3 Career Benefits of Advanced Business Management Classes

Master of Business Administration or MBA degrees have the potential to enhance your career opportunities and long-term earnings—this much we know.¹ Whatever your experience level, industry or career trajectory, earning your MBA and becoming an expert in your field can serve you well in the long run. From your early days as an intern to the day you’re promoted to that cozy corner office with a view, getting your MBA can provide the specialized credentials and insights to help you take your career to the next level.

But what is it exactly that an MBA program provides? What about the degree specifically communicates to employers that you now have a greater ability to meet challenges and opportunities than you did before?

Below, we’ve identified three knowledge areas MBA students cover in their advanced business management classes in the University of Kansas online MBA program. Each provides expertise in critical aspects of managerial roles in business, highlighting an advanced ability to current or potential employers.

Globalization—it’s a term we’re all familiar with. As a concept, it’s one that we’ve been told will, in time, change the way business and the world operate. Well, the time so many have been telling us about has come. It’s here—the business economy has become a global economy. Of course, there’s still room for additional advancements. The fact is that globalization will continue to evolve so long as technology continues to develop.² However, today’s business economy is without a doubt a global one.

Navigating a global business economy is not as straightforward as the brilliant platforms and innovations that allow it to exist are. There are varying cultures with unique traditions, etiquettes and laws to adhere to. So, how does one simultaneously work with India and Switzerland on a given project? The logistics of these interactions aren’t always clear.

To help students thrive in the international business community, the KU online MBA program offers several courses focused on gaining a well-rounded global economic perspective.

Take IBUS 718 International Business, for example. As a part of the MBA’s core curriculum, this course focuses on identifying the unique differences among countries that may play a role in your business interactions. Students are taught strategies on how to handle trade and foreign direct investment across varying international structures and practices.

The knowledge gained in this course can help professionals be better prepared to interact and thrive within the global economy.

Moving into a managerial role within a company requires a greater understanding of the company’s overarching structure. From the financial department to the creative team, it’s important for managers to have a holistic understanding of how each department affects the others.

To help provide managers (and future managers) with the knowledge and skills they need to help their teams, while keeping the entire companies in mind, the KU online MBA program offers courses focused in essential business areas, such as finance and marketing.

BE 718 Managerial Economics is a core course within the curriculum that focuses on the identification of developing business markets. By gaining an in-depth knowledge of traditional business structures, students learn the concept of “creative destruction” and how to find the new wave of opportunities within a given market by shedding away its antiquated elements.³

This is a course that can provide professionals with a fine-tuned eye on traditional markets, teaching them to consistently push the boundaries, identify potential weaknesses and optimize their systems.

The ability to problem solve within a group of peers is at the heart of business, no matter what your career level may be. The KU online MBA program features a number of courses that offer creative and effective approaches to collaborative problem-solving, utilizing real-life scenarios.

In MGMT 751 Strategic Organizational Design and Change Management, students are placed in a scenario where they, as a group, must present to a CEO on why their company is still viable.

In MKTG 753 Global Marketing, the primary project is a group presentation, in which students will be tasked with developing a specific marketing roll-out plan around a specific product and country.

Projects like these allow professionals within the program to expand their group communication abilities and gain influence in their current or future positions.

For those who decide to pursue an MBA, the skills acquired will be woven into your daily actions and routines. It’s always positive to be able to articulate your gained knowledge—for employers and otherwise. Hopefully, this view into some of the online MBA business management courses will help you gain a more thorough understanding of the benefits an advanced education can allow.

Interested in learning more? Take a look into the day-to-day of a KU online MBA student.