Study Organizational Management: Degrees at a Glance
Earning an associate's or a bachelor's degree in organizational management can prepare you for leadership and consultation positions in human resources, employee training, company restructuring, business administration, healthcare management and many other professional areas. An associate's degree will typically prepare you for entry-level management positions or provide you with the groundwork you need to earn a bachelor's degree in the field.
In 2010, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projected that the number of jobs for administrative service managers as well as customer service professionals would increase by 15% from 2010-2020, which was about average. Human resources management positions were estimated to grow by 13%, while the growth estimation for compensation and benefits managers was a low 3%. Meanwhile, jobs for medical and health services managers were projected to increase by 22%, which was somewhat faster than average.
| Associate 's | Bachelor's | |
|---|---|---|
| Who is this degree for? | Individuals interested in continued education or in earning entry-level positions in organizational management, administrative support and customer service | People who want to work as organizational managers in a variety of different fields and industries |
| Common Career Paths (with approximate mean annual salary) | - Administrative services manager ($87,000)* - Customer service representative ($33,000)* | - Administrative services manager ($87,000)* - Compensation and benefits manager ($101,000)* - Medical and health services manager ($96,000)* |
| Time to Completion | 1-2 years full-time | 3-5 years full-time |
| Common Graduation Requirements | - Roughly 60-80 credit hours - General coursework - Essays and exams | - About 110-130 credit hours - General coursework - Elective coursework - Essays and exams |
| Prerequisites | High school diploma or a GED | High school diploma or a GED, minimum SAT or ACT scores, minimum GPA |
| Online Availability | Yes | Yes |
Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2011 figures).
Associate's in Organizational Management
In an associate's degree program in organizational management, you can usually expect to gain background knowledge and skills in business, leadership and management. Many programs in this field are designed for individuals looking to continue on to a bachelor's degree program. Critical thinking and creativity are often necessary to learn how to cultivate new business tools for organizations. Many of these 2-year programs are specifically designed to help you learn how to allocate sufficient resources to each group or department within an organization, develop workable marketing ideas and identify, evaluate, and solve organizational problems. Unfortunately, you'll find that many potential employers require experience and more than an associate's degree in this field.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- An associate's degree may put you ahead of many other candidates in entry-level customer service and administrative management positions
- You can use this degree as a foundation to earn your bachelor's degree or higher
- A lot of these programs are not particularly difficult to get into compared to bachelor's degree programs
Cons
- You'll probably need at least a bachelor's degree for most organizational management positions
- Not all associate's degree programs in this field have transferable credits
- For the positions that you'll qualify for, it may not be worth the time and cost
Courses and Requirements
As a student in an associate's degree program in organizational management, you'll typically cover supervision, group dynamics, organizational communications, management techniques, marketing, business ethics and mathematics. Coursework you can expect to be required to take may include:
- Economic principles
- Marketing concepts
- Computer information systems
- Managing a business
- Accounting
Online Degree Options
If you are currently employed or can't attend a full-time on-campus program for other reasons, then you might consider an online organizational management degree program. Fortunately, there are a few that you can choose from. Typically, you can complete all of the coursework online, although you may need to attend a supervised location in order to complete certain exams.
Getting Ahead With This Degree
There are a variety of ways that you can plan to get ahead while still earning your associate's degree in this discipline. For example, staying abreast of the technological developments in the office world can help you stand out. Computer literacy is not only beneficial, but also often required in a variety of organizational management positions.
Bachelor's in Organizational Management
A bachelor's degree in organizational management can prepare you for non-entry-level positions in the professional world or entry into a graduate program if you choose to continue your education. You'll gain the leadership, management and problem-solving skills it takes to be an effective team leader or consultant. In certain programs, you can also choose areas of expertise such as recreation and sports management, logistics leadership, public administration or human resources management. It can be important to bear in mind that for many jobs, master's degrees are actually preferred and can used as an educational base.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- In a bachelor's degree program in organizational management, you'll typically gain management-level decision-making and technical skills for different areas of business
- If you choose to go on to earn your graduate degree, a bachelor's degree program can lay the educational foundation you need
- There are a variety of online bachelor's programs from which to choose
Cons
- Although many jobs may only require a bachelor's degree, a master's degree is often preferred in this field by potential employers
- A bachelor's degree program in this field may be expensive or time-consuming
- Since some positions require several years of experience, a bachelor's degree alone may not be enough
Courses and Requirements
Although bachelor's degree courses in organizational management will vary a bit depending on what program you choose to attend, the following are a few courses that you may expect to take:
- Human resources studies
- Global studies
- Organizational leadership
- Management gender and culture
- Organizational leadership
- Statistics
- Assessing and planning your career
- Organizational behavior
- Business ethics and law
- Logistics
In addition to classes, essays, exams and electives, you'll also be required to take a number of general education courses in everything from mathematics to social studies.
Online Degree Options
As is the case with associate's degree programs, there are many online bachelor's degree programs in organizational management available. In some of these programs, you can use previous work experience or education to enhance your bachelor's degree in areas like accounting, recreation and retail. It can be necessary to look into online programs to ensure that they are accredited.
Stand Out With This Degree
If you want to stand out in the job market or as a student continuing your education, there are many methods that you can use, such as:
- Becoming fluent in a second language can open job opportunities in new markets and help you stand out from the competition.
- As is the case when seeking entry-level jobs with an associate's degree, you'll often be required to have computer skills in organizational management jobs. Your knowledge of software and skills such as managing spreadsheets and databases can be quite helpful.
- Your personal organizational skills and ability to categorize departmentalize and lead will usually be integral to your success in this profession.
