Introduction
This research paper is a project that covers a number of salient points relating to a course in business major. The paper begins with a summary exposition of business major as a study course. Next, the paper explores the various career options that graduates of a business major may venture into. Further, this research project shall endeavor to describe the major’s focus and in this quest, attempt to highlight the specializations that are found within the same. Also, this paper will capture some of the colleges that offer this business major in the United States. In this process, the paper shall also examine the advantages that attach to studying a business major as well as the disadvantages, if any. The next part of the paper covers the obstacles or hindrances that have acted as a stumbling block to my goal of receiving a Bachelor of Science in Business and the strategies that have been utilized in a bid to surmount this challenge. The strategies employed to overcome the challenges associated with opinions held about a business major are also explored.
A business major is a generalized business degree course with a bias towards business and acts as an entry point to those who want a business career. This business major enables the graduate to pursue a career in a wider range of professions unlike a specialized course such as that involving accounting or finance. It must be known that a business career involves several obvious functions such as management and marketing, which a graduate of a business major is acquainted with. The principles of business taught in a business major are relevant and need be applied in all levels and sectors of the economic, social and political systems. Indeed, a business major can be put into use in any industry be it health, commerce, education or engineering and even in starting one’s enterprise. A business major student gets training in various business fields as opposed to a specialized filed thus equipping such a student for a wide range of careers in the business world.
As evident from the foregoing, graduates of a business major are equipped for a number of careers. There are various options that lie in wait for a business major graduate. It is more the case when one views the business major as a general foundation as opposed to a specialized training program for particular careers. There are a myriad of career options open to a business major graduate. One of the career options is in the sales profession, either as a sales manager or a sales representative. Usually, the focus in sales is normally that of building relationships with consumers. As such a career in sales for a business major graduate may be in advertising, marketing, career counseling, product representation and travel and hospitality. Another career setting for a business major could be in the health care sector. The health care sector in the United States and indeed, all over the world is fast taking on a more business-oriented approach which brings into the spotlight some business qualifications. This position is evidenced by the increasing cases of health management degrees that are designed to help health care professionals in management.
These business related degrees also aid the health care workers in handling costs in medical institutions and facilities, human resource management as well as in insurance regulations. A business major may also find a career in the non-profit sector or the non-governmental organizations in enabling the working of the programs in these organizations and the upholding of prudent financial management practices. A key career option for a business major is a business manager where a graduate may be charged with the overseeing, development and organizations of business operations. A business major graduate may also decide to venture into the accounting field as their training encompasses this field. Such a graduate may then work in a private accounting firm or in the public sector. Alternatively, a business major may tilt towards advertising in the event that such a graduate is interested in a career of marketing or public relations. Finally, a business major may consider entrepreneurship as a career option. It may well be the case that a business major is not necessary for one to become an entrepreneur. Be that as it may, it must be taken into account that the training accrued in a business major graduate enables a graduate to gain insights into the operation of a business and the running of a start-up.
As highlighted above, a business major focuses on the general principles of business. Nonetheless, there are various specializations that are found within a business major on which a student may choose to venture into. One of the specializations in a business major is sales management where a graduate may work as a sales representative or sales manager. Another specialization is public relations for those that opt to consider marketing, advertising or communications as a career. Other specialties of a business major include public administration, operations management and non-profit management. In addition, project management is a specialization for business major graduates who are interested in a career as project managers in various industries. Accounting and economics are other central specializations in a business major as are hospitality management and finance. Recently, international business and information systems management have emerged as hot options for business majors. A number of colleges in the United States do offer business major degree as a study course. These colleges include the Wharton-University of Pennsylvania, the Haas School of Business, Stephen Ross School of Business in the University of Michigan and Sloan of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Other colleges offering business major degrees are the University of Maryland and the University of Illinois in Chicago among others.
A business major has several advantages as well as disadvantages in the career world. A key advantage is the fact that a student who has studied a business major is better placed to operate without constraints as compared to one who has a specialization in a field such as accounting or human resource. Many of the times, students find that they are unsure of the careers they would like to venture into at first. There can be no better way to start than with a business major and then specialization later on, if need arises. A business major serves to provide a wide range of options to a graduate rather than restricting him to a particular field. The U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics shows positive results of long term prospects for business majors. More so, a business career is a popular field all over the world since every organization and industry needs business professionals to facilitate the running of their organizations. This ensures that graduates of business majors have more opportunities for gaining employment. Further, the lessons learnt in a business major have an immediate application in real life. The downside of taking a business major lies in its very advantage of popularity. The huge number of people undertaking business major as a course has a negative effect on the graduates by reducing the prospects of them obtaining jobs. The large number of business major graduates means that jobs are only many at the entry level but diminish in the upper echelons of management. This situation is compounded by the competitive nature of a business career present especially in working one’s way up the career ladder.
A change that has been facing me in my quest to attain a business major is my neck and shoulder injury which hampers my ability to read and type for a long time. My concentration span is pretty low and averages at around fifteen minutes which means that I do take longer time than is required in doing a simple task. The disruptions occasioned by the inability to concentrate for long in a task, has an interrupting effect on the flow of thought. A popular belief out there about business majors is that graduates are unable to watch and produce the skills necessary in the current world of commerce. It has been argued and it is partly true that undergraduate business major degrees focus heavily on the nuts and bolts of accounting and finance and less on critical thinking and problem solving. This has the effect of producing a graduate who has content knowledge but who is short on creativity and innovation, characteristic of flexible thinkers. Some of the strategies utilized to overcome this challenge include the changing and adjustment of business school curriculum as they endeavor to integrate lessons on ethics, history and writing into other courses such as finance and accounting. Another strategy involves the integration of a liberal arts education into the business curriculum.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it may be stated that a number of career options lie in wait for business major graduates. These career options include human resource managers, sales managers, retail managers and entrepreneurs, among others. There are specializations in business major such as accounting, human resource, finance and advertising where business major graduates may choose to venture into. A course in a business major shares a number of advantages as well as disadvantages. At a personal level, my neck and shoulder injuries do militate against my achievement of a business major by reducing my concentration span. A number of strategies have been employed to counter the opinions that are held concerning a business major degree. These strategies include the inculcation of liberal arts programs into the business curriculum.
Works Cited
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