Associate's Degree in Business Administration Online
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Associate’s in Business Administration Overview
It’s time to move your business career forward. Earn your degree online and be ready for real opportunities in a wide range of fields.
- Gain in-demand skills — in today's fast-paced world, organizations need employees who can keep day-to-day operations running smoothly, make tough decisions, and solve business problems.
- Transfer up to 75% of your program requirements to graduate sooner and save on tuition. Your experience counts at Purdue Global.
- Build practical, real-world knowledge and skills in accounting, management, software applications, business operations, and more.
- Specialize your degree plan with a career-focused business concentration:
- Business
- Customer service
- Entrepreneurship
- Hospitality and tourism services
- Information processing
- Office management
- Retail management
- Sales
- Small business management
- Small group management
- Sports entertainment management
Continue Your Comeback With a Bachelor's
When you’re ready to further your education, your associate’s degree can get you halfway toward our Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.
See Notes and Conditions below for important information.
Purdue Global’s business programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).
Military Transfer Credit
Servicemembers and veterans, get the recognition you deserve and earn your degree faster with our PME2Degree® program. Use our Military Transfer Credit Estimator to see how much of your occupational and military training counts as college credit.
Purdue Global Is Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission
The HLC (HLCommission.org) is an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Calculate Your Time and Cost
Estimate how much your prior learning credits can reduce your tuition and time to graduation.
What Courses Will I Take?
The Associate of Applied Science in Business Administration’s curriculum focuses on a solid management foundation and is designed to help you develop leadership and teamwork skills.
The curriculum is reviewed and revised continually by our dedicated curriculum department and advisory board to ensure it reflects the most recent developments in the field of business.
Sample Courses
- Introduction to Management
- Finance
- Marketing
- Microeconomics
Program Requirements
1 semester credit hour = 1.5 quarter credit hours
3-Week Trial
Not sure if Purdue Global is right for you? Try an undergraduate program for an introductory 3-week trial period.
There’s no financial obligation and no cost to apply. That’s the Purdue Global Commitment.
Students who choose to continue at Purdue Global will be billed for the full first term's tuition, including the 3-week trial. See Notes and Conditions below.
Admissions Requirements
You must be a high school graduate or possess a General Educational Development (GED) certificate or other equivalency diploma. You must also complete orientation before you start classes.
Refer to the University Catalog or speak to an Advisor to learn more.
Upcoming Start Dates
We offer multiple start dates to give you flexibility in your education, life, and work schedules.
Associate's in Business Administration Concentrations
Concentrations allow you to personalize your education by focusing your elective choices on an area of study that best fits your desired career path. Choose from:
Business
Concentration Outcomes
- Build skills in accounting, management, and software applications while learning procedures that interpret tax information, economic processes, and more.
- Examine small business planning and operational processes.
Customer Service
Concentration Outcomes
- Gain advanced communication skills and relevant knowledge in accounting, management, and software applications, as well as general business operations.
- Apply customer service skills to improve the customer experience.
Entrepreneurship
Concentration Outcomes
- Study promotional tools, advertising, and loyalty and frequency programs while learning how to start and manage a business.
- Apply the elements of management, marketing, and finance as it applies to entrepreneurship.
Hospitality Management
Concentration Outcomes
- Learn the foundations of conference and event planning, including how to operate international events. Take courses in food and beverage management and hotel management.
- Explain management theories in the global hospitality context.
Information Processing
Concentration Outcomes
- Prepare for leadership roles in business operations while building core business, communication, and decision-making skills.
- Analyze appropriate software application(s) to address solutions within a specific discipline.
- Synthesize database concepts needed to effectively design a database.
Meeting and Event Planning
Concentration Outcomes
- Apply the steps involved in meeting planning.
- Apply best practices to conference operations.
Office Management
Concentration Outcomes
- Address personalized customer needs while learning the elements of planning, organizing, and managing conferences and events.
- Apply customer building strategies to business situations.
- Apply customer service skills to improve the customer experience.
Retail Management
Concentration Outcomes
- Develop key skills in retailing and promotional tools while covering topics including advertising, sales promotions, events, and loyalty and frequency shopper programs.
- Discuss retail management practices and strategies.
- Apply customer building strategies to business situations.
Sales
Concentration Outcomes
- Learn effective sales methods and techniques, interpersonal communication, and public speaking while gaining core business operation skills.
- Apply customer building strategies to business situations.
- Show verbal and nonverbal communication skills in a presentation in a field of employment.
Small Business Management
Concentration Outcomes
- Gain exposure to essential skills in accounting, marketing, and management as well as payroll accounting, customer loyalty, and Microsoft Office applications.
- Examine small business planning and operational processes.
- Apply customer building strategies to business situations.
Ways to Save on Time and Tuition
Purdue Global works with students to find ways to reduce costs and make education more accessible. Contact us to learn about opportunities to save on your educational costs.
Transfer Credits
Earn credit for prior coursework completed at eligible institutions, including community colleges.
Prior Work Experience Reduction
You could earn undergraduate credit for your life and professional career experiences.
Financial Aid
Learn about federal financial aid programs available for many of our degree programs.
Grants and Loans
Learn about federal and state grants and loan programs that may be available.
Corporate Partner Benefits
Employees of Purdue Global partner organizations may be eligible for special tuition reductions.
Military Tuition Reduction
Undergraduate tuition savings for military include a 55% reduction per credit for current servicemembers and 38% per credit for veterans.
Prior Military Experience
Earn credit for your military training. The average Purdue Global military student is awarded 54% of the credits needed for an associate's and 45% of the credits needed for a bachelor's.
View the total cost of attendance for your program.
Possible Behavioral Interview Questions for This Field of Study
- Tell me about a time when you had to prioritize a heavy workload. How did you approach it?
- Describe a situation where you identified a problem and took steps to solve it. What approach did you take, and what was the outcome?
- Give an example of how you collaborated with others to accomplish a project or goal, especially if it was done remotely. How did you contribute to the team and keep communication effective?
- Describe a complex organizational project you recently managed.
- Tell me about a time when you faced an ethical or professional dilemma. What did you do, and what did you learn?
Sample Skills Developed and Used in This Field
- Auditing
- Continuous Improvement Process
- Critical Thinking
- Customer Service
- Digital Literacy
- Ethical Standards and Conduct
- Interpersonal Communication
- Marketing
- Merchandising
- Operations Management
- Organizational Skills
- Problem Solving
- Sales
- Teamwork
- Workflow Management
Download the Program Brochure
Download our brochure to learn more about the Associate of Applied Science in Business Administration and the benefits of earning your degree at Purdue Global. Prepare yourself for success with an associate's degree in business administration.
Get to Know Our Faculty
Purdue Global faculty members are real-world practitioners who bring knowledge gained through the powerful combination of higher learning and industry experience.
Faculty members who have advanced degrees
Faculty members who have terminal degrees
Faculty publications in 2024–2025
Professional development hours logged by faculty in 2024–2025
Statistics include all Purdue Global faculty members and are not school- or program-specific calculations. Source: Purdue Global Office of Reporting and Analysis, August 2025. 2024–2025 academic year.