Students hoping to earn a bachelors degree in sales management have the options of pursuing a bachelors degree in marketing management, business management, business administration, or industrial organization. Within bachelor degree programs, sales and marketing are considered specializations of the larger field of business. Similarly, some business degrees will offer concentrations in management. Students in these programs will learn the principles of bookkeeping, markets and resource allocation, as well as marketing and management tactics. Many programs offer further specializations such as retail management, marketing management, and small business management.
Why a Bachelors Degree?
Typically, a bachelor’s degree is required to obtain a position in management. An associate degree paired with years of experience may qualify a candidate for the same positions, but a bachelor’s degree can put an employee on the fast-track to a promotion or may directly qualify a candidate for the position. A bachelor’s degree with a specialization in sales or marketing may also qualify a candidate for entry-level management work within an advertising or sales department.
Getting Into a Bachelor Degree Program
Admissions requirements for a bachelor’s degree in sales management will vary between institutions. However, there are a few common elements you can expect:
- High school diploma or the equivalent
- Desired ACT or SAT score
- Desired GPA, evidenced by transcripts
- Supplemental documents such as letters of recommendation and entrance essays
Inside a Sales Management Bachelor Degree Program
Bachelor degree programs generally take four years for a full-time student to complete and consist of approximately 120-130 credit hours. Some special topics covered by a bachelor’s degree program in sales management are economics, sales strategies, management, communication, marketing, and statistics. Some schools may require students to participate in an internship before graduation.
Students also have the opportunity to earn their sales management bachelors degree online. Online classes use virtual classrooms to facilitate discussion and share class materials. Students can access lectures, assignments, and class forums anytime using these learning platforms. Students can take advantage of the flexible schedule offered by online learning to work or participate in internships or other opportunities. Usually, students are able to take exams through virtual classrooms, but some programs may require a student to travel to an on-site location to take a proctored exam.
What’s Next for Sales Management Bachelor Degree Holders?
A bachelor degree in sales management can qualify candidates for managerial positions; however, there may also be experiential requirements for such jobs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the qualifications for a sales management position are a bachelor’s degree as well as 1-5 years of experience. To gain experience, employees may work in wholesale distribution or advertising sales. The average annual wage for sales representatives was listed at $60,340 in 2010. The median income cited by the BLS was $98,530 per year in 2010. The growth for such positions was listed at 12%, which is about as fast as average.