BGM vs. BBA: Which undergraduate degree fits your future?

By Roy Nelson, Senior Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs

Students interested in business often compare the Bachelor of Global Management (BGM) to a traditional Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA). Both degrees develop core business competencies; however, each program takes a different approach to preparing students for the world they are entering.

The BBA focuses on the fundamentals of business operations. The BGM at Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University includes those same foundations, yet expands them into a globally integrated curriculum built for students who want to understand and influence international markets.

Here is how the two degrees compare across key dimensions to help students choose the degree that aligns with their goals.

Key differences between BBA and Bachelor of Global Management

1. Degree purpose and philosophy

BBA: Prepares students for decision-making roles in traditional business settings. The curriculum teaches the functional building blocks of business and focuses on how organizations operate in domestic or generally familiar environments.

BGM: Prepares students to work, lead, and innovate in a world where markets, supply chains, customers, and competitors cross borders. Students take the same foundational courses found in a BBA, but every course embeds a global perspective. The BGM builds global readiness, cultural intelligence, and the ability to interpret trends across regions.

In essence, the BBA gives functional business skills for general business environments, while the Bachelor of Global Management adds global intelligence for international and multicultural environments

2. Curriculum focus and required competencies

BBA: As its core emphasis, students develop a broad understanding of:

• Accounting
• Finance
• Marketing
• Operations
• Organizational behavior
• Strategy

These courses typically use domestic or generalized examples that help students learn how organizations function.

BGM: Students learn those same business fundamentals, yet their coursework always integrates global dynamics. They also complete additional globally focused courses, such as:

• Big Data in a Global Economy
• Cross-Cultural Communication and Negotiation
• Global Entrepreneurship
• Multinational Organizational Leadership
• Regional Management Environment (Asia, Europe, or Latin America)
• States and Markets in a Global Economy

These courses teach students how to interpret global risk, anticipate market changes, communicate across cultures, and lead teams that span regions.

While the BBA builds strong business fundamentals, the Bachelor of Global Management provides the global mindset needed to lead across borders.

3. Type of learning experience

BBA: Many BBA courses are taught in traditional lecture formats. While students may encounter some international examples, global exposure depends on elective choices or the interests of individual faculty members.

BGM: The BGM is designed around applied learning. Courses are intentionally small to encourage:

• Applied assignments tied to international businesses
• Frequent interaction with faculty who have global experience
• Real-world projects
• Team-based problem solving

Students learn to solve the actual challenges multinational managers face, which gives them practical readiness for global roles.

4. Global exposure and timing

BBA: Students may take international business electives if they choose to. Global engagement typically appears later in the program or through optional study abroad opportunities.

BGM: Students encounter global content immediately. On day one, they enroll in Principles of Global Management, which introduces global frameworks and decision-making models.

During the first two years, students complete at least one Thunderbird Global Management course every semester, each rooted in international cases and applied global concepts.

By the third year, students complete an international internship through:

• A semester-long study abroad experience with professional placement, or
• A local internship with global responsibilities, such as market expansion research or international client engagement

A team-based global capstone in the fourth year applies everything learned to a real organization’s global challenge, with students presenting directly to executives.

5. Competencies and skill development

BBA: Graduates typically excel in:

• Analytical thinking
• Foundational decision-making
• Functional business understanding
• General management principles

BGM: Graduates develop those same competencies plus:

• Ability to anticipate global trends
• Capability to manage global risk and rapid international change
• Cultural intelligence and cross-cultural negotiation skills
• Facility with global data, AI tools, and multi-market analytics
• Leadership skills for multicultural teams
• Understanding of regional economic and political dynamics

Thunderbird refers to this comprehensive capability set as the global mindset.

6. Common misconceptions

Students and families often underestimate how comprehensive the BGM curriculum is. A common assumption is that a global management degree focuses on international topics at the expense of core business fundamentals. In reality, the BGM includes every major functional component found in a BBA, then adds global training that reflects how modern organizations operate.

Others may assume the BGM is only for students who want to live abroad. Many BGM graduates begin their careers in their home region, including Phoenix, yet work for organizations that operate globally or serve international clients. Multinational companies, global nonprofits, and local firms with cross-border connections all value the skills BGM graduates bring.

7. Ideal student profiles

BBA: Candidates often thrive when they:

• Plan to enter roles focused on domestic operations
• Prefer a broad, traditional business education
• Want flexibility across general business roles

BGM: Candidates often thrive when they:

• Are curious about other cultures
• Aspire to leadership roles with cross-border responsibilities
• Enjoy working with diverse groups
• Want to understand how global forces shape local decisions

Even students who are “global-curious” rather than committed to living abroad often discover new confidence and new career pathways through the BGM experience.

8. Career outcomes

BBA: Graduates commonly pursue roles such as:

• Business analyst
• Human resources assistant
• Marketing associate
• Operations coordinator
• Sales representative

BGM: Graduates often begin careers in areas such as:

• Financial services with global portfolios
• Global business development
• Global supply chain
• International market analysis
• Multinational product management
• Public sector roles tied to international partnerships
• Trade compliance

Examples include alumni who have become supply chain managers at Honeywell, product managers at Amazon, financial advisers at Vanguard, and staff members supporting global engagement at Phoenix Sister Cities or the International Rescue Committee.

9. Employer perception

Employers view a BGM credential as providing more than a BA in Business Administration for entry-level professional readiness, because Thunderbird BGM graduates have all the same functional skills as those with a BA in Business Administration, including courses in Accounting, Marketing, Finance, Big Data, and Strategy. However, all of these are taught from a global perspective that makes Thunderbird graduates even more competitive in today's globally connected business environment. 

In addition, BGM grads have access to the unparalleled Thunderbird global network of alumni. 

One employer, having hired a Thunderbird graduate, said, “I didn't realize that when I hired a T-bird I wasn't hiring just one employee, but someone who had access to a whole network of people who could help us get things done just about anywhere in the world.” 

Picking the right degree for your future

Both degrees prepare students for meaningful careers in business. The Bachelor of Business Administration provides a strong foundation in general business operations. The Bachelor of Global Management provides that same foundation while equipping students to lead with cultural intelligence, global awareness, and confidence in international environments.

For students who want to understand business in a global context and develop the mindset required for a world shaped by cross-border collaboration, the BGM offers a powerful pathway.

Find out more about Thunderbird’s Bachelor of Global Management and start your international career today.