Get Your Business Degree in Management

Learn your options in getting a business degree in management.

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Getting your business degree in management involves making a choice about what type of manager you would like to become. While the basic role of all managers is to develop and oversee the implementation of business strategies, different managers have different functions within an organization. To that end, general managers and top executives plan, organize, direct, control and coordinate the operations of an organization and its major departments or programs.

In large organizations, top managers are generally responsible for one particular department or function, such as accounting, manufacturing or sales.

Managers of small companies generally perform a much wider range of tasks — often overseeing everything from business development to human resources to purchasing supplies.

Business Degree in Management Options

Undergraduates can earn a bachelor's degree in management or take courses in management as part of a business degree. MBA students can choose a concentration in management, and some schools offer master¹s degrees and PhDs in general management.

Master's vs. MBA

While both an MBA with a focus on management and a Master of General Management degree will prepare you to assume managerial positions within the business world, the MBA degree will provide you with more general skills that are transferable to other areas. The master's in management will provide you with greater management expertise, but will provide you with fewer transferable skills. The MBA degree's broad curriculum also helps managers integrate the different functions within a company.

Online Management Programs

If you're already established in your management career but want to earn a promotion or find a new job with more potential—especially if you're raising a family or need a flexible schedule—you might consider enrolling in online management programs. Online management programs offer virtually the same degree programs as traditional schools, from bachelor's degree to Master's and MBA online management programs.

Online management programs typically address the same subjects taught in traditional school, including:

• Management principles
• Organizational behavior
• Ethics
• Leadership
• Strategic planning
• Core business applications such as accounting and finance

You'll need to make sure you seek online management programs from accredited online schools, however, as employers typically will only hire candidates who have earned their degree from an accredited online school. Before you enroll in any online management programs be sure to check their national accreditation standings.

What You'll Study

Students in MBA programs with a management concentration will most likely study everything from marketing, international economics, entrepreneurship, information systems, microeconomics and finance in addition to managerial accounting, human resources management, leadership, statistics and management science.

Manager Skill Set

Managers with strong leadership qualities and the ability to improve the efficiency or competitive position of an organization are most successful. An analytical mind able to quickly assess large amounts of information and data is very important, as is the ability to consider and evaluate the interrelationships of numerous factors.

General managers and top executives must also be able to communicate clearly and persuasively. Other qualities critical for managerial success include leadership, self-confidence, motivation, decisiveness, flexibility, sound business judgment and determination.

Business Degree in Management Career Path

General managers often have experience in a particular field, such as accounting or engineering, and are promoted to general management positions as they develop and refine their skills. Particularly talented general managers can rise through the ranks of their organizations to become VPs or even CFOs or CEOs. Companies often offer training programs for promising employees.

Business Degree in Management Career Outlook

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, projected employment growth of top executives varies by industry, although keen competition is expected for top executive positions because the prestige and high pay attract a large number of qualified applicants. Many openings occur each year as executives transfer to other positions, start their own businesses, or retire.

General Manager Salaries

Salaries vary substantially by type and level of responsibilities and by industry. According to a salary survey done by Executive Compensation Reports, a division of Harcourt Brace & Company, the median salary for CEOs of public companies from the fiscal year 1998 Fortune 500 list was approximately $800,000. Three quarters of CEOs in the nonprofit sector made under $100,000 in 1998, according to a survey by Abbott, Langer, & Associates.