree from an accredited school, you'll be prepared to enter the world market. American corporations are seeking international business experts to help them expand into new markets. They know they need to be open to change and to cater to the needs and desires of their global clients.

In the case of international business, it's best to have a degree from a recognized college. A familiar name will grant you credibility and open doors to international contacts.

In general, if you study international business, you'll take regular business courses, and you'll study how to participate in business on the global level. You will probably study management, marketing, economics, and business law. You'll also study international business, finance, and marketing. You will review trade policies and case studies. In addition, you will find it most helpful if you take language courses. Knowing additional languages can only help you in the global market.

If you decide to pursue a career in international business, know that you are making a long-term commitment. You will probably be required to travel, and you may put in long hours or work at strange times, as your counter-market will most likely be in a different time zone. Your salary will depend on the field in which you work. Maritime shipping, defense, construction, and oilfield industries offer high salaries to their international business specialists.

Sports Management

When you think of sports management, you may think of that famous scene in Jerry Maguire—“Show me the money!” Sports management is about handling the careers of professional athletes, and it has become one of the more "glamorous" business careers these days, because of media depictions, and its association with professional sports in America. Yet it doesn't only include football, baseball, or basketball. Athletes in a wide variety of professional sports—soccer, tennis, auto racing, and more—all need management, and more and more programs are offering majors in this area.

However, just because you obtain a degree in sports management, this doesn't mean you're going to work with Peyton Manning or LeBron James. If you want to work with athletes on this level, you're going to need to muster up the same competitive spirit they have, but in the area of business. You're going to find yourself up against communications majors, business majors, and even law students, all wanting to take part in the exciting world of sports.

If you have a shrewd, practical way of looking at things, a flexible way of dealing with problems, and great decision-making skills, you have the foundations of being a sports manager. You'll also need, of course, a sports management degree from a good school.

When considering what school you'll attend, think about where it's located. Some parts of the country have several major sports markets, teams, or sports centers. While you're in school, you'll want to try to get internships, summer jobs, or other training opportunities with college or pro teams. Be sure that the city where your school is located can provide you with these opportunities.

Learn about the academic parameters of the sports management degree at your school. Is it actually part of the program, or is it carried within the physical education department? This will affect whether the specialized education you'll receive is business-related or more in the area of sports medicine.

Be sure to network while you're in school. As with any area of entertainment, working in professional sports is many times all about “who you know.” Learn how to speak up for yourself, be congenial, and be available. This way, when an opportunity arises, you may be the one selected.

Sports management is a competitive, multi-billion dollar industry, so you'll probably have to put in long hours, work very hard, and even travel to have the career you want. However, if you think that this kind of career would be rewarding and exciting, the payoff will be worth the effort.

Real Estate

Traditionally, a business major wasn't a direct path to a career in real estate. But that is changing. Buying property is not like buying a car. You cant just walk onto a lot, choose the car you want, negotiate what you think is a fair price, sign a few papers, and drive away in your shiny new vehicle. When property is exchanged, a fair price must be agreed upon, homeowners insurance must be secured, and a thick pile of documents regarding title, taxes, terms, and more must be signed. All of these things are more complicated than they sound, and the need for the help of trained professionals creates a lot of business jobs.

Professionals in real estate include real estate brokers and sales agents. These people work with buyers to help them find the property they want. They also help sellers sell their properties.

In addition to real estate brokers and sales agents, there are real estate appraisers and assessors, who work with banks and other lenders to estimate the value of a property.

Finally, there are real estate inspectors, whose job it is to examine real estate according a strict set of standards and ensure that the property is safe and compliant with building codes, zoning regulations, and other ordinances.

To enter the field of real estate in the United States, you need, at minimum, a high school diploma. You must then pass a written test to be licensed. However, many reputable agencies offer preference to potential employees who have college degrees. This is because the laws and policies of real estate are becoming increasingly complex. Of course, you can also become an independent real estate broker, but a solid education about the fundamentals of real estate will serve you well as you move into negotiations with other brokers.

Your training requirements will vary depending on the state in which you intend to practice. However, if you want to become an appraiser, you must have at least a bachelors degree or the equivalent in credit hours.

If you choose to obtain a real estate degree, you can expect to take courses such as mortgage financing, property development, property management, and other legal principles of real estate. For your foundational courses, you should also study business administration, finance, economics, statistics, law, and English. If you are considering going into business for yourself, you should take courses in accounting and marketing so that you are also prepared in areas not related to real estate.

Public Relations

In our media driven age, an increasingly popular career choice for grads is public relations specialist. A public relations specialist is a “spin doctor.” PR specialists must generate positive publicity for their clients, and sometimes this involves shaping the truth into the most favorable light. Clients of public relations specialists may run the range from corporations to individuals to governments.

Governments (and politicians) hire press secretaries to keep the public informed, manage political campaigns, and explain policy. Within an organization such as a corporation or even a nonprofit agency, PR people act as mediators between employees and management, and they also handle consumer relations.

If you are interested in and stay current on pop culture and current events, you might be interested in a career in public relations. To be successful in this field, you must obviously be a great communicator in person, in print, and on the phone. You must know how to exercise tact, and you must be quick on your feet mentally. Remember, part of your job will be to cultivate relationships with journalists. You may also arrange speaking engagements, write speeches, write press releases, produce marketing materials, or speak to the press on behalf of your client. To do these things well, you must also be a creative person and have an analytical, problem-solving way of thinking.

A degree in public relations from a college can help you land an entry-level position as a public relations specialist. If you want to work in PR in a specific field, such as information technology, you should also build your knowledge of that area by choosing electives that are targeted to that area.

Keep in mind that to be considered for a higher-level public relations position, you must either earn a master’s degree or obtain a strong portfolio of practical PR experience.

As a public relations major at B school, you can expect to study communication strategies, journalism, and marketing. You will also take courses aimed at strengthening your writing skills. In addition, you’ll probably study marketing, social media, public communications, and technical or business writing. You may also take courses in sociology, psychology, or consumer behavior.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, business jobs in public relations will increase over the next few years. In spite of this, competition for positions at entry level will be fierce. Those with master’s degrees in PR or a related field will have the edge in this career field.

Strategy

Strategy is usually a degree only offered in school at the graduate level. With a degree in strategy, you might work in business development, economic analysis, or management consulting. You are likely to land a high paying business position if you graduate from a reputable program and have good grades. In general, the area of management consulting garners the most consistently high salaries.

A student who seeks an economics and strategy MBA will learn how to train managers to apply economic principles to successfully carry out corporate strategy. To do this, students will need to take courses such as macroeconomics, game theory, and information economics. In many cases, they will also be expected to master one additional specialty, such as sociology, psychology, or political science. They will also be well-served by taking on the best internship and practical training opportunities they can find. Strategists must understand the theory of business processes and know how to use this understanding to help make a business or organization profitable or successful.

Because the coursework for an MBA in economics and strategy emphasizes real-world application and practical studies, it equips graduates to move directly into management and leadership positions.

A degree in strategy will provide you with expert knowledge on what it takes to keep a business competitive. If you are currently working in management at a corporation and don't want to have to stop to attend school, you might want to consider earning your degree online in this valuable discipline. Continuing to work while you study can have the added benefit of allowing you to apply the strategies you are learning to the real-world issues you encounter in the workplace.

MBA Programs

So you've already earned your undergraduate business degree, but you'd like to advance your current career or even break into a new one. By earning a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, you can open doors to salary increases, increased responsibility, higher titles, and more job satisfaction. If you already have a career in business and are seeking to move up the ladder or to cross over from your current field of expertise to a new one, earning your MBA can help you accomplish these goals. With an MBA, you will be eligible to enter management positions and to achieve much higher rates of pay than you currently might earn.

The MBA is awarded to students who have mastered the study of business. People who have obtained MBAs are some of the most valued and sought-after employees. Thousands of students come to the United States from around the world to obtain their MBAs, even though their own countries may offer MBA programs. This is because an MBA from an American school is considered to be very prestigious.

As a student in an MBA program, you'll study the theory and application of business and management principles. You'll also take several general education courses to broaden your base of knowledge. Finally, you'll take courses in your specific field of interest. Common MBA specialties include information systems, accounting, economics, e-commerce, business management, entrepreneurship, finance, technology management, marketing, global management, and strategic/risk management.

Many schools will allow you to earn joint degrees, so that you can combine your business administration courses with courses in law, health, social sciences, or other fields.

Besides the coursework that you'll take as an MBA candidate, you'll also receive many opportunities for practical application of business and management principles. You would be wise to seek a good summer internship program during the fall of your first year. The best opportunities fill up fast, so start looking early.

The combined theory and practice you'll receive on business principles in your MBA program will equip you with knowledge that you can apply to a variety of real-world business situations. You will be prepared to compete in an increasingly challenging global and technical business marketplace.