An associate degree in management opens the door to many careers

An associate's degree in management is a great path toward future success as a manager in any number of fields. Studying online for an associate's degree in management exposes you to a wide variety of disciplines, including government, nonprofit administration, social services, communication, and business.

Associate's Degree in Management: An Overview

In most management associate's degree programs, you learn how to think critically, and you develop an ability to understand the structure of organizations and how to make them work efficiently. A big part of your training will be quantitative reasoning, where you will be able to develop sound ideas and back them up with research information and data. Good communication skills--learning to speak and write clearly--will also be an important part of your studies. These skills are all vital for managers of any organization.

An associate's degree in management is also a great start toward a bachelor's degree or master's degree in your chosen field, be it business, nonprofit management or another field. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, graduates with an associate's or bachelor's degree in management are among the most highly sought employees, and managerial jobs are expected to grow by 10 to 30 percent in coming years.

Career Outlook for Management Graduates

Those with an associate's degree in management can pursue careers as store managers, retail sales managers, business owners, or governmental affairs managers. Job titles include:

• Training and development managers
• Product managers
• Customer relations managers
• Resort managers
• Community relations managers

For many students, an associate's degree in management is a stepping stone to a bachelor's degree in a more narrowly focused field of management, such as marketing, advertising, purchasing and human resources.

In general, managers earn better salaries than the workers they manage. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, salaries for managers range from $48,170 for education administrators for preschool and child care programs to more than $100,00 a year for financial managers, human resource managers, sales managers and marketing managers. Overall, the 6.1 million managers in the United States earn an average of nearly $103,000 a year.

The Management Curriculum

In many associate's management degree online programs, students learn:

• How managers function effectively in a typical American business
• The social role of business in the U.S.
• How human resources policies affect the attitudes and behaviors of employees
• How to use research and analysis to make decisions and solve problems
• The dynamics of a team and how to build teams

In addition, you'll likely take classes in writing, public speaking, political science, history, accounting and economic principles.

Many students find choose to earn their associate's degree in management through an online program. Online education allows students to study on their own time and avoid commuting to an on-campus classroom. Often, they find they can continue to work full time or care for their family while they are earning their degree.

Why Choose a Career in Management?

If you like to lead people and enjoy making well-reasoned and researched decisions, you'll enjoy working as a manager. Generally speaking, managers oversee the daily operations of a firm or organization, formulating policies and ensuring that the organization's materials and human resources are being efficiently allocated. While the pay is good, these jobs also have a lot of responsibilities, and managers often find that they are called to make work-related decisions even when they are not officially on the job.

If you're ready to take on the responsibility and rewards of a managerial role, get your start with an associate's degree in management.

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