The University of Alabama at Birmingham offers seven online bachelor’s degree programs through the Collat School of Business:
- Accounting
- Finance
- Human Resource Management
- Industrial Distribution
- Information Systems
- Management
- Marketing
Each is unique and can offer students varied opportunities for professional growth after graduation, but they also have many things in common. Because each of these programs is offered through the Collat School of Business, they all have the perks of being 100 percent online, available 24/7, led by knowledgeable faculty members, and more.
Here are some of the biggest benefits of pursuing an online bachelor’s degree in business with the University of Alabama at Birmingham:
Entirely online
One of the biggest perks of the bachelor’s degrees offered through University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Collat School of Business is the ability to earn a degree online. These programs are 100 percent virtual, which means students can learn and study anywhere they choose.
When deciding to enroll in a university and pursue a degree, many people have to weigh the advantages and disadvantages. Two obstacles many people encounter are family or work obligations. When they’re required to be present on campus for numerous hours each day, they may not be able to easily tend to their other responsibilities.
However, with courses, homework, and exams that are accessible entirely online, students can study at home, at their favorite coffee shop, their local library, or anywhere else with a good internet connection. This makes it much easier to balance school, work, and family.
Asynchronous schedule
There are different styles of online education. Some follow synchronous schedules, where students are expected and required to log on at certain hours of the day. Even though they’re not campus-bound, they are time-bound, which can limit how well they can really balance a job, child care, or other responsibilities with their academic duties.
Fortunately, this isn’t the case with the Collat School of Business. The courses for these online bachelor’s degree programs are asynchronous, which means learning materials are available 24/7. Students can access and watch lectures any time of the day. Even though there may be some assignments and exams to be completed within a given window of time, these are still generally very flexible, allowing students to complete them as their schedules allow.
Since all relevant class materials can be accessed any time of day, students are also able to go back to previous lectures or other notes they may want to review. Additionally, because there are few time constraints, students are able to study and learn at their own pace.
Experienced faculty
Whether a student is choosing between an online or on-campus curriculum, the faculty’s expertise should be one key consideration. At UAB, students have the benefit of being taught by top-notch professors. More than 90 percent have either an academic or professional doctorate degree.
The faculty at the Collat School of Business are also respected in their fields. Many of them consult for Fortune 500 companies and the Big 4 accounting firms — organizations where UAB students might hope to one day work. Having a connection to these companies may prove beneficial.
In addition to having highly trained and respected faculty members, the courses offered through the various bachelor’s degree programs are informed by industry professionals. For example, the Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management program is in line with the Society for Human Resource Management’s curriculum guidelines, and a team of HR and management professionals helped inform its content. By bringing in such expertise, students can feel confident that they are being taught relevant, useful information that they can apply once they begin their careers.
Accreditation
Just like having experienced and educated faculty members, learning about an institution’s accreditation status is something students should always consider, regardless of whether they’re reviewing an online or on-campus program.
The Collat School of Business’s programs have earned accreditation through two distinguished bodies:
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
The AACSB accreditation isn’t easy to earn. Only 176 universities in the world — or 5 percent of all business programs — have been awarded this distinction. UAB has proudly maintained this mark of excellence since 1982.
SACSCOC’s goal is to set and maintain common standards among institutions of higher learning in 11 Southern states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia) and in Latin America.
Internship opportunities
Internships can provide students valuable experience they may not be able to get from the classroom. These opportunities give people a chance to flex their skills and knowledge in a hands-on way. Additionally, being introduced to a workplace setting can give students an idea of what having a job in their chosen field would look like.
Another benefit of internships is they can open up additional options after graduation. If an intern excels at a company, he or she could be extended a job offer, or at least have the chance to apply for a position after graduating. UAB understands the importance of internships, which is why it was the first in the state to include these experiences in its core curriculum.
Earning a bachelor’s degree at the University of Alabama at Birmingham
The seven online bachelor’s degree programs from the Collat School of Business offer many advantages to students. The school’s positive reputation, the high-quality curricula, and the opportunities for networking and interning are only some of the many benefits that students may enjoy when pursuing a degree online at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. To learn more about the online bachelor’s degree programs available, connect with an enrollment advisor today.
Recommended Readings:
What you may learn in UAB’s online BS in Finance program
What you may learn in UAB’s online BS in Human Resource Management program
Sources:
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
University of Alabama at Birmingham Collat School of Business