By studying accounting, finance, economics, and other fundamentals of the business world, students can learn how to weigh options and make decisions that can serve customers and shape society. Many colleges and universities also require business majors to undergo instruction in ethics, culture, and history, in order to help them place their business decisions in the broadest possible context.

At the undergraduate level, students must research and understand case studies of both superstar successes and colossal failures of the business world. At the graduate level, MBA candidates often work in teams to launch mock businesses — some of which even take hold in reality to become success stories in their own right.

What Jobs are Hot in Business?

Accounting. Auditors and accountants work both within companies and as outside consultants, keeping their eyes on the books and making sure businesses uphold their ethical standards.

International Business. If you love foreign cultures as much as you love to conduct business, consider looking into a career in international business.

Marketing and Sales. Could you convince a fish to buy a glass of water? Business majors who understand marketing and negotiation can always earn commissions as professional salespeople. Unlike other careers that might rise and fall with the state of a particular trend or product, the strongest sales professionals can apply their skills to any situation. Every business lives or dies by the quality of its sales force, and smart business majors use their degree programs as proving grounds for these important talents. If direct sales isn’t your cup of tea, consider applying your creative talents to marketing and advertising, designing mass-media campaigns to raise awareness of your company’s product or service.

Financial Planning. Business majors who love to work directly with people may be well suited to pursuing a career as a financial planner. By helping clients to wisely preserve and invest their income, a strong financial planner can directly impact the quality of life for multiple generations of client families.

Why Should You Consider a College Major in Business?

Whether you want to dive directly into business straight from high school, or you want to add strong business skills to an already successful career in another field, a business degree can teach you how to make strategic decisions that help your company succeed.

Advantages of online college courses in business

Experienced professionals who add a business degree to their credentials benefit from combining their life experience with a formal education. Online business administration degrees are becoming more and more popular as they allow students to implement their new skills at their current careers. Over time, online business majors can move up the career ladder while still earning their degree. Once they finish their coursework, they can move up within their company or they can make the leap to a different company.

What kinds of candidates make the best business majors?

Business schools look for candidates who possess strong math skills, familiarity with computers, and critical thinking abilities. They also screen applicants using tests of morals and ethics, in order to emphasize their commitment to preventing future business disasters. Many schools pose ethical dilemmas in application essays or during candidate interviews. At least one admissions officer has even left wallets and credit cards in college restrooms just to test the honesty of potential students.