Alright guys, in the “Live Chat” a few weeks ago I was conversing with several members of LvMI about switching majors from Political Science to something in Business.
I’ve made the plunged and have officially switched.
Anyone have any suggestions on what should be my concentration? Several experienced people have recommended that I major in management given it’s versatility. Any suggestions?
Anything that will get you a (private sector) job after you finish up with your degree. Don’t be stuck with a concentration that offers you no real life skills (like me).
Don’t be like me and indecisive about your major, then when you finally decide you are no longer wanted by your university. [:P] Now, I have no idea what I’m going to do in life… especially since I have no real skill in manual labor.
It’s always best to go into something that will always be in demand, especially when the economy is not as strong.
Drug smuggling isn’t offered as a major.
You learn that on the streets.
Seriously, you should first decide what career you are aiming for, then pick the education that suits it. Just trying to pick some major that will land you a job is pointless, because the fact is there are no jobs for anybody. Exceptions are people who are really lucky and really clever.
I’m in a similar situation, but I’m unsure if trying to go for a business degree in a public university is worth it. Whenever one reads Hayek, Mises, Rothbard, or even non-austrian economists, they rarely seem to have a favorable view on the possibility of the skills necessary to be an entrepreneur being teachable. Glancing over the catalogs for the major, most of the classes seem rather pointless (e.g. “business ethics”) or otherwise something that one has a better chance in learning whilst doing it in practice than being lectured about it. The only benefits of going to college if you want to go into business seems to be to build a social network to help you in the future, and even so you needn’t enroll to do that.
Now if I remember correctly, didn’t you (LvMien) reference wanting to become an attorney in another thread?
Be skeptical about advice from those who have no pledge in your future but, much data into behavioral economics and sociology tells us that your network of contacts means exponentially more then your degree (outside of trades that is). I’ve read advice suggesting that students pick a degree of interest and devote massive resources into enlarging their circle of friends and associatives. For example, join lots of clubs and causes, pledge at a fraternity, fill up your facebook/myspace, join internet groups, be social, etc
If you are like me and simply want to read and write with your life then I would suggest education as a great profession.
In reality, consumption is your enemy (or friend) if you want freedom from work to write and read. You need to live on less. I have been working two fulltime jobs for the last two years to pay off bills, but by this summer I will finally only work one job.
Why switch out of political science? Libertarians have plenty to offer with that major.
When picking my degree I wasn’t an outright libertarian or Austrian, though I did have a sympathy for markets and their utility in finding solutions to the world’s problems, including climate change. I therefore originally chose to do chemical engineering, but then decided to switch to theoretical physics because I wanted to both build on my skills, satisfy my curiosity and challenge myself. I think I also deemed it to be one of the least diluted or dilutable degrees out there.
Strange, economics provides so many answers to things that used to puzzle me, like why was education and its standards consistently dropping.
You don’t need to switch out of Poli Sci, you can always get a masters in business.
What do you want to do?
I would pick a degree that has more value than a business degree. For a business degree to have much value, you have to have experience behind it. You will pretty much want to get your MBA if you want a business degree of any value without the experience.
If engineering interests you at all, I would go for that. There is always law as well. Get your associates in paralegal and get with a law firm, and then finish up your law degree. Lots of law firms will help you with your expenses.
I wish I would have been a math major. That is all.
I wish you listen to me.
I am not going to tell you whether you should do political science or business.
Assuming you do business…there are only 3 majors worth studying for:
1-Accounting
2-Finance
3-Marketing
All others…wont get anywhere.
Management: Everybody does manageress and its the weakest of all.
Int. Business: This is stupid…very interesting to study but what is it about anyways???
I did my BS in Economics because I love economics more than anything else. I was lucky to wake up on time and realized a career in economics is one you have to bleed for. I knew my Milton Friedman, Hayek and AE ideas would not get me anywhere…I corrected my career and I did my MBA in Finance. The corporate world is way more interesting.
Although it really doesn’t make any difference, I sometimes wish I had done my BS in Accounting. Being a CPA is really an asset. Oh boy…money comes all by itself.
^Finance huh?
I’m a political science major right now, and want to go for my MBA afterwards, though I don’t know what I want to concentrate in. I realized recently the only job I would want in the Poli Sci field would be as a college professor. Much of the rest involves the government. So, my options are going into business with an MBA or Law, and I rather not go into law.
Well…I dont know which state your are in…here in Fl it is required to have a bs accounting if you want to continue to grad school.
Assuming it is the same where you are…that leaves you with Finance and Marketing.
In most schools you can specialize in both. I really did not want to stay one more semester.
I’m okay both of those finance and marketing, though I want to know more about them. I just feel, and Austrian economics has lead me to this, that business would be a better route then politics to improve everyone’s quality of life.
Marketing is the core of business, you’ll love it.
Finance …depends…corporate finance is beautiful (accounting & finance) but market finance can be hard to understand.
Bonds, capital markets, derivatives, valuations…lots.lots of math. I hated it but it is great to have finance in your belt.