<p>I am a second semester sophomore at Boston University considering redirecting my studies.</p>
<p>I'm currently a math major, with a specialization in statistics (what other universities might call an applied math degree), and I intend on finishing that degree in the next couple of semesters, but I recently realized that I have no interest whatsoever in continuing my education in statistics; I really don't want to go to grad school for it.</p>
<p>Anyway, I was taking math in the first place because I thought it would be a good, basic degree that would open a lot of opportunities to me, but I'm not sure that's true if I don't go on to grad school.</p>
<p>I really don't know what I want to do yet, career-wise, but I find business pretty interesting and I was considering minoring in business, in hopes of making myself more "employable," per se. My university's business school is held in fairly high regard and I've already completed the prerequisites for the required minor courses, so it would not be much extra coursework.</p>
<p>Any thoughts? Will it be a worthwhile element of my resume, or will employers dismiss it as "just a minor"?</p>
<p>They would dismiss is at just a minor because:</p>
<p>1) The minor would be in “general business”…the least regarded of business majors
2) It is not a full-fledged major, so you would not have taken many upper-level business courses</p>
<p>Here are a couple of mathematical areas in business: computational finance and operations research. Both areas could also be specializations in a MBA program.</p>
<p>Not for my personal suggestion and from my previous posts it will seem biased but computer science is probably the best “emphasis” for math. You can still use that combo in business/accounting/finance settings because the analysis of data is always needed.</p>
<p>Thanks, I have taken a couple of Comp Sci classes and I liked them well enough, but the minor is a fairly large number of courses at my school…and it’s not really something I’m interested in career-wise; I was thinking business because it’s something I have genuine interest in. I will have to talk it over with my advisor.</p>
<p>A math degree with a background in statistics is a formidable tool, even in this competitive market. I would encourage you to strengthen your math employability by getting credentialed in databases. Perhaps a certification would be useful. Statistics is based on data analysis. Database management involves data analysis and interpretation. A proficient database managers get to interact with all levels of a corporate organization – from the CEO on down.<br>
It will position you strategically in higher level meetings than just a business degree alone and in higher level meetings than just a math degree alone. You may not get to golf with the CEO, but as a database manager, you will definitely be in his rolodex and on his speed dial.</p>
<p>The business minor likely will not be well-respected as the classes are typically community college level undiversified, not upper-level. I suppose accounting, finance, or econ are the most math related (basic calculations) of the business topics if you want to explore it with minor. Alternatively, You could finish the bachelors and do an MBA later if you want something different. Math and business are considered by most colleges to be unrelated fields, so the course overlap is minimal. You might enjoy econometrics, closest to stats within b-school. Just did accounting myself on bachelors plus extra 30 credits, going in the opposite direction, taking trig. this term.</p>