Pursuing a Business Career through the Liberal Arts

Academic Issues | Experience | Graduate School

If you are like over seventy percent of recent Weinberg seniors, you will go directly from college to a position in the business world.  But many students don’t have a clear sense of what “business” entails, either in terms of academic preparation or as a profession.  Making the transition from college to a job can be complicated and intimidating, especially since it can be hard to know how work and academic experiences “count” in a job search.  Here you will find advice to help you think about how the liberal arts education you get in WCAS can prepare you for entering the working world.

As you read on, you will find information about academic issues relating to a business career:  choosing a major, the relative importance of grades, suggestions for classes and programs relevant to business, and some ideas about turning coursework into marketable business skills.  There is also information about work experience, particularly how extracurricular activities, research, internships, and volunteering can help show your skills.  The section on pursuing graduate studies in business offers advice about timing and what graduate programs look for.

Your freshman adviser, WCAS Adviser, and major adviser can help you put your academic and professional plans into perspective.  The Harvey Kapnick Business Institutions Program maintains an informative site about roads to business.  You should also consult with University Career Services frequently throughout your time at Northwestern.  From freshman to senior year, they can help you think about ways to link your professional and academic interests, about fields and specific jobs that may interest you, and about what particular employers may desire.