College Degrees

[Expired]

I have no clue what I want to do with my life, so I'm trying to narrow down possible majors.. I was wondering which ones would be the most beneficial/applicable in more areas. University of Texas, or University of Houston are my two main choices for colleges.. A&M maybe..

BS - Business Administration
BS - Business International Management
BS - Business Management
BS - Business Finance
BS - IT Networks Administration
BS - IT Security(Information systems security, cyber security)

MBA
MBA - Finance
MBA - IT Management
MBA - Global Management
MBA - International Business
MBA - Accounting (Not sure on Accounting, would help if someone would describe this field)

MIT - Information Technology
MIT - Internet Security

Would a dual degree program be useful?? (Looking at the UT site)
Communication studies/Business administration
Global policy studies/Business administration


Was thinking of majoring in network administration/wireless networks, minoring in Cullinary Arts back when I was younger. (I don't believe you can minor in cooking.. So it would probably be a dual major..)
My idea was to open an internet cafe type business on a beach somewhere..

All thoughts and opinions welcome!! Thank you.
Seems like a ton of people get MBA's..

-Nathan

[radix]

I don't have a degree as I've never been to college, but if I were to select from the list above I'd see if I couldn't try for both a BS in IT and an MBA. If I were to go to school at this point for myself, I'd seriously consider a law degree.

I work in an IT position in which I make a very good salary, sans degree. I think for most IT positions anything more than a BS is overkill. The exception would be academic positions or positions doing bleeding edge research for a government lab.

[Sara]

Im going for Business Management. I actually enjoy it. I had Radiology as my major and business as my minor, but after all the labs and biology's ...I switched my major to Business.

[Blake]

MBA finance

[in5ane_3]

I'm in IT now and it's a flourishing field. I work part time and find that you can make a lot of money fairly quickly.

If you like the information field go for a Masters in Info Security of you're up for it (it require a lot of hardcore classes since it's considered being an engineer I believe) if not then go for a MBA focuse in IT management. You can easily land a job with the right qualifications and degrees as a CIO, which could make you very high six figures.

[ebohon]

I think its great that you are thinking graduate school. But, I will advise you to get some experience under you belt first... between your undergrad and B school. I have an MBA from LMU and I will tell you that many of the students in that program were simply not equipped to take on the challenges of an MBA program from anything other than an academic perspective. Many of these students came to B school with no experience and little to offer or contribute into the heavy team building and management aspects of B school. MBA is not an 'extension' of undergrad...not something you just continue to do after you graduate. If your schools offer an ExecMBA, PT MBA or any othe options, look for the one that best reflects your experience...but again, IMO, I would recommend that you gain some experience first and decide which concentration would be best for you and your carreer. I have an Int'l Bus Undergrad and a MBA Marketing and I run a small insurance consutling office here in CA. If your plan is to open an internet cafe somewhere... you will probably have the knowledge of IT without the MBA...MBA IT is mainly for the management of IT not for the 'techincal' aspect of it... therefore focus on the concentration that will make your business successful...ie, marketing or finance, etc. Good luck and let us know what when you open your cafe!

[Expired]

Originally Posted by anmcguire

I work in an IT position in which I make a very good salary, sans degree. I think for most IT positions anything more than a BS is overkill. The exception would be academic positions or positions doing bleeding edge research for a government lab.

I was thinking the same.

Originally Posted by in5ane_3

If you like the information field go for a Masters in Info Security of you're up for it (it require a lot of hardcore classes since it's considered being an engineer I believe) if not then go for a MBA focuse in IT management. You can easily land a job with the right qualifications and degrees as a CIO, which could make you very high six figures.

Is it better to focus in a certain field or get a general MBA??
Would people be more likely to hire you if you specialize, or would it only narrow your job opportunity's??

Originally Posted by ebohon

I think its great that you are thinking graduate school. But, I will advise you to get some experience under you belt first... between your undergrad and B school. I have an MBA from LMU and I will tell you that many of the students in that program were simply not equipped to take on the challenges of an MBA program from anything other than an academic perspective. Many of these students came to B school with no experience and little to offer or contribute into the heavy team building and management aspects of B school. MBA is not an 'extension' of undergrad...not something you just continue to do after you graduate. If your schools offer an ExecMBA, PT MBA or any othe options, look for the one that best reflects your experience...but again, IMO, I would recommend that you gain some experience first and decide which concentration would be best for you and your carreer. I have an Int'l Bus Undergrad and a MBA Marketing and I run a small insurance consutling office here in CA. If your plan is to open an internet cafe somewhere... you will probably have the knowledge of IT without the MBA...MBA IT is mainly for the management of IT not for the 'techincal' aspect of it... therefore focus on the concentration that will make your business successful...ie, marketing or finance, etc. Good luck and let us know what when you open your cafe!

About to finish up my basics at community college after next semester. Are you suggesting I take some time off before I transfer to a university to try out jobs in different fields?? (Which would be hard to do with an Associate of Arts..)

The Internet Cafe was just an idea I had when I was younger. There wasn't much for me and my friends to do around here, and there aren't any places to hang out. I figured I would major in networking and minor in cullinary arts.. That way I could easily setup the tech side and run it on my own, which would only take a little attention here and there. Then I could also build my own menu as I see fit, cook the food, and run the business mostly on my own. Then if it fell through I could fall back on my networking major and go work in the tech field.

The idea was to have a place kids could come and hang out, play games together, converse while eating, etc.. Gaming tournaments every other friday on the computers, and have certain days when people could get on for free.
While also catering to the needs of older people, to have a place to come and relax after work or get some work done. It was just an idea, not a concrete plan..

As for marketing and advertisement.. All you need is reverse engineering to figure out what works best. We are all the consumers of products, why wouldn't we know the best ways to reach the population??

-Nathan

[shm323]

If you like computers try Information Security and work for a private contractor or the NSA, you should have no problem finding a good job and a 6 figure salary...

[snipersix]

I say go for a field that you enjoy doing. There is no point in getting into a field that you will eventually hate doing as a job.

I am taking up IT as well. I think if you want to be highly paid in the IT business. You will need a bunch of certificates to start, such as A+, Cisco, and etc depending on what field in IT you are in..