Everything’s coming together for your startup business; you’re building your a good client list, a solid business plan and a quality marketing strategy, but there’s one thing missing: a graduate education to go along with your new management role. Most companies require managers to hold a graduate degree or have at least 15+ years of experience within your industry. As a startup business, it’s sometimes necessary to have a graduate degree in order to give your business a sense of legitimacy, not to mention it’s a great way to expand your knowledge on effective and ethical business management practices. Of course, running your own startup and being a full time grad school student don’t realistically fit in the same picture. However, due to the high demand for online graduate degrees, more startup owners are now able to work regularly and attend classes at their own convenience, many of which also offer financial aid. If you’re looking for a quality online degree program that will teach you how to manage your business efficiently in the comfort of your own home, here are four graduate degrees that can help you do so. Master’s in Business Administration One of the most common degrees for career professionals is the Master’s in Business Administration. An MBA is one of the most popular degree programs for start-up owners because it offers a well-rounded education of statistics, administration, marketing, accountancy and management. Getting your Master’s in this field will allow you to experiment in a forgiving setting as well as create a relevant network that will help you later on. The MBA is recommended for people with a few years (2-5) of experience and is ideal for young entrepreneurs. Master of Science in Management The biggest difference between the MBA and the Master of Science in Management degree is skill level. A degree in management is ideal for post-grads, or college students with less than 2 years of experience in their field. A Master of Science in Management helps students apply managerial practices to day-to-day management operations, something that absolutely vital when running a new business. Master’s of Finance A Master’s of Finance is an area of study that helps students interpret data and use it to manage commercial systems, inside and outside a company’s environment. This particular degree is ideal for students who have an affinity for numbers and law. Forbes.com explains that the developing businesses must have someone within their new organization that specializes in financing, accountancy and investor relations in order to consolidate expenditures, manage the yearly budget and cash flow as well as remain funded and ensure survival. Most of the classes deal with financial analytics, investment management and corporate finance. If you’re planning on creating an investment foundation for your business, this degree may just be what you’re looking for. Executive Master’s Degree One of the newest degrees to become available online is the Executive Master’s Degree. This prestigious degree encompasses everything the MBA offers as well as concentrations in a diverse field of business administrations specialties, such as research, strategic planning, financial management, Law, Investment Management, etc. Similar to the MBA, the EMBA helps students both develop their ideas into actual businesses and think of solutions for problems that may arise during the first few years of managing a start up. The Executive Master’s Degree is recommended for professionals with more than 5 years of experience within their fields. If you’re looking to become a polished executive, this degree could be for you. Certifications Graduate degrees are not the only programs that help new start up owners expand their knowledge in business management; certifications in these aforementioned areas of study are also available online. Schools like bryantstratton.edu offer an array of online management certifications that can add value to both your business and education. It never hurts to invest more time into education, especially if it’ll help your start-up develop even further. Source: Education News