What Types of Business Degrees Are There?

1. General Business

I started with this major because it is the smorgasbord of the school of business at any university. You take the same business core as other business majors but you get to take quite a few business electives. If you aren’t interested in more specialized business degrees and you want to have several options, then you might consider a degree in general business. Some careers to consider include account executives, sales managers, credit analysts, and recruits.

2. Marketing

Marketing is a degree focused on the study of developing and creating products. I would label marketing as the most interesting business degree because you learn about trends, consumer behavior, and communication. I would recommend a marketing degree to students who are creative, flexible, analytical, and interested in travel. A marketing degree opens doors to careers in market research, public relations, marketing management, and copywriting.

3. Accounting and Finance

I decided to combine these degrees because they are considered the more mathematical business degrees. Accounting and finance are related degrees but not the exact same. Accounting is the recording, reporting, and analyzing of financial transactions. On the other hand, finance deals with studying financial markets and managing investments. Accounting is the business degree more focused on organization because it demands a certain level of planning, researching, and attention to detail.

After receiving an accounting degree you choose between accounting and auditing. Those interested in accounting pursue careers in public accounting, account management, and forensic accounting while those interested in auditing review financial records for a living. Most finance majors pursue careers in fund management, risk management, financial analysis, credit management, and applications development. I would recommend finance degrees to effective and decisive communicators who are skilled in making projections.

4. Supply Chain Management

Supply chain management is basically the study of supplying goods and services in an economy. Students take classes in logistics, project management, procurement, consulting, and operations. These classes will take students on a journey, starting with the production of products to understanding the distribution and sales of products. Some careers to consider are operations management, supply chain management, purchasing agent, and storage and distribution management.

5. Conclusions

These business degrees are just a few options available to college students and your school might have even more degrees in your academic program or a different degree plan. The best way to choose the right business degree is to take your time, keep an open mind, determine your skills, list your goals, find the subject that interests you the most, and try some classes. Stay tuned for part two of the guide for business degrees where I discuss your next step after completing your business degree.