Associate of Applied Science Degree in Business Administration

Request Information
Request Information

Program at a Glance

  • In today's fast-paced business environments, the ability to keep day-to-day operations running smoothly is highly valued.
  • Focus your associate's in business degree plan with elective courses in 12 business concentration areas.
  • Transfer up to 75% of your program requirements to accelerate completion of your degree and save on tuition.*
  • Focus your degree plan with career-focused business concentrations:
  • Business
  • Customer service
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Health club operations
  • Hospitality and tourism services
  • Information processing
  • Office management
  • Retail management
  • Sales
  • Small business management
  • Sports entertainment management
Upcoming Start Dates

We offer multiple start dates to give you flexibility in your education, life, and work schedules.

Course Effort
15–18 Hours per Week
Course Length
10-Week Terms
Average Completion
2 years
Of Full-Time Study
Credits Required
90
(60 Semester Credits)
Cost per Credit
$371
Graduate Faster. Save on Tuition.
calendar with dollar sign icon
See how fast you can complete your degree.

Purdue Global Career Outcomes 2020–2021

Each year, our Center for Career Advancement sends a NACE First Destination survey to our graduating class to learn more about their career choices and potential income within 18 months of graduation. We’re proud of our recent Purdue Global alumni accomplishments.

87%

Graduates in Purdue Global’s Associate of Applied Science in Business Administration program were employed or continued their education within 18 months of graduation.

“Career Outcomes Rate” is not the same as an “employment rate”—it includes graduates who are: (1) employed (whether full or part time); (2) participating in a program of voluntary service, (3) serving in the U.S. Armed Forces, or (4) enrolled in a program of continuing education. This rate may also include graduates employed in jobs unrelated to their degree or who were employed while attending Purdue Global. (9,106 graduates surveyed across associate's, bachelor's, master's, JD, EJD, and DNP programs from July 1, 2019, to December 31, 2020. 7,803 of 9,106 replied.)

Associate of Applied Science in Business Administration Overview

Whether you’re preparing to enter the workforce or seeking credentials to advance your career, earning an associate’s degree in business administration online at Purdue Global can help you establish your position in the field.

Through our comprehensive online business administration degree curriculum, you will have the opportunity to:

  • Develop skills in accounting, management, and software applications.
  • Explore business operations and refine your decision-making and problem-solving skills.
  • Apply management theories and techniques learned in your coursework to real-world business scenarios through a capstone experience.

Continue With Your Bachelor's Degree

When you’re ready to further your education, your associate’s degree may bring you halfway toward earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at Purdue Global.

See the University Catalog for policy and degree plan information specific to this program.

Purdue Global Is Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission

The HLC (HLCommission.org) is an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)

Purdue Global’s business programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).

Military Transfer Credit

Servicemembers and veterans can earn a degree faster with our PME2Degree® program. Use our Military Transfer Credit Estimator to see how much of your training counts as credit.

How Many Credits Have You Earned

Admissions Requirements

You must be a high school graduate or possess a General Educational Development (GED) certificate or other equivalency diploma. You are also encouraged to complete orientation before you start classes. Refer to the University Catalog or speak to an Advisor to learn more.

Ways to Save

  • Transfer Credits

    Earn credit for prior coursework completed at eligible institutions, including community colleges.

    Save Time and Money on Your Degree

  • Prior Work Experience

    You could earn undergraduate credit for your life and professional career experiences.

    Your Experience Counts

  • Financial Aid

    Title IV federal financial aid is available for many of our degree programs.

    Financial Aid FAQ

  • Grants

    Learn about federal financial grants and loan programs that may be available.

    Federal and State Grants

  • Corporate Partner Benefits

    Employees of Purdue Global partner organizations may be eligible for special tuition reductions.

    Employee Savings and Benefits

  • Military Tuition Reduction

    55% reduction per credit for current servicemembers, 38% per credit for veterans for undergraduate programs.

    Tuition Savings for Military

  • Prior Military Experience

    We offer credit for ACE-evaluated training and CLEP and DANTES examinations.

    Credit for Military Training

  • International Tuition Reduction

    International students living outside of the United States are eligible for a 25% tuition reduction.

    International Tuition and Benefits

Program Cost Estimator

Calculate your estimated tuition and ways to save.

Next

View the total cost of attendance for your program.

What Courses Will I Take?

The Associate of Applied Science in Business Administration’s curriculum focuses on a solid management foundation and is designed to help you develop leadership and teamwork skills.

The curriculum is reviewed and revised continually by our dedicated curriculum department and advisory board to ensure it reflects the most recent developments in the field of business.

See All Business Courses
Sample Courses
  • Introduction to Management
  • Finance
  • Marketing
  • Microeconomics

Program Requirements

  • Core Credits
    15
  • Major Credits
    65
  • Elective Credits
    10
  • Total Credits
    90

Associate's in Business Administration Concentrations

Concentrations allow you to personalize your education by focusing your elective choices on an area of study that best fits your desired career path. Choose from:

  • Business

    Build skills in accounting, management, and software applications while learning procedures that interpret tax information, economic processes, and more.

    Concentration Outcomes:

    • Examine small business planning and operational processes.
  • Customer Service

    Gain advanced communication skills and relevant knowledge in accounting, management, and software applications, as well as general business operations.

    Concentration Outcomes:

    • Apply customer service skills to improve the customer experience.
  • Entrepreneurship

    Study promotional tools, advertising, and loyalty and frequency programs while learning how to start and manage a business.

    Concentration Outcomes:

    • Apply the elements of management, marketing, and finance as it applies to entrepreneurship.
  • Health Club Operations

    Develop skills in accounting, marketing, and management while learning the foundations of exercise, the physiology of the human body, and more.

    Concentration Outcomes:

    • Describe the components of physical fitness and performance.
    • Apply customer service skills to improve the customer experience.
    • Explain the function of the anatomy and physiology of the integumentary and skeletal systems.
  • Hospitality Management

    Learn the foundations of conference and event planning, including how to operate international events. Choose a path in either food and beverage management or hotel management.

    Concentration Outcomes:

    • Explain management theories in the global hospitality context.
  • Information Processing

    Prepare for leadership roles in business operations while building core business, communication, and decision-making skills.

    Concentration Outcomes:

    • Analyze appropriate software application(s) to address solutions within a specific discipline.
    • Synthesize database concepts needed to effectively design a database.
  • Meeting and Event Planning

    Concentration Outcomes:

    • Apply best practices to conference operations
    • Apply the steps involved in meeting planning.
  • Office Management

    Address personalized customer needs while learning the elements of planning, organizing, and managing conferences and events.

    Concentration Outcomes:

    • Apply customer building strategies to business situations.
    • Apply customer service skills to improve the customer experience.
  • Retail Management

    Develop key skills in retailing and promotional tools while covering topics including advertising, sales promotions, events, and loyalty and frequency shopper programs.

    Concentration Outcomes:

    • Discuss retail management practices and strategies.
    • Apply customer building strategies to business situations.
  • Sales

    Learn effective sales methods and techniques, interpersonal communication, and public speaking while gaining core business operation skills.

    Concentration Outcomes:

    • Apply customer building strategies to business situations.
    • Show verbal and nonverbal communication skills in a presentation in a field of employment.
  • Small Business Management

    Gain exposure to essential skills in accounting, marketing, and management as well as payroll accounting, customer loyalty, and Microsoft Office applications.

    Concentration Outcomes:

    • Examine small business planning and operational processes.
    • Apply customer building strategies to business situations.
  • Sports Entertainment Management

    Study the impact of sports on culture, budgeting, and sponsorships while developing fundamental skills in accounting, marketing, management, and more.

Career Opportunities

An associate's degree in business administration can help you begin a career in management and qualify for entry-level opportunities in a variety of fields such as customer service, retail management, and health club management.

Top 5 Skills Employers Are Looking for:

  1. Active Listening
  2. Speaking
  3. Coordination
  4. Critical Thinking
  5. Time Management

Top Jobs With This Degree

Labor market, salary, and projected growth information are supplied by Emsi. Average salary range is based on national data. Projected growth represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2018–2030) at the state level and is based on your geographic location. Actual outcomes vary by geographic area, previous work experience, and opportunities for employment. Purdue Global cannot guarantee employment placement, salary level, or career advancement.

Get to Know Our Faculty

Purdue Global faculty members are real-world practitioners who bring knowledge gained through the powerful combination of higher learning and industry experience.

View Business Faculty Directory
grad hat icon 98% Faculty members who have advanced degrees
diploma icon 51% Faculty members who hold a doctorate
tablet icon 395 Faculty publications in 2021–2022
student at desk icon More Than 38,000 Professional development hours logged by faculty in 2021–2022

Statistics include all Purdue Global faculty members and are not school or program-specific calculations. Source: Purdue Global Office of Reporting and Analysis, July 2022. 2021–2022 academic year.

icon of calendar with a clock in gold

Take 3 Weeks to Get to Know Us

Not sure if Purdue Global is right for you? Experience a Purdue Global undergraduate program for an introductory 3-week period.

There’s no financial obligation and no cost to apply.

That’s the Purdue Global Commitment.

pages icon

Download the Program Brochure

Download our brochure to learn more about the Associate of Applied Science in Business Administration and the benefits of earning your degree at Purdue Global.

Prepare yourself for success with an associate's degree in business administration.

NOTES AND CONDITIONS

*Credit for Prior Learning: Purdue Global does not guarantee transferability of credit. See the University Catalog for the Prior Learning policy.

Future Programs: The University cannot guarantee that students will be granted admission to any future programs. Speak to an Advisor about transfer credit opportunities and see the University Catalog for the Prior Learning policy.