Business administration is the integrated supervision and administration of all areas of an organization. This requires understanding business areas ranging from accounting to marketing to Human Resources (HR) and beyond, while also understanding how all these pieces fit together. The ability to see the big picture, set organizational goals, and align its people and resources accordingly is critically important to the success of any company.

Today’s business administrators and managers must be adept at combining traditional leadership skills with a fluency in business analytics. The digital era has created a wealth of opportunities for data analysis of a wide range of business areas, including customer behavior, operations research, and employee performance, and executives must not only understand these analytics but also be able to prioritize their relevance to decision-making.

Like business leaders of previous eras, however, they must also have the strong interpersonal skills needed to connect with their teams and motivate them to achieve company goals. And, perhaps more than ever, top executives need empathetic change management skills to be able to help their employees navigate the unprecedented challenges and economic disruptions of COVID-19.

An education in business administration, and particularly a masters in business administration (MBA), can be a gateway to a wide range of careers in the world of business and finance. Understanding how organizational structures and operations impact with bottom-line business results is essential whether you have a managerial role within a company or are working as a financial analyst deciding whether or not to invest in a company.

MBAs are a particularly important credential for chief executive officers (CEOs) in the corporate world, who are ultimately responsible for decision-making across all business activities. The willingness to make these often-difficult choices and guide companies successfully is one of the most highly valued skills in the job market; according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for chief executives was $184,460 in 2019.

Absolutely. Coursera enables you to take courses and Specializations covering all areas of business, including business administration and related topics in management and leadership. These courses are offered by top-ranked schools such as the University of Pennsylvania and the University of California, Irvine, so you can learn remotely while still getting a high-quality education. You can even apply for a full MBA program from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign or Macquarie University, allowing you to get a degree from prestigious business schools at a significantly lower cost than on-campus students.