Poly Sci vs. Business Majors

[mpimpin]

I'm currently a Political Science major, but am thinking about changing to a business management major. My original intentions were to go on to a J.D./MBA grad program, but I'm not really sure I want to go to law school.

Just in case I don't end up going to law school or don't end up going to grad school for the MBA either I would like to still have a business related degree and thats why I am thinking of changing my major.

I'm curious to know which of you have been Poly sci majors or business majors and how difficult you think each major is and the job opportunities available with just the Bachelors degree alone.

Any words of wisdom?

 

[wjh]

Maybe I'm just an idiot, but I have a Business Admin. degree with an Option in Management. Basically what you're talking about. Anyway, I quit my job about a month and a half ago and it's ridiculously hard to find a new job. I don't know why but there doesn't seem to be many opportunities for management majors.

I live in Los Angeles, too.

 

[MacAvoy]

You both bring up good points. First off, a degree is what you make of it. After 5 years in the working world, its almost irrelevant what your major was, they just want to know you were committed enough to finish. The most valuable thing is experience and what you learn from it.

I never finished my economics degree but I don't let it hold me back because of the experience I was able to get. (I was leaning towards a double major in Poli Sci as well)

Whats most important to you though, is if you don't go to law school, what do you want to do? Do you want to do something in the political field? Otherwise a poly sci degree is pretty useless. Even in the political field, I think a business degree is equally valuable.

However like wjh said, there are so many people out there. The trick is to set yourself apart from the field. Take jobs early on, not for the money, but for the experience, I can't stress that enough.

Don't be afraid to quit and move on to get new experience either. Although if you change jobs too much it can look bad but that can also be overcame. I've never had a job more than 2 years. One year is a very long time for me but I've gotten into consulting so that its not an issue for me anymore.

So I'd say you'd have more opportunities with a business bachelor over a poly sci but my word isn't gospel. However I would think that would be common sense unless you know of a field that is in short supply where a poly sci degree would be a huge advantage over business.

 

[mpimpin]

Thank you both for you input.

MacAvoy your absolutely right anything I want to do with the Poly Sci degree I can always end up doing with the business degree and then some.

If I switch i would have wasted about a semester of classes. Not really waste helped boost my GPA. I don't see it as to big of an issue though because I dual enrolled while I was still in high School and came into college with a semester already under my belt. I can still graduate in about 4 years without taking summer classes

 

[wjh]

If I could do it all over again I would major in Financial Services or Accounting.

Whatever you do, don't let your GPA slip. Having a high 3.5+ GPA is incredibly beneficial. Take Adderol if you have to.

 

[LoneSilver]

I have an Associate Degree in Business Management Accounting graduated with honors and wish the hell I had the money back I spend on the dam thing...to me it was wasted money.

LoneSilver

 

[mpimpin]

I have an Associate Degree in Business Management Accounting graduated with honors and wish the hell I had the money back I spend on the dam thing...to me it was wasted money.

LoneSilver

Why do you say that LS? Are you in a job where you could have without having that degree? Would it have been more beneficial if you had gotten a bachelors over an Associates?

 

[Bible_Belt]

My undergrad was political science. I worked in the stock market before law school, and I got that job because of industry licenses and experience, which I got by dropping out of school. Finishing the BS degree, which is an apt acronym, was an afterthought when I already had a job. Poli sci is very easy, stupidly easy compared to law school. I cannot speak for the mba experience, but law school makes liberal arts undergrad look like kindergarten. You had better have at least a 3.7 or higher to go to grad school.

The business degree would very likely help you more in getting a job and making more money, but remember that getting a job is more about having connections than it is anything inside a classroom. You make connections through internships and other work experience in your field.

 

[mpimpin]

I was waiting to hear from you Bible. Thanks After discussing it with my dad and Grandfather and having their full support I believe I need to switch to business, but with either a concentration in Accounting or Finance. I can probably scrape together one more semester of general studies and a business class or two just to get a better hands on feel.

 

[LoneSilver]

My grade point average was 3.2 it dropped after I screwed up my finals after having lack of sleep and study time. Seemed I couldn't buy a job with this degree but seemed like what you mention going another two years to get the bachelors might have helped but I felt at the time even now to much money.

But that was in 89 alot of water has flowed under the bridge. If I did pursue a bachelors it would be just for the personal satisfaction of doing so not so much because I have to as I am pretty well set money wise and got it the non traditional way.

Don't let my experience defer your discision just seems there is to much put on getting a college degree and I see drop outs from high school owning their own homes have nice cars, trucks and I see the college folk still paying school loans years later hardly making ends meet and to me there is something wrong with that picture.

Every President that was ever in office has something to say about getting an education its the way to financal freedom or a better way of life...it might be for some but from what I see not all..

If your working for a company and your sure furthering your education in it's choosen field and they like your job performance and there is a future then I don't see anything wrong with pursuing a bachelors degree.. just do what you feel your gut says and I hope the best for you.

LoneSilver

Why do you say that LS? Are you in a job where you could have without having that degree? Would it have been more beneficial if you had gotten a bachelors over an Associates?

 

[mpimpin]

Thanks LS. I know quite a few people without any college degree that are in upper level positions I'd like to be in one day. Its possible.

I have a full scholarship and a good small business of mine and am gonna enjoy it a bit before jumping into the full force working world

 

[LoneSilver]

I wish you much success I have a feeling you'll do well.

LoneSilver

Thanks LS. I know quite a few people without any college degree that are in upper level positions I'd like to be in one day. Its possible.

I have a full scholarship and a good small business of mine and am gonna enjoy it a bit before jumping into the full force working world

 

[Bible_Belt]

me too, and me too

 

[MrStabAHo]

LoL... I'm a year away from a degree in Finance and my gpa is super low... Looks like I'm scr ew ed...

 

[Effington]

Someone mentioned a very good point. In your first job out of school, experience is soooo much more important than pay. My first job was at a failing manufacturing company that paid ridiculously bad. Their way of cutting costs was to not replace anyone who quit, and just give their work to me. After 2.5 years I was doing 6 peoples job and could essentially run the department myself. I bolted when they refused to give me a promotion, but guess what? My next job was an 80% raise (not including all the extra benefits and decreased work load); I went from crappy pay, to exceptional pay. It was all about the experience and how you sell it. As they say, there is never a lack of demand for good people. You just need to make sure you're one of them, and by that I mean be able to sell someone why you should be given good job offers.

Anyway, as for the differences in degrees, it depends on what you want to do. Isn't that why you major in something in college--to start a career? I'd figure that out first. In general, degrees with specialized knowledge seem to pay more (ie finance, accounting, computer science, engineering, etc.) If you're going for a general business degree like management/business admin/marketing/etc., make sure you supplement that with a lot of computer skills, because every employer looks for that. Also there is a lot more competition because those degrees are pretty common nowadays. That's why you have to be one of those good people, like I mentioned above.

I'm in an MBA program myself right now and it's not that much of a killer. It's definitely not like law school. I started with an Operations/Information MGMT degree (think operations management with a lot of computer classes), and now that I've got some solid experience I want to take the next step with the MBA and get a little more background with finance/accounting, because every upper level manager needs to be focused on the dollars and cents. It's how I plan to sell my transition up the ladder.

 

[mpimpin]

Effington great input thanks!

 

[Celadus]

Both degrees are very general. Poli Science is probably better if you are definitely going to grad school. Employers want people that know something, business and poli sci aren't very specialized. You'll probably be entering the Enterprise Rent-A-Car management program with just a Business degree.

I haven't looked at numbers lately, but I think most Fortune 500 company's are run by people with Engineering and Finance type degrees.

I don't know how far along you are, but it might be worth while to switch to some type of skill oriented degree. Accountants are paid well and get jobs really easily.

Edit>Just read all the posts. Everyone gave good advice.

 

[mpimpin]

I realize a general business admin or management degree won't do much thats why I'd put the concentration on Accounting degree or Finance.

My schools got an extra one year program after you've gotten the accounting degree that will add extra training and CPA certification if the exams are passed. I might take advantage of that or go straight on to a job if I can find one and work on my MBA at the sametime