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What is a Business Administration?
Regardless of the industry, all businesses need an administrator, the one person who makes sure the daily operations run as smoothly as possible. Business administrators are the ones who make this happen. Every industry requires administrators, so the demand for the position is always high and, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for people who can run a business is expected to remain higher than average through 2029.
A business administrator is the person who runs a business or a large section of a business. They oversee personnel and are tasked with the responsibility to ensure things run smoothly on a daily basis. If the business has financial goals that must be met, the administrator is often responsible for making sure the employees stay on task. Administrators often have assistants that report to them and they are in charge of a portion of the business operations.
For example, a business administrator might have a payroll manager, a sales manager, a marketing manager, and a personnel manager that report back about how their various departments are performing. In turn, the administrator takes this information to their supervisor, which could be a VP, a board member, or a regional manager.
Much of the tasks you will oversee daily as an administrator depends on the size of the company you work for and at what level you find yourself employed. Those working at a lower level may be team leaders and responsible only for a small group that looks to them for leadership. Those working in middle management will oversee several or many groups and maintain policies while working to meet goals and metrics. Those at the highest levels will take everything into account, run analysis of how the company is doing, and create reports for the leaders of the whole operation.
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Business Administration Education in Florida
If you are the type of person who likes puzzles, enjoys multitasking, and working in a fast-paced, sometimes high stress environment, a career as a business administrator could be for you. Whether you work in real estate or finance, business administrators in Florida are in high demand. If you think you’d like to become one, below are some of the things you need to know about the required education and how far each level will get you in the Florida world of business.
There are several levels of education you can attain in business administration. The level you choose to pursue depends on several factors, from financial to overall goals. For instance, a person who wants to decide if a certain field is the right career for them might get an associate degree, while someone who wishes to be a CEO for a finance firm is probably going to get a four-year degree and possibly an MBA. Below is a breakdown for each degree and what you could anticipate studying while you are in school.
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Associate Degree in Business Administration (ABA)
A two-year degree in business administration can land a person an entry-level position in many companies. In the retail field, it could even lead to a management position. In a two-year program students will get a basic education in business.
Students can expect to take at least some of the following classes:
- Accounting I
- Accounting II
- Intro to Management
- Intro to Marketing
- Business Law
- Business Ethics
- Microeconomics
- Macroeconomics
- Payroll Accounting
- Computerized Accounting
These classes are in addition to the general education courses required to finish a two-year degree.
An associate degree usually requires that students complete at least 60 credit hours. If they take courses full-time, it should only take about 2 years to complete nearly any associate degree program. However, those students who must attend part-time could take as much as twice that time to finish their degree. This level of education often works as the first two years of a bachelor’s degree if you decide to continue in your chosen field. This can mean that students who earn an associate degree from a community college could pay much less for their future bachelor’s as long as they attend somewhere that will accept all of their earned credits in a transfer.
Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration (BBA)
Most people who get a four-year degree in business administration have a specialization. These are additional courses taken on top of the general business administration core curriculum, which includes classes in accounting, management, and marketing.
For example, someone who wants to go into real estate management might take the usual accounting courses such as:
- Accounting I
- Accounting II
- Intro to Management
- Intro to Marketing
- Business Law
- Business Ethics
- Microeconomics
- Macroeconomics
- Payroll Accounting
- Computerized Accounting
But these students also take real estate classes such as:
- Real Estate Management
- Real Estate Contracts
- Real Estate Marketing
- Selling Real Estate
- Managerial Accounting
- Public Relations
With a four-degree, graduates can apply for a variety of positions depending on their specialization. But the degree is enough to get an entry level or even lower-level supervisory position in most companies.
Students who choose to earn a bachelor’s degree can expect to spend around four years in school before they are able to graduate. There are some accelerated programs that will allow you to complete a bachelor’s degree more quickly or allow you to finish a bachelor’s and master’s degree in just five years, rather than the usual six.
No matter what kind of bachelor’s degree you choose to earn, you will need to complete around 120 credit hours, unless of course you’ve already completed an associate degree, which could cut your required credit hours in half.
Master's Degree in Business Administration (MBA)
For those who want to enter into senior management positions in a company, a Master in Business Administration, aka an MBA, is a requirement. A bachelor’s degree will often be enough to start a career in finance or other areas of business, but managers need additional education to effectively manage people and companies. MBA programs build on what was taught at the undergraduate level but also add additional critical thinking and analytical courses into the mix.
So, in addition to the classes mentioned above, graduate students will take courses such as:
- Business Analytics
- Financial Projections
- Quantitative Business Analysis
- Managerial Accounting
- Marketing Analytics
- Business Statistics
- Advanced Business Communication
With an MBA and several years of work experience a person could be tapped for middle-management positions, and in some cases, upper-level management position could be available to them.
PhD Degree in Business Administration (DBA)
A doctorate in business administration, DBA is an option, but the need for this degree is rather specialized. Many people who get a doctorate in business are seeking to become tenured professors for a college or university. The degree is also helpful in a business setting, but it is need more in academia.
Those who pursue this degree will study the following areas:
- Accounting
- Marketing
- Ethics
- Management
- Economics
- Human Development (in an organization)
- Finance
- Organizational Leadership
- Operational Management
- Information Systems
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Become a Business Administrator in Florida
If you get a job working for a business, you become a business profession by default. But, without an education, you might not advance very far in your career. For those who want to rise in the ranks of a chosen career, classes in your area of interest are a good idea. If you aren’t sure where you want to focus, try taking a few different kinds of business classes, such as an accounting class or a management course. You can take these classes at a local community college or through an online learning platform from a well-known university.
Once you have determined what area of business interests you the most, you can tailor your college courses around those interests. For example, if accounting is your area of interest, you should major in accounting and take all the required accounting classes. You should also take management classes as well as courses in marketing, business law, and business ethics.
You could start with a two-year degree and immediately begin your career, or you could get a four-degree which will give you more leverage in the workforce. Keeping with the example above, if you get a degree in accounting, your next steps are getting a job in the accounting field while studying for the Certified Public Accounting exam. For those who aren’t studying to become CPAs, getting a job in their desired field is the next step. This is also a good time to consider if you plan to get an MBA or other business graduate degree.
You will want to create a resume that highlights your education and work experience. If you are seeking your first job, then focus on what you’ve learned in classes and how those skills will translate into a working environment. If you did volunteer work or had a business internship while in college, highlight your duties at your internship. And, if you have worked previously, include your duties at those jobs. Even if the jobs were not related to the types of positions you are seeking now, some skills are easily transferrable, so play those skills up as much as possible.
Careers for Business Administration Graduates
- Administrative Coordinator:
An administrative coordinator is charged with running the daily operations of administrative employees for a business. They hire personnel, create schedules, dispatch personal to needed departments, and create and execute training for administrative employees. They usually report to the office manager. Many coordinators started out as administrative workers and worked their way up the ranks to coordinator. - Branch Manager, Banking:
A branch manager of a bank is in charge of the daily operation of a bank location. They are responsible for handling all staff and branch resources and are expected to set and maintain sales goals. Providing excellent customer service and growing the branch’s revenues are of the utmost concern to a branch manager. Branch managers report to regional managers in the bank system and, most of time, they start their careers as tellers. - Team Supervisor, Call Center:
A call center team supervisor oversees a team of call center representatives. The team is usually assigned to a specific client, and they handle the customer service calls for that client. The team supervisor ensures that everyone on the team is trained and shows the temperament and skills needed to provide adequate customer service. The team supervisor is in charge of evaluating the team’s metrics as well as the metrics of each individual on the team. Team supervisors are usually former call center representatives and report to the call center manager.Search Programs Offering Business Administration Majors
- Accounting Associate:
An accounting associate may work with certified public accountants, auditors, or a company. The are tasked with basic bookkeeping tasks such as ledger and journal postings of transactions, as well as compiling monthly and quarterly reports. They may also be expected to perform data analysis as well as maintain positive relationships with clients. This is often one of the first jobs a person with a degree in accounting attains, either while studying or recently passing the CPA exams. - Project Manager:
Project managers oversee a project for a company. The manager is usually experienced with the project topic and is tasked with training others on the team who may lack the experience with the particular project. The tasks required can vary depending on the scope of the project and the manager is responsible to keep the project on track and ensuring that the project is planned and implemented at the highest level possible. One project could have several teams involved and the project manager is tasked with keeping all the teams on track. - Supply Chain Manager:
A supply chain manager makes sure all departments of a company have the goods and materials needed to operate effectively. They identify supply needs, contacts the distributors and sellers of the materials needed, coordinate the distribution, and act as the liaison in the event there is an issue between the supplier and the company. - Public Services/Works Director:
A public works director oversees all the public facilities in a community. They report to the city manager and are tasked with the monitoring and maintenance of buildings and public installations in the community.