<p>With the staggering amount of new entrepreneurship and business majors being offered, it seems to me that they might just be a marketing tool used by colleges to attract parents who worry that they will be paying huge sums of money for their kid to graduate with a degree but no job.</p>
<p>But with so many kids graduating with degrees in business or entrepreneurship, will employers truly value the degree, esp. if it's not from a top 20 school?</p>
<p>Are these kids with business degrees really any more employable than art history majors?</p>
<p>Back in 1999, the big new thing was a degree in e-commerce. The bust of the tech bubble seems to have cleared those programs out- but I pity the kids with those degrees who are forever explaining why they didn’t just major in Comp Sci. And don’t get me started on Real Estate degrees!</p>
<p>I work at a non top 20 school but still a major research university. Our placement data is clear…</p>
<p>Business majors are getting more job offers than history, pol science, art history etc majors.
More companies (far more actually) come to campus only looking for business majors than those looking for someone with any degree.
Business majors are getting much higher initial salaries than history, pol science, art history etc majors.</p>
<p>Accounting and MIS majors often have a choice from multiple job offers at very good salaries. Finance placement is also pretty good. Marketing and Management majors face a more difficult job market and their placement data might be closer to an Art History major (but still, on average, an easier time finding a decent paying job). </p>
<p>It is true, lots of parents are pushing students into business because it often truly does have better employment prospects especially for those coming from good but not ‘great’ research universities.</p>
<p>Yes, major employers like John Deere, Caterpillar, State Farm, Target, Cargill, 3M, Accenture, Cerner, etc value new people with business degrees from non top 20 schools. We place hundreds of students every year at those types of employers, and not just the tippy-top students.</p>
<p>I’ve worked for Fortune 100 companies for my entire career, and can also state that our data is clear-- students who demonstrate agile intellects, the ability to use both words and numbers in a skillful way, and have a strong work ethic, will do well in corporate roles regardless of their college major.</p>
<p>Haystack and I disagree about the value of the humanities and social sciences as an entry point to corporate careers- hello again Haystack. But whether happenstance or not, I have never recruited for a company which hires undergrad business majors (all things being equal) except for roles in finance and accounting. </p>
<p>I’m not sure what a “good but not great” research university is so I’m sure Haystacks data is indeed correct and accurate for the university he works for.</p>
<p>Need to amend- my POV does not include engineering. Obviously, when an aerospace company needs an entry level person to design aircraft engine parts, they hire engineers. And when a company which builds tunnels and bridges is hiring, they need engineers. But I think Haystack is talking about jobs in marketing, sales, business development, investor relations, media relations, human resources, technical communications, customer service, analytics, risk management, etc. And I have hired fantastic new grads for these roles with degrees in the humanities, liberal arts and social sciences. And even a few performers/musicians along the way!!!</p>
<p>I don’t disagree at all about the value of humanities and social science majors as an entry point to corporate careers- hello Blossom. I have a son majoring in economics and urban planning. I have a degree in urban studies. I told my son that I don’t believe that business is an appropriate major at the undergrad level and I would prefer that he not major in business.</p>
<p>Al I am saying is that many (clearly not all) major corporations do value a new hire with a business degree and it is often easier for them to get that first job. I make no assumptions that a business major will be more valuable or better as an employee in the long or short term. In fact, I suspect that in the long term, a social science or humanities major will probably out perform a business major.</p>
<p>He sure is enjoying his adventure…! He really has no clue yet what he might do, but with a degree in economics, he really believes the world is his oyster, as do I. </p>
<p>The funny things with business programs is that the traits and skills business firms wants from their employees, business programs do not develop. </p>
<p>I also have hired a number of people. Let me be clear, I NEVER higher business administration or marketing majors or management majors or art and design majors UNLESS:
They came from a top notch school such as Penn or Carnegie Melon or
They have an outstanding GPA.</p>
<p>Even then, I much prefer people who were liberal arts majors and can demonstrate that they can speak, read and write correctly. </p>
<p>I should note that I worked at a big 4 accounting firm many years ago and only hired accounting majors for that firm. If I were hiring for specific job such as accounting or engineering then the appropriate major becomes important. However, for general business jobs, I prefer liberal arts majors.</p>
<p>By the way, my favorite person to hire,who usually has strong reading and writing skills, are philosophy majors.</p>
<p>Finally, regardless of major, the interview is critical. If they can’t impress me with their common sense and people skills, I won’t hire them regardless of major or GPA or the cache of their school. In fact, I have found that kids who attend top schools expect too much. They almost have an entitlement mentality and don’t need to prove their worth</p>
<p>Hi everyone, I will be attending Notre Dame next year and plan on a double major in Finance and Econ. However, reading these posts which say things like UG business programs not developing good business skills, or that employers do not truly value a business degree worries me. Might I possibly be better served by majoring in something other than an UG business major like Finance?</p>
<p>Econ is a widely respected discipline which draws upon psychology, history, math and computer science. You will do fine majoring in econ. Finance is useful if you love finance- but you won’t know that until you get there and start learning it. Do you really need to decide right now???</p>
<p>Here is a link to IU Kelley Business School (similar in quality perhaps to ND) placement stats for finance majors. I think you will find that dozens of companies will be willing to hire ND finance majors. Just don’t major in finance because you think it is the quickest/easiest way to make money. Major in finance if you decide you love finance.</p>
<p>If you are worried, I would call ND and ask them for their placement data for finance majors (companies hiring, avg salary, % placed, where placed, etc).</p>
<p>Thanks, all, for the support for my conviction that college should not be approached as a vocational school, but a rather as a time for experiencing, experimenting and exploring!</p>
<p>I got my undergrad and grad in art history. As an entrepreneur and the CEO of my own company…this thread gave me a real chuckle. Frankly I don’t know what to tell you.</p>
<p>(FYI–my little company has been going strong for 28 years)</p>
<p>Speaking as a parent of an accounting major who had no trouble landing internships or a full-time job, I think it may matter what kind of business degree you obtain. I know that D and most of her accounting friends are currently employed in jobs they love (<- especially since busy season for her/their audit clients is over.)</p>
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<p>Was that supposed to be funny or merely insensitive? </p>