A degree in business administration provides the foundation for a career in business, as well as in government, education, public health, and the non-profit sector. Some business degrees are specialized at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. Areas of specialty include:
- Finance and/or accounting
- Banking
- Information Systems/Technology
- Health Services Management
- Human Resources Management
- Operations Management
- Sales and Marketing
- Retail Management
- Small Business and Entrepreneurship
- Security Management
- Hospitality Management
- International Business
- Project Management
- Communications/public relations/corporate communications
Coursework for a degree in business administration will include each of the specialty areas, as well as economics, organizational behavior, business ethics, and management. Graduates are expected to have learned to communicate effectively in a variety of contexts and relationships, supervisory and human management skills, process management, decision-making, research, acceptance of responsibility, ability to work independently or in a team, and to understand human behaviors and the psychology of sales and buying.
Graduates are expected to have a generalized knowledge and ability to oversee each of the primary business functions: management, administration, human resources, accounting, finance and marketing. These skills and the supporting knowledge are universally necessary for the smooth operation and successful implementation of organizational strategy in any kind of organization.
As the Internet has grown and the number of business-related processes, applications and functions have proliferated, it has become increasingly important that everyone who manages an organization have a clear understanding of the capabilities of the Internet and the application of both the Internet and other emerging technologies to accelerate processes, reduce costs, and vastly improve sales, marketing and customer relationships. Understanding these technologies and their applications is an increasingly important part of a Business Administration program.