What to Consider When Choosing a College Major

Don’t know how to pick the right college major? Don’t worry, I’ve complied a simple list of things to help you figure it out!

So you’ve picked a school (college or technical) but what are you going to study? I’ve compiled a list of things to consider when choosing an academic major.

Level of interest: Do you enjoy the subject? You are more likely to be successful if you enjoy your major. If it bores you, you will likely be unmotivated and may suffer academically.

Do you have a natural talent/skill? Don’t discount any natural talents or skills, instead, let those skills guide you to success.

Possible careers? What sort of job will your degree prepare you for? Will you need additional schooling to achieve your career goals? Is your major geared toward one particular trade (for example; engineering or accounting) or can you apply it to many careers (Majors such as English, history, psychology that teach marketable, non-trade specific skills such as reasoning, critical thinking, writing and communication)?

What are the requirements? What courses and how many will you have to take within the major as well as supplementary courses outside your major (i.e. accounting students take courses in marketing, economics, and business as well as specific accounting courses). Does the program require a minimum GPA for admission and retention? Will you need a minor? Will you be required to complete an internship or a co-op program?

Prerequisites. Are there specific courses you must complete prior to engaging in major specific courses? (Prerequisites are often lower level introductory courses that establish a basic set of knowledge that will be referred to and built upon in subsequent classes.) For example if you wanted to major in psychology you would most likely be required to take a course introducing theories, models and major researchers in the field.

Evaluate the instructors. How qualified are the teachers? Where did they go to school, what sort of degrees do they hold, where have they previously worked or taught and what have they published? Find out about reputations from other students as well. Is a certain professor notorious for being rigid or difficult? A good relationship with an instructor can benefit you when you begin applying to graduate schools or jobs and you need recommendations.

Program reputation. Does the program receive national attention? What do graduates think of the program? What sort of jobs do alumni hold?

Are you considering a double major? A double major can be a huge undertaking. This can be fruitful but you will need to be more organized when planning class schedules and picking classes. Some majors will not allow you the time to devote to a second major (often called comprehensive majors.) Be informed and be prepared to work!

Check out survey and introductory courses in a variety of programs. These courses will be more general and give you a better understanding of what to expect from the program as a whole. Remember, you probably are not going to like every single class or topic in your major. I had a friend who loved cost accounting but hated her tax accounting class.

Browse the course catalog. Familiarize yourself with the policies and requirements. Read the school’s handbook regarding the differences in requirements for an Associate’s Degree, a Bachelor’s of Arts, Bachelor’s of Science, Bachelor’s of Fine Arts, etc. These will each require a different set of courses. Also, check your school’s general education requirements. These are often a set core of courses every student must take in order to earn their degree. Check for overlaps and conflicts with your major. Some departments won’t give credit for certain courses in a major that were used for general education requirements.

Use your advisor. These people know the ropes. They are there to help you navigate the system. If all of this is overwhelming (and don’t feel bad if it is) relax! If you have an advisor who just isn’t helping you, see if your school has a set of general advisors set up for undecided students. These counselors will often have access to information about general school topics (deadlines, procedures) as well as tools to help you find information regarding specific degree programs. If you already have a major but are unsatisfied with your advisor, consider asking for a reassignment. Often this can be done in the department office.

Talk to other students. They can often provide insight and experience that will be beneficial. An upperclassman can be your best friend when it comes to figuring out the system. Not only do they know the best places to eat, but they might know the best places to buy and sell books, the best advisors and the best teachers.

Don’t be afraid to change your mind. In the long run it’s better to spend an extra year or two in college than to be miserable or regret your decisions. People change their majors all the time (I changed mine 3 times.) and while it’s a big decision, it is only a piece of the larger puzzle.

Article Source: http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/12-14-2005-83976.asp

Author: Kate Leas

Business Schools

The different types of functions and operations that affect the profitability of a venture are intricate and co-related and hence, best applied and attempted with a discrimination that comes with business specific education.

The importance of business schools:

The modern entrepreneur embarks on a business task better armed than his predecessor. Now, he is better informed and prepared for the various demands that the business makes on his time and effort at different times. His preparatory period, prior to taking over the existing family business or initiating one, is tutored and supported with the information he gathers at business school. There are a number of business school operative all over the world; both the brick and mortar types and online. A business school is an institution that confers a degree in Business Administration on the completion of a university-level course. The young entrepreneur is taught how to deal with departments like accounts, marketing, human resource etc. He is also taught to analyze and take informed decisions on organizational behavior, quantitative methods to be adopted at various levels of the business and even the application of the apt information systems.

Types of business schools:

There are colleges and universities that offer exclusive business enhancing courses on campus, while some include business management as another course extended for those interested. The degrees offered are recognized all over the world and empower the young entrepreneur to take informed steps within the highly volatile business environs. The different types of business schools include those dedicated to business administration and those that specialize in imparting knowledge on business management. One of the principal forms of business school includes the university business school. Here the faculty, college and associated departments function from within the university. The main directive in such an institution is to predominantly impart business courses.

Another type of business school is the university-graduate business school. These offer a degree equivalent to a Master of Business Administration or an MBA. Some institutions are two-year school courses that grant the students an Associate Degree on completion of the course chosen. The subjects offered by these schools are various business related subjects like secretarial practice, expanded accounting and extensive bookkeeping and other business oriented subjects. In fact, it is interesting to note that these institutions actually operate like businesses, more than what they really are - institutions of higher learning!

The pioneers:

Set up in 1759, the Aula do Com?rcio is credited with being the world’s first institution to impart dedicated knowledge in trade and commerce. This Lisbon university provided a base for the development of other business schools. The still existent Ecole Superieure de Commerce of Paris is acknowledged as the oldest business school, set up in 1819! The University of California College of Commerce or the Haas School of Business was the first school ever to function as a business school within a public university in 1898, while the Tuck School of Business was the first graduate school of business. In 1900, it offered its students the first ever Master’s Degree in Business Administration or as it was called then, the Master of Commercial Science.

The curriculum:

Business schools typically offer a business related education. Many of the business schools focus on the use of specific and related case studies in graduate and undergraduate business education. These are usually designed to offer the students a better understanding about the importance and effective application of financial structure within and beyond the business, business management strategies, market analysis etc. The curriculum also includes cases with historical descriptions of actual business situations revolving around handling of products, competition, sales volumes, employees and the various other factors that are known to affect the success of a business venture.

Business schools expect the students to scrutinize the case study and prepare in detail to effectively discuss questioned and innovate designed strategies and business tactics. There are different methods adopted to impart this knowledge. In the case of the prepared case-specific questions, the underlying concept is to ensure the correct application of the specific guidance to be able to analyze the case studies, while in the case of problem-solving analysis, initiated by the Harvard Business School, the underlying concept is ‘extensive practice develops intuitive analytical skills’, for analyzing and resolving complex business situations.

Article Source: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/business-schools.html

Author: Gaynor Borade