B. S. in Business Management: What It Is and How It Can Advance Your Career
The Bachelor of Science in Business Management degree program equips students with practical skills to manage departments, lead teams, and improve organizational performance. Many programs today are designed to be completely work-integrated. This means that while students earn their degree, they can apply what they learn in school to their current job. This type of work-integrated learning helps to enhance students’ current jobs and students' chances of advancing in their careers. National Louis University, for example, offers a work-integrated B.S. in Business Management program.
What Is a B.S. in Business Management?
The B.S. in Business Management is a degree program focused on practical skills in leading, managing, and enhancing organizational performance. Typically, a Business Management program provides a foundation in leadership, operations, finance, project management, and organizational performance. Note that this degree program is different from, for example, an accounting degree program or a degree program in finance. In a Business Management program, students learn to run a department or team within an organization.
Through its Work Integrated Program, National Louis University offers students a B.S. in Business Management, allowing them to complete coursework by applying it to their current work. The 180 quarter-hour NLU degree consists of 60 quarter hours of General Education; 45 quarter hours of professional seminars for the B.S. in Business Management; 45 quarter hours of core coursework for the Major in Business Management; and 30 quarter hours of electives. Business Management students first build a foundation in leadership. Afterward, students complete a sequence of highly applied, practical coursework, such as operations, financial management, project management, strategic planning, and organizational performance. Students complete their studies and earn a B.S. in Business Management within three years or less. The traditional program structure includes a 60-Quarter-Hour General Education Core requirement and a 45-Quarter-Hour Professional Seminar series requirement that is shared by all of NLU’s business programs. NLU's remainder of the 180 Quarter Hours for the B.S. in Business Management degree program consists of core Major in Business Management coursework and additional electives. Students can complete their degree in two years or less when they transfer in with 31-115 transferable Quarter Hours and enroll in accelerated tracks within NLU’s undergraduate program
Why Pursue a B.S. in Business Management?
Students range from first-time college students and returning adult learners (employed full-time) to professionals seeking to move into supervisory/management roles or transfer students looking for a flexible, career-connected degree pathway. The work-integrated structure also appeals to employers across industries - corporate business, healthcare, non-profit, human resources, and operations.
In addition to preparing students for a wide array of business positions across industries such as corporate business, healthcare, non-profit organizations, and Human Resources, work-integrated learning programs are also valuable to a wide array of employers.
Key Questions About This Degree
Must a student be working already to enroll in a work-integrated Business Management program?
For programs that are specifically work-integrated, yes, full-time employment is typically required for students to participate in the work-integrated component of the degree.
What does "work-integrated learning" actually mean day to day?
Within a given assignment or project, NLU students can expect classroom work to translate into practical application in their actual workplace, implement the concepts they learned, and achieve results with a quantifiable impact.
How long does this kind of program typically take?
A student's prior work experience and the amount of transferable college credit they bring to the program can affect how long it takes to complete a degree. The program is designed to be completed in as few as three years. The program is offered in a standard track and an accelerated track. The number of transferable college credits a student brings to a program determines which track they follow.
How is this different from a traditional B.S. in Business Administration?
The main difference between Business Administration degrees and Business Management degrees is that most Business Administration degrees do not assume that students are working full-time when they enter the program. Work-integrated Business Management degrees, by contrast, are designed for people who are currently working full-time. The learning model is structured so students can apply what they learn in class to their current jobs, enhance their roles, or prepare for advancement to a supervisory/management role.
Career Outcomes
These individuals can expect to gain knowledge and skills in leading teams and in operations management. They may be able to apply this to earn a promotion within their current organization, such as a general manager. Operations managers are expected to experience very fast growth between now and 2020, and business jobs can pay a wide range of wages depending on circumstances. More information is available in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Statistics Handbook, particularly the section on Top Executives, and from Human Resources departments at a variety of companies.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Statistics Handbook, Top Executives and related management entries.
After completing their B.S. in Business Management, individuals can apply for a variety of business jobs. Since the Business Management major does not focus on one specific industry, graduates can look for jobs in corporate business, health care, non-profit organizations, human resources, and operations. Many individuals look for promotions within their current workplace. They can apply for supervisory or management positions, using the leadership, operations, and strategic planning skills they gained through coursework.
B.S. in Business Management at National Louis University
The Undergraduate College at National Louis University offers a B.S. in Business Management degree for students in full-time employment. The degree program uses the Work-Integrated model to connect students’ learning to the students' job responsibilities. Within three years of having started this degree program, students graduate prepared to lead teams and deliver measurable organizational value. The B.S. in Business Management degree program is offered in both a standard and an accelerated track for students with transferable credit.
