Canary Wharf, London.

Business Management

Management in all business involves the act of getting people together in hopes of accomplishing a desired goal or objective using the available resources effectively and efficiently. Management comprises of organizing, planning, leading, staffing, and controlling an effort or organization for the purpose of achieving a goal. General Managers are responsible for organizing projects, workers, and customers, as well as the overall direction of the business.

Program Information

The University of California Berkeley has an excellent business program. Students who receive a Bachelor of Science degree from the Haas School of Business will gain the technical skills and knowledge necessary to understand the current business world. To apply for the business major, students must satisfy the following specific requirements: meet the foreign language requirement, complete all required prerequisites, and complete at least 60 semester units. Students must complete the 7 course breadth sequence to earn a degree, and must achieve at least a C- in all breadth courses. No more than 2 courses from any 1 academic department can be used to satisfy the breadth requirements. The University of Michigan also has an excellent business program. The Stephen M. Ross School of Business provides a top-tier liberal arts education and a top-tier business degree. The Wall Street Journal ranked the school #1 in general business in 2010, and 91% of graduates in the Class of 2012 received a job offer within 3 months at a average starting salary of $62 000. The core curriculum starts with an introduction to the essential business fundamentals. 120 credits are required: this includes 45 business credits, 21 elective credits, and 54 liberal arts credits.

Smiling man in library

Pros & Cons

Most undergraduate degrees in any kind of business subject are relatively broad and general. This lets you learn a wide variety of skills that can apply to many different careers. It also lets you apply for any job that requires a business degree. Business management majors learn how to successfully manage and run a business, which is an extremely important skill, and valuable to any business career. It can be difficult to gain experience while you study however, since few schools offer internships. Thus, you will have to gain experience on your own. The broad nature of the degree can be a disadvantage since you may have to attend graduate school to specialize in an area or learn about specific industries on your own. Entry level manager positions can be very competitive as well.

Graduate School & Career

Since most careers do not require any form of graduate school, many people enter the industry with just a bachelor’s degree. Some popular professions for business management majors include:

  • Human Resources Manager – they may work to train new employees, oversee the hiring process, or recruit possible candidates. They are given many different tasks and duties, including being responsible for labour relations and managing different departments.
  • Office Manager – they work with a support staff (including secretaries and office clerks) to supervise the administrative duties in a business. They also allocate work assignments, meet office quality standards, and issue deadlines for upcoming projects.
  • Financial Analyst – they provide advice and guidance to individuals and companies in matters of investment decisions, including recommendations about bonds, mutual funds, stocks and retirement funds.