For the student interested in business, the liberal arts can be an extraordinarily effective vehicle. Success in the business world goes well beyond skills, and the nuts and bolts skills needed for business such as finance and marketing knowledge are readily available through internships and graduate study. Today’s business entrepreneurs and managers need to be able to think creatively and to solve problems. The long legacy of successful Hobart and William Smith Colleges’ alumni and alumnae attest to this fact.
Like students with other interests, you will need to choose a major and a minor, one of which must be interdisciplinary. Many students who are interest in business opt for an Economics major which certainly is a good foundation for students interested in entrepreneurship and business management. However, this is not the only path and the general rule should be to follow your undergraduate intellectual passions that result in your polishing the critical reading, writing, and problem solving skills more generally needed for business success. The Colleges has many courses distributed among many departments where you can acquire a critical knowledge that will serve you well in future business endeavors.
As a first year student we recommend that you experiment with taking courses in several disciplines to see what sparks your individual passions. As you begin to concentrate in a major, you can also choose from many subject areas to broaden your awareness of social, political, and economic forces that impinge on the domestic and global business world. Later in your student career, Hobart and William Smith Colleges offers internship opportunities in Geneva, Boston, and Washington D.C., and internationally in Denmark and other sites, that are suitable for the student with business interests.
For the student who majors in Economics, the department provides a clear path for taking courses in the discipline. For those majoring in other disciplines, and to round out the liberal arts experience for Economics majors, consider the following road map as you navigate the liberal arts curriculum of Hobart and William Smith Colleges. It is likely that in following this road map that you will earn at least an Economics minor.
You should consider taking Accounting I and Accounting II for the basic nuts and bolts of accounting processes. Note that with the selection of courses, it is likely that you will earn a minor in Economics, so be sure to balance this with an interdisciplinary major or earn an additional interdisciplinary minor.
You can also concentrate your business interests into a topic concentration. Consider the following possible concentrations:
Cross-Cultural Perspectives and Skills
Global Development
Environmental Issues
The Impact of Gender
Legal Issues
Race, Class, and Ethnicity
Technology
The 21st century business person will require global and cultural competencies to work in the global economy. It is highly recommended that you choose an off-campus program that provides the experience of living in a society and culture unfamiliar to you. In addition, make time for an internship in a business or not-for-profit setting so that you can gain first-hand experience of the processes of business and management.
