Types of Business Degrees

Earning a business degree allows students to develop leadership skills and start their journey toward a successful career in business. There is a range of programs with many different specialties that students can choose to pursue. These specialties help prepare students to secure a variety of positions in the business world.

Business and Management Bachelor Programs

Students who are just getting started in their educational journeys will want to complete business and management bachelor programs before deciding to seek higher-level degrees. These bachelor programs cover an assortment of topics and industries and are designed to help students gain critical thinking and leadership skills they need to become successful business professionals in their chosen fields.

Some bachelor’s in business and management degrees include:

Bachelor of Science in Accounting

With a Bachelor of Science in Accounting, students can learn a variety of skills that lead to numerous career paths. Accounting is a way to communicate the financial health of a business or an organization by evaluating the assets, liabilities and cash flow, or the future of an entity for all current and future investors.

Accounting is crucial for any business. Some of the skills taught in an accounting degree program include:

• Auditing standards
• Budgeting
• Ethical issues faced by auditors
• Financial statement preparation
• Job order costing systems
• Theories and practices regarding income tax preparation

Knowledge of these topics gives graduates the opportunity to explore many different career paths in the business world. Some career options include:

• Revenue agent
• Credit analyst
• Accountant
• Financial examiner

Bachelor of Science in Sports and Entertainment Management Degree

For students who are interested in starting or working for a sports business, a Bachelor of Science in Sports and Entertainment Management degree may be a good fit. This degree applies business concepts to the sports field. Skills that students in this program learn range from business concepts to sports-specific courses. Some skills that are dominant in this program include:

• Sports event planning
• Marketing
• Sales
• Management
• Finance
• Economics
• Accounting

A sports management degree is a general degree that does not focus solely on a single sport. This opens up many career options in a wide range of sports. Here are a few of the careers available to those with a sports management degree:

• Guest relations
• Event planning
• Athletic administration
• Sports merchandising
• Sports marketing

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration

Students who are interested in becoming business leaders or managers can benefit from earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. In this program, students learn expertise to help them to excel as leaders in a variety of career paths. Some topics explored in this program include:

• Finances
• Business planning and development
• Production systems
• Socially responsible business practices
• Profit maximization
• Business regulation and deregulation
• Labor markets
• Strategizing for best business outcomes

A degree in business administration prepares students for management roles in all types of business and industry settings. Graduates are able to pursue such careers and positions as:

• General and operations staff
• Business consultants
• Business analysts
• HR specialists
• Production officers

Bachelor of Science in Advertising and Marketing

A Bachelor of Science in Advertising and Marketing helps students compete for entry-level marketing positions in many different environments. Here are some skills you will learn when pursuing a marketing degree:

• Business communication strategies
• Information literacy
• Data analysis
• Business operations
• Legal, ethical and values-driven business practices

There are various professional options for those who graduate from this program. Careers in the advertising and marketing field include:

• Sales managers
• Marketing managers
• Advertising/promotions managers
• Public relations managers
• Content marketers
• Fundraising managers
• Marketing specialists

Bachelor of Science in Finance

Students who are interested in working in the financial world can benefit from earning a Bachelor of Science in Finance. This degree focuses on economics, investments, trade, securities and risks, portfolio management and banking and financial markets. With a finance degree, students learn to analyze data and information related to money and finances. Graduates understand how to evaluate investments and recognize beneficial alternatives.

With a degree in finance, you learn the skills to make decisions that will benefit individual clients and major corporations alike. Some other skills covered include:

• Modern monetary systems
• Capital markets
• Budget and accounting report analysis
• Creating financial proposals
• Credit reporting and money lending
• Risks and mitigation strategies
• Real estate proposals and financing options

With these skills, graduates can pursue any of the following careers:

• Relationships manager
• Advisor
• Broker
• Banker
• Loan/credit officer
• Financial analyst
• Operations analyst
• Customer support associate
• Financial planner

Bachelor of Science in Business Management

A Bachelor of Science in Business Management is similar to a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, but there are some differences that set the two degrees apart from each other. A business manager may have to look at the bigger picture in a company and be able to lead a team effectively, while a business administration graduate may look at more daily operations. A degree in business management allows you to acquire technical and soft skills. Some such skills include:

• Organizational behavior
• Servant leadership
• Human resources management
• Accounting
• Finance and marketing

Business management is a field of study that trains students for managerial roles in technology, retail, education and other sectors. A few positions for individuals who possess this degree include:

• Business development manager
• Project manager
• Business analyst
• Marketing manager
• Sales representative

Business and Management Master’s Degrees

After earning a bachelor’s degree in business, students who wish to continue their education may consider an MBA program. Earning a Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a great way for students to set themselves apart from their peers by gaining even more skills that can make them appealing candidates for careers in the business world.

There are various types of MBA programs that are offered in both online and evening modalities, including:

MBA in Accounting

The MBA in Accounting degree program is great for students who are interested in both finance and management. During this program, students will learn about microeconomic and macroeconomic concepts in contemporary business, analysis and interpretation of corporate financial reports and other topics relating to the fundamentals of accounting practices. A few of the many topics covered in the courses in this program include:

• Finance principles
• Applied business probability and statistics
• Advanced financial statement analysis
• Advanced financial accounting
• Leadership and organization

This degree can qualify students for careers such as:

• Accounting managers
• Chief financial officers
• Vice president of accounting
• Auditor

MBA in Strategic Human Resource Management

An MBA in Strategic Human Resource Management teaches students to achieve long-term business objectives and meet organizational challenges. Human resource management emphasizes a positive and efficient company culture that embraces innovation. Students who earn this degree become familiar with:

• Designing HR for competitive advantage
• Acquiring, developing and leveraging human capital
• Strategic management
• Leadership
• Operations management

This degree can present many higher-level career opportunities to graduates. Some of these opportunities include:

• General manager
• Human resources executive
• Senior human resources specialist
• Talent acquisition professional
• International human resources professional

MBA in Cybersecurity

Many industries rely on information technology (IT), which is why cybersecurity is such an important field. The MBA in Cybersecurity program offers a link between the IT department and the boardroom. During their time in this program, students will study:

• Financial forecasting
• Cyberwarfare and applications
• Strategic management
• Enterprise security infrastructure design
• Security solutions that align with business plans

This type of degree can qualify graduates for many different career paths, such as:

• Operations manager
• Chief information officer
• Chief information security officer
• Senior project manager

MBA in Health Systems Management

The MBA in Health Systems Management program helps students gain the skills needed to shape the growth of the medical industry. Topics covered in this program include:

• Health care policies and economics
• Legal and ethical principals in health care
• Managerial decision-making

Students that complete this program can pursue many different careers, including roles as:

• Health care consultants
• Nursing home administrators
• Directors of health care services
• Chief operations officers

MBA in Project Management

Project management is the act of initiating, planning, executing and controlling the work of a team to achieve specific goals and meet specific criteria. An MBA in Project Management will help you gain the following skills: 

• Innovation
• Interpersonal skills
• Technical skills
• Human skills
• Conceptual skills

Career options for those with an MBA in Project Management include:

• General manager
• Director of operations
• Project analyst/manager
• Executive officer

Doctoral Business and Management Programs

If students are ready to achieve the highest level of business education, they can look into Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) programs.

There are different types of doctoral programs available:

DBA With an Emphasis in Data Analytics

A DBA in Data Analytics program helps students enhance their leadership skills as well as their analytical reasoning skills. A doctoral degree such as this indicates top expertise in the field and prepares you for a successful future. Learners in this program will take courses and learn skills such as:

• Using business analytics
• Data analysis
• Business decision-making
• Economics

This degree can help students pursue a variety of job opportunities, including:

• Chief executive officer
• Chief data officer
• Data scientist
• Data engineer

DBA With an Emphasis in Marketing

Students who are interested in marketing and the role it plays in the business world can gain more research and communication skills through a DBA in Marketing. Skills and courses taught in this program include:

• Understanding the complexity of marketing
• Financial management
• Decision-making in management
• Application of microeconomic principles
• Researching

After earning a DBA in Marketing, students can pursue such careers as:

• Senior management consultants
• Market research directors
• Chief marketing officers
• Chief innovation officers

Grand Canyon University offers a variety of business and management degree programs. Whether you are seeking your bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or doctoral degree, you can find an engaging and exciting program here at GCU. If you would like to learn more about our different business degrees, please click the Request More Information button at the top of this page.