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American InterContinental University’s online business degree programs are offered at the associate, bachelor’s, and master’s levels. Students pursuing their business degree online will have the opportunity to learn more about accounting, finance, marketing, human resources, and operations, and to further develop their teamwork, communication, leadership, and soft skills generally. Earning an online business degree at AIU could provide you with the flexibility needed to accomplish your educational goals and acquire knowledge and know-how that may help you pursue real-world opportunities.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Earning a business degree can help graduates prepare to pursue professional opportunities. The business administration degree programs are designed to help students study industry-relevant professional skills and their practical applications in the real world.
At the associate degree level, students can prepare to pursue entry-level roles, such as an administrative assistant or support specialist, or help advance in a current position to an associate manager or general supervisor.1
Pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business administration at AIU allows students to choose from 12 specializations and delve into the inner workings of a niche industry. Many specialized entry-level business roles, like accountants, financial analysts and human resources specialists, require a bachelor’s degree in business.2
An MBA program is designed for candidates who already have some experience in the field and want to elevate their skills and grow past entry-level positions. Graduating from an MBA degree program can help you elevate your current role to include managerial responsibilities or prepare to pursue new business opportunities in a variety of industries.
Data shows that employers value education in an employee. In addition to earning a higher salary per week on average and lower unemployment rates than those with only a high school diploma, people who hold a degree may signal preparedness and responsibility to potential employers.3
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics summarizes it like this: Each level of education you complete may help you develop more skills, give you access to higher-paying occupations, and signal that you’re able to follow through on important tasks, such as planning ahead and meeting deadlines, that employers value.
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As for labor demands in the workforce, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that employment in business and financial occupations is projected to grow 7% from 2021 to 2031.2
Degree requirements vary by degree level and specialization. To enroll in an associate or a bachelor’s in business administration program at AIU, you must have a high school diploma or GRE. No SAT or ACT scores are required for the associate and bachelor’s degrees, and no GRE or GMAT is required to enroll in the MBA degree program.
There is no application fee at AIU, and with 10 flexible start dates per year, there is no wait to start your education. The Program Overview and Courses sections outline the academic requirements to successfully complete a business degree program at AIU.
Degree programs in business administration and management are similar in that both explore the skills required in business environments in the real world. Some knowledge and content may overlap, so the difference lies in the focus of each of these programs.
A degree program in management focuses on developing knowledge of management fundamentals and business best practices. Although it encompasses various processes and models of business practices, the program is designed to help graduates prepare to pursue upper-management and leadership roles within a business organization. Management courses focus on managerial skills, interpersonal relationships in professional settings, and the facets of leadership.
A business administration degree program, on the other hand, is designed to provide a holistic view of business functions, which can allow students to explore and refine their business interests and help them prepare to pursue diverse entry-level roles, including human resources and marketing. This type of program features practical workforce skills that can be applied toward wide-ranging business solutions.
Deciding whether to pursue an associate degree or bachelor’s degree depends on your academic and career plans in the near and long term. You can earn a degree faster and at a lower cost in an associate program than in a bachelor’s program. Completing a business degree program in only two years (versus four years in a bachelor’s program) can help graduates get out into the business world and start building on-the-job experience.
A bachelor’s degree program takes more time, but it can provide students with a robust business education that can help job candidates potentially qualify for more roles than an associate degree. AIU’s online associate and bachelor's degree programs allow students to do both. You can start working on your career path sooner by completing a two-year associate program and then applying those credits to get a head start on your bachelor’s degree in business.
The best business degree program is different for everyone. The best business degree program for you should fit your lifestyle and provide rigorous academic coursework in your field. AIU’s flexible online business programs are offered many specializations at the associate, bachelor’s and master's levels—all of which are programmatically accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).4
1 American InterContinental University cannot guarantee employment or salary. The list of career paths related to this program is based on a subset from the Bureau of Labor Statistics CIP to SOC Crosswalk. Some career paths listed above may require further education or job experience.
2 "Business and Financial Occupations: Occupational Outlook Handbook." U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, January 30, 2023. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/home.htm. This data represents national figures and is not based on school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary.
3 "Learn More, Earn More: Education Leads to Higher Wages, Lower Unemployment." Career Outlook. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2020. https://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2020/data-on-display/education-pays.htm. This data represents national figures and is not based on school-specificinformation. Conditions in your area may vary.
4 The business programs at American InterContinental University are Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) accredited.
AIU’s Online Business Degree Benefits
- Save up to 25% on your master’s degree by taking graduate courses in your bachelor’s program.5
- Our accelerated online MBA program makes it possible to earn your MBA in as few as 12 months.
- intellipath®, AIU’s adaptive learning platform, allows you to personalize your learning plan and skip what you already know, resulting in a more streamlined educational experience.
- Convenient and flexible online business courses make it easier to fit classes into your busy schedule, enabling you to read, listen to, or watch, customized course content from any web-enabled device.
- The tuition and graduation date calculator can give you a general idea of the cost to complete an online business degree program at AIU based on the information you supply.
- A 24/7 technical support team that can help you any time, day or night.
AIU’s Online Business Degree Options
AIU understands that everyone has different reasons for wanting to earn an online business administration degree, and we make it easier to find something that fits your interests by offering diverse specializations, all of which provide opportunities to build a solid foundation in business and economic principles. You can choose among different types of business degrees—ranging from online undergraduate (associate and bachelor’s) to online MBA programs—and then customize your learning experience further by choosing specializations in our bachelor’s and master’s programs that run the gamut from marketing and finance to human resources and project management, so that your online business courses better align with your interests and goals.
Associate of Arts in Business Administration
AIU’s Associate of Arts in Business Administration program is designed to provide a general business education, giving students an opportunity to develop foundational business knowledge and better prepare them to pursue entry-level opportunities. The online business courses offered in this program introduce students to accounting, marketing, economics, and effective business communication. Students can explore how to develop their public speaking and business writing skills and gain exposure to topics involving the ownership, organization, management, and control of businesses.
Bachelor’s Business Programs
AIU’s Bachelor of Business Administration online program builds on the foundational courses offered in our online business management associate’s degree program by exploring business-related topics in greater depth and introducing students to important quantitative tools used in business and economics. Core business courses cover a range of important topics, such as microeconomics, macroeconomics, accounting, and financial management, among others. As students progress through the online business administration courses within the BBA program, they’ll work on honing leadership skills, recognizing potential ethical and legal issues, and understanding and managing organizational change.
Our flexible online bachelor’s degree in business program offers 11 specializations in addition to the general track business management online degree program: accounting, entrepreneurship, finance, healthcare management, human resource management, Le Cordon Bleu® hospitality management, general management, marketing, operations management, project management, and technology management. Those interested in the field of accounting can choose to pursue either a BA in accounting or a BBA with a specialization in accounting. And, in addition to AIU’s extensive online business degree offerings, students can opt to pursue a BBA with a specialization in fashion marketing at our Atlanta campus.
Online MBA Program
Our Master of Business Administration (MBA) program provides advanced coverage of business topics for students who have already completed a bachelor’s program. While MBA programs are generally geared toward those with professional experience, it is not necessary to have such experience to pursue your MBA online at AIU. And importantly, AIU’s accelerated online MBA program makes it possible to complete your degree in 12 months or less.
Online Business Degree Admission and Program Requirements
No SAT is required for AIU’s undergraduate online business administration degree programs, and no GMAT or GRE is required for the online MBA program. Proof of high school graduation or an equivalent program, such as a high school diploma or GED, must be submitted, and homeschooled students are required to supply additional documentation. Our FAQ page answers some common admissions questions we receive, but applicants should contact an Admissions Advisor for assistance with any questions that can’t be readily answered by the FAQs.
The amount of time it will take to complete your degree depends on the requirements of your chosen online business degree program and whether you’re working toward graduation on a part-time or full-time basis, but typical program lengths are as follows:
- Associate of Arts in Business Administration – Requires a total of 90 credit hours and can be completed in as little as 18 months.6
- Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) – Requires a total of 180 credit hours and can be completed in as little as 36 months.7
- Master of Business Administration (MBA) – Requires a total of 45 credit hours and can be completed in 12 months.
AIU also offers credit for prior learning and credit for life/work experience and permits students to transfer in up to 75 percent of the credits required to complete an associate or bachelor’s business degree program, or up to 12 credits toward the 1-year online MBA program.8 See below for more details.
Accredited Online Business Programs
Our online business degree programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), and American InterContinental University, AIU, is part of the American InterContinental University System, which is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), a regional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Our online bachelor’s and online MBA programs have made U.S. News & World Report’s Best Online Bachelor’s Programs and Best Online MBA Programs lists for the past three years (2017–19).
Review Student Achievement and Program Data.
Earn Your Business Degree in Less Time
You may be able to earn your graduate or college business degree online in less time than you may have thought possible by taking advantage of AIU’s Prior Learning Assessment Program or transferring in credits from other accredited institutions. The more credit you receive from prior experiences or accredited institutions, the fewer online business classes you’ll need to take to complete your degree program at AIU. To qualify for prior learning credits, the outcomes of employment experience, non-collegiate/non-school based education, or life experience must be documented and applicable to the student’s program of study, and the outcomes of this experience must be equivalent to what would have been gained through university-level courses. AIU permits the transfer of up to 75 percent of the credits required to complete an undergraduate online business degree program, and up to 12 credits for the online MBA program.8
Ways to Save on Tuition and Fees
Estimating and planning for your online college business degree expenses doesn’t have to be stressful. AIU’s tuition and graduation date calculator makes it easy to estimate the cost and potential timeline for earning your business administration degree online. Various types of financial aid may be available for those who qualify. And some of the same programs that can enable you to complete your business degree online faster may also help save you money:
- Grants – AIU students may be eligible for a variety of institutional grants, including the AIU Advantage Grant, AIU Veterans Grant, and AIU Lifelong Learning Grant.9
- Military Benefits – Active military students, including members of the Reserves and National Guard, may be eligible for a tuition reduction of up to 45 percent in undergraduate programs and up to 20 percent in graduate programs. Military students and their families may also be eligible for a variety of grants and scholarships, including the AIU Veterans Grant, AIU Military Spouse Grant, AIU Yellow Ribbon Grant, and EANGUS Scholarship.
- Transfer Credit – Many AIU students have taken courses at other traditional or online business schools or other accredited colleges. In some cases, those course credits can be transferred and applied toward AIU’s online business degree programs.8
- Credit for Professional Experience – Professional or military experience that is relevant to your chosen degree program may qualify you to received course credit, pending an assessment or exam.8
Helping Students Become Their Best Selves
American InterContinental University is more than just a place where students can earn a business degree online—we are committed to creating a supportive environment that nurtures students to help them reach their full potential. Our career-focused and flexible, fully online business degree programs could help make achieving your educational goals just a little bit easier. Students who enroll in our accredited, online business administration degree programs come from all walks of life, so no matter whether you’re a parent, a recent high school graduate, or a seasoned professional, you could find a program that fits your needs and interests.
5 The AIU Master’s EdgeTM program lets you get a head start on your master’s degree while still pursuing your bachelor’s degree, allowing you to save up to 25% on your graduate degree tuition.
6 As an associate degree program, this program is designed as a 24-month program; however; many factors will impact your time to completion, including course loads, proficiency and/or transfer credits and breaks.
7 As a bachelor’s degree program, this program is designed as a 48-month program; however; many factors will impact your time to completion, including course loads, proficiency and/or transfer credits and breaks.
8 Transfer credit is evaluated on an individual basis. Not all credits are eligible to transfer. See the University Catalog for transfer credit policies.
9 University grants or scholarships are based on established criteria as published in the University Catalog and are awarded after verification that the conditions of eligibility have been met.
AIU cannot guarantee employment, salary, or career advancement. Not all programs are available to residents of all states. Financial aid is available for those who qualify.
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AIU One-Year Online MBA Program
Pursue AIU’s one-year online MBA program. Designed with 24/7 flexibility for busy professionals, this accredited MBA program can be completed in less than 12 months.
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Classes Start June 7, 2023