Four Nichols College students in business attire collaborate around a conference table in a glass-walled meeting room
Academics Undergraduate Programs Bachelor of Science in Business Administration

BSBA in Management

at Nichols College

Go beyond theory and prepare to lead with a BSBA in management from Nichols College in Dudley, MA. You’ll develop the communication, critical thinking and ethical decision-making skills that today’s executives rely on—skills that help you solve complex problems, interpret business data and lead with integrity.

Learn from faculty with decades of experience in management, entrepreneurship and consulting, and apply your knowledge through hands-on internships with our network of corporate partners. All students take on at least one credit-bearing internship or experiential component.

Whether your goal is to lead a team in a major corporation or launch your own business, our program equips you with the practical experience, strategic insight and confidence to excel in management roles across industries.

Close-up exterior of a Nichols College brick building with a large arched window, with a vibrant yellow fall foliage tree visible along the campus sidewalk

Why Study Management at Nichols College?

Pursuing a business management degree at Nichols College means learning from experienced leaders who shape tomorrow's managers through proven expertise and real-world knowledge. Here's what sets our program apart:

Faculty With Field Experience

Learn from professors with decades of experience in management, business ownership and consulting who bring critical knowledge and practical insights

Comprehensive Skill Development

Gain communication, critical thinking, analytical abilities, ethical decision-making and leadership skills through networking and hands-on experience

Professional Connections

Engage with professionals and secure meaningful internships through our career contacts, hands-on employer experiences and alumni network that’s 16,000+ members strong

Worcester County Location

Benefit from direct access to New England's diverse business landscape and management opportunities while getting the personal attention of a close-knit campus community

Plus, our program is AACSB-accredited—only six percent of institutions worldwide are accredited by the prestigious Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

Experiential Learning at Nichols College

Hands-on, experiential learning is a key component of a Nichols education. Every business student completes an internship, a professional certification and a research, experiential or consulting project before they graduate. Add holistic professional development to that hands-on foundation, and you get real results—95% of recent graduates secured jobs or entered graduate school within six months. All from a college ranked top 10 nationally among undergraduate business schools for mid-career salary potential and best value.

A Nichols College student intern assists with an event at historic Fenway Park in Boston.

Student-Faculty Projects

From assisting with faculty research and teaching to working on an advanced project with your professor, there are many ways to extend your learning beyond the classroom at Nichols.

Learn More About Experiential Learning at Nichols.

Student-Run Opportunities

Whether you’re managing the Thunder Fund, working with Bison Consulting clients, helping run the Nichols Dudley Hill Golf Course Club and Bison Den or pitching ideas to companies, you’ll build career-ready skills.

Learn More About Student-Run Opportunities.

Holistic Professional Development

Build confidence and vital soft skills through experiences that take you into the community, paired with public speaking practice, networking etiquette and signature leadership development.

Learn More About Professional Development at Nichols.

Study Abroad

Take your education global through faculty-led trips, international internships, semester abroad programs and short-term travel that let you earn Nichols credits while expanding your worldview.

Learn More About Study Abroad (Study Away).
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Careers in Management

A degree in management develops expertise in leading people, solving organizational challenges and making ethical, informed decisions, along with transferable skills in communication, analysis and leadership. Graduates can pursue roles across business, healthcare, manufacturing, nonprofits and entrepreneurial ventures, among other sectors.

Career possibilities include:

  • Administrative services manager
  • Financial manager
  • Human resources manager
  • Industrial production manager
  • Sales manager
And More
Two Nichols College students in professional attire laughing together at a career and internship fair booth

Meet Your Faculty

Brian Abraham

Chair, Management 508-213-2356

Scott McDonald

Assistant Professor of Management

Heather Richards

Assistant Professor of Management 508-213-2031

Richard Wheeler

Graduate Faculty

Domenic Cornacchioli

Adjunct Professor 508-213-2201

Mary Trottier

Adjunct Professor 508-213-2125
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions About Our Management Degree Program

What makes the Nichols management program different from other business management programs in Massachusetts?

Our management degree at Nichols College stands out through our commitment to experiential learning and hands-on experience through corporate partnerships, with 100% student participation in internships. Our faculty bring practical knowledge from business ownership, consulting and management roles, providing students with both theoretical foundations and real-world insights.

How does the management program prepare students for leadership roles immediately after graduation?

Our business management degree focuses on developing core leadership competencies through practical application rather than just theoretical study. Students gain communication skills by presenting solutions to actual corporate problems; develop critical thinking through real business metric analysis; and build ethical decision-making abilities through demonstrated dilemma examination. The mandatory experiential component ensures every graduate has gone through at least one credit-bearing internship or experiential opportunity in management, while faculty mentorship from experienced business leaders provides guidance on transitioning from student to management leader.

What career advancement opportunities are available to management degree graduates?

Our graduates are prepared for diverse paths including corporate management, entrepreneurship and consulting roles. The comprehensive skill set developed through our program—communication, critical thinking, ethical leadership and practical experience—positions graduates for advancement into senior management roles across industries, from healthcare and manufacturing to technology and service sectors.

Management Courses

Required Courses

This course introduces students to the fundamental practices involved in effective human resource management, such as recruiting, performance evaluation, compensation, employment law, and employee rights. HR theory and practice are emphasized within the context of improving organizational productivity and developing employee potential.

Examines management theory and practice as applied to business activities that cross national boundaries. Emphasis is placed on an understanding of strategic, cultural, behavioral, functional, legal, and socio-ethnical aspects of international management in a global economy with multinational business enterprises.

This course focuses on the strategies and tactics for conceiving, developing, initiating and managing innovation and change within an established corporate structure. Topics include attributes of corporate entrepreneurs, bases of creativity and innovation, interpersonal and interdepartmental relationships, promoting innovation and change within the corporate structure, organizational politics, strategic organizational changes, and corporate culture.

The global business world is a fast-paced environment. Maintaining relevance in the midst of dynamic change can be challenging. This seminar monitors and addresses current business leaders, fresh managerial theories, and innovative practices in a way that helps synthesize new trends with classic management models. Successful completion of this course will enable the student to craft the initial steps of their business career.

and one from the experiential learning suite of choices:

An intensive program of work experience with a business or corporation. Combines both experiential learning with traditional academic work through required term essay and presentation of internship results to an appropriate class. Internship course specifications and "learning contract" forms are available through the Office of Career Services. Students interested must be of junior or senior standing and have a 2.5 grade point average.

An intensive program of work experience with a business or corporation. Combines both experiential learning with traditional academic work through required term essay and presentation of internship results to an appropriate class. Internship course specifications and "learning contract" forms are available through the Office of Career Services. Students interested must be of junior or senior standing and have a 2.5 grade point average.

No description available.

The Advanced Project is an opportunity for students to work with a group under the close supervision of a faculty member, developing professional skills and personal knowledge through an outside-the-classroom advanced project. Students develop new communication and critical thinking skills, as well as practice leadership and teamwork. They are introduced to new hands-on opportunities related to their field, and possible career opportunities. The experience will enhance students' graduate and employment qualifications. To be eligible, students must have completed at least 60 credit hours. The Advanced Project and other experiential learning opportunities require approval of the Program Chair.

Elective Courses

This advanced communication course will cover the theories of organizational communication, the role of communication in organizations, communicating with and between key stakeholders such as employees and management, conflict and negotiation, and ethical communication. Students will analyze real cases and propose and debate alternative solutions.

Today many cities in the United States, such as Detroit, are in Great Depression-like circumstances while others such as Atlanta are flourishing. More locally the towns of Southbridge and Webster seem to struggle economically, while Sturbridge and Cambridge thrive. This course attempts to understand these phenomena. This course will focus on several topical issues, including: urban flight, suburban sprawl, urban work and labor markets, poverty, urban education, crime, urban sociology and psychology, and issues of race (e.g., discrimination and segregation). The course is intended to familiarize students with the basic issues and policies of urban and city life. The course integrates a political economic and sociological approach to urban issues, based upon reading contemporary books and texts.

The emphasis of this course is on the acquisition and management of entrepreneurial capital and funding and on the development and management of the fundamental accounting skills and tools and systems for small business owners. Successful completion of this course would enable the student to identify and apply for funding and to set up and operate the business and accounting systems necessary for the successful control of their business.

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to project management and how the role of project manager can enhance the success of both large and small projects within a business. Students will gain an understanding of the nine different project management knowledge areas and the five process groups: initiating, planning, executing, controlling, and closing, and apply these as a framework and context for managing information technology projects.

This course provides students with the managerial knowledge and skills to organize and lead within a healthcare setting. Students will explore various concepts and theories of managing people, resources, systems, and processes within health services to meet the changing environment considering the needs of the public and cost effectiveness. (Previously HCM 342)

This course presents an understanding of the history and business principles of nonprofits, legal entities organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit. Case studies of existing and historical organizations are used extensively to immerse the student in the dynamics of nonprofits. The role of the nonprofit is presented as a viable component of the business world.

This course explores the impact of nonprofit organizations on local and national business and social trends. The nonprofit is studied as an important component of the economic marketplace and business environment. The ability of nonprofits to provide scale and synergy to social issues is examined. Case studies of local and national level nonprofits are used to help the student discover the impact of nonprofits.

This course is offered on an occasional basis and addresses topics and themes of special interest not covered in the standard course offerings of Management.

Negotiation is a critical skill in business and in life - whether it is for salary, contracts, resource allocation, or collective decision making. Knowing how to effectively and ethically negotiate is essential for leadership and for accomplishing individual and group objectives. In this course, students will learn the strategy, structure, and skills of negotiation in interpersonal and organizational contexts.

This course provides fundamental knowledge and skills in entrepreneurship which focus on the process of establishing and successfully operating a new business. Entrepreneurship is setting up a freestanding new business and accepting the risks of time, effort, and money associated with such a venture. Successful completion of this course will enable the student to craft an initial plan for the start-up of a new business, including a working knowledge of permits, fees and municipal registration requirements and the development of a simple business plan.

Through the course, students will engage in a critical evaluation and discussion of differing views on the meaning of CSR, the triple bottom line philosophy, sustainable business, and related concepts. Students will also consider different perspectives on the proper role of CSR in business and society. Recognizing entrepreneurs and managers differ in the values-based and other motives for pursuing a CSR agenda, a case will be made for the merits of adopting a strategic lens to manage CSR so as to best serve any and all underlying interests and motives. In so doing, CSR practices are transformed from "the right thing to do," when firm can afford it, into a potential source of sustained competitive advantage that provides greater benefit to stakeholders. Moreover, to enhance student development per the College mission, the curriculum integrates contemporary approaches to leadership and CSR's implementation through the use of leadership and strategic management frameworks.

Research, analysis, and evaluation of practices, problems, or processes in management of special interest to business majors in their senior year. Offered by special arrangement.

This course introduces students to real estate fundamentals and the practice of real estate sales and appraisals as a profession. Topic areas include market valuation, land use and zoning, forms of ownership, legal aspects of real estate, financing, and property management. Students will gain valuable insight into the real estate industry and the nature of real estate transactions and have an opportunity to engage with industry guest speakers about their particular real estate specializations. This course is based on the National Real Estate exam for licensure.

Real estate touches all of us - it is where we begin and end each day, where we attend classes, where we work, where we spend time with friends and family - it is literally everywhere we go. A working knowledge of real estate law is important to every member of society as almost all of us will rent or own real property in our lifetimes. This course introduces students to the basics of real property law and then explores the various issues that arise in both residential and commercial real estate transactions. Emphasis is placed on the ways to acquire real property; the types of concurrent ownership; the limitations posed by encumbrances and liens; the various types of real estate contracts and how those contracts are negotiated; the importance of a title search and survey review; the various ways of financing a real estate purchase; the closing process; and the governmental regulations that affect real estate transactions.

This course introduces students to basic appraisal principles and procedures. A practical and theoretical overview of the appraisal process and the three valuation methods of sales, cost, and income approaches will be introduced. The social and economic determinants of value, residential construction, architectural styles, site valuation, highest and best use, and primary and secondary data base research will additionally be explored through case study analysis.

This project-based course provides the opportunity to engage with real-world applications within the real estate industry and examine current real estate trends and issues. Topics will include site acquisition and development, zoning and planning, market analysis and property valuation, investing, marketing, and vacation properties. Students will gain both a national and local perspective of the real estate industry and will have the opportunity to engage and network with leading real estate professionals.

Regardless of your industry or role, communication skills are vital to success. The purpose may be persuasive, motivational, organizational, managerial, or interpersonal, and the method may be written or oral, but at its core, successful communication is both effective and efficient. Like other business skills, communication abilities can be studied and developed. This course will help students to understand the underpinnings of communication, and to develop skills necessary in the 21st century.

As business practices evolve to meet the changing demands of the marketplace, leaders must constantly evaluate and make adjustments to stay on top of the field. This course is designed to help students identify, evaluate, and analyze current trends and then to make judgments on the viability and wisdom of those trends.

Free Electives

12 credit-hours of electives

Interested in Learning More?

Join us at one of our upcoming campus events in Dudley, MA, or schedule a campus visit. You can also contact our Admissions team to discuss your academic goals and how Nichols can help you reach them.