<p>I'm currently stuck trying to decide between an Industrial Engineering, Physics, or Business major. Of course business seems like the most glamorous of those three, but I've heard horror stories of the saturation of business degrees. </p>
<p>So what does a business degree teach you in terms of tangible skills? With engineering and science degrees, I feel like employers or grad schools know that you had to think logically and work hard to get it, but not as much so for a business degree. Also, would a business degree from a mid-level university (U South Florida) help you get a job at all? </p>
<p>I've been accepted to USF and got into the Honors College, so there are big decisions to make! Any insight would be appreciated.</p>
<p>I’ve seen many business students from unranked and lower ranked universities struggle to find a job outside of entry-level sales positions. However, the one thing they seem to have in common is a lack of drive. None of them did anything particularly impressive in college and so it was not a surprise that they did not obtain impressive positions. </p>
<p>I think that a student going to a lower tier school can greatly increase their employment prospects by 1) networking with business professionals, such as current or previous employers, attending public lectures/presentations/conferences, etc.; 2) look for leadership opportunities, such as president of a school organization, leading in a volunteer organization outside of school; 3) seek out internships early and work hard to build your resume prior to applying; and 4) developing your communication skills so that you can present yourself well in interviews, networking, and elsewhere.</p>
<p>These are mostly all “extras” that are not required for graduation. Pursuing them will give you an edge; after all, job searching is less about hunting through job listings and more about who you know and what they think of you. Build a favorable reputation and carry that outside of the classroom.</p>
<p>…and to answer your question, there are some “hard skills” taught in business programs, such as accounting and employment law. Then there are soft skills such as managing groups and presentations. There is value in a business education, but it’s up to you to figure out what to do with it.</p>
<p>A high-ranked schooled isn’t particularly unimpressive. Sure physics is more difficult than accounting but there are plenty of people that struggle with accounting. Most of those people who get C’s or even B’s goto your typical low-end business school. Likewise the other pre-reqs are usually low. Business Calc at a typical uni versus calc 1 or calc 2 at a high-end school. A business degree from a good university is good and better than a lot of degrees.</p>