Tara Brinkoetter

Director of Enrollment for Online & Graduate Studies & Student Services

Baker Online

913.344.1200

tara.brinkoetter@bakerU.edu

Earn Your Associate Degree in Business

About

Build marketable business skills, gain knowledge to help businesses succeed, launch a successful business career—and do it all online at Baker University.

Earning an associate of arts in business at Baker takes you along an accelerated pathway filled with lifelong rewards. Empowered with a real understanding of how today’s businesses work, you’ll be an asset in any environment and qualify for jobs that boost your earning potential.

Baker faculty—all experienced business professionals—lead you through lessons that are immediately applicable to your professional life.

Sharpen your oral and written communication skills.
Prepare for administrative roles.
Gain an understanding of basic business concepts, including economics, accounting, human resources, and marketing.
Develop better team-building, problem-solving, and creative-thinking skills.
Prepare to enroll in a bachelor’s program.

Our online associate degree in business gives you the foundation you need to take on leadership and supervisory roles and design courses of action to solve business problems.

Baker’s academic advising team acts as your partner as you earn an associate degree in business. We’ll help you plan your courses so you can efficiently complete the associate of arts in business program and start the next phase of your career.

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Degree Details: Associate in Business

Learning doesn’t have to happen in a classroom. You can earn an associate degree in business at Baker without relocating or leaving your full-time job.

Get your associate degree in business from anywhere.
Learn in classes that are held year-round.
Finish your coursework quickly with accelerated, six-week courses.
Earn your online associate degree in business in as few as two years, depending on transfer credits.

Start the journey toward your associate in business by taking the first step in the admissions process.

Program Highlights: Associate Degree in Business

A Baker online associate degree in business is built on curriculum that spans four subject areas—business, social science, science, and arts and humanities—so you develop a well-rounded perspective.

Even online, you’ll experience dynamic group discussions, gain new perspectives from your peers, and listen to real-world lessons from faculty.

Our associate of arts in business will help you:

Prepare for any stage of your career. Whether you’re starting college for the first time or have a few credits already, we can prepare you for a career in business.

Earn course credit in a distinctive way. Baker’s Prior Learning and Assessment Center recognizes your college-level experience outside the classroom. We’ll help you find ways to earn credit for what you know so you can earn your degree faster.

Get a jump start on a bachelor’s degree. If a bachelor’s degree in business is in your future, then our associate degree in business is a great place to start.

Earn your degree without lots of debt. Our associate degree in business was recognized by SR Education Group as a Top Online College based on value, acknowledging our high academic standards and commitment to affordability.

Exceptional Experiences: Associate Degree in Business

Be a top pick in a massive workforce. An online associate degree in business from Baker will attract the attention of businesses and recruiters looking to expand their teams.

Build your confidence. Become a valuable employee who can think critically, solve complex problems, and communicate clearly—with a respected associate in business degree to back it up.

We work with your schedule. With your full-time job, family, and other commitments, you already have a full schedule. Our online associate degree in business is designed to be flexible. Work classes in whenever and however you can.

Designed for the real world. Technology is changing business, and you’ll be better prepared for it with our associate of arts in business. Our courses focus on business as it works today—and tomorrow.

What Can You Do With an Associate in Business?

Qualified business professionals are needed in every type of organization—from stadiums and hotels to banks and nonprofits.

Behind every decision, customer experience, event, transaction, or product launch is a smart, talented, well-rounded business professional. Are you ready to join their ranks?

If you’re already working in the business world, then an associate of arts in business will propel your career forward as you move up the ladder and qualify for higher-level, higher-paying positions.

If you’re new to business, then this associate in business is exactly what you need to get started.

With an associate of arts degree in business from Baker, you’ll be qualified for job titles like these:

Administrative assistant
Customer service associate
Human resources specialist
Sales supervisor
Executive assistant

Your newfound skills will make you an expert in strengthening teams, organizations, and relationships in the field you love.

Financial Aid: Associate of Arts in Business

Learn how affordable your associate degree in business can be. You’ll find the return on investment you’re looking for with Baker University’s highly ranked online programs.

In fact, Baker offers the highest return on investment of private colleges in Kansas, according to Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce (2022).

Financial Aid Options

Tuition & Fees

Baker Is Military Friendly

Military Advanced Education named Baker University one of America’s Top Military-Friendly Colleges and Universities. Veterans and active-duty service members and their spouses who want to earn an associate degree in business may qualify for tuition discounts.

Military Benefits

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Meet Our Associate of Arts in Business Students

“Baker University made me feel like I belonged and treated me like family. Responses were immediate and friendly, and the instructors were always eager to assist me with achieving my educational goals. I highly recommend the Baker Online programs for those looking to further their education, especially for those with families or already working in careers.”

—Steven | Baker Online Graduate, Class of ’20

Associate in Business: Example Courses

An online associate degree in business from Baker includes a wide variety of curriculum:

Industrial and Organizational Psychology: Learn about factors that influence human behavior in organizational settings. Investigate personnel psychology, organizational psychology, factors in the workplace, and consumer psychology.
Financial Planning: Develop a basic financial plan, apply budgeting procedures in daily and monthly spending plans, calculate principal and interest, define types of consumer credit, and identify types of housing mortgages.
Foundations of Business Management: Examine the role of business in the creation and distribution of goods and services. Learn about business participation in civic and public affairs while exploring business career options.
Mass Media and Society: Study the technological growth and impact of our media environment on individuals and society, with special emphasis on the political-legal, economic, sociological, and psychological effects of mass media on American life.

View Full Course List

Related Programs at Baker University

Already have an Associate of Arts in Business? Or planning now for the future? Baker has other online business and marketing programs designed for working professionals like you:

Bachelor of Business Administration in Management: Develop and refine the management skills you need to be successful in today’s global business environment.

Coursework & Requirements

Admission Requirements

Courses

General Education & Elective Course Requirements

Arts & Humanities (no more than 6 credits from any one discipline) 18 credits
Social Sciences 6 credits
Sciences 6 credits
Math (College Algebra or higher) 3 credits
Written English 3 credits (satisfied in the AAB lower-division courses)
Electives 6 credits
Lower-division courses 24 credits

Total 63 credits (minus the 3 credits of written English included in lower-division courses) Based on reasonable projections of faculty availability and appropriate curriculum considerations, the following courses can change as deemed necessary by Baker University to fulfill its role and mission. Completing the 63-credit-hour AAB curriculum requires approximately 24 months.

BK 110: Introduction to Business Education This introductory course is for adult students pursuing a business degree. Topics include oral and written communication skills, critical reading and reflection, effective research skills using technologies and credible sources, study skills, time management, and group interaction.

Foundations Track: Students with Fewer than 24 College Credits

SO 242: Society and the Individual An essential goal of sociology is to understand the dynamic relationships between social structures and individual values and behaviors. This course explores the nature of human interaction in its social context. Primary focus is given to the study of the relationship between norms, social roles and society. The course also discusses the nature of social identities, social transactions and the development of the “self.” How each applies to gender and sexuality, obedience and conformity, socialization and groups will also be discussed.

EN 102: Business Writing This course introduces students to the fundamentals of college writing and writing in the business settings. Students will learn to use the writing process as well as different rhetorical strategies to develop logical, organized business communications and classroom essays. Emphasis will be placed on communicating ideas clearly and using feedback to edit and improve work.

PS 115: Introduction to American Politics Introduction to American Politics introduces students to the basic concepts of American politics, including its classical roots and theoretical basis, the Constitution, the three branches of government, civil liberties, public policy, the mass media, and foreign policy. At the conclusion, students apply their understanding of the theories to specific current problems.

EN 110: Literature and Ideas Literature and Ideas introduces students to various forms and genres of literature while developing their skills in reading, thinking, discussing, and writing. Students will identify basic literary techniques and devices used to create meaning and effect, learn to analyze literature for cues about purpose, audience, and agenda, and build skills in interpreting complex literary messages as they recognize that authors, poets, and playwrights write from the society they know. Students will interpret and articulate what the literature shows them about human life and struggles.

HU 111: Critical Thinking Critical Thinking introduces students to logic and the ability to think clearly and critically, primarily through practice in inductive and deductive reasoning. The course emphasizes recognition of fallacious reasoning, unclear or misleading language, and manipulative techniques in various forms of communication.

CO 102: Business Communication In this course, students build interpersonal, small group and public presentation skills. Course content focuses on the process of communication, self-concept, perception, listening, leadership in groups, language and nonverbal communication as well as research, design and delivery of public presentations.

TH 110: Theatre: Playwright to Production This course introduces students to the art, craft and business of theatre. Students will become familiar with the roles of the playwright, actor, director, designers and other theatre professionals in the collaborative creation of works for the stage. Other topics include the role of the audience, play genres, dramatic structure, types of theatres and musical theatre. Students will attend and evaluate a live theatre performance.

HI 231: 1945-1980: Decades of Change In this course, students explore the significant events in American history from World War II to 1980 and the impact of these events on the present. Course content focuses on foreign and domestic policy, social and cultural change, politics, and the economy.

PY 258: Industrial and Organizational Psychology This course introduces students to the factors that influence human behavior in organizational settings, emphasizing scientific analysis of individual processes, group processes, and organizational structure and design. Investigate specific areas such as personnel psychology, organizational psychology, factors in the workplace, and consumer psychology.

BI 120: Human Ecology A biology course for the non-scientist, Human Ecology introduces the terminology and world view of biological science by examining the impact of modern technology on human ecology.

Pathways Track: Students with 24 or More Credits

BU 230: Financial Planning In this course, students learn about the role of consumers in the economy. Students will develop a basic financial plan, apply budgeting procedures in daily and monthly spending plans, calculate principal and interest, define types of consumer credit, and identify types of housing mortgages. Applying course concepts, the student will be able to determine individual insurance needs and be able to explain employee and retirement benefits.

BU 250: Advertising and Promotion Advertising and Promotion provides an introduction to the fundamental elements of customer communication and how to apply them to target market strategies. Students are introduced to advertising principles and practices and develop an advertising plan for a business organization.

MA 145: College Algebra College Algebra includes a study of algebraic equations, inequalities, functions, graphs, exponential and logarithmic functions, arithmetic sequences, combinations and permutations, and simple probabilities.

BU 220: Foundations of Business Management Foundations of Business Management introduces students to the operation of business and its position in domestic and international commerce. Students examine the role of business in the creation and distribution of goods and services, and learn about business participation in civic and public affairs. Students get to know the basic business functions of management, marketing, human resources, accounting, and finance. The course explores career options in business.

BU 260: Fundamentals of Accounting Fundamentals of Accounting introduces students to accounting theory and practice, and emphasizes the use of financial statements for management control. BI 245: Human Nutrition Human Nutrition introduces the student to the fundamentals of human nutrition as related to growth, development, and maintenance of good health. In addition to nutritional theory, students learn to analyze and plan nutritional regimes.

BU 240: Basic Economics This course provides an introduction to the study of economics and applies economics to contemporary social issues, such as pollution, professional sports, crime, unemployment, and taxation. Students gain a framework of basic tools to support their understanding of fundamental economic principles.

EC 111: Economic Analysis of Social Issues Economic forces lie at the root of many social problems. Furthermore, many social problems arise because of the incompatibility of individual incentives and social outcomes. Students in this course will be encouraged to thin k about everyday events in an economic fashion. This course begins by developing in the student a few fundamental tools of economic analysis and continues to apply those tools to current problems discussed in economics as well as other academic disciplines, paying particular attention to the role of government in solving or creating social problems.

RE 350: Bible and Leadership In this course, students examine principles of effective leadership as they are demonstrated by prominent biblical figures. The course applies these leadership principles to Joseph, King David, Peter, Paul, and Jesus. Students also explore their own leadership style as it relates to the leadership principles.

MM 140: Mass Media and Society In this course, students study the technological growth and impact of our media environment on the individual and society as a whole. Special emphasis is placed on the political-legal, economic, sociological, and psychological effects of mass media on American life.

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