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Did I ruin ds's job prospects by telling him he could change his major from business


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to Creative Writing with a business emphasis. It is a better fit for him and I think he will enjoy it more but I told someone today and she acted like I am letting him take the easy way out with a cake major that won't be worth anything. :confused:

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What career does he plan on pursuing upon graduation? I think that is where the answer is going to be.

 

My perspective toward college is biased strictly toward getting a job and not so much on the experiencing education (if that makes any sense.....so keep that in mind for my reply!:tongue_smilie:)

 

If he has firm career goals that encompass that major, then decision is fine. If he is majoring in creative writing simply b/c it is less stressful/more interesting and it will not benefit his ultimate career objectives, it might not have been a wise choice.

 

The question is how prospective employers will view his educational experience.

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I know that I will say some controversial things, but ...I don't think that God will let us get in His way for His plans for our dc. :) We may sometimes hear the words "Recalculating" (like my GPS) when we veer off course and He has to reset the course. When my #1 ds decided to major in something that neither my dh or I liked (political sci- ugh!), I complained very loudly that he would NEVER get a job ...and he should go into Engineering where his strengths were (but not his heart) ...and on and on. I was SO wrong. He got a job working on a political campaign in AK at an age when his peers were at fast foods. He has gotten other great opportunities along the way. I know that God has a plan. I now try to facilitate rather than control. I just wish that I was more relaxed and trusting in the beginning of my dc's college journeys. I hope that this makes sense. I am not trying to be "preachy" or anything, just honest.

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to Creative Writing with a business emphasis. It is a better fit for him and I think he will enjoy it more but I told someone today and she acted like I am letting him take the easy way out with a cake major that won't be worth anything. :confused:

 

If he ends up with a job like my dh's (in business) he can use his creative writing ALL the time. My dh writes more than he ever dreamed possible in a business career.:glare:

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Thanks for the opinions and insights. Momof7 and Maryalice you both make good points. A plan and a direction is good, but God may also "recalculate" it. I love that! Readwithem, what type of job does your dh have in business?

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Can he achieve the same result with a double major? Business + CW? This looks a little beefier on a resume. Or, can his major be a more general writing than creative writing?

 

Having said that, I firmly believe that a person's degree should reflect their talents and their passion. If a business degree is sapping his spirit, then it's not the right fit. If his degree is in an area that feeds his soul and gives him energy, then he will make it work.

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Thanks for the opinions and insights. Momof7 and Maryalice you both make good points. A plan and a direction is good, but God may also "recalculate" it. I love that! Readwithem, what type of job does your dh have in business?

 

He's the capital markets manager for a Fortune 500 company - basically what that means is he writes a lot of the reports that go out to the media on their financial status. He also handles monthly, quarterly and annual closing of the books.

 

He does have his MBA which was a requirement for this job, so as Moira mentioned that's always a possibility for your ds.

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My husband and I have been very disappointed with the career options our business degrees offer. We've met many others over the years who share the same frustration.

I will probably discourage my kids from getting a business degree.

IMO, unless you go for the MBA afterward, it isn't a good investment of time and money. Now that there are so many online/distance MBA programs, I don't think a 4 yr business degree really sets you apart in a job search with so many MBAs in the work force.

Other people may have had different experiences, I'm interested in reading this thread!

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I am not a fan of business as a first degree.

I'd far rather have dc pursue a specific discipline then add business at the master's level if appriopriate.

 

:iagree:

I think a BA in a traditional discipline, with a Business minor, is actually more valuable/marketable than just a Bachelor's in Business. I also agree with the PP that the proliferation of MBAs has really the Bachelors in Business.

 

I've worked in the corporate world and it's astonishing how few people can write well, even at very high levels, so I think a degree in Writing, with a Business minor, would (1) set him apart from other job candidates and (2) be more likely to land him the sort of job he would enjoy if he did go into the business world (focused on writing rather than, say, accounting or management).

 

Jackie

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K-FL, it looks like it is a business minor. They require 30 business credits. He spoke with my dh today and is really excited about the change. He is several credits ahead from duel enrollment classes so he can try out the creative writing by taking some classes next semester and still have some wiggle room in his schedule. Dh was at business meetings all week and he saw the value in this type of major indirectly from what some of the speakers shared. Ds loves public speaking and is a good speaker so this may also help if he explores that passion in some way. We are going to visit next weekend and we will be able to talk about it some more.

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to Creative Writing with a business emphasis. It is a better fit for him and I think he will enjoy it more but I told someone today and she acted like I am letting him take the easy way out with a cake major that won't be worth anything. :confused:

 

Creative writing is worthless as a major. Most professors can't write their way out of a plastic bag. Not ONE at my university ever made as much money on a book as I did on my FIRST one. And it didn't teach me much about writing, either.

 

Then again, business isn't worth that much as a bachelor's degree, either! (MBA is different.)

 

If he likes creative writing, he should join a writing group that suits him. There are a number online.

 

Iowa is probably the only university with decent writing talent--and that's only because they bring it in.

Edited by Reya
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I have a double mj in Business and History and to me it is worthless. The upper level math electives that I took in college are worth more to me than the degree. If he wants to do writing, I'd do technical writing. You can make a career out of that. I wish I would have done something like that instead. It seems like everyone these days is getting their MBA so I'm wondering how that will be perceived in the future as the market is flooded with them. My friend has a deree in English and she isn't really marketable either except for teaching positions.

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Creative writing is worthless as a major. Most professors can't write their way out of a plastic bag. Not ONE at my university ever made as much money on a book as I did on my FIRST one. And it didn't teach me much about writing, either.

 

Then again, business isn't worth that much as a bachelor's degree, either! (MBA is different.)

 

If he likes creative writing, he should join a writing group that suits him. There are a number online.

 

Iowa is probably the only university with decent writing talent--and that's only because they bring it in.

 

I have a writing degree (creative writing emphasis) and worked in publishing for seven years. I have to disagree, emphatically.

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On further research I have learned that the major in creative writing provides courses in many different types of writing. The student picks an emphasis in one and must have courses in at least 2. There is an opportunity for an intership program which looks good:

 

Students may intern at a variety of venues, including magazines, newspapers, publishing houses, television and radio stations, government offices, advertising and public relations firms, university departments, law firms, and non-profit agencies. Internships may be done during the summer (in either 13-week or intensified 6-week sessions) as well as during the fall and spring semesters. They may be done in Tallahassee or elsewhere, and may even be done while studying abroad.

 

Students are expected to work seven hours per week and write 2500 words per credit hour (e.g. 3 credits equals 20 hours of work per week for a semester and 7500 words in a portfolio). The site supervisor submits written midterm and final progress reports on the student's work to the English Department. These reports, together with a portfolio of the student's work from the internship, provide the basis for evaluation. The English Department's Supervisor of Internships assigns the final grade.

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On further research I have learned that the major in creative writing provides courses in many different types of writing. The student picks an emphasis in one and must have courses in at least 2. There is an opportunity for an intership program which looks good:

 

Students may intern at a variety of venues, including magazines, newspapers, publishing houses, television and radio stations, government offices, advertising and public relations firms, university departments, law firms, and non-profit agencies. Internships may be done during the summer (in either 13-week or intensified 6-week sessions) as well as during the fall and spring semesters. They may be done in Tallahassee or elsewhere, and may even be done while studying abroad.

 

Students are expected to work seven hours per week and write 2500 words per credit hour (e.g. 3 credits equals 20 hours of work per week for a semester and 7500 words in a portfolio). The site supervisor submits written midterm and final progress reports on the student's work to the English Department. These reports, together with a portfolio of the student's work from the internship, provide the basis for evaluation. The English Department's Supervisor of Internships assigns the final grade.

This sounds awesome--glad he's so pumped about it.

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My husband and I have been very disappointed with the career options our business degrees offer. We've met many others over the years who share the same frustration.

I will probably discourage my kids from getting a business degree.

IMO, unless you go for the MBA afterward, it isn't a good investment of time and money. Now that there are so many online/distance MBA programs, I don't think a 4 yr business degree really sets you apart in a job search with so many MBAs in the work force.

Other people may have had different experiences, I'm interested in reading this thread!

 

My husband is an engineer who has transitioned into management, and all of the upper level management in his company started out as engineers or in other technical aspects. It is a manufacturing company, and so there is a real need for the leaders to understand the actual manufacturing side of the business. Once an engineer or technician in the company shows an interest and a talent in management, they usually take buisness courses or even pursure their MBA (which the company pays for). My husband is on the path to upper managment, he has a MS in Chemical Engineering and will pursue his MBA in two years.

 

You can always go back and get an MBA. With this ecomony, it is better to hone your own specific talents and avoid an overly generalized degree, such as business. If he really is interested in business, it would be better to pick a specific area of business. If creative writing is his passion and he is talented at it, he should pursue it but with caution, he should be prepared to do something practical with his skills if he isn't able to make a living as a writer (such as become a professor). Liberal arts degrees make for a great education, but unless you are going to Graduate school, they aren't practical for the work force.

Edited by MyFourSons
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I have a writing degree (creative writing emphasis) and worked in publishing for seven years. I have to disagree, emphatically.

 

I have more than a couple of words to say about the average ability of editors in the publishing industry, including "map" and "compass."

 

Editors aren't writers, either.

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