Bachelor of Arts in Management

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

St Marys University of Minnesota

Program Overview

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota’s Bachelor of Arts in Management prepares students to lead teams, manage business operations, and make strategic decisions in today’s evolving business environment. Combining business fundamentals with ethical leadership, analytical thinking, communication, and problem-solving, the program is well suited to students aspiring to supervisory, management trainee, and leadership roles across corporate, nonprofit, and government organizations.

Curriculum Structure

The official program page does not publish a fixed year-by-year course sequence. The following is a thematic learning progression based on the university’s stated learning outcomes, rather than an official academic-year plan.

Year 1 – Building Business Foundations

Students begin by developing an understanding of fundamental business concepts, theories, and practices while strengthening communication and quantitative skills. They explore how different business functions work together and how organizations operate in domestic and global environments.

Year 2 – Understanding Business Operations

Students build their knowledge of management, organizational functions, and business decision-making. They examine legal and ethical business principles and learn to use quantitative methods to evaluate business situations and support practical decisions.

Year 3 – Developing Leadership and Strategic Skills

Students strengthen their analytical, interpersonal, and strategic abilities while learning how to work effectively with diverse colleagues. Their studies emphasize leadership, organizational problem-solving, and the relationship between business functions and operational performance.

Year 4 – Applying Management Knowledge

Students bring together their business knowledge through practical experiences, internships, and collaborative activities where available. They develop a clearer understanding of their career interests and prepare to contribute to management teams, business operations, and organizational leadership.

Focus Areas

Business management, organizational leadership, business operations, strategic decision-making, business ethics, quantitative business methods, domestic and global business environments, interpersonal communication, teamwork, organizational problem-solving.

Learning Outcomes

Students develop the ability to apply fundamental business principles, evaluate domestic and global business environments, make ethical and informed decisions, use quantitative methods, understand connections between business functions, and collaborate effectively with diverse teams.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

The Bachelor of Arts in Management is accredited by the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE). This accreditation reflects the program’s commitment to business education quality, ethical leadership, and preparation for contemporary management responsibilities.

Reputation (Employability and Recognition)

Saint Mary’s highlights the following career information for management-related occupations:

Sales Manager: USD 127,490 median annual salary.
Marketing Manager: USD 133,380 median annual salary.
Management Analyst: USD 93,000 median annual salary.
General and Operations Manager: USD 99,290 median annual salary.
The program page cites an 8% expected job growth rate for management occupations from 2021–2031.

These figures are occupation-level U.S. labor market data, not guaranteed graduate salaries or program-specific employment outcomes.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Saint Mary’s Management program encourages students to connect business concepts with real workplace situations through internships, field exploration, collaborative learning, and service-oriented activities. Students can gain practical exposure to organizational operations, develop professional relationships, and explore which areas of business best match their interests. The university also provides access to career resources and experiential learning opportunities that support professional growth.

Students can build practical experience through:

Internships for Credit: Students can apply classroom learning in a professional workplace. Eligibility generally requires 56 or more completed semester credits, a minimum 2.0 cumulative and major GPA, and at least 12 completed credits in the major, along with department approval.
Fastenal Internship Experience: Management student Parker Swanson completed an internship at Fastenal, gaining real-world business experience and identifying areas of business that matched his career interests.
Field Exploration: Students can earn credit through observation-based professional experiences, subject to university eligibility and approval requirements.
Collaborative Learning: The program emphasizes working effectively with diverse colleagues in team situations, helping students strengthen communication and interpersonal skills.
Aquinas Hall Makerspace: Students can explore creativity, innovation, and hands-on learning in the university’s makerspace.
Career Services and Handshake: Students can access job and internship opportunities, career resources, professional development materials, résumé and cover-letter guidance, interview preparation, and networking support.
Study Abroad: Students can explore international learning opportunities to develop a broader understanding of global business environments.
Student Organizations: Business-related clubs and organizations provide opportunities for leadership, networking, and engagement beyond the classroom.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates of the Bachelor of Arts in Management can pursue opportunities in business operations, team supervision, organizational coordination, sales, and management trainee programs. The program’s emphasis on ethical leadership, analytical thinking, and communication also provides a foundation for long-term professional growth and further education.

Typical career roles: Management Trainee, Operations Supervisor, Business Development Coordinator, Management Analyst.

Career Development and Graduate Outcomes

Career Services: Saint Mary’s Career Services offers career planning, résumé and cover-letter support, interview preparation, networking resources, job-search guidance, and internship opportunities through Handshake.
Graduate Outcomes: Among respondents from the Class of 2024, 91% were working, attending or applying to graduate school, or participating in a long-term volunteer placement. Of respondents who answered the relevant question, 81% reported working or continuing education in a position or program related to their field of study. These are university-wide results, not Management-specific figures.
Employment and Salary Information: The program page lists occupation-level salary figures, including USD 93,000 for Management Analysts and USD 99,290 for General and Operations Managers. These figures are not specific to Saint Mary’s graduates.
Industry Connections: University-wide graduate employers include Fastenal, Best Buy, Enterprise Mobility, Kohler Company, Mayo Clinic, and RSM US LLP. These are examples of graduate employers, not confirmed Management program placement partners.
Professional Accreditation: IACBE accreditation supports the program’s business education quality framework and its emphasis on ethical and effective management.
Further Career Development: Graduates can use the university’s alumni network of more than 58,000 members to build professional connections and explore career opportunities.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates may continue into postgraduate study in business administration, management, organizational leadership, human resource management, or related business fields. Saint Mary’s offers graduate pathways such as the Master of Business Administration, Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership, and Master of Arts in Human Resource Management, allowing students to develop advanced business knowledge and leadership capabilities.