Business

An applied business degree is ideal for those looking for growth in their current roles or are preparing for leadership and management positions. In this program, you’ll gain a variety of business skills, such as:

• Analytical research and problem solving.
• Cross-functional communication and collaboration.
• Data analytics and visualization.
• Global applications and cultural sensitivity.
• Leadership and management.
• Personal ethics and integrity.

Additionally, you can tailor your learning by choosing up to two specializations in your areas of interest. Explore topics in more than 15 focus areas ranging from human resources and diversity, equity and inclusion to human factors engineering and marketing. This provides you with the opportunity to direct your learning and tailor coursework to your professional goals.

The careers an applied business degree prepares you for

Employers of all sizes and industries value broad-based business skills. Whether you want to advance in your current role, seek opportunities in a new organization or follow entrepreneurial pursuits, you’ll be on the path to accomplish your goals.

As a graduate, you can pursue a wide array of careers in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. You may find opportunities in communications, leadership and management, human resources, sales, training and more.

How does this program compare to a business administration degree?

While both programs provide insight into business practice and strategy, they have key differences. ASU Online’s bachelor’s in business administration concentration emphasizes building general management and operations skills.

By comparison, this applied business degree allows you to explore multiple areas of interest. You’ll have the flexibility to take courses in a variety of disciplines and understand how they integrate to form valuable business solutions.

In our interdependent world, hazardous incidents can affect individuals, organizations and communities. In this program, you’ll explore an integrative approach to managing risk and building resilience in the face of natural and human-caused disasters. You’ll also gain perspective of the economic, social and public policy implications of disasters, terrorism and national security threats.

Additionally, you’ll learn how to assess vulnerabilities and manage risk associated with crisis situations, promote security and protect critical assets. Upon graduation, you’ll have an interdisciplinary skill set, including:

• Collaborating across teams and organizations.
• Communicating with the public and emergency services communities.
• Conducting risk and vulnerability assessments.
• Deploying human capital and technological systems for decision support.
• Management and strategic planning.
• Writing for multiple audiences.

What you can do with a bachelor's in emergency management and homeland security

You can pursue a variety of roles in disaster response and preparedness, ranging from an emergency preparedness specialist in a public health agency to an analyst in corporate global security operations. Other career paths include security policy, program planning, crisis operations, quality assurance, mission support and more.

If you hold a role as a first responder, nonprofit worker or government employee, earning a bachelor’s in homeland security and emergency management can also boost your upward mobility. This program may also be an ideal fit for veterans or active-duty service members transitioning to civilian work.

Additionally, this bachelor’s degree can be completed as part of an Accelerated Master’s program. When accepted, you can earn a master’s degree in as little as one year after completing your undergraduate degree. This opportunity saves you time and money while giving you advanced knowledge in your field. Applicable master's degrees include:

• Master of Arts in emergency management and homeland security.
• Master of Public Administration.
• Master of Science in program evaluation and data analytics.

Does this degree prepare me for disaster relief jobs?

Yes. With the abilities you’ll develop related to emergency operations, continuity management and cross-organizational communication, you’ll be equipped to work on teams responding to any disaster. This can include intentional human acts (e.g. terrorism), accidental human hazards (e.g. chemical releases from train derailments) or disasters from natural hazards (e.g. hurricanes or wildfires).

Additionally, this program places an emphasis on professional development and applied coursework to build skills. You’ll have the opportunity to complete certifications that support your career, such as credentials offered by the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA).

Data visualization focuses on increasing universal access to data using a variety of visual design techniques. The three primary benefits of earning a data visualization degree concentration include, but aren’t limited to:

• Career opportunities.
  • Diverse skills increase your marketability and may open doors for career opportunities in the public, private and nonprofit sectors.
  • New career opportunities in the fields of data analysis, data visualization and data specialization.
  • Other career opportunities in the fields of graphic design and content management.
• Personal development.
  • Further your skills and theory of data management, helping you understand, manage, normalize, create and visualize different types of data according to best practices.
  • Learn how to independently analyze and scrutinize sources of data, including publicly available datasets.
• Professional competencies.
  • Understanding the theory of data management allows you to manage, normalize, create and visualize many types of data using best practices.
  • Gaining knowledge about graphic design and visual communication principles enables you to design infographics, informational posters and other media that increase accessibility to information.
  • Independently analyze and scrutinize many sources of data, including publicly available datasets.

Earning a data visualization degree concentration prepares you to join a field with high demand in data-related occupations. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment for data scientists is projected to grow 35% from 2022 to 2032, which is much faster than average for all occupations. The median annual salary in 2022 for data scientists was $103,500 and typically requires earning a bachelor’s degree in a related field.

The skills you’ll develop in this program

During this program, you'll explore a variety of topics you can apply to your career, such as graphic design, data visualization, infographic development and data analysis. You’ll also learn about the structure of digital information and all facets of data management. Skills you’ll develop include:

• Collaborating with people of diverse backgrounds.
• Conducting user research to create complex communication products.
• Creating communication pieces in multiple media formats.
• Managing design projects.
• Writing clearly and effectively for specific audiences.

Data visualization and technical communication are integral to driving strategic decisions across industries. This data visualization degree concentration prepares you to organize and present data in appealing visuals, ultimately making information easy to understand for wide audiences.

How does this program compare to other technical communication degree concentrations?

This bachelor’s in technical communication with a concentration in data visualization provides foundational knowledge in technical writing with a focus on visual data. As part of the technical communication core curriculum, you’ll learn the fundamentals of technical communication and practice principles of technical editing. After completing your core curriculum, you’ll take data visualization concentration courses that help you advance your data visualization tools and techniques. Upon graduation, you’ll be prepared for a variety of careers in data or technical communication.

If you’re interested in exploring other aspects of technical communication, you may also consider the following ASU Online programs:

• Bachelor of Science in technical communication with a concentration in social media management.
  • In this program, you’ll take courses that focus on writing, design, management and other techniques for producing a variety of content. In your social media concentration courses, you’ll develop insight into the opportunities, concerns and demands associated with professional social media management.
• Bachelor of Science in technical communication with a concentration in user experience.
  • In this program, you’ll take courses that emphasize technical communication, while incorporating relevant context from fields such as human systems engineering and graphic information technology. In your user experience courses, you’ll gain a foundation in UX concepts and their application to real-world assignments.

Administrators are critical in all settings that address mental and physical health. Administrative work centers on meeting patient needs, evaluating key services, budgeting, improvement and daily oversight of operations. Health care policy involves collaborating with leaders to establish industry standards, develop standard operating procedures, advocate for key issues and work with the government to create or amend regulations.

In this program, you’ll gain the competencies to achieve management or administrative roles within the health care system. You’ll also be equipped to work at the local or federal government level to shape laws and policies or advocate for meaningful health policy changes through nongovernmental organizations. Additionally, if you’re a practitioner, this program can help you develop the skills to effectively manage your practice.

The knowledge and skills you’ll develop

The curriculum covers the history and current implementation of policies, as well as the organization of various parts of the U.S. health care delivery system. This program offers you more flexibility if you're unsure whether you want to pursue a career path in the administration, operations or policy side of health care. You’ll also gain specialized skills related to:

• Budget and finance processes using Excel.
• Cultural humility.
• Data analysis and visualization with Excel.
• Economic analysis.
• Ethical decision-making.
• Leadership and professionalism.
• Knowledge of U.S. health care system organization.
• Policy analysis.
• Population health management.
• Process engineering/quality improvement.

Health care administration roles are in demand and well paid

The need for a nonclinical professional workforce continues to grow due to a rise in chronic conditions, changes in technology and increasingly complex regulations. This demand creates various opportunities for those passionate about working to ensure providers can deliver top-quality patient care. In this program, you’ll learn through a multidisciplinary approach taught by a diverse group of experienced faculty members. You’ll graduate prepared to become an administrative leader or team member in health care facilities, private practices, hospitals and more.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in health care occupations is projected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations from 2023 to 2033. Medical and health services managers are especially in demand, with projected job growth of 29% in the same time frame. Additionally, the median annual pay for the role was more than $110,000 as of 2023.

Human resources professionals are necessary to every organization, making candidates with a specialized degree highly sought after. This program prepares you for careers in this dynamic field by exploring how human resources influences every stage of employment from identifying business needs to managing the end of employment cycles.

You’ll graduate ready to lead organizational excellence across various industries and government sectors with abundant employment opportunities and the potential for a rewarding salary. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, job growth for this role is projected to grow 6% from 2023 to 2033, which is faster than the average for all occupations. The roles are well paid, too, with a median annual pay of $140,030 as of May 2024.

The knowledge and skills you’ll develop

This program begins by providing you with foundational business knowledge crucial for managerial roles. As you advance, you’ll focus on core human resources functions and develop the skills to handle the complexities of modern workforce needs, such as:

• Analytical and critical thinking
• Effective communication
• Global and cultural sensitivity
• Leadership
• Legal knowledge
• Personal ethics and integrity
• Relationship management

Through a curriculum that blends theoretical study with practical applications using traditional texts, real-world case studies and contemporary business literature, you’ll gain comprehensive knowledge in assessing, selecting, developing, managing, compensating and guiding employees. This dual approach ensures you not only grasp the strategic importance of human resources management but also acquire hands-on skills to thrive in various organizational environments.

Mentorship and networking opportunities

This program offers ample opportunities to build a strong foundation in human resources management through mentorship and networking. As a student, you'll join the Society for Human Resource Management National Chapter, gaining access to invaluable resources tailored to your human resource concentration courses. You’ll also have the opportunity to engage in HR mentoring workshops each semester featuring guest speakers who share insights on resume writing and interviewing skills, as well as conduct mock one-on-one interviews with industry professionals. Many students choose to enhance their studies with internships, gaining valuable mentorship from practitioners and faculty with real-world experience, including former HR executives from Basis Education and Employers Council.