Post-Grad Jobs for Business Majors

Before you choose the program that’s right for you, consider the possible career opportunities available with the specific degree.

If a business degree sounds like a good fit, you will have endless career options to consider. The Paul Dickinson College of Business at Oklahoma Baptist University has seven programs to choose from: accounting, computer science, finance, international business, management, marketing, and social entrepreneurship.

Professor of Business Dr. Rudebock shares how students can determine which business degree might be better based on their natural inclinations. He suggests students ask themselves questions such as – do they see things in black and white, balance their checkbook, or prefer order to mess.

For example, a more structured person may lean toward accounting or computer science, while the more creative may lean toward marketing or management.

Accounting

Accounting is a degree that will always be needed. Along with job security, accountants can rely on a steady paycheck. The median annual wage was $67,190 in May 2015, according to the Department of Labor.

OBU successfully prepares students to pass the Uniform Certified Public Accountant examination and encourages students to earn this credential. For institutions similar in size, OBU ranked 11^th in the country for first-time pass rates. For all testing events, 86.4 percent of OBU alumni passed, which was the best rate in the state.

OBU accounting graduates are qualified to work in a variety of jobs: public accounting, private accounting, governmental accounting, forensic accounting, tax accounting, the FBI, the IRS, and a variety of other areas. Past students have gone to work at Ernst & Young, Finley & Cook, Walmart, and many other well-known organizations.

Computer Science

A degree in computer science is also a good investment with excellent career outcomes. With an expected 12 percent growth from 2014 to 2024 in computer and information technology occupations, there will be no shortage of jobs in the future.

A wide range of employers look for computer science graduates. Companies that have employed OBU graduates include Boeing, Ernst & Young, Hertz, Hobby Lobby, IBM, Microsoft, Peace Corps, International Mission Board, Walmart,  as well as local, state, national, and tribal governments. Students’ career paths also vary heavily based on their personal interests, so there are many options once computer science graduates leave college.

Finance

OBU’s finance program provides students applicable learning opportunities for the real world so they can leave prepared to dive into their career. If students are looking to add a competitive advantage to their résumé, they can earn an interdisciplinary degree in both accounting and finance.

Employment for business and financial occupations is projected to increase 8 percent from 2014 to 2024, according to the Department of Labor, proving the degree choice to be valuable.

Some OBU students have found jobs in corporate and international financial management, personal financial planning, portfolio management, and investment services, while other finance graduates have gone into real estate, accounting, and law.

International Business

OBU’s international business program produces highly successful students. OBU intentionally does not offer further specializations within international business because there are many aspects that need to work together for a student to be successful with the degree.

The three cords are marketing, management, and finance. “These courses are designed to intertwine with each other, not work as three independent strings,” says Dr. John Cragin, professor of international business and social entrepreneurship.

Cragin explains how people need international experience because the business world is continuing to become even more global. “There are very few businesses these days that aren’t international and there is a huge demand in the market for people that know various components of international business almost anywhere,” says Cragin.

OBU international business alumni have gone on to start their own import/export business in the Middle East, work at the Big Four accounting firms in South America, work for a major European manufacturer, and the list goes on.

Management

Most students in the management program graduate and gravitate toward the manager trainee track, gaining experience in production and sales, and observing how everything works together for 12 to 18 months. Then they can determine the best position based on their strengths. Or, students choose to continue their education through an MBA from OBU’s graduate school.

One exciting success story came from a student who participated at an Enactus student exhibition, where students compete with their own projects. During the exhibition, this student largely impressed a Wal-Mart executive and received a job offer from Wal-Mart by the end of the day. She now works in their logistics department.

With OBU’s management program, students gain a broad education in all key areas. By the time they finish this degree, they are well-rounded in all aspects.

Marketing

Considering the competition both domestically and internationally, jobs in the marketing field are only continuing to increase in number. Careers that many marketing graduates choose after graduation include tourism, sales, consumer analysis, and market analysis.

OBU’s marketing program provides valuable real-life learning. Students are required to create a marketing plan for a client and then present it to actual stakeholders. Students must be able to think critically and fully understand the target markets of the client in order to establish a products’ profitability and successfully complete the program.

Social Entrepreneurship

Social entrepreneurship is newer to OBU’s program offerings but is proving to be very successful. With a huge influx of large companies adding social impact to their business plans and success measures, the job opportunities are increasing greatly. Cragin explains that these companies need employees with robust business knowledge and skills, plus an understanding of why and how to use business for the greater good.

While social entrepreneurship may be a newer program, OBU has believed in the relationship between business and sharing the love of Christ for decades. “The practice of starting businesses with Christian social impact is not new,” says Cragin.

Graduates with this degree are entering the marketplace and finding success. For example, recent OBU graduates went on to create a company in Russia and Brazil that led to the formation of the Moscow School of Economics, a K-12 private school. Others created a company that produced, sold, and supported advanced college courseware that was adopted by more than 20 universities.

Experienced Professors and Successful Students

With experienced professors and interesting curriculum, no matter the degree you choose, these programs can open the doors to success. Ninety-seven percent of OBU’s class of 2014-2015 graduates are employed full time or enrolled in graduate school.

Since 2004, OBU business students have consistently averaged above the 90th percentile nationally on the ETS Major Field Achievement tests for business students.

“Our faculty has a great balance of academic credentials and professional experience,” says Dr. David Houghton, dean of the Paul Dickinson College of Business. “For example, Dr. Cragin has done business in a number of countries and can help connect students with international jobs.”

Do any of these programs speak to your goals? Apply today and fulfill your mission!