Undergraduate

You’ve probably heard about data breaches at major businesses or maybe your personal information has been compromised. Cybercrimes such as these are a threat to most every organization and business. Thus, information security officers who can recognize and prevent these crises are in high demand. 

This information security degree concentration equips you with the skills needed to organize, manage and safekeep a business’s cyber infrastructure. Businesses will turn to you to understand privacy regulations and keep their data, and that of their clients, out of the hands of others.

What is information security?

Information security is the process of keeping private information safe from unauthorized users, thus preventing information theft, manipulation or destruction. Information security is vital to businesses as unauthorized access to private data can lead to revenue loss, loss of client trust or even the eventual end of a business.

How this degree prepares you to be an information security analyst

Today's organizations rely on cyber infrastructure to conduct business transactions with their customers and business partners. Throughout this information security concentration, you’ll develop the requisite digital expertise needed to assist these businesses in finding solutions to cyberthreats and minimizing risks within their organizational processes and transactions. 

You’ll graduate with the core business, critical thinking and problem solving skills necessary in understanding how digital infrastructure should be organized and managed within business policies and frameworks.

Join the next generation of financial planning professionals by gaining the knowledge and skills needed to develop solutions for your clients’ personal financial needs. This program’s curriculum prepares you to assist clients in navigating life’s most important personal financial decisions, including financial investments, insurance needs and estate and tax planning.

This program is best suited for those seeking client-facing roles in the financial services industry. Students interested in working in corporate finance should check out the corporate accounting degree concentration, whereas those looking to become accountants should check out the bachelor’s in accountancy.

Personal financial advisor: An in-demand and high-paying career

As the population ages and life expectancy rises, the demand for financial planning services will increase. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the employment of personal financial advisors is projected to rise 13% between 2022 and 2032, with 25,600 job openings projected each year, on average, during that time. That’s much faster than the average growth rate for all occupations.

These roles are well-paid, too, with the median annual salary being $95,390 as of May 2022, per the BLS.

What you’ll learn in this program

Throughout your coursework, you’ll become skilled across multiple dimensions of the financial planning process. You’ll learn how to value financial assets and assess portfolio risk and performance. You’ll also become familiar with tax strategies and calculations around income realization, exclusions and deductions, passive activities, considerations of business forms, property transactions and the taxation of gift and estate transfers. Additionally, you’ll gain a variety of transferable skills, including:

• Communication.
• Critical thinking.
• Data analysis and quantitative reasoning.
• Management.
• Problem solving.

In this program, you’ll build a strong foundation in business while gaining a specialized understanding of legal considerations. You’ll study how laws shape business formation, daily operations and strategic decisions. Courses explore the U.S. legal system and key areas of business law, including contracts, compliance, human resources, intellectual property and taxation.

You’ll also examine the broader legal and regulatory climate that impacts business policies and risk management. Through coursework, you’ll strengthen skills in logic, negotiation, case analysis, critical thinking and problem solving. This concentration prepares you to evaluate legal issues, navigate complex challenges and lead with confidence where business and law intersect.

Who’s a good candidate for this program?

This program is ideal for those interested in bridging passion for business and law and who want to stand out when applying for future roles. You’ll graduate prepared to navigate regulatory challenges, reduce risk and contribute to strategic decisions in a wide range of industries.

This program is also a great fit if you have experience or interest in areas such as administration, legal support, policy, compliance or management. Entrepreneurs and professionals seeking to better understand how legal regulations shape business operations and decision-making may also find it to be a good fit for their goals.

Note: This is not a pre-law degree ideal for those looking to become lawyers. Although ASU Law does accept students who graduate from this program, this degree was designed for law needed for business use, such as case studies and negotiations.

This program prepares you with the knowledge and skills to increase school readiness for children under age 5. While certification isn’t required to work in early childhood settings, more roles now prefer or require a bachelor’s degree. You’ll learn through a framework of intentional teaching that includes observation, assessment, purposeful planning and reflection. Strengthening your abilities in these areas enables you to design personalized experiences that support each child’s development and long-term success.

Coursework includes opportunities to apply theory in real early childhood settings, supporting children before they enter kindergarten. This program is a strong fit if you work or volunteer in early learning environments such as Head Start, preschools or child care centers.

If you plan to pursue graduate study, you can earn this bachelor’s degree as part of an Accelerated Master’s program. Once accepted, you may complete a master’s degree in as little as one year after finishing your undergraduate program. This option saves time and offers advanced expertise in the field. Applicable master's degrees include:

• Master of Education in elementary education
• Master of Education in elementary education – teacher certification

How is a Bachelor of Applied Science degree different from a BA or BS degree?

A Bachelor of Applied Science focuses on career-ready coursework and practical application. This BAS is designed for those who’ve earned an Associate of Applied Science from a regionally accredited institution.

• If you’ve completed an AAS, you may transfer up to 60 credit hours toward this BAS.
• If your AAS is from a regionally accredited Arizona community college, you may be eligible to transfer up to 75 credit hours.

Connect with your academic advisor to confirm how your credits apply. If you don’t have an AAS and don’t plan to earn one, consider ASU’s online Bachelor of Arts in Education in educational studies with a concentration in early childhood studies.

Note: This BAS does not lead to teacher certification.

In an increasingly interconnected and competitive world economy, it’s vital to understand business, leadership and management in a global context. When you earn an international trade bachelor’s degree, you’ll learn how global trade and finance influence business, the public sector and world markets. You’ll also develop a digital global mindset and future-ready skills, including:

• Communicating and negotiating across cultures.
• Employing data-driving decision making and problem solving.
• Improving the flow of goods across borders.
• Leading and managing global economic dynamics.
• Optimizing global supply chains.
• Utilizing Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies.
• Understanding how global business and public policy intersect.

What can I do with a degree in international trade?

Going beyond managing the exchange of goods and services from one country to another, this program prepares you to lead global organizations in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. Upon graduating, you can pursue roles ranging from maximizing an international enterprise’s supply chain operations to managing international government relations.

Additionally, an international business degree gives you the management and business expertise needed to pursue a global career, allowing you to work and live abroad.

How does an international trade degree compare to an international business degree?

While there may be overlapping topics, an international trade degree program differs from an international business degree online. An international business degree encompasses a broad overview of many business topics in a global context.

By comparison, an international trade degree program allows you to deepen your knowledge about global trade in relation to transnational business and public policy. Courses focus on quantitative skills, so this program may be an ideal fit if you have a technical background.

Does ASU Online offer a master’s in international trade?

No. However, 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 Leadership and Management.

This program encompasses key topics for future entrepreneurs and food service professionals. You’ll learn how nutrition impacts health through factors such as lifelong health, culture and community. You’ll also gain the expertise to manage food service enterprises through skills in management and strategy, communication, purchasing and leadership. This program’s curriculum explores routes for innovation within the food industry and covers a range of topics, including:

• Agriculture.
• Blogging.
• Business.
• Food marketing.
• Food purchasing.
• Food science.
• Leadership.  
• Management.
• Podcasting.
• Research and development.
• Social media.
• Sustainability.

Additionally, this program blends experiential learning into the curriculum. You’ll complete a 60-hour practicum with specialists in the field and have the opportunity to test to become ServeSafe® certified.

Who’s a good fit for this program?

This BAS in applied nutrition and health is ideal for those interested in nutrition and finding new ways to communicate with the public about nutrition and health, without the heavy science-focus present in similar degrees. You’ll study nutrition principles and develop business skills to advance your culinary career. You’ll also work with specialists in food and nutrition to gain hands-on leadership and management experience.

This program can prepare you for higher-level careers, such as a head cook, first-line supervisor or food service manager. You may also develop capabilities to launch a food- or nutrition-related startup or offer professional consulting services on your own.

Please note, the BAS in applied nutrition and health doesn’t provide a direct pathway to become a registered dietitian (RD) or dietitian nutritionist (RDN) and doesn’t result in a DPD verification. If you’re interested in becoming a registered dietitian, please ensure that you meet the advanced degree requirements, including specific courses and internship hours, needed to pursue a graduate program in dietetics. Students can review the ACEND website to review advanced degree programs to consider.

How is a Bachelor of Applied Science degree different from a BA or BS degree?

Bachelor of Applied Science degrees are designed specifically for students who’ve earned an Associate of Applied Science.

• Students who’ve earned an AAS from a regionally accredited institution may transfer 60 credit hours toward their BAS.
• Students who’ve earned an AAS from a regionally accredited Arizona community college may be eligible to transfer up to 75 credits toward their BAS.

Please plan to meet with an academic advisor to ensure your courses will meet degree requirements.

If you don’t have an AAS and aren’t planning to earn one, you may be interested in ASU Online’s Bachelor of Science in applied nutrition and health.

Project management involves guiding projects through a comprehensive process from start to finish, including initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and closing tasks. In this BAS in project management, you’ll gain the technical abilities needed to manage each of these aspects, as well as interpersonal skills such as:

• Cross-functional communication.
• Leadership.
• Conflict resolution.
• Project scope management.
• Resource management.

Upon completion of this program, you can pursue project-related roles across a variety of industries ranging from health care and business to engineering and construction. While this degree doesn’t result in Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, it does follow a curriculum based on the standards developed by the Project Management Institute (PMI).

How is a Bachelor of Applied Science degree different from a BA or BS degree?

Bachelor of Applied Science degrees are designed specifically for students who’ve earned an Associate of Applied Science.

• Students who’ve earned an AAS from a regionally accredited institution may transfer 60 credit hours toward their BAS.
• Students who’ve earned an AAS from a regionally accredited Arizona community college may be eligible to transfer up to 75 credits toward their BAS.

Please connect with an academic advisor to ensure your courses meet degree requirements.

If you don’t have an AAS and aren’t planning to earn one, you may be interested in ASU Online’s Bachelor of Science in project management.

This program is the world’s first online accredited undergraduate astronomy degree. With custom-built classes and innovative coursework, this program makes learning astronomy online convenient, compelling and tailored to your learning needs.

The curriculum includes:

• Groundwork in mathematics and physical sciences.
• Topical courses focused on diverse fields within astronomy and planetary science.
• Exposure to the engineering and computational tools and techniques used to carry out research.

As a student in this program, you’ll gain skills in coding, communication and problem solving, including how to break down and tackle complex problems applying modern statistical data analysis techniques using computers.

Who’s this program a good fit for?

This program is ideal for students interested in obtaining a quantitative understanding of the science of the solar system and beyond. In this math-intensive program, an interest in math will help set you up for success and be prepared to utilize it throughout all upper-division courses. Upon graduation, you’ll be equipped with broad training in the scientific foundations and fundamentals of space exploration, including ongoing advancements in the field.

What you can do with a bachelor’s in astronomy

Upon completing this program, you can pursue careers in fields that value scientific knowledge. These types of careers involve the use of modern statistical data analysis techniques. You may also find jobs within K-12 STEM teaching, writing and journalism, science policy or statistical data analysis and computer programming.

Additionally, because this astronomy degree focuses on critical thinking and innovative problem-solving, it may prepare you for law school or other graduate school opportunities related to this skill set. However, if you plan to apply to a graduate program in astronomy or astrophysics, or pursue a path as a university professor or professional astronomer, you’ll need additional advanced coursework in mathematics and physics, as well as in-person research experience. To meet these graduate school requirements, you should consider pursuing the on-campus Bachelor of Science in earth and space exploration with a concentration in astrophysics program.

This bachelor’s program provides you with the knowledge and skills needed to move into a range of employment opportunities in community nutrition or food service industries or continue your education in a dietetics-focused graduate program.

Throughout this program, you’ll explore the fundamentals of nutrition, including macro and micronutrients and developing nutrition care plans. Additionally, you’ll delve into food sustainability, cultural aspects of food and health, food safety, and food and health policy, all of which prepare you to apply nutrition expertise to a variety of careers. You’ll also engage in experiential learning with community partners specializing in food and nutrition to gain real-world experience, develop professional relationships and establish a foundation for your future goals.

Focus your studies to fit your career path with one of three focus areas

This applied nutrition and health degree provides you with the opportunity to hone your passions, interests and career goals with your choice of one of three specialized focus areas. Each focus area includes 18 credits, or six classes, that emphasize each topic respectively. Available focus areas include:

• Community nutrition: Graduates are equipped with strategies for promoting health and wellness within communities and evidence-based social media tactics to address critical public health issues.
• Food service operations: Graduates develop the knowledge and skills needed to stay ahead of changing consumer demands, technological advancements and innovative dining concepts in the dynamic field of food service operations. Featured topics include management, strategy, supply chain management and entrepreneurship in food and nutrition.
• Pre-dietetics: For those interested in becoming registered dietitians, this focus offers the additional science and leadership courses required for dietetics-focused graduate programs.
  • In-person lab experiences are required for this track. Learn what to expect and how to prepare for the on-campus sessions.

Who’s a good fit for an applied nutrition and health degree?

If you’re interested in pursuing a career path in the nutrition and health industry, with a particular focus on community work, food service operations or working as a registered dietitian, this degree may be a great fit for you. Upon graduation, you’ll be prepared for a variety of career paths, including:

• Community nutrition and public health.
• Management of food service and sustainable food systems.
• Marketing and development of food products.
• Nutrition consulting.
• Nutrition and health communication and promotion.

Please note, the BS in applied nutrition and health doesn’t provide a direct pathway to become a registered dietitian (RD) or dietitian nutritionist (RDN) and doesn’t result in a DPD verification. If you’re interested in becoming a registered dietitian, please ensure that you meet the advanced degree requirements, including specific courses and internship hours, needed to pursue a graduate program in dietetics. Students can review the ACEND website to review advanced degree programs to consider.

Graphic designers shape how information is shared through visual communication. You’ll study design principles, layout strategies and storytelling techniques to develop engaging messaging. This degree emphasizes responsible design practices and builds your ability to communicate visually beyond just mastering software tools. Upon graduation, you’ll possess a wide range of transferable skills and competencies needed to succeed as a graphic designer, such as:

• Book design
• Color
• Critical thinking
• Environmental design
• Motion graphics
• Seeing, drawing and translating
• Strategic problem solving
• Storytelling
• 3D design
• Typography
• Visual literacy

Who's a good candidate for this graphic design program?

This program is designed for students who are curious, adaptable and excited to learn through hands-on projects. You’ll be a great fit if you’re looking to sharpen your critical thinking while using design to communicate meaningful ideas.

You’ll also thrive if you appreciate deep, thoughtful learning and are ready to participate in digital coursework. Please note this program does not teach specific, in-depth design software. You will, however, have opportunities to develop your technical skills independently with support from resources.