Business and economics degrees
Administration, accounting, finance, economics, marketing, international trade and several more: business and economics degrees are studied at universities and institutes in different Spanish-speaking countries.
If you organize your class raffle, keep track of the money for the end-of-school trip, sell things online or want to understand why prices go up, there are studies that start from what you already do.
What business and economics degrees have in common
Almost all of them deal with the same thing: how to use money, time and people well, and how decisions are made in a company or in a country. That's why many share subjects like management, economics, accounting, statistics and applied math.
Some degrees are more focused on numbers, others on people and others on selling or communicating, and many overlap with other areas: health, tourism, communication, transportation or the countryside.
The title and length change depending on the institution and the country: there are university degrees and also tertiary degrees (at institutes or technical schools), which tend to be shorter and more specific.
The business and economics degrees
Management and leadership
For those who enjoy planning, organizing and coordinating: from Business Administration to managing a specific sector, like a hotel, a farm, a health center or a building.
Finance, accounting and economics
For those who are good with numbers: recording and reviewing accounts, analyzing investments, understanding taxes and risks, or studying how the Economy of a society works.
Trade and logistics
What it takes for a product to get from one country to another: international business, customs procedures, transportation, storage and distribution.
Marketing, sales and people
For those who enjoy communicating, persuading or helping others: Marketing, advertising, sales, insurance, auctions, executive support and managing the people who work in an organization.
Where to study business and economics
Corporación Universitaria Minuto de Dios (UNIMINUTO)Bogotá · PrivateBusiness AdministrationFinancial ManagementPublic AccountantInternational Business AdministrationBusiness ManagementEnterprise ManagementFinanceHuman ResourcesPublic AdministrationEconomicsMarketingHealth Services AdministrationLogisticsTax AdministrationAuditingShipping Administration
Universidad Santo Tomás (USTA)Bogotá · PrivateEconomicsBusiness AdministrationInternational Business AdministrationMarketingPublic AccountantFinanceBusiness ManagementHuman ResourcesPublic AdministrationEnterprise ManagementLogisticsAuditingTax AdministrationHealth Services Administration
Corporación Universidad de la Costa (CUC)Barranquilla · PrivateBusiness AdministrationHealth Services AdministrationFinancePublic AccountantMarketingInternational Business AdministrationEnterprise ManagementBusiness ManagementHuman ResourcesLogisticsAuditingTax AdministrationRural Administration
Corporación Universitaria AmericanaMedellín · PrivateBusiness AdministrationPublic AccountantInternational Business AdministrationFinancial ManagementEnterprise ManagementBusiness ManagementMarketingPublic AdministrationTax AdministrationFinanceLogisticsHuman ResourcesAuditing
Universidad de Bogotá Jorge Tadeo Lozano (UTadeo)Bogotá · PrivateBusiness AdministrationInternational TradePublic AccountantEconomicsMarketingAdvertisingBusiness ManagementPublic AdministrationFinanceHuman ResourcesHealth Services AdministrationEnterprise ManagementLogistics
Corporación Unificada Nacional de Educación Superior (CUN)Bogotá · PrivateBusiness AdministrationHealth Services AdministrationPublic AdministrationInternational Business AdministrationPublic AccountantAdvertisingMarketingEnterprise ManagementBusiness ManagementHuman ResourcesFinance
Fundación Universitaria del Área Andina (FUAA)Bogotá · PrivateBusiness AdministrationMarketingPublic AccountantInternational Business AdministrationHealth Services AdministrationEnterprise ManagementHuman ResourcesEconomicsBusiness ManagementFinancePublic Administration
Universidad Católica Luis Amigó (Luis Amigó)Medellín · PrivateBusiness AdministrationPublic AccountantInternational Business AdministrationAdvertisingBusiness ManagementFinanceMarketingHealth Services AdministrationTax AdministrationHuman ResourcesHow to choose between them
Pay attention to what you do when no one asks you to: if you're the one who handles the cash box at a school sale, if you like comparing prices before buying, if you start a small business with your friends, if you run the social media for a project or if you're interested in how trade between countries works. Each of those habits leads to a different branch.
Then ask yourself what you prefer to work with: numbers, people or products. Those who enjoy organizing accounts may feel more comfortable in Public Accounting or Finance, and those who enjoy listening and mediating, in Human Resources.
If you are torn between Finance and Economics, compare their subjects in each profile: one focuses on managing money and the other on how resources, prices and employment are decided. Also look at the length and admission requirements of each institution, and take the career test if you want to check what you think.
To read before choosing
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to be good at math to study business and economics?
It depends on the degree. In Actuary math carries a lot of weight, and in Economics and Finance it usually carries quite a bit; in others, like Marketing or Human Resources, it usually plays a smaller role. Look at the subjects of each program.
What is the difference between Business Administration and Public Accounting?
The first studies how to plan, organize and direct an organization's resources; the second focuses on recording, controlling and reviewing accounts. There is an article that compares them.
How long do business and economics degrees last?
Tertiary ones, like Insurance Advisor or Executive Secretariat, tend to be shorter than university ones, and among the latter Actuary, Auditing and Public Accounting are among the longest; Business Management and Tax Administration, among the shortest.
Can I study these degrees if I don't know which branch I want?
Yes. Broad degrees, like Business Administration or Business Management, combine management, economics, finance and people management, and usually let you explore several branches before specializing.
Can they be studied at a distance?
It depends on the program. Some offer a distance or blended format and others are in person. Check the format at each institution.