If you’re just beginning to consider a career in business, your first question may well be “How long is business school?” You don’t have unlimited time, after all. However, the answer depends on the type of degree you are pursuing. You have several options, and these include obtaining your BBA, BSBA, MBA, or doctorate in business; here, we will discuss what you can expect with each one.
How Long Does a DBA or PhD in Business Take?
The highest degree in business is either the Doctor of Business Administration or the PhD in Business; both are doctorates, but have very different approaches and areas of focus. In either case, the time frame depends on how much time you have; a PhD or DBA generally takes around 3-5 years for a full-time student, but can take as much as 7 years studying part-time (or working for the department in a fully-funded business PhD). The time, though, isn’t necessarily the classes – most PhD coursework is done in two years, or even more quickly with an accelerated program. Online DBA programs can make the process very convenient as well.
It’s the final project that takes the time. A PhD in Business, being a more academic degree, is more likely to require a dissertation, though no-dissertation PhDs are fairly common in business. The DBA, on the other hand, is likely to require an applied project – some original research project that puts theory and research into practice. Many students take as much as 2-3 years on just the final project. However, the job opportunities an online DBA can provide are well worth the work.
How Long Does an MBA or Other Business Master’s Take?
Students pursuing their MBA, or Masters in Business Administration, can expect to spend two years attaining this degree if they work toward it full time; with online and accelerated courses, though, some programs have shortened the time to as little as on year. However, many business master’s students are working adults, and can only take courses part-time; in that case, it may take more like 3-5 years. With a master’s degree, though, you’re closer to a doctorate, and may be able to transfer straight into a program like a doctorate in marketing, a doctorate in finance, or a doctor in management.
The first year of the curriculum will focus on giving students a core understanding of business principles, and this period is known for being particularly intense. Educators often work to limit class sizes to give each person they support they need through this process. The second year of study is usually more self-directed, but that doesn’t mean it gets any easier. By the second year, students are deeply in their concentration area and working on a culminating project – usually an academic thesis or applied project. You’ll also be searching for employment in their chosen field. That’s when the business school networking opportunities are essential, providing future guidance when you need it and helping you gain entry into coveted positions.
How Long Does a BBA or BSBA Take?
The courses that a student will need to take for the BBA, or Bachelor’s in Business Administration, and the BSBA, or Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration, are going to significantly overlap. The answer to the query, how long is business school, will be four years when you wish to earn either your BSBA or your BBA. The difference is focus: the BSBA is more technical, and the BBA more behavioral. In either, you need the conventional freshman and sophomore English, psychology, and other liberal arts classes. Many business schools now offer 5-year programs, which combine a bachelor’s and master’s degree into on 5-year sequence.
In order to earn their BSBA, students will need to take courses related to technology and sciences, such as chemistry and physics, and their coursework will also include instruction in advanced mathematics, such as calculus and statistics. BBA programs focus more on leadership, decision making, and team-building, but all of the fundamentals still apply. In addition, these concepts will be taught with a view to both micro and macro perspectives to equip prospective job candidates to successfully find employment in the working world.