When Hussain al Nowais told his family that he was going to major in Finance when he was accepted to the University of Pennsylvania, his family understood immediately. Hussain al Nowais is a huge baseball fan, and he made it a point to memorize every Phillies’ player average, home runs, RBIs, stolen base percentage, OBP, and probably a few other categories. He was a disciple of Bill James all throughout his childhood, and Moneyball was and is his favorite book. Therefore, going into Finance made a lot of sense (especially at UPENN). If you are a college or high school student who is thinking about what you should major in, here are some things to consider about majoring in Finance:
Who Should Major in Finance?
If you’re good with numbers, Finance can be a very enriching major. Peterson’s recommends, though, that you make sure that you want to enter the business arena. You will deal heavily with a wide variety of business courses that will teach you the basics of money, how to handle it, and elements of finance on a micro and macro level. You will be learning a lot about stocks, mutual funds, markets and economics principles. You will also focus on mathematics and statistics. In all, you will not be hanging out in the liberal arts building of your campus after your General Education requirements are done.
What Kind of Careers Require a Finance Degree?
Hussain al Nowais told his family that he wanted to be a financial analyst when he was explaining to them his future plans. A financial analyst is just one of many careers that are available to those in finance. Finance majors are employed for a wide variety of positions, including those in sales, public policy, and government. Any career that involves heavy critical thinking, a knowledge of economic or finance principles, and communicating with others could fit right in a Finance major’s wheelhouse.
Will You Be Able to Find a Job?
Although Finance majors took a major hit during the recession, the economy has rebounded tremendously since then, and finance majors shouldn’t have an issue finding work. According to the Bureau of Labor, careers in Finance will see as much as 40% growth as more fields require quantitative analysis. Many Finance majors also go into graduate school for their MBA or a Ph.D. in Economics, which can improve job prospects as well.