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What is Business Administration?
A business administrator is, generally, the person put in charge of running a business. Administrators have many different titles: director, manager, supervisor, etc. All of these titles designate a similar role and that the person holding the title is a upper level decision maker, though they may denote different levels depending on the size of the business. As such, there are decisions that fall under their responsibility and there are others that the administrator delegates to other people. For example, an administrator may be tasked with ensuring that employees are paid on time. In a small business, they may do this themselves, while in a larger business, they may delegate this task to a payroll administrator or the HR department.
An administrator’s ultimate goal is for the business to earn a profit. Administrators exist at various levels within an organization. What level of administrative responsibilities a person might have depends on the industry, the person’s work experience, educational level, and other factors. For example, an industry that uses call centers will have team leaders who run small teams of staff who take or make calls, while the call center as a whole will be run by an upper-management administrator.
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Online Business Administration Education in Ohio
Getting a degree in business opens many doors. For those who seek to become managers of a company, a degree in business administration is something that should be considered. It enables a person to understand how a business operates and, depending on a person’s specific interest, offers an education in that area. In Ohio, the largest industries are education, professional services, real estate, and manufacturing, so a person who wants to manage in these industries would be best served to get a business or education degree and specialize in one of those areas. But, since there are businesses of all kinds in the state, whatever interests a person might have, there is probably a business administration position for them. For those who want to be their own bosses, a degree in business administration is also helpful because it can give them the chance to learn the tools they need to successfully run their own business.
Managers, on average, make around $82,000 per year, according to the US Bureau of Labor statistics (BLS). And the demand for managers is expected to increase between now and 2030. That means that this is a great tie to pursue a degree in business administration and land the management job of your dreams. If this is an area of interest for you, there is information on your next steps below. And remember, the more education you have, the further you can go in your career, especially once you have some work experience to add to your education.
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From a certificate to a doctorate, a person can attain whatever level of education in business that will help them become an administrator. As with most careers, the more formal training they receive, the more attractive you may be to potential employers. But you may be able to start a career in business with little to no training. If you are interested in figuring out what level of education you should aim for, here are the degree programs you might pursue to become a business professional or administrator.
Online Associate Degree in Business Administration (AS)
A two-year degree in business is a good start, and definitely better than not receiving any formal education. Students will study introductory concepts of business and get an overall idea of how different businesses operate, their internal structure, and the issues that those who run them might face. All students earning an online business admin associates degree will take general education courses and classes that focus on your major.
An example of the core courses included in a business administration associate degree program include the following.
- Accounting I & II
- Intro to Management – Principles of Management
- Intro to Marketing
- Human Resources Principles
- Business Law & Ethics
- Micro- & Macroeconomics
- Applied Statistics
- Financial Accounting
- Managerial Accounting
- Applied Marketing Strategies
This degree is designed to be completed in four semesters over two years, but some students finish faster, and others take longer. It really depends on whether or not you can attend the program full-time or if you need to take longer so that you can continue working or caring for family, etc. For those who are not currently working, this degree could be adequate to gain an entry-level in a larger company, or even higher in a smaller company.
Online Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration (BS)
A bachelor’s degree in business administration is where many people who aspire to become a CEO or find their way into the C-suites will start. Many schools allow students to choose specializations with a business degree, so students who are interested in marketing career could specialize in marketing, someone who wants to become a CPA could specialize in accounting, etc. Along with the specialization, students will receive a basic business education and general education classes, which are similar to the courses covered in an associate degree, along with additional courses to provide a more in-depth foundation in business and management.
Examples of courses at this level include the following.
- Principles of Management
- Business Communication
- Business Ethics
- Introduction to Accounting
- Principles of Marketing
- Principles of Finance
- Micro- and Macroeconomics
- Public Speaking
- Statistical Analysis
- Marketing Management
- Business and Society
- Organizational Behavior
- Accounting for Managers
- Leadership Skills
- Electronic Commerce
- Strategic Management
- And More
As mentioned before, Ohio has a booming real estate industry.
For students who want to enter this industry, they might also take specialization courses, such as the following.
- Managerial Accounting
- Public Relations
- Real Estate Contracts
- Real Estate Management
- Real Estate Marketing
- Selling Real Estate
Bachelor’s degree programs are designed to be completed in four years of eight semesters or 16 quarters. When you finish, you’ll have completed around 120 credit hours all together. Those students who have already completed an associate degree from an accredited institution may be able to transfer as much as 60 credit hours and begin your bachelor’s degree as a junior rather than a freshman.
Online Master's Degree in Business Administration (MS)
For those who aspire to hold a senior management position in a company, the next step after the bachelor’s degree is a master’s in business administration, aka an MBA. You may be able to start your managerial career with a bachelor’s degree, but senior managers often need additional education to manage people and companies effectively. Even if you feel comfortable managing a company with the education you have, those with an MBA will have a higher chance of being hired into upper-level management positions. MBA programs pick up where undergraduate-level education stops by adding additional critical thinking and analytical courses.
Some of the additional courses graduate students will study as well as more in-depth education in areas already covered include the following.
- Advanced Business Communication
- Business Analytics
- Business Statistics
- Financial Projections
- Managerial Accounting
- Marketing Analytics
- Quantitative Business Analysis
With an MBA and several years of work experience, a person could be tapped for middle- and upper-management positions. Indeed, those who hold C-suite positions, such as the CEO, often have an MBA or master’s degree as their top level of education earned.
Online PhD Degree in Business Administration (PhD)
For those who seek to become subject matter experts or to teach business or business management at the college or university level, a doctorate in business administration is an option worth considering. Not only will you be qualified for the highest levels of management at major corporations and organizations, but you could be tapped for advice by those seeking further information about your field, which means that you could work as a consultant or entrepreneur. It can also set you up to become a tenured professor at a college or university.
Those who pursue this degree will study the following areas:
- Accounting
- Economics
- Ethics
- Finance
- Human Development (in an organization)
- Information Systems
- Management
- Marketing
- Operational Management
- Organizational Leadership
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It usually takes around four years to complete a PhD in business, though the length of time it takes will depend on the program you choose and how much time you have to devote to your studies.
Become a Business Administrator in Ohio
What is required to become a business administration professional in Ohio is dictated by the industry in which you want to work. For example, a person who wants to work in real estate might start as a real estate associate, work up the ranks into lower management as an assistant manager/agent, and then move into a senior broker position. Having an associate degree in business administration or management can help but isn’t always necessary unless the person wants to move into corporate management. Then, a four-year degree might be required.
For other industries, a four-year degree in that specific industry is a good place to start. This degree will prepare a person for an entry-level position in a company and, through experience, help them attain any certification required to advance into management. In an industry such as information technology, there are several levels of certifications a person needs to attain to be eligible to advance in the industry.
Certain professions require certifications in order to work. For example, accountants are more employable and attractive to potential employers if they are certified public accountants (CPAs). The best way to advance into a management position is to learn what is required of managers in your industry and plan a path that allows you to earn whatever education or certification you will require to succeed. Although there are people who have advanced into management without formal training, getting the desired education is the best approach.
Careers for Business Administration Graduates
- Maintenance Manager
A maintenance manager oversees the maintenance crew for a company. It might seem like it’s a glorified cleaning position, but there is a lot more to it than having the key to the supply room. Companies need to be clean at all times, and it’s the maintenance crew that ensures that the floors are spotless, the carpets are clean, and the windows are shiny. The manager of this department has to make sure there are enough workers to keep the building looking pristine, as well as fully functioning.
This professional also gathers the work orders for repairs to office equipment and deals with structural issues and other needs the building and the people working in it have. They’re also contract negotiators with external agencies that complete jobs the company’s maintenance team aren’t equipped to do such as outside window washing, power washing of the building, and maintaining scaffolding lighting. The maintenance manager maintains the department’s budget and has to account for all purchases made by the department.
- Team Supervisor, Call Center
A team supervisor in a call center runs a team of customer service representatives. A customer service rep’s job can be stressful because, many times, when people are calling customer service it’s because they have a problem, are confused, or don’t like something that’s happened with their service. In other words, they aren’t happy. So, the supervisor for these workers has to be part boss and part cheerleader. This is why many supervisors are former customer service reps themselves. Supervisors ensure that the team is well trained and working at peak capacity. They are in charge of making sure the team meets their metrics and the clients are happy. Supervisors meet with team members and review their performance and offers tips on how they can improve.
- Financial Advisor
Financial advisors help people invest their money. They work with stocks, bonds, 401ks, and other financial investment tools to help people build portfolios that can be used to finance a variety of things, from college tuition for the kids to a home purchase or retirement. Financial advisors understand the stock market and how other futures work and find ways to invest money for people so that their portfolios grow.Search Programs Offering Business Administration Majors
- Digital Marketing Manager/Director
Advertising and marketing has changed over the years, and with those changes have come new ways to do marketing. The newest form is digital marketing. Unlike the old days when a business would take out an ad in the paper or create an ad for television or the radio, much new marketing is done online - on websites, blogs, and social media sites. A company can have a dozen different marketing campaigns going at once, and someone has to manage all of it. That’s where the digital marketing manager comes in. This person is in charge of the creation and execution of digital marketing campaigns. They write copy (or manage a team that writes it), upload it to various social media sites, and send it to websites and blogs who support ads and reach their best potential customers. They also following the progress of the marketing and analyze engagement with customers.