What Is a Business Management Degree and What Can You Do With One?

Business management is a versatile degree you can earn at several different undergraduate and graduate levels. With a business management degree, you can pursue many roles at either for-profit companies or non-profit organisations that fall within numerous industries such as sales, health care, commerce, manufacturing, advertising, and finance. 

Read on to learn more about the different types of business management degrees you can earn and the types of roles you can pursue after graduation. 

Types of business management degrees

You can earn your business management degree at the foundation, undergraduate, master’s, and doctorate levels. Which type you choose to pursue depends on your overall career goals, the amount of time you have, as well as your resources. Although, it’s worth noting that graduate-level degrees will first require you to complete your undergraduate. 

Foundation degree 

A foundation degree in business management typically takes around two years to complete when you attend full-time. It traditionally serves as a step toward achieving your undergraduate degree, though you can choose to enter the workforce with your foundation degree and pursue certain entry-level business roles, such as administrative assistant, customer service associate, or sales representative. 

Your coursework should cover the fundamentals of business, which may include classes on accounting, project planning and management, human resources management, communication, and customer service. 

Undergraduate degree 

An undergraduate degree in business management takes between three and four years to complete when you attend full-time, though some online business degrees may take less time. With an undergraduate degree in business management, you may qualify for more entry-level roles, such as human resources specialist, marketing specialist, business analyst, or financial analyst. 

Your coursework will likely focus on a number of related business subjects, including economics, finance, marketing, human resources, organisational behaviour, and accounting. 

Master’s degree

A master's degree in management (MSM) is one type of graduate-level degree you can earn in business, though the Master of Business Administration (MBA) tends to be more popular. Either degree will help you qualify for more advanced business roles, especially those involving leadership. It takes one year to complete your MSM and or your MBA when you attend full-time. 

Several industries have a high demand for MBA graduates, such as health care, technology, consulting, products and services, and finance and accounting industries, according to a 2024 survey of corporate recruiters [1].

Your advanced coursework will continue building on your business knowledge while allowing you to concentrate in a certain area, such as management, finance, or marketing. Master’s level courses tend to focus on business strategy, corporate finance, business ethics, digital marketing, and leadership fundamentals. 

Doctorate degree 

As with the master’s, it’s more traditional to earn your Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), which tends to be designed for experienced executives who have earned their MBA and are interested in pursuing C-suite roles, such as Chief Executive Officer. You can also earn your PhD in Business, which prepares you for academic work that involves conducting research or teaching. 

The length of time a DBA takes to complete will differ, but is typically four years long. The coursework at this level focuses on leadership, research and analysis, management, strategic planning, and more. 

Alternatives to a business management degree

Whether you’ve earned your degree in another area and want to hone specific business skills, or you’re looking for educational alternatives in order to pursue a career in business, you can explore professional certificates or individual courses that are designed to help you learn about a specific area of business and gain career-ready skills. 

Learn more about the business certificates you can earn from Google, IBM, and Meta—all industry leaders—on Coursera.

Salary and job outlook for jobs in business management 

The salary for business jobs will depend on what you end up doing and the industry in which you do it. However, the growth rate for business jobs shows promising returns. 

While you can pursue a handful of entry-level jobs with a foundation degree in business, you may find more opportunities with an undergraduate degree in business. Note some of the common entry-level and managerial roles you can pursue with an undergraduate degree in business management and their average salaries: 

• Human resources specialist: £36,817

• Market research analyst: £31,580

• Financial analyst: £38,913

• Sales manager: £42,397

• Marketing manager: £44,514

**All salary information above is sourced from Glassdoor UK.

Explore a business management degree on Coursera

Business management degrees are an effective way to develop your skills and advance your career. Earn your business degree from a number of renowned universities on Coursera. The University of London’s BSc Business Administration can be completed in as little as three years when you dedicate 10-12 hours a week to study. If you’re looking for graduate options, the University of Illinois offers two tracks: the Master of Science in Management, which typically takes 12 months to complete, or the Master of Business Administration.