Are You Pursuing A Business Degree? 5 Unique Majors To Consider

When people think of business, the first five majors which come to mind are business administration, management, accounting, finance, and marketing. This is not bad as these majors present solid career paths. However, five majors may seem limiting and they are far from the only business paths. Below are five lesser known business-oriented areas of study fit for people of assorted skill sets and passions.

International Business

A degree in international business combines coursework in business, economics, politics, and foreign language studies to give students a global perspective. Students will learn about international trade, imports/exports, overseas marketing, monetary systems, and international business ethics among other topics. This prepares students for leadership positions in global trade, banks, corporations, government, and international nonprofit organizations. Studying abroad is an effective way to translate your learning to the real world and also practice your language proficiency. To go further in your career, an MBA can help attain a position in upper-level international management.

Organizational Studies

Organizational studies is an interdisciplinary area which focuses on sociological, and psychological factors within business teams. Students will learn how workplace processes, practices, and organizational structures shape relations and influence leadership. This prepares students for work in human resources, sales, consulting, and training/development among others. A strong sense of teamwork, interpersonal skills, and understanding of the office environment from an analytical standpoint will serve students well.

Retail Management 

If you have an eye for style and a creative, entrepreneurial spirit, retail management may be for you. Students will build their skills in the retail industry which may include operations, strategy, innovation, merchandising, and ethical sourcing. Students may also take courses in marketing and organizational leadership. Students with good communication, sales, and customer service skills may find this degree suitable for their strengths. Once graduated, students can become supply chain managers, sales managers, brand managers, or marketing executives.

Health Care Management 

Healthcare management is the responsibility of implementing and managing healthcare delivery in hospitals, doctor’s offices, clinics, nursing homes, and speciality care units. People with these degrees keep healthcare organizations running efficiently. Coursework may combine simple science or public health courses with business and organizational courses. You may learn about healthcare policy, laws, operations and healthcare delivery systems. Students graduating with this degree could become directors or administrators of a variety of health facilities.

Public Relations and Marketing Communications

This interdisciplinary course combines the majors (and coursework) of business marketing and communications. Once graduating with a degree of this sort, you will be responsible for creating exposure and increasing public interest towards a product, service, or organization. Every business wants to have a good reputation, people with public relations degrees are experts in that area. Writing, editing, verbal communication, social media, online campaigns, and graphic design are complementary skills for this career path. In the future, students could work as a public relations specialist, communications/social media manager, or marketing coordinator.

Since these five majors are less popular, they may be offered at a lower number of institutions. This is something to consider when choosing your dream school as some universities may only offer them as minors or concentrations. Always research the degrees offered by your dream college before making a decision.

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