They say that today’s young people don’t know what they want – but the opposite is true. Quite a few 20-30 year olds have already set their career goals, and have conquered the first stage, and maybe the second. But there is one thing holding them back – one line missing from their resume: an academic degree. While many degrees are limited to a specific field of study, a business administration degree is different – because it provides knowledge and tools that allow graduates to integrate into almost any field, while advancing up the career ladder and developing a diverse and rewarding career.
“In the past, there was a misconception that business administration was a degree that you couldn’t do anything with, because it was too general,” says Dr. Mola Cohen, dean of the Faculty of Business Administration and Accounting at the Academic Center for Law and Business in Ramat Gan, which offers a bachelor’s degree in business administration. “But in recent years, they’ve realized that the opposite is true. Today, they’re no longer looking for people who can do just one thing, but rather those who have a broad education, who are able to develop and change, and adapt to different environments and the spirit of the times.
“A degree in business administration teaches everything you need to succeed in a business environment – that is, the foundation stones for every field of activity in the economy. In high-tech, marketing, communications, real estate, economics, finance – in each of these sectors, there is always a need for people with a degree in business administration who know how to locate and analyze data and trends, prepare business plans, advise and support management, and maximize human resources.”
“Graduates with a degree in business administration are integrated into a variety of key roles in today’s market – brand managers, digital campaign managers, planners in advertising companies, marketing and strategy managers, and the degree gives them the ability to advance to key positions in the company. For example, among the graduates of the track at the Academic Center, one can find the spokesperson for the global company Wolt in Israel, as well as a graduate who integrated into global high-tech companies – after working at Radware, he moved to the American company Gigmon, which operates in the field of information security, and today he manages its engineering activities.”
Learning from the field – and from the best
Dr. Molla Cohen emphasizes that the most important goal for him is to jumpstart students’ careers – among other things, through a meaningful connection to industry already during the degree. “With us, you don’t just learn from books and presentations, but also from the field, with a lot of practical experience in various fields,” says senior lecturer Dr. Michaela Elram, who holds a PhD from the Business School at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Dr. Michaela Elram, who worked for global companies such as Boots and Tesco and is currently a consultant to global companies and serves as a director at Rami Levy Marketing Shikma, researches and teaches at the Academic Center in the fields of global retailing, consumer decision-making, and more. According to her, “Our students are exposed to key people in various industries during their degree, and are already building a network for themselves that will allow them to integrate into any industry they want.”
Among the academic center’s collaborations in this degree are leading companies in their field – such as Rami Levy Shekma Marketing, the finance company Max, the real estate company Azorim, the media company Yifat Communications, and the BDO firm. “Each student who completes the degree also receives a professional certificate in their chosen field. Combined with the practical and theoretical knowledge they received, along with the acquaintance they acquired with senior figures in the economy – our students’ path to the most sought-after jobs, with the most rewarding salaries, is paved. The results on the ground indicate that they lead the salary charts in Israel,” says Elram.
The curriculum adapts itself to the student – not the other way around.
In the academic center’s approach, students do not have to stop their daily lives to study, but rather studies should be integrated into them naturally. “We have a combination of frontal learning and distance learning, with everything being very flexible and adaptable to the needs of each student. This flexibility allows them to continue working even while studying, with some already finding work in a company where they can develop their careers; it also allows us to benefit from students who come from all over the country, from Eilat to Kiryat Shmona,” emphasizes Cohen.
As part of that flexibility, students can start studying for their degree in the upcoming spring semester – instead of waiting until the beginning of the next academic year. “At most academic institutions, the start of studies for a degree is only in the fall semester, which begins after the Tishrei holidays,” says Elram. “For us, this is an unnecessary waste of time, and instead of having to wait almost a year, we allow students to start studying as soon as possible.”
The “student at the center” approach is also reflected in the admission requirements – no psychometric test required; and in the convenient payment options, including scholarships. “Each student receives close support from us, according to what he or she needs, including direct communication with the lecturers. The curriculum emphasizes a practical and goal-oriented path, and the quality of our teaching is among the leading in Israel. In terms of results, it works. Happily, more than 90% of the Academic Center’s students integrate into the labor market, in interesting positions and with high salary levels.”
