Business AND Engineering???

Bait&Switch · 07-10-2007, 03:17 PM

Out of college I would like the ability to find excellent work. Eventually, I would like to take a shot at my own business.

At this point I am thinking about a double major in business (finance) and engineering (something like the Product Design engineering option @ Stanford would be an awesome fit b/c of the creativity/artsiness involved). I realize that doubling (esp. in these two) would be a LOT of work, considering their differing nature's.

First, What schools have programs for this type of interdisciplinary thing (i.e. UPENN's M&T)?

Secondly, is this a good idea? Are my major choices relevant to opening and running my own (unspecified) business? Would double majoring be worth it and give me more options?

ken285 · 07-10-2007, 04:59 PM

Is majoring an engineering, then working for a few years before getting an MBA out of the question? Just another alternative to suggest.

aswat12389 · 07-10-2007, 07:38 PM

That would be the alternative I would sugest as well.

Bait&Switch · 07-10-2007, 07:39 PM

Yeah I have definitely considered it. But getting an MBA is more expensive and time consuming than spending another semester or two in undergrad to pull off the double major (especially since I will probably get solid financial aid, which is obviously out of the question for grad school).

milki · 07-10-2007, 07:53 PM

I'd like to now the answer(s) to B&S' questions.

Optisrule · 07-11-2007, 07:26 PM

Villanova.

UriA702 · 07-11-2007, 11:51 PM

The undergrad business degree will get you nowhere near where an MBA would get you. an MBA is worth its weight in gold

sky · 07-12-2007, 12:03 AM

Quote:

The undergrad business degree will get you nowhere near where an MBA would get you. an MBA is worth its weight in gold

I'd agree that an undergrad business degree is pretty worthless. However, saying an MBA is worth its weight in gold is a huge overstatement, especially for someone who wants to start their own business. An MBA and a business degree in general don't really supply the skill set necessary to start and initially run a business. Remember, what the A stands for.. administration. Unfortunately, all of the entrepreneurship programs are even worse. Frankly, they aren't skills that you can really teach. Some people have it, most people don't. That's not to say that some skills aren't transferrable, but getting an MBA is no indicator of success in running a startup. Usually, the MBAs aren't brought in until a company is well established... and even then it's not a recipe for success.. just read the accounts of the company ArsDigita (http://www.waxy.org/random/arsdigita/).

Personally, I think it's a bit foolish to think that you can just start your own business merely because you want to. Until you get that idea, the product, and the business plan all in place, it's nothing more than words to say you want to run a business. While an MBA might help in getting experience writing business plans, getting one won't increase your chances of running a successful company above the background noise.

busiman · 07-12-2007, 12:04 AM

Im majoring in computer science/business administration offered at USC. You get to be part of Viterbi school of engineering and Marshall school of business. but thats the only major like it (only with comp sci).

UriA702 · 07-12-2007, 12:46 AM

sky - I was, by no means, simply referring to entrepreneurship. Overall the MBA would help you a lot more than a undergrad business degree would. Plus, I am assuming the OP will not start a business right after college, that usually requires work in your professional field elsewhere for at least a few years. An MBA would get you a higher position in the company, with more responsibilities that will be solid experience as far as decision making and being productive under pressure is concerned.
my point was simply - An MBA is very remarkably versatile. and in case (and I don't mean to discourage you at all) the startup fails you have something to fall back.

Bait&Switch · 07-13-2007, 12:10 AM

sky- it would have been foolish if I said "I'm going to start my own business" very matter-of-factly. But I didn't. I said that I would eventually LIKE to take a shot at it- as in, "I hope and aspire to". If I already had a very detailed and specific business plan in mind, than I would already be working on it. So quit pi$$ing on my parade...

And yes, when I said that out of college I would like to be able to find excellent work- I definitely meant that in case I never have to ability to take on my own business.