As an adult student looking to finish your bachelor’s, choosing between degrees may feel like a shot in the dark or even inconsequential. And the truth is, it’s not the most important decision — what really matters is your choice to invest in yourself by completing your undergrad.
Still, you have options — and if you’re going to spend the time, you want to choose a degree program that aligns with your current interests and your long-term goals. At Southern Nazarene University, we offer 6 distinct but relevant degree completion programs designed to help you achieve your goals no matter what your career looks like. And for adults interested in leadership, business or management, the choice often comes down to our B.S. in Business Administration vs. our B.S. in Organizational Leadership.
It may feel like yet another decision to make as you navigate what’s next. But as you gear up to take your career and education to the next level, you deserve a degree program that serves you well. You work hard, and this choice enables you to add credibility and a credential to compliment what you’ve been building. For young college kids choosing a major out of high school, they’re often making a decision based more on guesswork than anything else. But you’ve spent time and lived experiences that give you a greater sense of clarity about what you want out of life. From that perspective, there’s never been a better time to make this choice.
You really can’t go wrong
No matter which you choose, both our bachelor’s in Business Administration and Organizational Leadership will set you up for success. Both degrees will enable you to approach any workplace with confidence, critical thinking and the soft skills employers are looking for. Our adult degrees are designed to equip you with knowledge and know-how you can apply right here, right now in your day-to-day life.
And you don’t have to compromise your schedule or sanity to earn a degree like this. Tailor-made for people like you, we’ve fast-tracked our programs to deliver a high quality education at a pace that’s quick but manageable. That’s why our courses focus only on what really matters, with coursework that enables you to absorb the material without extra busywork you don’t have time for. And with multiple start dates throughout the year, you can enroll whenever it’s most convenient for you.
Both degrees offer:
- Increased earnings potential
- Choice of attending fully online or in-person just one night a week
- One class at a time to ensure true mastery and prevent overwhelm
- The opportunity to earn up to 30 hours of credit for what you already know
- A cohort of classmates designed to foster support and networking
- Instructors with vast amounts of experience across industries
- Textbooks delivered directly to your door at the beginning of each class
- A built-in support system, including your student success advisor
Key differences between programs
B.S. in Business Administration
It’s in the name — SNU’s Bachelor of Science in Business Administration was created for adults currently working or seeking to work in the business world. The curriculum prepares graduates to work in communication, analysis, management, and human resources and more.
“Business” can mean a lot of different things, and what you learn in the business space can apply to many other types of careers and industries. That said, this degree enables you to dial in a proper understanding of organizations or other entities engaged in commercial, industrial, or professional activities. These courses prepare you to think like a manager and be well-versed behind the curtain of a functioning and strategically operated business.
- Marketing for Managers
- Personal & Professional Development
- Economics for Managers
- Accounting for Managers
- Human Resource Management & Workforce Diversity
- Finance for Managers
- Biblical Perspectives in Western Culture
- Management Information Systems
- Legal Environment for Business
- Business Analytics for Managers
- International Business and Ethics
- Business Policy
Plus, this program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs. Graduates will be well-positioned to enroll in a graduate business program, such as a Master of Business Administration (MBA). The following key outcomes will equip students with competencies that will make them competitive in the workforce and in graduate school.
- Understand the role of marketing in the overall success of an organization
- Understand how adult development and life experience influence your professional and personal life, and the lives of others
- Understand a basic economic framework crucial to managerial success
- Learn internal accounting skills needed for managerial decision-making
- Understand the process of recruiting, selecting, training and developing a diverse workforce
- Understand the corporate financial concepts, budgeting, markets and strategic financial planning behind a successful business
- Understand how to view the business world through a biblical lens
- Understand how information systems support the operational and strategic functions of a business
- Learn a basic understanding of the laws of business
- Explore data handling, queries and reports in order to identify business patterns and formulate recommendations
- Understand the cultural, political and economic aspects of conducting business in a global marketplace
- Understand the basics of formulating, applying and analyzing management policies and their performance
B.S. in Organizational Leadership
Companies need qualified leaders to articulate vision and implement strategies that will distinguish the organization and transform the workplace. SNU’s Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership degree trains true leaders by developing aptitudes and skills necessary to be successful in any organization. The curriculum enables students to learn professional communication, problem-solving, strategic thinking, team building, business decision-making, and project management from proven leaders.
Regardless of which industry or type of organization you find yourself in, you’ll have a keen understanding of what healthy leadership looks like — and how to embody it. Offering more versatility than the business administration degree, this program’s coursework can be applied anywhere from business, non-profits, ministries, healthcare, schools and more. Courses include:
- Effective Interpersonal Communication
- Personal & Professional Development
- Organizational Change & Systems Analysis
- Technical Communication
- Leading Diverse and Inclusive Organizations
- Data Analysis Methods
- Applied Research and Decision Making
- Group and Organizational Communication
- Biblical Perspectives
- Leadership Theory and Practice
- Human Resources Administration
- Leadership and Professional Ethics
Similarly to business administration, you’ll be well-prepared for graduate school — especially for a master’s level leadership degree like ours. As the job market becomes more crowded and specialized, the world needs expert leaders who understand the complexities of true leadership. You’ll walk away with these key takeaways setting you apart:
- Understand interpersonal communication theory and the factors that influence essential relationships and human engagement
- Explore how adult development and personal experiences influence influence relationships, personal decision-making and future applications
- Understand the role of leadership during strategic organizational change, planned or unplanned
- Become well-versed in major forms of technical communication, including documentation, reports, proposals and more
- Understand theories of leading a diverse workforce to promote benefits such as deeper levels of innovation and creativity
- Understand how basic methodologies for using data in the process of evaluation and decision-making
- Explore the research tools and background needed to analyze various organizational issues
- Understand the theories and techniques of problem-solving and decision-making by means of group process
- Understand leadership from a biblical lens
- Understand leadership and management theories and concepts that have emerged over the past several decades
- Explore how to support the development of more effective managers and staff personnel
- Explore contemporary ethical dilemmas as it relates to leadership situations in organizations
A degree you have time for
Whether you want to take classes online or in-person at one of our campuses, SNU offers flexible options to fit your schedule. Eager for the classroom learning environment but don’t feel like you can squeeze it in? Our in-person classes are just one night a week, making it a manageable commitment without disrupting your life. If you want even more flexibility, our 100% online option allows you to do your coursework wherever, whenever. There’s nothing keeping you from arranging your schedule however is best. Plus, with so many ways to stay virtually connected to your cohort and professors, you don’t have to sacrifice community for convenience.
Fitting a degree program in your life has never been easier. There will always be reasons to keep putting it off. But with built-in support from SNU and a determined focus to reach your goals, you have what it takes.
