Business Administration programs are designed to enable you to hit the ground running in a variety of different careers.
These programs, be they diploma or degree programs, take a very practical and hands-on approach in teaching you highly employable skills in business.
For example, depending on your area of focus within business administration, you can acquire knowledge and practical skills that prepare you for a career in management, marketing, human resources, administration, finance, and many other fields. You will also possess the skills required to pursue your own business ventures!
What You Can Do With a Business Administration Degree
As a business administration graduate (degree program), you will also possess the entrance requirements for a range of advanced and professional degree programs in fields such as business administration (MBA), law and the social sciences.
And it doesn't stop there, many undergraduate business administration courses are also accepted as prerequisites or exemptions in professional accounting, finance, management, marketing and human resource management designation programs, including the CA, CMA, CGA, CFP, CSC, and CHRP.
So, if you want to know more about where this degree can take you, read on below. This careers guide contains detailed occupational information on career paths relevant to this degree. Included are job descriptions, expected salaries, educational requirements and other pertinent information related to these careers.
List of Careers Directly Relevant to this Major
Studying business administration can provide you with a skill set and knowledge base that serve as an excellent foundation for many exciting careers.
Below, we’ve chosen careers that we feel relate to this field of study, either because the subject matter of the education relates to the occupational field, or because the skills you’ll need to be an effective employee can be gained by studying business administration. Please note, this is not an inclusive list:
• Actuary
• Blogger
• Business Development Officer
• Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
• Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
• Chief Information Officer (CIO)
• Chief Operating Officer (COO)
• Customer Service Representative
• Development Permit Technician
• Director of University Admissions
• Education Programs Administrator
• Inventory Control Specialist
• Mayor
• Public Administration Manager
• Sales and Marketing Director
• Supply Chain & Logistics Manager
• University or College Administrator
Please Note: Some of the above listed careers require additional education, training and/or experience. Click on careers that are of interest to you to find out more about the qualifications you’ll need.
Employable Skills of Graduates
A diploma or degree in this field can teach you many employable skills and competencies. These skills and competencies will serve as an excellent foundation off of which to build a career in business:
• Ability to analyze a business situation, identify different responses, resolve it properly
• Professional communication skills
• Business plan development skills
• Strategic planning abilities
• Knowledge of how to effectively manage an organization
• Ability to apply theoretical frameworks of business administration disciplines to real professional contexts
• Knowledge of contemporary ideas about the globalization of business activities
• Tendency to take initiative, show leadership and take responsibility for the success of the group
• Ability to properly assess risk in current and upcoming ventures
• Familiarity with theory and applicable techniques in human resources, marketing, finance, management, accounting and other areas
Typical Graduate Salary Level
The salary you could earn as a business administration graduate first entering the workforce can vary drastically, and is heavily dependent on the following factors (not an inclusive list):
• Your level of education (diploma, undergrad, MBA, etc.)
• The industry in which you find work
• The type of job you have, and your level of responsibility
• The size and type of your employer
• Whether or not you work in business administration
• The region in which you work
• Other work experience you may have accrued
• Other skills you may have
Graduate Salary - Ontario: According to a study in 2011 conducted by the Ontario Council of Universities, $52,276 CAD is the average salary earned by Business & Commerce graduates, 2 years after graduating from Ontario* universities in 2010.
*Unfortunately, similar statistics for other Canadian provinces and the United States cannot be found from reputable sources.
Examples of Coursework
If you're thinking about pursuing a diploma or degree in this field and you're not quite sure what you'd be studying, then take a look at some sample course titles to see what you will be studying:
• Business Communications
• Business Law
• Business Plan Development
• Business Statistics
• Buyer Behaviour
• Corporate Finance
• Financial Accounting Concepts
• Financial Planning
• Global Business Environment
• Introduction to Finance
• Introduction to Human Resources
• Introduction to Marketing
• Investment Funds
• Management Information Systems: Design and Analysis
• Management Principles and Practices
• Money, Banking and Financial Institutions
• Not-For-Profit Accounting
• Operations Management
• Organizational Behaviour
• Principles of Macroeconomic Theory
• Principles of Microeconomic Theory
• Strategic Management
Please Note: The coursework related to an undergraduate business administration degree can vary significantly from one college or university to the next, and even from one year to another within the same program. So, be aware that this list is only meant to provide examples of possible course titles.
Gain Relevant Career Experience Before Graduation
It’s a classic catch-22, employers want a worker with experience, but you can’t get experience until you have a job…but how do you get a job without experience? Luckily, many schools offer co-op, internship and practicum opportunities in business administration. These opportunities can be invaluable for your future career.
Other than gaining valuable on-the-job work experience, these opportunities have many benefits:
Meeting other who have similar professional interests
Having a chance to meet others with the same career interests as you is a great opportunity, especially while you’re still a student. In work experience opportunities you have the chance to see business administration professionals operate on daily basis; you can ask them what it is they like about what they do, and you can learn how they got where they are.
Making your own conclusions about a career in your field
Have you heard that working in Human Resources requires outstanding people skills? Have you been warned not to pursue a career in paper sales because it’s a ‘dying industry’? Gaining experience in the field before you graduate can help you either prove or disprove such rumors, and even if they’re proven, you may have such a passion for what you are doing that you may decide that’s where you want to be anyway.
Getting your foot in the door with an organization
The best way to begin a career in business administration is to be offered a position with the same organization you worked for as a student! If you’ve done quality work and made a good impression, chances are that organization will want to retain you on a full-time basis once you’ve graduated. They will already be familiar with you and your work ethic, and they will save a great deal of time and expense trying to recruit someone else.
How to Find an Internship
Your college or university may or may not require you to participate in an internship or other form of work experience program. If it is an academic requirement, you will likely have the opportunity arranged for you. If it is not a requirement, speak with your professors, other Business Administration department staff as well as your school’s guidance and career counselors to help you find a suitable opportunity.
Please Note: If seeking an internship from an outside source, be cautious, as many internship opportunities operate in the grey area of employment law, and are designed to use students as free labour in order to perform mundane tasks.
Business Administration Scholarships
Our scholarships database has Canadian and American scholarships that are specific to business administration, as well as scholarships that are open to any field of study. Be sure to apply for any and all scholarships that you barely even qualify for, as there are millions, literally millions of dollars in unused scholarship money in Canada and the U.S. every year.
Professional Associations
To find out more about careers directly related to your major, consult the following professional association websites. They offer career-related information, and many have opportunities for student membership, as well as job placement and mentoring opportunities.
Canada
Canadian Association of Management Consultants
Canadian Professional Sales Association
Human Resources Professionals Association
United States
American Association of Healthcare Administrative Management
American Society of Management Consulting
Institute of Management Consultants USA
Society for Human Resource Management
United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship
