Nearly every four-year university offers a Business Administration Degree program; however, not all degree programs are created equal. Just because a college offers a certain degree program doesn't necessarily mean that it is a good program at that school. Many colleges are distinctly known for excelling in a certain area such as the University of Missouri for Journalism, the University of California-Davis for Large Animal Veterinary, and the Harvard School of Business for, obviously, business. While we would all love to have achieved the academic excellence to attend the Harvard or Wharton School of Business, it's not always possible. However, you can still obtain a great degree from a reputable program even if the program isn't as prestigious as Harvard. You just need to know what you look for. Before deciding on any university or college to obtain your business degree, you need to ask yourself 3 key questions:
What Does the Curriculum Offer?
When it comes to entering a degree program, it is obvious that the education itself it of the foremost importance. Before registering with a certain school, check out their curriculum online first. A good business program, whether it be an MBA or BA, should always have a curriculum that offers a balance between accounting, management, and finance.
Who Will Be Your Professors?
If the professors of a program you are interested in have never sat on a Board of Directors, owned their own firm, or sat as a CEO or CFO, then there is a good chance that they don't have the real life experience needed to teach you real world applications. For each program you are interested in do a background check on each of the professors listed in the department. Choose the program that has the greatest number of professors with the most professional experience. Not only will these types of professors better understand real-world business, but they will have also established more contacts in the business world which will offer you greater opportunities for networking and future job prospects.
What Professional Services are Offered?
The job market has been particularly tough for recent graduates – even those graduating with MBAs. Make sure the business administration programs you are interested in offer a great career services department that gives personalized attention to each individual in the program. You will also want to see what percentage of students are actually being hired from each graduating class of that particular business program. If you find that the number is below 85 percent, then you may want to reconsider your interest.
What Professional Experience is Available?
Education alone will not get you a job after graduation. You will not only need a great education, but also a great resume under your belt. Check with each program to make sure that they are established with several businesses and firms around the area so you are able to obtain a great internship, and gain the work experience needed to begin a solid career after graduation.
Is the Program Accredited?
As surprising as it may be, not all business administration programs are accredited, nor are all colleges and universities. Without accreditation, you are essentially paying for an education and donating your time for a degree that doesn't even count. Before even looking further into any program, you should always make sure they are accredited first by visiting the U.S. Department of Education's page. There is no reason to get starry eyed about a program only to realize that it isn't accredited.
Higher education is a definite investment of time and money. There is no reason to immediately rush into a decision when choosing a program. In this economic climate, you need the best education and professional experience a school can offer to obtain a career after graduation. Don't sell yourself short. Take the time needed to research each school thoroughly to make sure that both your time and money are well spent.
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About the Author
Nor Franco is the Managing Director and Virtual CEO of nextManager.net. He's a former corporate executive whose passion is bringing out the full potential of HR in Businesses. This time that passion is pursued through Virtual Management. He writes and blogs about his management views and insights here. Follow him on Twitter.
