A Guide to Business Management Courses

Depending on where you choose to study, you may be able to specialise towards the end of your degree. This specialisation has the possibility of helping you choose your future career path. Common specialisations include:

• International Business
• Human Resource Management
• Advertising
• Business Administration
• Project Management
• Entrepreneurship

If your degree requires you to write a dissertation, this will give you an opportunity to further research a chosen area of business management.

The award you gain upon completion of your degree will depend on where you choose to study, as well as your specific course. You can typically expect to gain either a Bachelor of Science, or Bachelor of the Arts. Some universities may award specialist degree titles, such as Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) or Bachelor of Business (BBus). This is usually influenced by the content of the course, as well as the country in which you study, as different countries have different accreditation systems for their universities.

Some business management degrees may also be accredited by a separate organisation, for example, the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) in the UK. This accreditation is not currently a necessity for employment in business management.

An undergraduate degree in business management will typically take three to four years. Foundation degrees, diplomas and certificates can last up to two years when studied full-time.

On successful completion of your undergraduate degree, you can either choose to seek employment in your chosen field, or further your studies. Continuation of your studies could come in the form of a postgraduate degree, such as a masters or PhD, or a graduate diploma or certificate.

The entry requirements for a business management degree will depend on where you choose to study. Requirements can vary greatly at each institution. Some universities may require you to sit an entrance exam, and others may rely on previous exam results. Some universities may prefer you to have studied certain subjects, and some may consider previous relevant work experience.

You should check each institution to see what entry requirements they have for their business management programmes.

• UK – 6.5 IELTS
• US – 2.5 GPA

Tuition fees for international students are not fixed. This means that they will vary from institution to institution. You should make sure that you are aware of how much your course will cost you.

You may be eligible for a scholarship or funding. This could be awarded by your institution, or by a separate funding body. For more information, visit our scholarships and funding section.

Business management graduates will find that they are in high demand across most sectors. All businesses need good management to function properly and perform well, and whilst it is possible to learn the skills through experience, and work experience is important, a degree will give you a head start. It is likely that you will be able to find a management job in a field that you have an interest in, whatever that may be.

The skills you gain throughout your degree will mean that you would be an asset to any sector or field, even if you choose to go into a non-managerial position. Other popular positions include human resources officer, consultant, and analyst, as well as self-employed business owner. You will have skills such as problem solving, oral and written communication, analytical thinking and project planning and management.