Entrepreneurship Bachelors Degree Online
Is an Entrepreneurship Degree for You?
Studying entrepreneurship is one of the best ways to prepare yourself for a career running your own business or managing another company. While that might sound good in the abstract, it's important to remember that an entrepreneurship degree will require a commitment to sustained, desk-oriented work that places a premium on problem-solving and big-picture reasoning. If you find yourself excited by the idea of controlling the details to make a business run, then an entrepreneurship program could be the ticket. Additionally, business owners are required to have communication skills that will allow them to transmit their ideas to teams of employees who can help them implement their strategy for success, so an entrepreneurship degree will focus heavily on your management and planning skills. There's also a certain amount of risk inherent in studying entrepreneurship: despite the strenth of a start-up in terms of capital and ideas, there are often uncontrollable market aspects that make business creation and management an uphill battle. The field can be rewarding, especially if you're looking for a degree that lets you determine your future, but there are some risks.
Advice for Earning Your Entrepreneurship Degree Online
Studying "entrepreneurship" is pretty tough to do; most universities will offer degrees in management, finance, or an interdisciplinary construct that lets you mix business administration with other corporate training. Because of the wide applicability of the degree, many online institutions offer associate's degrees, bachelor's degrees, or even a master's in related fields. It's possible that some employers might be more skeptical of a degree from an online university than they would a degree from a more traditional school, but the best way to combat these worries is to make sure that your school has been accredited, preferably by a regional accrediting body. National ones exist, but the regionally focused groups are typically more reputable. Trusted names in the business — Phoenix, Kaplan, etc. — will take you even further. Most business degrees are theory-focused, which is to say that the work is largely one of research, writing, and analysis, so it's highly feasible to do all that online. You should also look into local business in terms of internships.
Required Courses
Pretty much any degree program designed to instruct students in the finer points of entrepreneurship will cover the same basic information in terms of business creation, management, and planning. Starting and/or maintaining a business requires a solid foundation in finance, accounting, management, and a variety of other detail-intensive courses designed to provide students with the ability to think on their feet when it comes to problem-solving. You'll also focus quite a bit on human psychology, specifically the way it relates to intra-office interactions and how employees relate to their superiors. Courses in organizational behavior are fantastic because they allow degree-holders to understand how people work within groups and what kinds of motivation create the best working environment. You'll also take at least one course in business law and ethics; the goal isn't to get you a J.D. but to help you become familiar with the history of legal business practices, the modern parameters for entrepreneurs, and the kinds of ethical situations business-owners face daily. Ultimately, courses in entrepreneurship provide a broad framework for understanding the way businesses work, and work together.
Common Career Paths
The good news about studying business management and ownership is that the skills you'll acquire are so broad-based that they can be applied just about anywhere. Many students of entrepreneurship decide to start their own businesses using the knowledge they've acquired, but that's just one possible career path. Competent managers and owners can usually find stable employment in a variety of office or retail environments: whether the company sells paper, sweaters, or fast food, they're going to need smart people to make sure the trains run on time. You can also choose to pursue jobs in the consultancy field, which would let you apply your skills to different companies on a contract basis.
Starting Salary: $35,000 to $72,000
Mid-Career Salary: $37,179 to $99,255
Learn More About a Career in Entrepreneurship
