Business Administration, BA - New England College
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Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration

When you choose NEC’s Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration program, you will receive individualized guidance from experienced business faculty and successful industry practitioners. You will engage in a rich legacy of experiential learning with live cases and hands-on project work. The Business Administration BA emphasizes entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainability. You will prepare to become a leader of for-profit, and not-for-profit, organizations in a rapidly changing global economy.

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Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration Program Overview

In this dynamic Bachelor of Arts program, you will enjoy the benefits of individualized guidance from experienced business faculty and successful industry practitioners. Your education will be enriched by experiential learning, with many opportunities to engage in live cases and hands-on project work. The Business Administration BA emphasizes entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainability. You will prepare to become a leader of for-profit, and not-for-profit, organizations in a rapidly changing global economy.

You will work with other students in teams and one-on-one with faculty in a collaborative environment designed to make the most of this rigorous and engaging curriculum. In the context of a liberal arts education, you will develop a suite of marketable skills and graduate ready to enter the workforce as a marketer, a salesperson, an accountant, an entrepreneur, a manager, or another professional based on your personal goals.

 

Available BA in Business Administration Concentrations

 

Additional Academic Options

  • Associate of Arts: Receive a general business background in two years.
  • Master of Business Administration: If you are especially motivated, you can qualify to participate in our accelerated Master of Business Administration (MBA) program and earn both a BA and an MBA in under five years. Both degrees may be earned with a combined 148 credits, and after receiving your bachelor’s degree at NEC, you will be eligible for a 25% discount on the master’s program.

Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration Program Highlights

Innovative Project-Based Learning Hands-On Internships Practical Experience
Tackle real-world problems that are still waiting for solutions, NEC students have  traveled to Kenya to study and explore market-based solutions to climate change. NEC encourages and supports internship training. Past internship locations have included Henniker Brewing Company, Clean Fuels Associates Inc., Global Response Partners, Concord Hospital, and Special Olympics of New Hampshire. Learn subject matter not through a textbook but through experiential opportunities as a value-added consultant. A recent marketing class learned this firsthand by developing a complete marketing campaign for a local organization.

Why Earn Your Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration?

Earning a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration will strengthen your analytical, strategic thinking, and leadership skills. As a business major, you will work closely with experienced faculty. By examining case studies, completing projects, and pursuing experiential learning opportunities, you will build the knowledge and skills required for diverse roles in business. Internships with global corporations and local nonprofits offer career-focused experiences tailored to your professional goals. NEC’s unique accelerated program in business also allows you to complete a bachelor’s degree in business and an MBA in five years total.

In the BA in Business Administration program, you will learn to understand core business functions, including:

  • Organizational leadership
  • Marketing
  • Finance
  • Accounting
  • Legal environment
  • “Triple bottom line” perspectives

 

Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration Learning Outcomes

  • Apply language and principles of accounting, marketing, management, and finance
  • Analyze decisions using quantitative methods and information systems
  • Evaluate the legal, ethical, and global environments
  • Develop effective decisions and actions for sustainable enterprise

What Can You Do with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration?

A bachelor’s degree in business administration will prepare you for roles in finance, accounting, marketing, and human resources. You will also gain skills to apply in entrepreneurial or management roles. These in-demand fields report above-average median salaries.

Common career paths with a BA in Business Administration include:

  • Accountant
  • Salesperson
  • Market research analyst
  • Budget analyst
  • Financial analyst
  • Human resources specialist
  • Entrepreneur
  • Financial examiner
  • Project manager

 

After gaining experience, you can move into management roles like sales manager, financial manager, or marketing manager. With a BA degree, you can also apply to graduate school. Popular options include an MBA, a master’s degree in management, or other business graduate programs.

Accountant

$77,250*

 Market Research Analyst

$63,920*

 Budget Analyst

$79,940*
*Median annual salaries from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2021

 

Accreditation

ACBSP accreditation logoIn addition to institutional accreditation by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), NEC is also accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) for the following business programs:

  • BA in Business Administration, online and on campus, all concentrations
  • MBA, all concentrations, English and Spanish
  • MBA Executive program, all concentrations

Dr. Carrie Colbert Wins ACBSP Teaching Excellence Award

Professor Carrie ColbertDr. Carrie Colbert, Associate Professor of Business Administration at New England College, has been selected as a regional recipient of the 2024 ACBSP Teaching Excellence Award. Each year, the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) celebrates excellence in teaching by recognizing faculty members who go above and beyond in their dedication to students.

“I am humbled and honored to be recognized for the work I do for my students,” Colbert stated. “My number one priority has always been my students and making sure they have everything they need to successfully achieve their professional and personal goals.”

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Although I never expected that my journey would bring me to the only Henniker on Earth, the community here at NEC has gifted me everything I could have hoped for. I owe all of my personal victories here to the bond that we share. I found a sense of belonging after stepping foot into Bridges all those years ago.

Meaghan Elizabeth Six Business Administration and Psychology, 2019

Why Choose NEC?

New England College (NEC) is a private, nonprofit college founded in 1946 to serve the needs of servicepeople attending college on the GI Bill after World War II and is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education. Today, NEC is an innovative, military-friendly institution and one of the top five liberal arts colleges in New Hampshire.

NEC offers 60 associate and bachelor’s degrees, as well as more than 20 master’s degrees and one doctoral degree program, all delivered by dedicated faculty focused on giving students opportunities to live what they learn. With access to many clubs, outdoor activities, natural areas, internships, and professor-led trips, NEC students have many ways to meet new people and try new things.

At NEC, the world is your classroom.

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Recognition and Rankings

Best College In New Hampshire as ranked by Inteligent.com

NEC Ranked Top College in New Hampshire

New England College in New Hampshire has earned recognition as a leading college in the state, as acknowledged by Intelligent.com, a credible source for evaluating higher education programs.

 

 

 

 

Edurank logo for best college in New Hampshire

NEC Ranked Leading College in New Hampshire

New England College in New Hampshire has earned recognition as a leading college in NH, as acknowledged by EduRank, a credible source for evaluating higher education programs.

 

 

 

 

AcademicInfluence.com logo for best college in New Hampshire

NEC Ranked Top College in New Hampshire

New England College in New Hampshire has earned recognition as one of the best colleges in New Hampshire, as acknowledged by Academic Influence, a credible source for evaluating higher education programs.

 

 

Program Data

Below is information on student enrollment, yearly graduates, and the share that students in business programs make as a percentage of all NEC undergraduate students. The data shown is from the fiscal/academic year ending in June 2024. The data for each program includes all students in the below-referenced program, including those enrolled in a concentration.

Program Enrollment Share of Programs Graduates Graduates as a % of Enrollment
BA Residential 125 10.6% 25 10.1%
BA Online 52 4.4% 14 5.6%

 

Method of calculation:

  • Enrollments—Includes any student who was enrolled in the program at any time during the fiscal/academic year 2024. Students who were enrolled in multiple semesters are only counted once.
  • Share of Programs—Includes any student who was enrolled in the program at any time in the year 2024 taken as a percentage of all students enrolled in any NEC degree program at any time during the fiscal/academic year 2024. Students who were enrolled in multiple semesters are only counted once.
  • Graduates–Included any student who graduated from one of the referred programs at any time during the fiscal/academic year 2024.
  • Graduates as a percentage of enrollment—The percent of graduating students as a percent of the total number of enrolled students during the fiscal/academic year 2024. Note that if all students who entered the four-year program stayed at NEC and graduated on time, this percent would be 25% as graduating seniors would make up a quarter of all the students enrolled in the program. A number less than 25% suggests that some students are taking longer to graduate, do not graduate, transfer, or that enrollments are uneven between years.

Degree Requirements

Business Administration, BA

Download Course Requirements

Business Core

(52 Credits)

Liberal Arts & Sciences Core Curriculum, Bachelor's Degree

Electives

Select additional electives to reach 120 credits for a Bachelor's degree. 

Accelerated Program in Business

(BA & MBA in 148 credits)

Students wishing to pursue both a BA in Business and an MBA can apply to participate in the accelerated Masters program.  Under this degree path undergraduate students complete 12 MBA credit hours while pursuing a BA in Business.  These credit hours will count as required hours for both the BA and MBA degree, allowing students to complete a BA and MBA in 148 credits instead of 160.  Students wishing to pursue this option must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0, approval of the Dean of the Management Division and Program Director of the graduate program, and acceptance into the graduate program.

Faculty

  • Dr. Carrie Colbert

    Professor Carrie Colbert

    Associate Professor, Business Administration
    Phone: 603.428.2438
    Email: ccolbert@nec.edu

    Expertise and Achievements
    • Holds five marketing certifications
    • Member of American Marketing Association, Network of Executive Women, and National Association of Professional Women
    • Guest speaker on a variety of business and marketing topics

    Educational Background
    Doctor of Management, University of Maryland Global Campus
    MBA, California State University, Los Angeles
    BS in Marketing Management, California State University, Los Angeles

    Bio
    Dr. Carrie Colbert, Dr. C to her students, manages the marketing side of the Management Division. She teaches the majority of the marketing courses, including Advertising and Brand Promotions, Digital Media Marketing, Consumer Behavior, and Personal Selling and Customer Relationships.

    By trade, Dr. Colbert is a marketing management professional with over 20 years of experience in strategic marketing, promotion development, data analysis, and marketing management. She has held senior-level positions with Valassis Communications, Dole Food Company, Symphony IRI, and The Nielsen Company. She has also worked with many CPG manufacturers such as Nestle USA, Kraft, Mission Tortillas, and Nissin Foods, along with various grocery and drug retailers (e.g., Ahold USA, Delhaize, Winn Dixie, Rite Aid, etc.).

    Dr. Colbert owns and operates Doctor Colbert Consulting, a marketing management consulting company where she helps small businesses build their customer base and increase exposure.

  • Cynthia Burns Martin

    Professor, Business Administration; Associate Dean for Institutional Effectiveness
    Phone: 603.428.2214
    Email: cmartin@nec.edu

    Expertise and Recent Press

    Expertise:
    Cynthia’s recent writing and public presentations are place-based non-fiction—prompted by oral tradition or published town histories; informed by extensive primary document research; focused on decisions made by individuals; and understood within the context of broad national and regional changes in the economy, technology, political environment, and society during the 19th and early 20th centuries.

    Recent Press:

    • New England College, Arcadia Publishing, 2016
    • Vinalhaven Island’s Maritime Industries, Arcadia Publishing, 2015
    • “Bodwell Granite Company Store and the Community of Vinalhaven, Maine, 1859–1919,” Maine History, 2012

     

    Educational Background
    MBA, Boston University
    AB in English Literature, Smith College

    Bio
    Cynthia Burns Martin, Associate Dean of Institutional Effectiveness, is responsible for accreditation and assessment of New England College. She is a tenured Professor of Business Administration, with more than 30 years of fulltime teaching experience, primarily in undergraduate marketing and management, at NEC. In the past, she served as Assistant Dean of the Management Division, Chair of the Management Collegium, Chair of the Social Sciences Division, and Assistant Dean for Special Projects. She is an elected member of the Scholar Practitioner Committee of the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs, which publishes the Transnational Journal of Business.

  • Dr. Erin Wilkinson Hartung

    Dean of Management; Associate Professor, Business Administration
    Office: John Lyons Center
    Phone: 603.428.2301
    Email: ewilkinsonhartung@nec.edu

    Educational Background

    • DBA with specialization in International Business—Marketing, Alliant International University
    • MIBA, U.S. International University
    • BA in International Relations, Second Major in Business Economics, University of San Diego

     

    Research Interests

    • Social venture business models
    • Livelihood development and sustainable entrepreneurship in Sub-Saharan Africa

     

    Bio
    Erin Wilkinson Hartung is a marketing, academic, and business consultant with over 15 years of experience in higher education, global development, and small business advising. Her specialties include competitive analysis, international marketing, consumer behavior, and sustainable entrepreneurship in Sub-Saharan Africa. She has held international teaching positions

    Wilkinson Hartung has consulted with numerous small business agencies—such as the SBDC, CWE, and MBDA—assisting small businesses with market planning and training, often times bringing client projects into the classroom. She also has experience in global development championing women’s empowerment as she has worked on several NGO-sponsored international livelihood development projects.

    Wilkinson Hartung is a Fulbright Scholar and spent 2012 teaching, doing research, and working on social venture marketing and sustainable entrepreneurship in Tanzania. She continues traveling to Tanzania and is active in her follow up on these entrepreneurship projects. Outside of her professional interests, Wilkinson Hartung travels widely, cooks, bikes, and kayaks. A transplant from southern California, she enjoys living in New England with her family and dogs.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to complete a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration?

At NEC, you can earn a BA in Business Administration in four years. The program requires 120 credits of business, liberal arts and sciences, and elective coursework. Full-time students typically complete 30 credits per year. However, transfer students with an associate degree can graduate in two years. NEC also offers an accelerated BA/MBA option. Undergraduates complete 12 credits of MBA coursework during their BA in business. After graduating, students only need 28 additional graduate credits to earn an MBA. This option allows students to earn a bachelor’s degree and an MBA in five years total.

 

How is the BA in Business Administration structured?

Business majors complete liberal arts and science core courses, business classes, and electives to earn their 120-credit Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration degree. The 52-credit business curriculum includes courses such as Management Accounting, Business Finance, and International Business. Undergraduates can also choose to concentrate on accounting or marketing at NEC. Students who choose the accelerated BA/MBA option complete 12 credits of MBA courses that apply toward their bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Graduates then complete 28 additional MBA credits to earn an MBA.

 

What are the benefits of a BA in Business Administration?

NEC’s business administration program emphasizes critical thinking, analytical skills, and collaboration skills. With a bachelor’s degree in business administration, graduates qualify for entry-level roles in accounting, finance, marketing, human resources, and other fields. Common job titles include human resources specialist, market research analyst, financial analyst, or accountant. After gaining work experience or earning an MBA, business professionals pursue management roles like sales manager or marketing manager.

 

How do I enroll in the BA in Business Administration program?

You can apply to the Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration program with an admission application and a self-reported GPA. NEC accepts applications on a rolling basis. SAT and ACT scores are optional, and you do not need to submit transcripts for admission. NEC does not charge an application fee.

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Ready to begin your journey to a business administration degree? Submit your application today to receive an admission decision quickly. Apply with no application fee and no required standardized test scores.

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