BlogUniversityPros and Cons of Business Administration at Macquarie University

Pros and Cons of Business Administration at Macquarie University

Still not too sure whether a Bachelor of Business Administration at Macquarie Uni would be the right degree for you?

If you’ve read up on the facts and know what it’s like to study business administration at Macquarie Uni, it would be perfectly understandable if you were now searching the internet for a real student’s real opinion of the degree.  

Well, good thing you’re here because that’s exactly what we’ve got! We had the chance to chat to Riley, a second year business student who gave us his honest thoughts on the course and told us what it’s really like to study at Macquarie Uni. 

Let’s dive in! 

Why should you study a Business Administration degree at Macquarie?
Top 3 Pros of a Business Administration Degree
Top 3 Cons of a Business Administration Degree
Mistakes You Shouldn’t Make
Things to Know Before Starting Macquarie Business Administration
What Makes this Degree Different
Motivations for Studying Macquarie Business Administration
Potential Career Paths

Why should you study a Business Administration degree at Macquarie?

A Bachelor of Business Administration is a 3 year undergraduate degree offered at Macquarie Uni to students who have received a minimum ATAR of 80. 

It’s the main business degree that Macquarie has on offer and focuses on the roles and functions of business, management, finance, economics, ethics, human resources, strategy and marketing. It’s a great next step for Year 12s who loved Business Studies!

Business Administration Macquarie - Student Quote

Top 3 Pros of a Business Administration degree

#1: Variety of units

As Riley mentioned before, a major positive of the Bachelor of Business Administration degree at Macquarie Uni is that it’s a great way to get a broad understanding of every aspect of a business. You’ll get to learn it all!

That way when it comes to choosing your next career step, you’ll have developed the skills for a variety of positions (but this is another of Riley’s pros so we won’t spoil it now). 

“A major positive would be the fact that you can pick from a huge variety of units. The subjects look into every function of a business that you can imagine,” Riley said. 

“This year, for example, I’m doing an Entrepreneurship and New Venture Management class which I had no idea I’d be able to do. I’m really excited about it.” He added. 

If this is something that appeals to you, you can take a look at all of the units available for Macquarie’s business students right here! 

#2: Connections and networking

A valuable element of the Business Administration course at Macquarie Uni is its focus on group work and networking. Not only will you be fostering relationships with your peers in classroom settings but you’ll also have access to the professional and passionate staff in the Macquarie Business School. 

“All the people are really nice and easy to talk to. The staff have always been very supportive and they’re always telling students that if they need anything or are having any issues, they should have a chat with the staff,” Riley said. 

While Riley wouldn’t consider himself group work’s biggest fan, he admits that it has been helpful for his communication and collaboration skills to participate in group discussions and activities. 

“All of the group work we’ve done helps us make a lot of relationships with other people and gives us the experience for when we get into the workplace. It’s helped me learn how to communicate effectively and how to manage particular situations,” Riley told us. 

#3: Career prospects

A feature that Riley was particularly pleased about when enrolling into the Business Administration degree at Macquarie was the amount of career opportunities that were possible once he graduated. 

“This course helps you get into any job. Literally any job. It’s very broad. I remember looking at the unit guidelines and was quite impressed by the massive list of professions that you could potentially work in,” Riley said. 

He also noted that the list was longer compared to other courses that he had looked at. 

We’ll break down your possible career options a little later on!

 

Top 3 Cons of a Business Administration degree

#1: A lot of group work 

As we mentioned before, Riley thought that the amount of group work required was a bit much. He admitted to it being helpful but, for him personally, it got a little hard to deal with. 

A lot of the time students will have a love-hate relationship with group work. It often comes down to circumstances, what you enjoy doing and who the people are that you’re paired with. If you’re in a group with committed and passionate business students, it’ll be a breeze!

“This kind of contradicts what I said before as a positive but the amount of group work in comparison to other courses was quite a lot to handle,” Riley said. 

“I had a group assignment for every single unit that I did. Sometimes I even had multiple. Sometimes it was great but a lot of the time, I didn’t love it.” He added. 

The way you function in group tasks comes down to the kind of person you are. Riley told us that he generally prefers to do his own work and be marked on this own work but still believes it has helped him develop essential skills. 

#2: Not many chances to specialise

While Riley told us that he loved the fact that there’s such a large variety of subjects to choose from, he said that he wished some were a little more extensive. 

“You’re only really taught surface-level content. You generally only get to learn a very broad summary of the unit and don’t get to go as in depth as I would like. You never really get to go back and consolidate your knowledge in the future,” Riley acknowledged. 

Again, this typically comes down to personal preference. Riley told us that he enjoys learning things in depth and that’s just what works for him. But this doesn’t mean you’ll feel the same way.

If you’re someone that loves knowing a little about everything and can probably ace any kind of trivia, this could be a positive for you! 

#3: Difficulty enjoying some units

This one is also totally dependent on the person. Riley said that he wished he had taken a little more time to choose subjects that he’d be more likely to enjoy. 

“I didn’t love some of the units that I had chosen. I was doing two management courses which I later found out that I didn’t really like. But again, that’s just my opinion.” Riley said. 

Any regrets? 

“For me, I regret not being as attentive and engaged in the tutorials when we went online. I didn’t really talk at all and when I did the work, I didn’t put a huge amount of effort in. Afterwards, it felt like I hadn’t learned anything at all,” Riley told us.

Like the majority of us, Riley found it a little difficult adjusting to online classes. While it’s all in retrospect, Riley said that he wished he had made more of an effort to engage in the online uni environment. 

What do you wish you had known before starting Business Administration at Macquarie? 

#1: Always watch lectures and take notes

“It sounds silly but I didn’t realise how much of an impact watching lectures and taking in-depth notes would be in regards to assessments. That’s a big one for me,” Riley said. 

While it sounds pretty straightforward, taking notes during lectures is an easy task to overlook. It’s natural to get into the habit of putting lecture-watching on the back-burner while you’re finishing assessments but in reality, these lectures will be crucial to your grades. 

“Sometimes I wouldn’t watch the lectures because I thought it was stuff that I already knew. There were a few questions in the exam that I had absolutely no idea how to do and it was only when I looked back at the lectures that I realised it had all been covered there.” 

So, you’ve heard it here first, folks. Watch the lectures! 

#2: Choose your subjects carefully 

As we mentioned earlier, there were a few subjects that Riley didn’t love taking. He wished he had put a little more thought into the units he was enrolling in so that he would have had a larger chance of enjoying them. 

So, when you’re choosing your subjects, remember to read through the unit descriptions, compare your options and as you’re choosing try to think about the fact that you’re selecting the subjects that you’ll be studying for the next 6 months. 

Think about what you most enjoy and also what you think would be the most valuable! 

What makes this degree different from the ones offered at other universities? 

Macquarie Uni prides itself on offering Business courses that have earned a global reputation for their interdisciplinary approach and committed staff members. 

Riley didn’t have a huge amount to say on this front because the Macquarie Uni campus was local for him and therefore made the most sense. 

The Macquarie Business School is the largest faculty at the university which means that you’ll have a vast support system throughout your time at uni.

A defining characteristic of Macquarie’s Business Administration degree is its PACE initiative. PACE is a program that provides undergraduate students the opportunity to undertake work experience in local, regional and international organisations.

Not only will you be getting great experience that will be welcomed by any employer, but you’ll also be able to increase your network and make contacts with people in the workforce.  

What inspired you to choose Business Administration at Macquarie?

Riley was actually awarded a position in this course as part of an early offer scheme. Macquarie is pretty renowned for their early offer programs so if you’re also keen on relieving a bit of stress on results day, you can browse Macquarie’s offers here! 

“I chose this course because it was a basic Business degree that I thought would be a great start to help me identify what exactly I wanted to do within a business,” Riley said. 

It’s safe to say that Riley’s pretty happy with his choice and is grateful for the valuable knowledge that he is acquiring at Macquarie. 

What are the possible career paths?

Business Administration Macquarie - Careers

A Bachelor of Business Administration at Macquarie Uni is a program that will allow you to explore every function, element and aspect of a business. While you won’t get many chances to specialise, the breadth of this degree will provide you with the skills to work in a variety of roles around a business. 

Since you’ll be studying subjects like management, ethics, economics, human resources, finance, marketing and strategy, you could secure a position in almost any business-related profession. If you’re a keen leader and communicator, a management role may be right up your alley! 


Gemma Billington is a Content Writer at Art of Smart and an undergraduate student at the University of Technology Sydney. While studying Journalism and Social and Political Sciences, Gemma enjoys spending her time at the gym or reading about Britain’s medieval monarchy – ideally not at the same time. She currently creates and administers social media posts for Central News and writes for the student publication, The Comma. After completing her undergraduate degree, she hopes to study a Masters of Medieval History and is very excited about the prospect!

 

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