Business management or interior design degree?

[Sweet Home Alabama]

Dd is a freshman in college this year taking all the usual freshman required courses. She has not declared a major since she has been trying to decide what she wants to do. Around Christmas, she was inspired to choose interior design. Last week, however, she started wondering if a business degree would make her more marketable.

 

She has a special niche. With the help of her dad, she has learned how to use his tools to make beautiful home decor items. She has made a small desk and bench seat for her room, American flag wall art, and ceiling lights made from some sort of tin canisters. (I'm not sure what the canisters were actually made to be. They were items of "trash" that she made into "treasures".)

 

Starting her own business and selling her hand-made products has become her passion. The long term plan is that she would continue building her products and try to sell them on Etsy. Now, this business idea is related to interior design but isn't exclusively interior design. Herein lies the delimma.

 

We are trying to decide if her degree should be interior design with a business minor, a business major with entrepreneur minor, or entrepreneurship and family business.

 

ETA: It would be wise for her to choose a degree that gives her the opportunity to start and grow her own business as well as give her employment opportunities if her business doesn't take off. We want to keep doors of opportunity open, kwim?

 

We would love to hear some words of wisdom!

Edited March 3, 2017 by Sweet Home Alabama

[Bootsie]

What is included in a business minor varies a lot from school to school, so much would depend on how much business (and the focus of the business courses) if she were to choose a business minor.  I know a number of schools at which the funding for scholarships within the entrepreneurship major is more significant than other majors (Alum who are entrepreneurs donate scholarship money and want it to go to entrepreneurship programs.) Entrepreneurship and family business focuses on the unique issues that occur within an established family business (how do you handle multiple generations with different visions and cash flow needs, the psychology of family dynamics, secession planning, etc.)  Students who major in this are often second or third generation of an established family business.

 

If she doesn't start her own business, what kind of work does she want to do?  You can enter many areas of business without a business degree.  Interior design would be more difficult to do without an interior design focus. 

[Crimson Wife]

I would go for the business major with a minor or certificate in interior design. My DH has a business school classmate who makes a VERY good living working for some luxury home furnishings brand (blanking on the name since I am *SO* not into luxury goods). I would encourage your DD to take the classes that would enable her to get a good-paying business job if she isn't able to grow her hobby into something that will fully support her.

[Crimson Wife]

Parson's offers an 8 course certificate in Interior Design.

[Sweet Home Alabama]

Thank you so much, ladies!

She is going to change her major to business; that was the crucial decision to make today.

Thankfully there is time to make adjustments if needed.

She and I were creating a crescendo of stress considering choices and consequences.

Dh brought fresh air, calmness, and clarity to the stress.

She and I are both much better now! 😅

 

I really appreciate the insight to each of the majors. The interior design certificate idea is something good to know. Seems like that option could fit within her plans.

[hopskipjump]

I think she's made the right choice. I love when kids are able to turn something they love doing into their vocation!! Best wishes to your dd on her success!!

[JanetC]

Does your school offer 3-D design (as a major or just classes)? I think that would be more relevant to designing her own products than interior design.