<p>Hi,</p>
<p>I am interested in doing a dual degree comp sci + business (finance, economics, or general). Is it worth it to have a dual degree of this combination? Which business major (finance, economics, general, etc.) bonds well with comp sci? </p>
<p>Would appreciate your input.</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>Why not just major in CS and take any business courses of interest as out-of-major electives?</p>
<p>I really enjoy business and comp sci and I have done two startups till date. I think this combo will help me with the future startups that I might launch. But I wanted to get feedback if this business and comp sci combo gives me an advantage in the workforce as well? Thanks. </p>
<p>From what I’ve heard, that’s where all the money is at. Engineers who also add on a business degree. It’s not only very attractive to employers, but these individuals tend to be the ones running start-ups (like you have)</p>
<p>Great to hear that. Any thoughts on which BBA (finance, economics, general, etc.) be better combo with comp sci?</p>
<p>I wanna do that as well, that’s why I am going to CMU.</p>
<p>I would say something like information system management or quantitative decision making would be best for computer science majors. Finance? Maybe but honestly Math people are acing it. </p>
<p>@agusta I would probably say finance because of stocks and the larger dependence on software for trading. Also there is a lot of movement in people trying to write algorithms that would predict stock exchanges more times right than wrong. It’s super hard, and would destroy the program itself in a few months…but the money gained for that firm would be beyond imaginable. (And this is if the program can predict at a 57% accuracy rate)</p>
<p>Another good one is business administration, or business management (If you are a regular programmer, you probably would want your manager/boss to also have both programming skills and management skills)</p>
<p>I think that is a very powerful combination of majors. If you want to work in consulting, for a larger company, or run your own CS company, this combination will work for you. I think the business admin degree is fine – you want a broad knowledge of a lot of different areas of business – it makes you a great utility player when you first get into any of those three types of job situations, and companies love that. And it positions you well to know something about all areas if you start up your own company eventually – knowing something about accounting, marketing, finance, business law, etc. is darned handy and gives you a leg up on people who learn that stuff the hard way throughout their career (or never learn it…). I say this as someone who has made a great living with a BBA and a minor in CS from a long time ago – that ability to bridge the business/CS-IT gap is a huge asset.</p>
<p>@Tenmore @intparent thanks. I definitely don’t want just to be a programmer. I have a lot of experience given the two startups I had founded till date. I been missing the CS skillset. Combining my business + CS would be really awesome, I really love the business side of things. </p>
<p>I think you guys kinda answered my questions but I just wanted to clarify. For the BBA I can’t decide if I should major in finance or do a general BBA, in combination to the BCS. I am thinking finance because it helps me open a lot of doors in the business world. If I do a general BBA, then it gives me a broader view (accounting, marketing, finance, law, etc.) but could that hold me back? I’m really confused on this. Would appreciate if you guys could share your views.</p>
<p>Thanks. </p>
<p>agusta,</p>
<p>that’s a powerful combination - understanding of business/economics & computer science. My peers have consistently scored jobs at Google and etc. with that kind of combination and I painfully regret that I should have done the same. It’s a very good idea.</p>
<p>In terms of your question about “what bonds well” with computer science, well, that doesn’t make any sense. What do you want out of your life instead of just employers looking at your resume and saying “that looks pretty”? Are you interested in Finance? Please don’t go into Finance if your only concern is “because it would look good to employers”. </p>
<p>@kyunga1214 Thanks. Actually I can’t decided which BBA area I want to focus in i.e. finance, economics, general, etc. What I would like to do is combine by love for business + computers. I’m also trying to factor in the broader jobs I could be a fit for as well. Finance, economics, or general could be a good fit but I’m really confused on that. Looking for feedback on that. Thanks :)</p>
<p>I agree with the advice that you should pick whatever area of business most interests you. Honestly, I think it is the general business background that makes you most attractive. When you understand a wide range of business areas, that is what is most beneficial in combination with CS. Here is the thing… most companies are not looking for a specific CS/business major combo. They usually want good CS people… or good business people. If you are both, that is a bonus. But they don’t post jobs saying, “CS with Finance double major”. And you don’t want to pigeonhole yourself as “a finance guy”. Business moves fast, and the most valuable people in the long run are those who can switch from project to project with ease. The general BBA gives you that ability. </p>
<p>You mention Econ above. I do think the general BBA is a better degree in your case. It has specific business training. If you are trying to solve a business problem, knowing about accounting, finance, marketing, operations, etc. is a whole lot more helpful than the types of subjects you cover in an Econ degree. I always feel like an Econ degree shows an aptitude for business, and that is why a lot of employers hire them. But the BBA is the nuts and bolts of how business works, and is more valuable for hitting the ground running after college.</p>
<p>@agusta </p>
<p>Oh, okay. My school called that a “concentration”. The word “Focus” was unclear for me. What other focus areas are there? At the end of the day, your specialization or concentration in the business school doesn’t really matter, except a “finance” concentration looks better to a recruiter from a bank than a “general” concentration would. </p>
<p>With your start up experience and future CS skills, that little focus name on the resume won’t really make any difference at all. It just depends on what you decide to do after college. If I were you, I’d invest heavily on your CS skills and create a bunch of more successful start-ups that add value to society instead of going to work for some big company that offers no value to society. </p>
<p>You can decide to change the future of society or go work for some ■■■■■■ at a big company. Up to you. </p>
<p>Gotta say, having worked for a startup, knowing something about general business in addition to great CS skills is dead useful. If nothing else, it helps you be a better judge of hiring business talent to take of those areas in your company for you.</p>
<p>Awesome. Thanks guy. Think I’m gonna do the general BBA with BCS. As you guys mentioned, it really compliments my business (startup) experience. I can’t see myself working for a big company for long, I have the entrepreneurship bug and definitely want to stay in the startup world. </p>
<p>You guys have been really helpful. Thanks a lot. </p>