Harness your real-world potential with a business degree

31 Oct 2017

“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” – Colin Powell

As industries change, globalisation increases and society progresses, it can be hard to find a subject that will prepare you for the dynamic business landscape that is eternally evolving.

It’s impossible to tell what’s in store for the future of the business sector. In the past year alone, the future of globalisation has been thrown off chart by Brexit and growing tensions between Trump and the rest of the world.

Global interdependence may begin to retract for the first time in history. At the same time, technology advancements surge ahead, with innovations that promise to revolutionise every aspect of our lives and society is putting increasing pressure on the ethics of corporate operations.

There has never been a more exciting or more challenging time to enter the business sector. It promises unpredictability and constant change, as well as the opportunity to shape the wider world.

“[The] advantage of a business degree is the breadth of disciplines available to the student: economics, strategy, finance, law, e-commerce, human resources, accounting and the list goes on. Most people, like me, start their degree with little to no idea what career they want. A business degree leads into many career paths suited to a range of people.” Rupesh Patel writes for The Independent.

Being involved in business puts you in the fast-lane of the pioneering innovation that drives society forward. You will have the opportunity not only to benefit from the global developments that revolutionise our lives, but to be involved in the grassroot movements where ideas are born.

And business know-how doesn’t just help drive the corporate world. Having a background in business is essential to working in the charity and social enterprise sectors as well. Understanding market forces and business structures is invaluable to all organisations – even if profit is not their motive.

A qualification in business will give you skills that are sought-after by every employer, from number crunching all the way through to analytic thinking. Business degrees combine a range of disciplines to give you comprehensive knowledge of a broad and complex field, standing you way ahead of your non-business graduate peers.

Particularly valued are courses that combine real-world business experience with academic learning. Many universities offer placements as part of the qualification, where you will gain hands-on experience working within a firm. This allows you to prove your tenacity and demonstrate your knowledge in practical terms – an essential aspect of being a valuable business partner. Whilst other students may graduate with intellectual capacity, you will have experience using this in real-terms.

The skills developed through a business degree remain relevant for years to come. Even as innovation will undoubtedly progress, the business structures behind them will always exist. This allows for those with knowledge of the industry to be leaders of societal change, helping to expand humanities over horizons.

If you want to study business and become a global influencer, make sure you consider these universities…

FACULTY OF ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS, KU LEUVEN – BELGIUM

KU Leuven is respected as one of the top 100 universities worldwide by QS World University Rankings, with the Faculty of Economics and Business ranked as 59th in its subject area.

Here, students can pursue undergraduate, graduate and PhD level programmes at the university, from Bachelor, 8 English taught Masters and several PhD programmes.

The faculty also boasts fantastic career prospects. Students benefit from a careers service that collaborates with external corporate partners to develop job application skills. It also provides campus recruitment through job fairs, networking events and many career workshops, both in English and Dutch. The faculty promotes student entrepreneurship through the LCIE Entrepreneurship Academy and the Student Startup Forum. Student can do internships in start-ups and other companies or organisations.. The Career Corner platform of the faculty is the one-stop-shop for all career development activities, internship during their studies or a job after graduation at their preferred employer. QS World University Rankings also placed KU Leuven in the top 100 for graduate recruitment.

DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT, LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS (LSE) – UK

Located in the business hub of not only England but, the world, LSE offers students the unique opportunity to study business and management in one of the world’s most dynamic cities.

Ranked second by QS World Rankings 2017, the department boasts itself as a leading institution both for research and tuition. “Our vision is to create a better world where a profound understanding of management drives positive change in business and society,” a spokesperson for the university said.

Undergraduate students at the university can study BSc Management to give them an overview of the subject area. Master’s programmes include Msc Marketing, MSc Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship, MSc Human Resources and Organisations and MSc Economics and Management.

LSE also has a diverse international student body, with over 150 countries from all over the world represented on campus. Located in a global city, there is no better place to start your international business studies endeavour.

SMURFIT GRADUATE BUSINESS SCHOOL, UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DUBLIN – IRELAND

As the only Irish business school that consistently ranks in the Top 100 business schools

worldwide, a degree from Smurfit Graduate Business School prepares you for a career in the global market. As part of this preparation, students have the chance to study on the school’s international campuses in Hong Kong, Singapore and Sri Lanka.

Covering all aspects of business, the school will train you in any area of interest; be it Accounting, Banking and Finance, HRM and Employment Relations, Management, Management Information Systems or Marketing.

All students of the school have access to an on-campus, state-of-the-art library, and fully equipped lecture halls. And, off-campus, students can experience the rich culture of Dublin. The school also has an emphasis on the global nature of business. Expanding the student experience beyond its host city, Smurfit Graduate Business School is part of a global alliance network that connects research staff and students with businesses around the world.

ESSEC BUSINESS SCHOOL – GLOBAL

With campuses in France, Singapore and Morocco, ESSEC Business School embodies the international flair crucial to making it in the field.

Courses at ESSEC Business School include the Global MBA, which combines problem solving, analytical thinking and theoretical structures in six core areas; Strategy and Management, Finance, Hospitality and Management, Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Digital Business. Postgraduate students can also study under the MSc Management programme which prepares students to be leaders in the management field, and with a 98.2 percent employment rate, it’s definitely a wise investment

There is also the Global BBA which offers students the opportunity to study on any campus, receive internship experience and learn all the fundamental practices of management.

“ESSEC help the student to meet leading professional, gain experience, and get a better understanding of the components and positions of management,” one international student said.

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International