I've been considering possibly majoring in IB and I was wondering if anyone had some first hand information on it. Does anyone here have a degree or know anyone with a degree in International Business?
I have a degree from teh UNiversity of South Carolina's International Business program. Graduated in 93 and understand the program is much different now. Moreover, there are many options at this point whereas at that time it was South carolina's MIBS programm and Thunderbird for US options. If you wish, pm me and i can give you more information
if you are dead set on 'business' as your major, specialize in accounting or finance (though I will always recommend going the route of sciences/liberal arts to undergrads). throw in a minor in fields such as international relations, east asian studies, etc. it is a much more well rounded way of doing the same thing.
Why do you suggest Finance or Accounting vs Bus. management, marketing, or any other bus. field? It seems to me, unless you want to be an accountant, accounting isnt the way to go. I was a finance major, and I think what you are getting at is that sometimes management and marketing majors aren't taken as seriously by certain employers as other business degrees. This might or might not be true, but those employers that are that picky usually are only interviewing the small top % of candidates, so it really doesnt matter IMO. So, in other words, unless you are in top of your class, you are putting the cart b/4 the horse, so to speak.
if you are a general management or marketing major, you're definitely better off going the liberal arts route. in my current firm, everybody from HR to marketing to sales was either a finance/econ/accounting major or came from the liberal arts/sciences. I don't know of anybody who was a general 'business' or marketing major. now if you want to go work for P&G or J&J in brand management, then marketing may be applicable, and ONLY if you have a 3.6 or higher.
Your ability to handle the numbers (accounting, finance) and make sense of financial statements (also finance and accounting) is what separates the men from the boys, so to speak, in management. Not saying mangement/marketing whatever majors can't do the math, but getting a degree is finance or accounting tells potential employers that you can.
NOt really. What separates the men form the boys is being top 10% of your class as an accounting/finance major. otherwise you are just wasting your time, and not attracting anyones attention. The jobs for which the major firms are hiring sare only looking at the that small percentage.
that isn't true. to get into a big 4 job, all you need is over a 3.1 GPA. to get into one of the ibanks or consulting firms with an accounting degree, you better be at a 3.6 or higher. but to get to the point, no sense in being an 'IB' major. i agree with wingtips, do accounting or finance, get a minor in language or international relations (or just study abroad). i have a good job with a company that allowed me to work in the off season. without my degree in accounting, I wouldn't have gotten the job. but I do wish I had studied more politics or sciences, as the MBA is something you can pick up down the road.