Specialty areas in business are a benefit for students pursuing a degree to best tailor an undergraduate or graduate education in a specific area and improve the outlook for career opportunities. Depending on the institution, business degree students have numerous options in business specialty concentrations to choose from.
General Business and Business Administration
Degree programs in business and business administration cover a diverse set of knowledge and include courses to provide a well-rounded business education. Such courses typically include statistics in management decision making, contemporary enterprise management, social responsibility in business, history of business, and introductory courses in areas such as finance, information systems, and organizational behavior. Many of these courses are part of concentrations that are offered in one business area specialty as well to best prepare a graduate for entry into a specific area.
Information Technology
The increasing importance of technology in every industry is clear throughout the workforce. Business operations are also heavily dependent on information technology. In this concentration, students complete courses such as business data communications, business systems management, business systems design, and information systems strategy to build skills in managing the data and other operations of all types of organizations.
Accounting and Financial Management
Financial accounting, cost and managerial accounting, and investment strategy are important core courses in most business accounting or financial management specializations. In this degree program specialty, students gain the understanding of the financial operations of a business to make decisions that increase profits and decrease cost or loss.
Related Resource: Minor for a Business Degree
International Business
Global business ethics and international business operations are the types of courses a student will complete in this business degree specialty. The courses in this specialty are beneficial for future business professionals interested in working for multi-national companies or for beginning a business with a global customer base.
Human Resources
Human resources management concentrations often include courses in organizational structure, human behavior, and strategic management. Human resource professionals handle everything from hiring and termination to employee training to adherence to laws and regulation in business operations. Business options in this specialty are helpful for understanding each of these tasks.
Marketing and Sales
Retailing systems, management of marketing programs, and consumer demand are examples of courses a student might complete in the marketing and sales specialty. By understanding why and how consumers make decisions on the purchase of products and services, marketing and sales professionals are able to make the necessary decisions to build business and drive profits upward.
Other Specialty Areas in Business
Other popular options for business degree specialty concentrations include hospitality management, entrepreneurship, real estate, sports management, and travel and tourism management. These concentrations include courses such as seasonal employee management, new venture planning, real estate analysis, athletic team contracts, and economics in the tourism industry. To review additional information on the types of business specialties to consider, visit the International Association of Business and Management Professionals website.
Whatever industry a business degree graduate is interested in pursuing for a career, there is a business concentration that can be helpful for gaining the skills and knowledge required to be successful. From owning a business to managing a global corporation, specialty areas in business degree programs offer options for gaining these career-building qualifications.
