What comes first? The major or the career?
Some students choose their major based on what they love to study, intending to figure the career part out later. Others base their major and classes on what career they hope to have one day.
For those curious about life as a business management professional, we’ve collaborated with Molly Wickam, Ph.D., director of the Bethel College of Adult & Professional Studies’ business programs, to gather all the information you need to determine if this career is right for you.
What is a degree in business management?
A Business Management degree will not only give you sound business skills, but new insights about yourself, your teams, your company, and your world to take your career to the next level. Business management requires an understanding of multiple areas, and you’ll gain foundational knowledge in the core functions of business: marketing, economics, financial accounting, human resources management, business law, and information technology.
Why choose a career in business management?
On one hand, the skills you’ll gain through a degree in business management will be valuable in almost any career. You’ll be able to use your gifts to serve, lead, and create lasting change in your workplaces and communities—wherever they may be.
On the other hand, the business industry is vast, and you could potentially manage operations in marketing, information technology, construction, health services, emergency response, childcare centers—and that’s just the beginning. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a management role’s median salary was $109,760 in May 2020, with the majority of these positions requiring only a bachelor’s degree.
Where can a business management graduate work?
While it’s tempting to say “anywhere” because the skills you’d learn would be helpful for almost any position, there are a few common career paths for someone with a bachelor’s degree in business management.
- Sales and marketing
- Merchandising
- International business
- Government administration
- Small business ventures
- Nonprofit administration
- Human resources management
- Healthcare administration
- Hospitality and restaurant services
- Consulting
- Banking and finance
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, business management careers are projected to grow 9% from 2020 to 2030, creating about 906,800 new jobs.
Why choose Bethel University for a B.S. in Business Management?
Bethel’s online business management degree is ranked #11 nationwide according to The Best Colleges. Our faith-based approach to ethics is central to everything we do, and this foundation helps us conduct business in a way that’s true to our values. Our professors model this from their own experiences as Christian individuals in the business field, helping you grow personally and professionally as you explore the intersection of faith and the workplace.
We also have concentrations to help narrow your focus within the business industry. The data analytics concentration will help you understand how data is collected, stored, analyzed, and visualized so you can help businesses make sound decisions. With the senior care leadership and administration concentration, you’ll be ready to lead and serve in communities where aging adults live with dignity and purpose.
Additionally, Bethel has an MBA Pathway, through which you can take up to three MBA courses to try out the graduate level program and jumpstart your MBA at Bethel.
Molly Wickam, Ph.D., has a corporate background in software product marketing, insurance risk management, property and casualty claims, and marketing and was a small-business owner. In higher education, she started two graduate education licensure endorsement programs and three adult undergraduate business degrees. She currently directs both the M.A. in Teaching and the B.S. in Accounting, B.S. in Business Management, and B.S. in Finance programs. Her research interests include business education, business capstones, service-learning, and Holocaust education.
