Maybe you’re already in a career field you love, but you’re looking for a way to expand your options in the workplace. Perhaps you haven’t chosen a career just yet, and you’re interested in a degree that’s as open and versatile as you are.

If gaining transferable skills and advancing your career are at the top of your wants list, you may be interested in seeking a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in management.

Business administration covers a broad field of study, from marketing and information systems to management and human resources. Business students gain knowledge in all areas of modern business and across all industries. Students also reap the benefits of learning communication skills, team-building abilities, and critical thinking skills, preparing them to be effective leaders in a variety of workplace settings.

The College of Business at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock offers the Bachelor of Business Administration in management in multiple formats, including completely online. Students can choose whether they want to focus on human resources management or general business management.

Dr. Susie Cox, professor and chair of the Department of Management, speaks to the variety of options for management degree holders, even for those who are unsure of where they are headed in their careers.

“When you get a management degree, you may not know exactly what you want to do, but you know you want to be in business, or you want to be in the management of a business,” Cox said. “So for many students the choice is, ‘What industry to I want to go into,’ rather than, ‘I want to be a manager.’ We see our students in a variety of industries, a variety of jobs, [and] levels within the organization. You determine your own destiny when you get a management degree.”

The management faculty offer the added benefit of experience within the online environment, Cox adds. “Specifically for [the College of Business], we were teaching this in an online environment for over a decade now. So we have professors that are very comfortable managing online classrooms.” She points out that nearly half of the students within the online business programs are considered “non-traditional” in the sense that they are working adults who study part time.

The flexible format of the online management program also makes it an excellent option for traveling students. “We have several students that began their programs here at UA Little Rock, and they chose to move out of state. They are able to continue their degree,” Cox said. “We have people in Louisiana, in California, [and] in Washington DC that are in our program because they have an attachment to UA Little Rock. They want to finish their degree with UA Little Rock, and we are offering that now with the online campus.”

The BBA in management is a 120-hour degree program that “prepares students for professional leadership positions in small businesses, corporations, and government,” according to the Department of Management website. Management majors gain the knowledge and skills to prepare them for positions such as general manager, project manager/specialist, employee relations manager, and training specialist.

The human resources emphasis “focuses on the development of knowledge and applied skills in managing people and solving people-related problems.” Students are prepared for entry-level careers in human resource management and for management roles in organizations of all sizes. Students explore topics such as the legal environment of employee relations, employee training and development, employee productivity improvement, and union-management relations.

Cox expresses genuine pride in the management faculty and department. “It’s the strength and experience and concern that our faculty have for students,” she said. “The online experience will be very valuable. Our faculty are very engaged in our online classes. We get great feedback… Our faculty are accustomed to teaching online and know how to engage students. It’s different.”

To explore the business degree programs available through UA Little Rock Online, including the BBA in management, please visit our “Business Programs” page at ualr.edu/online/program-types/business.