Business administration is a wide course of study, which makes choosing the best courses a factor of your skill level, degree requirements, and areas of interest. Corporate finance, accounting, and micro and macro economics, as well as more general managerial courses, are all part of the business administration spectrum. If you are pursuing a degree in business management, there will be some courses that are required, but you will almost always have the chance to take some electives, too. Many business administration courses are also available for professionals to brush up on their skills. Choosing the best courses for you is usually a matter of honing in on the subjects that you want to study, then finding those kinds of classes that fit within your schedule.
Different business administration courses are available in different settings. The most basic classes are typically offered at the undergraduate level. Many schools offer a bachelor’s of business administration degree.
If you are in a bachelor’s degree program, most of your courses are probably prescribed for you by your school, particularly in your underclassman years. As you grow in the program, however, you will likely earn significant leverage with respect to course selection. A good way to know which courses to choose is to look back on the core required courses that you enjoyed the most. Look for more advanced courses in those areas to hone both your interests and your expertise.
Many schools also offer a Master’s of Business Administration, or MBA, degree. This sort of business administration degree is highly competitive and usually requires a bachelor’s degree. MBA students tend to have a lot more flexibility when it comes to designing their own agenda and class schedule. In an MBA setting, you should choose business administration courses based on what you hope to do once you graduate.
Most business school students enter the program with a defined desired outcome. Some want to work as presidents or executive officers of corporations, while others hope to start their own foundations or work in-house helping a new organization get off the ground. It is important to define your interests at the outset so that you can choose business administration classes that will give you the skill-set you will need in your career. Make an appointment early on with your school’s career services office or student guidance counselor if you are not sure which business administration courses will help you reach your goals. Counselors will be able to help you discern both what kinds of classes you should take, as well as how your prospective course load will be perceived by employers down the road.
Studying business administration is not limited to degree programs. Many business professionals, even those who have already earned their MBAs, may wish to take isolated business administration courses in order to brush up on new trends or to learn new techniques for dealing with complex problems. Students in this category usually have a lot more choices when it comes to scheduling, course discipline, and even school.
Continuing education students hoping to pick back up with learning business administration should look for classes that are either offered at the upper level or geared specifically to established professionals. Many of the top universities offer summer certification programs — often on compressed schedules over the summer — for executives and managers. There are also a plethora of online and online extension programs available to fit into professionals' busy schedules, though these often come at a range of different calibers. One of the first places to start when looking to brush up on your business administration skills is back with your alma mater. Most business schools maintain active alumni relations offices that can help you locate course programs.