Business management is a crucial component of any organization. But what does that involve, exactly? Who is trained to succeed in those roles? We’ll take a look at these questions and more to help you decide: Do you think you have what it takes to pursue a career in business management?

Business management degree programs typically focus primarily on the skills needed to operate and manage an organization. In addition to developing your critical thinking and analytical skills and increasing your problem-solving, decision-making, and research prowess, a business management program can help you learn how to manage a team, department, or business. You may seek a program that has a specific focus—maybe on human resources or marketing—or a degree that will give a broader overview of business concepts.

Like most postsecondary education, the time it will take you to complete a business management program depends largely on what type of degree you choose to pursue: an associate degree will typically take you two years, a bachelor’s degree four years, and a master’s degree two years. Many schools offer accelerated business management programs: you can often find the popular MBA (Master of Business Administration) available as a one-year degree.

One of the greatest benefits of choosing an online program is being able to decide when you do your work. While an on-campus education will dictate when and where you need to be to participate in all your classes, online degrees give you the flexibility to control your schedule. You can work on your assignments before you’ve had your first cup of coffee, during a break at work, or after you put the kids to bed at night.

Online programs also provide a wide range of resources that are available at your fingertips 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Online forums with your peers, discussion boards with your professor or teaching assistants, and course content that you can re-watch or re-read as many times as you need to—you don’t have to panic about getting all those notes down before the chalkboard is erased.

Business management degrees can set you on the path to any number of management and executive careers. With a foundation in business management, you can pursue positions in supervisory and management capacities across nearly all industries.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of management occupations is projected to grow about as fast as the average for all jobs, at a rate of 8% from 2016 to 2026. “Employment growth is expected to be driven by the formation of new organizations and expansion of existing ones, which should require more workers to manage these operations,” the BLS writes. With average annual salaries around $100,000 in 2017, management jobs can be a great opportunity for building a successful career.

Ready to enroll in an online business management program? The Imagine America Foundation can help you find the school that’s right for you! Check out our database of online schools https://www.imagine-america.org/our-schools/online-schools/, apply for one of our scholarship and award programs https://www.imagine-america.org/students/scholarships-education/, and find resources to help you succeed as a student https://www.imagine-america.org/about-us/newsroom/.