Worried about finding a job after college? Here are six degrees that can prepare you for a post-graduate career.
Worried about finding a job right after you graduate? You have a
right to be concerned. According to a February 2013 survey published by
the U.S. Department of Labor, 12.6 percent of recent college graduates
were unemployed in 2011.
The good news is that some degrees are more likely than others to
help you navigate through today's tough employment market - since they
are more likely to give you the skills you need to be successful in
certain fields.
Wondering which ones those are? Take a look at six bachelor's degrees
that are in high demand, and why they can put you one step closer to
finding a job after graduation.
Degree #1: Bachelor's in Computer Science
As a computer science graduate, you'll be well versed in a number of
highly-employable areas, including information systems, cyber security,
web design, and software development, says Mika Nash, academic dean of
and associate professor in the Division of Continuing Professional
Studies at Champlain College.
"Employees appreciate this kind of degree because it enables them to
leave their options open and to create opportunity across the entire
field," She adds that a "computer science degree, at its best, prepares
students to use what they have learned as a foundation for a constantly
changing field."
What You'll Learn: As a computer science major, you
might take programming classes, according to the College Board, a
non-profit organization that administers the SAT admission text. You
might also take other courses such as artificial intelligence, software
engineering, digital system design, and mathematics for computer
science.
Potential career opportunities*:
Degree #2: Bachelor's in Business Administration
Business administration is an excellent generalist degree for someone
who wants to go into virtually any area of business, says Nash.
"Students study finance, marketing, human resources, management and
supervision, economics, and ethics to gain a depth of understanding for
best practices in a variety of industries," Nash explains.
In addition to that, "business students are afforded years of
practice in problem-solving and decision-making, enabling them to become
strategic thinkers by the time they graduate from college - a
critically important skill in our rapidly changing economy," according
to Nash. Because of the broadness of the degree and the many subjects
studied, graduates are able to move into a number of roles in the
business world and often be successful right out of school, Nash says.
What You'll Learn: As a business administration and
management major, you'll likely take courses such as human resources
management, accounting, financial and operations management, marketing,
and business ethics and law, according to the College Board.
Potential career opportunities:
Degree #3: Associate's or Bachelor's in Nursing
Many people only think of nurses in hospitals - and while a high
percentage of nurses do work in hospitals, there are many other places
nurses can be employed.
According to Barbara Lockwood, director and associate professor at
the School of Nursing at Aurora University, nursing graduates today can
be found working in a variety of settings. For example, nurses can be
found working in ambulatory care settings such as doctor's offices,
surgery centers, freestanding clinics, occupational health, insurance
companies as case managers, long term care, and home health care.
As a result, nursing majors have a variety of employment opportunities after graduation.
What You'll Learn: Common classes for nursing majors
may include microbiology, pharmacology, health assessment, psychology,
and anatomy, according to the College Board.
Potential career opportunity:
Degree #4: Bachelor's in Health care Administration
With more Americans having access to affordable health insurance, and
tens of thousands of baby boomers edging past retirement age, the
demand for health care in this country has never been greater, says
Letha D. Williams, chair of the Health Administration Program at A.T.
Still University (ATSU).
Even better news is that it's not just 'front-line' personnel
(doctors, nurses) that are needed. "There's tremendous opportunity now
for individuals trained in health care administration, the management
side of the industry," Williams says. That's because graduates with a
health care administration degree have an understanding of health care
economics, finance, law, and regulations, along with health
organizations' specific HR needs, and how to measure patient
satisfaction, Williams says.
What You'll Learn: Health services administration
students usually take classes in long-term care and aging, human
resources management, health care ethics, health care policy, and health
care statistics, according to the College Board.
Potential career opportunities:
Degree #5: Marketing
Marketing might be a good career choice for you if you are intrigued
by trends and how they affect consumers. And it's exactly the importance
of predicting those consumer trends that makes a marketing degree so
appealing to employers.
"Nowadays, if a company does not have a chief marketing officer (CMO)
at the table alongside the CEO, they are selling themselves short,"
says Joe Rojek, director of admissions and financial solutions at Olivet
Nazarene University.
In fact, more and more companies are now employing marketing
graduates to help them not only market a product but also conduct
research that should be presented before creating or altering a product
or service, Rojek explains.
What You'll Learn: Typical courses for marketing
majors could include advertising and promotion, marketing management,
marketing research and strategy, marketing communications, and consumer
behavior, according to the College Board.
Potential career opportunities:
Degree #6: Accounting
If numbers and spreadsheets seem to call your name, a degree in
accounting might be a good choice for you. And because accounting majors
are exposed to all types of business organizations, activities, and
transactions during their education, graduates have a lot of options
once they start looking for work, explains Joyce A. Strawser, dean of
the Stillman School of Business at Seton Hall University.
"[Accounting graduates] are excellent candidates for opportunities in
finance, management, marketing, and other business domains," Strawser
explains.
What You'll Learn: Students focusing on an
accounting major are likely to take classes in accounting information
systems, auditing, business law, and cost accounting, according to the
College Board.