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Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration | Undergraduate Degree Program

Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration

Online Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration

Ottawa University’s Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration degree was developed to address growing employer demand for graduates from business administration programs to possess essential work skills and employment readiness. By pursuing the Business Administration degree, students will gain business skills beyond technical proficiency and job-specific hard skills to include more interpersonal skills that are less quantifiable in nature. This degree will strengthen a student’s written and oral communication, and emphasize the importance of analytical skills by incorporating data analysis, problem-solving, and critical thinking.

Why Get a Business Administration Degree?

Students will develop practical managerial and communication skills and the decision-making capability necessary to compete in today’s challenging business environment. Students will increase their understanding of the various business functions and their interconnections while potentially engaging in a specific concentration to further augment management competencies.

Business Administration Related Degrees

Master of Arts in Leadership

Master in Business Administration

Master in Human Resources

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What is an MBA?

To learn more about OU’s Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration degree, contact us today!

Beginning in the 2021-2022 academic year, the ASSB will begin offering the BA in Business Administration.  The following note is included with respect to this degree program:  *This program is not yet accredited by ACBSP, as a new business program, it cannot be considered for ACBSP accreditation until the programs has been in place for at least two years and has graduates.

Business Administration is offered at the following locations.

  • Overland Park, Kansas
  • Brookfield, Wisconsin
  • Online

Business Administration Education and Qualifications

Ottawa’s Business Administration degree helps students understand how business works and the intricacies and interdependencies within each discipline. More specifically, students will learn how each business area relates to one another. Furthermore, this degree program focuses on ethical management, teamwork, and collaboration along with the important use of technology within a business setting.

Requirements for enrollment in the B.A. in Business Administration degree are two to three years of full-time work experience, a professional resume, and a personal essay. The online program consists of 30 credit hours with eight major courses and provides a more clarified and simplified path to the MBA.

For the Business Administration curriculum and course descriptions, please download a program overview.

Business Administration Careers

Potential employment opportunity for strategic business administration majors include management analyst, purchasing manager, business development manager, human resource manager, entrepreneur among others, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs in this arena are projected to grow 14% from 2020 to 2030, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. The median annual wage for management analysts was $87,660 in May 2020. 

Careers in Business Administration 

  • Advertising Executive
  • Business Consultant
  • Business Developer
  • Financial Analyst
  • Franchising Manager
  • Human Resources (HR) Specialist
  • Human Resources Manager
  • Loan Officer
  • Market Research Analyst
  • Municipal Manager
  • Office Administrator
  • Procurement Officer
  • Sales Manager
  • Sports Operations Manager
  • Training and Development Specialist

Business Administration Foundation Courses

Accounting for Business Operations | ACC 20364 (4 credits)

Introduces operating activities of business. Emphasis on using income statements to plan and evaluate the operations of a for-profit entity.

Macroeconomics | ECO 20163 (3 credits)

Focuses on inflationary consequences of monetary and fiscal policies designed to eliminate poverty and unemployment, significance of money and government deficits on attainment of goals of high employment and economic growth in a non-inflationary environment and role of the dollar in international trade.

Microeconomics | ECO 20263 (3 credits)

Study of the role of prices in allocating and developing scarce resources to meet the needs and demands of consumers, the impact of the profit motive on business size and efficiency, the economic power of large-scale business firms, the interplay of private and public choice through price controls, business regulation and taxation.

Business Mathematics | MAT 20143 (3 credits)

Focuses on basic mathematics skills, business mathematics applications and problem solving strategies. Concepts include properties of real numbers, fundamental operations of rational numbers, fractions, decimals, percents, numerical and graphical descriptions of data, basic probability and logical thinking.

Business Statistics | MAT 20044 (4 credits) OR

Focuses on basic methods of research design and analysis of data including descriptive and inferential statistics. Topics include mean, median, mode, frequency distribution, range, standard deviation, probabilities of sampling selection, Z-score, T-value, regression and correlation, hypothesis testing, analysis of variance and Chi-square analysis.

Introduction to Statistics | MAT 20044 (4 credits) OR

Offers the student an intuitive introduction to descriptive and inferential statistics. Topics covered include data organization, averages and variation, elementary probability theory, binomial and normal probability distributions, Central Limit Theorem, estimation, hypothesis testing, linear regression and correlation.  Prerequisite: Score of 16 on non-math track initial placement or MAT 10443 Intermediate Algebra.

Quantitative Methods in Business | OAD 31564 (3 credits)

Introduces use of quantitative methods in business emphasizing quantitative analysis techniques using Microsoft Excel. Includes spreadsheet preparation of financial and operational schedules and application of financial analysis, budgeting and forecasting, economic and investment opportunity analysis, data analytics, programming and mathematical functions relating to supply and demand decision-making. 

Business Ethics | OAD 31664 (3 credits)

Introduces development of personal and group norms required for work places. Topics include moral reasoning in business, employee rights and responsibilities of corporations.

Business Administration Major Courses

Applied Field Practicum | APR 30000 (1 credit)
Must be taken concurrently with FIN 30000 and OAD 30063.

Students participate in a practicum led by a faculty member. The practicum experience provides students the opportunity to apply and integrate knowledge acquired through core course offerings and to demonstrate leadership, independence, and originality in the applied project’s completion. The student must complete a minimum of 40 contact hours with an employer, or an equivalent project as determined by the faculty member, during the practicum course. Can be repeated up to three times.  Required for BA in Business Administration majors and must be taken concurrently with FIN 30000 and OAD 30063.

Foundations in Finance | FIN 30000 (3 credits) + Applied Field Practicum | APR 30000 (1 credit)

Examines financing of an organization from the administrative viewpoint.  Consideration of internal financial management as well as external financing and capital structures. Prerequisites: ACC 20364 Accounting for Business Operations.

Behavior in Organizations | OAD 30063 (3 credits) + Applied Field Practicum | APR 30000 (1 credit)

Study of human behavior in work organizations. Focuses on individual satisfaction and motivation as related to organizational structure, nature of task and locus of power. Topics include small group formation, maintenance, organizational conflict, communications and leadership.

Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace | OAD 30141 (4 credits)

Research shows emotional intelligence (EI) is more important than IQ in determining outstanding job performance. Examines variety of instruments and writings used to build EI in workplace.

Quantitative Analysis for Managerial Decision-Making | OAD 31565 (4 credits)

Emphasis on the managerial application and implications of quantitative analysis techniques. From the management of resources to financial forecasting, financing and investment, the course incorporates the use of quantitative analysis techniques using software applications including Microsoft Excel and Tableau to assist in practical business decision-making and managing organizational goals and strategies. Students employ quantitative analysis to an integrated case study.

Marketing Management | MKTG 31864 (4 credits)

The focus of this course is on formulating marketing strategy from a managerial perspective. This perspective looks at segmentation, targeting, positioning, and marketing mix factors that contribute to the company's competitive advantage in the marketplace. The application of these factors is used in market opportunity assessment along with marketing planning, implementation, evaluation, and control. Prerequisite: MKTG 31863 Principles of Marketing.

Human Resources Administration | OAD 32563 (4 credits)

Focuses on process and management of the personnel function including task specialization, selection and placement, development and training, collective bargaining, appraisal and compensation.

Introduction to Management Information Systems | OAD 38064 (4 credits) 

This course represents an introduction to management information systems (MIS) as a bridge to solving business-driven issues and strategic decision-making. Emphasis is on theory and practical application in the business environment concentrating on MIS concepts and technology that supports business activities.

Business Simulation and Strategy | OAD 49800 (4 credits)

This course represents the capstone for those students enrolled in the Strategic Business Administration major. The goal of this capstone course is for students to apply practical knowledge with strategic application between functional areas within a business environment. Students engage in a business simulation that helps fortify learning from prior courses and an opportunity to administer theory and practice within a realistic setting. In the simulation, students are confronted with issues surrounding accounting, finance, marketing, production, ethics, and human resources within an integrated business environment. Prerequisites: completion of core courses.

Business Administration Bridge Option

The Bridge Option represents an opportunity for Ottawa University undergraduates who plan on pursuing a graduate degree at the University the chance for advanced, graduate learning as an undergraduate. The Bridge Option helps bridge the transfer between the undergraduate and graduate levels. The programs open to Bridge students will vary depending on when the courses are offered and student readiness.

As a senior in the Bridge Option, students  will enroll in up to three graduate-level classes that will count toward the total degree requirements of 120 credit hours for the bachelor's degree and toward the 36 hours required for the graduate program. A special course number has been assigned to courses in the Bridge Option. Students will need to understand the requirements for these courses are more rigorous.

Eligible students who meet the following criteria may qualify for Ottawa University's Bridge Option.

  • Junior standing or higher (at least 90 credit hours)
  • A minimum cumulative OU grade point average of 3.0
  • Have earned a minimum of 12 credits in residence at Ottawa University

OU students should talk with their advisor about this opportunity and their qualifications for the Bridge Option in their junior year before degree completion.

For the complete Business Administration curriculum and course descriptions, please download a program overview.

Full Degree Catalog

University Accreditation

Ottawa University, as a whole, is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Specific degree programs within our institution have also been accredited by relevant bodies within the field:

We are proudly recognized for our commitment to student excellence by the following designations:

Why Choose Ottawa
Almost all courses in Ottawa University’s programs are available online and accredited by The Higher Learning Commission. We make it easy for you to transfer credits in order to help keep tuition costs down. We also offer courses in accelerated 8-week terms in order to reduce your time to completion. These are just a few of the reasons why we are proud to be the best, fastest, and most affordable option locally in the Kansas City, Milwaukee, and Phoenix areas, as well as serving students nationally through our online degrees.

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