3 answers
Sophie
Student
Powhatan, Virginia
2
Questions
Updated
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Do your Professors bring real business experience into the classroom? #Spring25
The biggest tips on being a business major. what are the different aspects of the major? What paths can you take with this major.
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3 answers
Sierra Hoefler
Financial Analyst (Manufacturing)
1
Answer
Richmond, Virginia
Updated
Sierra’s Answer
Hi Sophie,
These are great questions for anyone thinking about pursuing a business degree in college! At my school, all of the Professors in the business program were professionals in their respective fields - younger/newer professors tended to teach as a side-job while still consulting in their field, while older/more tenured professors tended to be retired professionals -, so they were able to bring their experiences into the lessons, often providing real world examples of how a given topic came up in their work, and offer advice for those of us interested in a similar career path. But this is something that will vary by school, so the best way to know is to research a school's program and look into their faculty and see what their backgrounds are.
There are a ton of different paths you can take within business - it all depends on what your interests are and what you'd like to do with your career, but it's probably one of the broadest degrees out there and can be applied to just about any field or industry - If a business exists, someone has to run it; if it makes a product, someone has to sell it; if it makes money, someone has to count it. The exact nature of what is available within the degree will vary by school and how large/developed their business program is, but I would say there are five major categories for thinking about a business degree and what paths you can take within it: Finance/Accounting, Marketing/Sales, Business Analytics, Operations, and Business Administration. Of course, these categories are very broad and based off of what my college offered, so others may find there to be more or less, but this is how I've come to think about the business world. And, while my degree required that I took at least introductory courses in all of them, my expertise is in Finance so that is what I can speak to the best.
To break down the categories:
1) Finance/Accounting - this is your typical 'numbers' side of business, and probably what most people associate with a "business degree." Your college's finance course is almost certainly going to be skewed towards Wall Street careers, that is to say Investment Banking/Private Equity/Hedge Funds (very basically, managing other people's money to hopefully make them more money) or being the CEO/CFO (aka leader) of a company, but there are so many other options. You could work with insurance (aka risk management), regular banking, or Corporate Finance (aka, crunching the numbers for a business), which is what I do. Then, within corporate finance, you can work in pretty much any industry that exists - I currently work at a manufacturing company, but I thought about going into Theater Finance and learning how to finance scripts and set performance budgets. Accounting is also its own separate field and focuses more on the book-keeping side of the numbers, so while you would likely work for an accounting firm, you could still have clients from just about any field and could probably find firms dedicated/aligned with industries that interest you. Within accounting, there are also things like being a tax official or an auditor, who ensures that companies are correctly reporting their information.
2) Marketing/Sales - this is where you learn about things like identifying markets and customer bases and how to best promote your product to that base; basically, how to get the product to the people. It would include things like Social Media management, doing market research, and designing advertisements and promotional material, as well as directly selling the product.
3) Business Analytics - this is where computer science/IT meets business. This field is all about analyzing data, managing it, and modeling it to tell the story of the business. At my current company, there are dedicated 'Data Manager' roles for this, and each of our data systems has its own team to ensure the data is handled correctly and offer support to the other functions when they need to understand or change it.
4) Operations - this field is thinking about the strategy behind a business. Things like what is your business' supply chain - ie, what materials do you need, where do you get them from, what processes do you use to turn these raw materials into your finished product, how do you get the end product to your consumers?
5)Business Administration - this is a very broad umbrella category, and your degree might be in 'Business Administration' regardless of what you actually major in, but for my purpose, I think of this category as learning how to manage a business. This could be through learning how to be a leader if you want to start your own company or climb the corporate ladder, or it could be a career in Human Resources, so managing the people within your organization.
I would say a great next step would be to look at your college's website and research what is offered through their business program - what classes are taught, what are the Professors' backgrounds, what concentrations/fields/areas are offered, is it possible to take courses from fields outside your major. If you're still deciding between colleges but know you want to go into business, look at the differences between what each offers and see which ones align more with your interests. Or, if you have no idea what you want to do beyond 'business,' as I did, look for programs that are designed to give you exposure to multiple fields or have classes that cover more than just the industry basics. But, and I would say this is common at least among Finance students, understand that what you learn in the classroom will not be fully representative of what you would actually do as a job in the field, and you might not know what you like until you can get real world experience. So, you might like one aspect of business on paper but find out you can't stand it in the real world - and that's ok! The good thing about business is that you can do it anywhere, so if you find out you don't like one subfield as much as you thought, it is usually easy to either find a different version of it in another industry (i.e., moving from medical to manufacturing) or switch to another subfield (i.e., going from accounting to finance, or switching from finance to operations) as a lot of the base "business" skills are the same.
These are great questions for anyone thinking about pursuing a business degree in college! At my school, all of the Professors in the business program were professionals in their respective fields - younger/newer professors tended to teach as a side-job while still consulting in their field, while older/more tenured professors tended to be retired professionals -, so they were able to bring their experiences into the lessons, often providing real world examples of how a given topic came up in their work, and offer advice for those of us interested in a similar career path. But this is something that will vary by school, so the best way to know is to research a school's program and look into their faculty and see what their backgrounds are.
There are a ton of different paths you can take within business - it all depends on what your interests are and what you'd like to do with your career, but it's probably one of the broadest degrees out there and can be applied to just about any field or industry - If a business exists, someone has to run it; if it makes a product, someone has to sell it; if it makes money, someone has to count it. The exact nature of what is available within the degree will vary by school and how large/developed their business program is, but I would say there are five major categories for thinking about a business degree and what paths you can take within it: Finance/Accounting, Marketing/Sales, Business Analytics, Operations, and Business Administration. Of course, these categories are very broad and based off of what my college offered, so others may find there to be more or less, but this is how I've come to think about the business world. And, while my degree required that I took at least introductory courses in all of them, my expertise is in Finance so that is what I can speak to the best.
To break down the categories:
1) Finance/Accounting - this is your typical 'numbers' side of business, and probably what most people associate with a "business degree." Your college's finance course is almost certainly going to be skewed towards Wall Street careers, that is to say Investment Banking/Private Equity/Hedge Funds (very basically, managing other people's money to hopefully make them more money) or being the CEO/CFO (aka leader) of a company, but there are so many other options. You could work with insurance (aka risk management), regular banking, or Corporate Finance (aka, crunching the numbers for a business), which is what I do. Then, within corporate finance, you can work in pretty much any industry that exists - I currently work at a manufacturing company, but I thought about going into Theater Finance and learning how to finance scripts and set performance budgets. Accounting is also its own separate field and focuses more on the book-keeping side of the numbers, so while you would likely work for an accounting firm, you could still have clients from just about any field and could probably find firms dedicated/aligned with industries that interest you. Within accounting, there are also things like being a tax official or an auditor, who ensures that companies are correctly reporting their information.
2) Marketing/Sales - this is where you learn about things like identifying markets and customer bases and how to best promote your product to that base; basically, how to get the product to the people. It would include things like Social Media management, doing market research, and designing advertisements and promotional material, as well as directly selling the product.
3) Business Analytics - this is where computer science/IT meets business. This field is all about analyzing data, managing it, and modeling it to tell the story of the business. At my current company, there are dedicated 'Data Manager' roles for this, and each of our data systems has its own team to ensure the data is handled correctly and offer support to the other functions when they need to understand or change it.
4) Operations - this field is thinking about the strategy behind a business. Things like what is your business' supply chain - ie, what materials do you need, where do you get them from, what processes do you use to turn these raw materials into your finished product, how do you get the end product to your consumers?
5)Business Administration - this is a very broad umbrella category, and your degree might be in 'Business Administration' regardless of what you actually major in, but for my purpose, I think of this category as learning how to manage a business. This could be through learning how to be a leader if you want to start your own company or climb the corporate ladder, or it could be a career in Human Resources, so managing the people within your organization.
I would say a great next step would be to look at your college's website and research what is offered through their business program - what classes are taught, what are the Professors' backgrounds, what concentrations/fields/areas are offered, is it possible to take courses from fields outside your major. If you're still deciding between colleges but know you want to go into business, look at the differences between what each offers and see which ones align more with your interests. Or, if you have no idea what you want to do beyond 'business,' as I did, look for programs that are designed to give you exposure to multiple fields or have classes that cover more than just the industry basics. But, and I would say this is common at least among Finance students, understand that what you learn in the classroom will not be fully representative of what you would actually do as a job in the field, and you might not know what you like until you can get real world experience. So, you might like one aspect of business on paper but find out you can't stand it in the real world - and that's ok! The good thing about business is that you can do it anywhere, so if you find out you don't like one subfield as much as you thought, it is usually easy to either find a different version of it in another industry (i.e., moving from medical to manufacturing) or switch to another subfield (i.e., going from accounting to finance, or switching from finance to operations) as a lot of the base "business" skills are the same.
Lisa Shane, MBA
10
Answers
Updated
Lisa Shane,’s Answer
Hi Sophie,
I used to teach at a business school, and I can assure you that many professors bring valuable real-world experience into the classroom. At top business schools, professors often have impressive backgrounds, such as:
Industry Experience: Many have worked in management, consulting, finance, marketing, or started their own businesses.
Consulting or Advisory Roles: Some still consult for companies or serve on boards.
Research with Practical Applications: Professors often work with businesses to apply theory to real-world problems.
While the level of practical experience varies, many professors blend their expertise with academic research.
Tips for Succeeding as a Business Major:
Engage in Class: Join discussions and ask questions, especially when real-world examples come up.
Network: Build connections with professors, classmates, and alumni for future opportunities.
Get Involved: Participate in business clubs and competitions to gain experience.
Seek Internships: Try different business areas to discover your interests.
Stay Informed: Keep up with business news to connect class lessons with real-world events.
Different Aspects of the Business Major:
Business is diverse, with many areas to explore, including:
Accounting: Focuses on financial reporting and tax.
Finance: Covers investments, banking, and financial analysis.
Marketing: Involves research, advertising, and sales.
Management: Includes leadership and human resources.
Operations/Supply Chain: Deals with logistics and production.
Entrepreneurship: Prepares you to start new ventures.
Information Systems: Combines business with technology.
International Business: Focuses on global markets.
Career Paths with a Business Major:
A business degree offers many career options, such as:
Corporate Roles: Analyst, manager, consultant, HR specialist, marketing coordinator.
Banking & Finance: Investment banking, financial analysis, insurance.
Consulting: Management, strategy, or IT consulting.
Entrepreneurship: Start your own business or work in startups.
Nonprofit & Government: Program management, fundraising.
Sales & Marketing: Brand management, digital marketing.
Tips for Making Yourself Employable After Graduation:
Gain Experience: Internships and part-time jobs are valuable.
Develop Soft Skills: Communication, teamwork, and problem-solving are key.
Build Technical Skills: Learn Excel, data analysis, and business software.
Earn Certifications: Consider certifications like Excel or Google Analytics.
Network: Attend career fairs and connect on LinkedIn.
Create a Strong Resume: Highlight achievements and experiences.
Practice Interviewing: Prepare for interviews to make a great impression.
I used to teach at a business school, and I can assure you that many professors bring valuable real-world experience into the classroom. At top business schools, professors often have impressive backgrounds, such as:
Industry Experience: Many have worked in management, consulting, finance, marketing, or started their own businesses.
Consulting or Advisory Roles: Some still consult for companies or serve on boards.
Research with Practical Applications: Professors often work with businesses to apply theory to real-world problems.
While the level of practical experience varies, many professors blend their expertise with academic research.
Tips for Succeeding as a Business Major:
Engage in Class: Join discussions and ask questions, especially when real-world examples come up.
Network: Build connections with professors, classmates, and alumni for future opportunities.
Get Involved: Participate in business clubs and competitions to gain experience.
Seek Internships: Try different business areas to discover your interests.
Stay Informed: Keep up with business news to connect class lessons with real-world events.
Different Aspects of the Business Major:
Business is diverse, with many areas to explore, including:
Accounting: Focuses on financial reporting and tax.
Finance: Covers investments, banking, and financial analysis.
Marketing: Involves research, advertising, and sales.
Management: Includes leadership and human resources.
Operations/Supply Chain: Deals with logistics and production.
Entrepreneurship: Prepares you to start new ventures.
Information Systems: Combines business with technology.
International Business: Focuses on global markets.
Career Paths with a Business Major:
A business degree offers many career options, such as:
Corporate Roles: Analyst, manager, consultant, HR specialist, marketing coordinator.
Banking & Finance: Investment banking, financial analysis, insurance.
Consulting: Management, strategy, or IT consulting.
Entrepreneurship: Start your own business or work in startups.
Nonprofit & Government: Program management, fundraising.
Sales & Marketing: Brand management, digital marketing.
Tips for Making Yourself Employable After Graduation:
Gain Experience: Internships and part-time jobs are valuable.
Develop Soft Skills: Communication, teamwork, and problem-solving are key.
Build Technical Skills: Learn Excel, data analysis, and business software.
Earn Certifications: Consider certifications like Excel or Google Analytics.
Network: Attend career fairs and connect on LinkedIn.
Create a Strong Resume: Highlight achievements and experiences.
Practice Interviewing: Prepare for interviews to make a great impression.
Ethan Wang
CPA
3
Answers
Los Angeles, California
Updated
Ethan’s Answer
Hi Sophie!
It depends on your university and the professors that work there. I've had professors who used to be professionals within their own respective fields and I've had professors who are simply educators. Once you get the chance to meet your professors, you'll likely figure out which of the two they are. Nonetheless, both types of professors can provide valuable information and experience regarding real-life business or business theory.
The business major as a whole is extremely broad and has many niche branches for which you can pursue. The main categories are marketing/sales, finance, accounting, business administration/management, and more recently, business IT. If you are unsure about which one you would like to try, I recommend starting as a general business major and taking a basic level class in each category to see which one you are most interested in. Then once you know what you want, you can switch your major. This is what I did to pursue accounting.
It depends on your university and the professors that work there. I've had professors who used to be professionals within their own respective fields and I've had professors who are simply educators. Once you get the chance to meet your professors, you'll likely figure out which of the two they are. Nonetheless, both types of professors can provide valuable information and experience regarding real-life business or business theory.
The business major as a whole is extremely broad and has many niche branches for which you can pursue. The main categories are marketing/sales, finance, accounting, business administration/management, and more recently, business IT. If you are unsure about which one you would like to try, I recommend starting as a general business major and taking a basic level class in each category to see which one you are most interested in. Then once you know what you want, you can switch your major. This is what I did to pursue accounting.