Just finished the first half of sophomore year and am about to declare my major. I’ve been thinking of international business since high school, but my French professor recently suggested a French minor after having done so well in his class throughout 2016 (had him for both 101 in the spring and then 102 this fall). I’m really considering it, but I want to be sure before I get into anything.
What would my job prospects look like coming out of school? How much of an advantage is there to being minoring in French? How useful would it be?
I think our professor had a good idea. First international business without a language is weaker than with - it signals less rigorous and some employers actually expect international business majors to have a good proficiency. Second, it helps if you wish to study/ intern abroad - again, something that’d be logically expected from international business majors.
Finally, one of our main business partners is Canada, so there’d be a direct practical side to it; and I’d aiming for Western Africa it’s another good point in your favor. Plus all the courvoisier /cheese industry
It would be nice to have the French minor paired with an international business degree if getting the minor will not cause undue stress on your schedule. Ultimately, the classes you have taken and, most importantly, your level of fluency will be more meaningful to potential employers than having a minor.
I don’t think having a French minor or not will matter much for grad school. Grad schools will get your transcript so admissions officers will see the exact courses you have taken. If you want a top grad school in business it really boils down to a combination of having strong undergraduate GPA/coursework and GMATs, 2-5 years of meaningful work experience, great recommendations, essays etc.
What sort of grad school?
If I were you, I’d try to develop some fluency by reaching the level needed to study abroad, then see whether you can study and work in Quebec (I think even with a student visa you’re allowed to work 20hours a week anyway but check - an internship would be paramount.) Or Western Africa but I’m guessing it’s not as common to find options to study and intern there.
Most international business majors who struggle finding a job, it’s because they do not have a thorough quantitative background or because they don’t know a language and culture well. You need either one to be a good candidate and you can even have both, but having neither pales it harder to find a job.
I never like to suggest majors for people I don’t know as IMO a person’s choice of major should largely depend on their interests and, aptitudes. But I would also consider what majors from your college are employable into good jobs (both for yourself,right after graduation and also as a part of you application to top MBA programs). So if you haven’t yet, I would talk to people in the IB department and people in career services to be sure IB is a good option not in while you are in school but also after you graduate. They may also have a feel for what, if any, additional courses would help make you most employable.
Please also note that you don’t need any sort of a business major to go on for a MBA. In my H’s grad school class at Wharton there were business majors but there were also engineers, liberal arts majors, an opera singer, two former military pilots etc.
GMAT scores are definitely part of the MBA admission process. A quick google search found this (if you want the average GMAT for any other school it should be available online).
GMAT scores above 700 and 3.75 GPA are necessary to make the first cut at top MBA’s. For other MBA’s, it’s recommended you not fall below 3.2, and definitely not below 3.0. Your work experience (especially impact as quantitatively measured) will carry more weight the further removed from college you are. The average MBA student is 27, except at Harvard Stanford etc, where they’re 24-25.
And (not to be a killjoy) keep in mind that the most competitive MBA programs, much like the most competitive undergraduate schools, don’t have enough spots to allow them to accept all of the well qualified applicants.
Hey so as far as I understand it, The United Nations is mostly french and english, so with a business degree you could work for one of the financial aspects of the UN!
Edit: A quote directly from their job openings “English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency in written and spoken English is required. Working knowledge of French is desirable.”
It seems as though they prefer a master’s degree as well, but it’s worth knowing about as a possibility!
@happy1
Re: what you said about how you don’t need to be business to get a MBA. Is it similar to other degrees where IF you have an accredited business degree you might be able to spend a year less getting your MBA?
My gf is going to spend a year less if she goes for a MLA because she graduated with a BA in Landscape Architecture.
A MBA is typically 2 years regardless of your undergraduate field of study. For example my H is a CPA and worked for a Big 4 firm but his MBA program at Wharton was 2 years…the same as people who came in without a business background. He was able to waive out of a few introductory classes based on his undergraduate record, but he replaced them with additional upper level classes.
The only exception that I can think of offhand is that some schools have 5 year combined programs that give you a bachelors and a MBA.
No. In fact unless you come from specific business schools (Ross, Stern, Mendoza, Wharton - that level) top MBA programs will prefer you to have a background in other subjects - CS and engineering, quantitative economics, humanities including foreign language and culture with extensive time abroad, arts…
MBA classes look for a mix of people with different backgrounds and experiences. They absolutely welcome students from varied disciplines, however they also welcome students with a strong business background. People with undergraduate business degrees almost always go for a different concentration as a grad student to broaden their horizons. For example my H who was a CPA when he went to Wharton took a concentration in finance in grad school and the combination proved to be very strong. My friend’s D was a finance/statistics major undergraduate and is now at Wharton for marketing.
^ well 1) the Harvard stats include economics (which falls under one of the traditional disciplines I mentioned). 2) 55-60% applicants in the applicant pool typically have a business degree, but always comprise a minority of admits - in other words, your odds are better if you aren’t a business major 3) I did specify 'outside of Mendoza, Wharton, etc. ’
Unc Wilmington has a strong program, but it’s not Wharton. For a top MBA, OP needs to demonstrate academic strength as well as professional skills at a level if clear excellence in order to be picked over the strongest Wharton /stern/ross grads - doing the minimum unc-Wilmington won’t cut it, he must have a business degree with either a strong geographical concentration* or a strong quantitative background (or both) + excellent internships then professional experience.
really, ask any high level HR person : an international business major without international experience and no international expertise isn't a strong 'international ' business major, it's just a general business major.
@MYOS1634 I understand economics is not a business degree but that is the way Harvard has it laid out (and why I specifically noted that). And I did not see your post #16 so apologies. Agree with the rest of your comment above.