Essential Information
More retail businesses are requiring management candidates to possess a B.S. in Business with a retail management concentration. Program participants will develop professional interpersonal communication skills and learn to apply business theories and techniques to marketing, accounting, and financial aspects of the retail environment. Applicants to these programs will need to have achieved a high school diploma or GED and minimum GPA, with prior leadership experience recommended. As well as coursework, students will get the chance to participate in a retail work experience as part of their degree program.
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Bachelor's Degree in Business with a Retail Management Concentration
Many business colleges require students to complete prerequisite courses in economics, accounting and statistics before declaring business as their B.S. program major. Core retail management courses address the following subjects:
- Buyer behavior
- Strategies for leading an organization
- Business ethics and legalities
- Finance
- Retail supply-chain operations
Employment Outlook and Salary Information
Beginning in 2014 and continuing through 2024, employment of first-line retail sales supervisors was predicted to increase slower than average at a rate of four percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov). As of 2015, the median annual wage for first-line supervisors of retail sales workers was $38,310.
Continuing Education Information
An individual who has earned a retail management-focused B.S. in Business degree may continue toward a general Master of Business Administration (MBA). In an MBA program, they may hone their skills toward a specific retail-related field, such as fashion, marketing, loss prevention, logistics or merchandising. Often, these fields of study are available through graduate certificate and non-MBA master's degree programs.
After attaining a bachelor's degree in business with a retail management concentration, students will be ready to manage retail establishments. During the program, they will learn the basics of economics and statistics before learning about the specific consumer habits, business ethics and organizational strategies necessary to work in retail management.
