What Can You Do With a Business Degree?

A business degree is a great way to develop many of the transferable skills needed for working in a business environment. There are a number of business degrees which you can undertake, one of the most common of which is an undergraduate business studies degree. Often a business studies degree will cover subjects such as accounting, finance, management and, increasingly, entrepreneurship. This wide range of subjects reflects the multidisciplinary nature of business, and the importance of understanding all the key elements needed to make a business successful.

If you’re looking for a degree which specializes more in a particular aspect of the business world (e.g. economics or marketing), consider taking a dedicated program in that area, or a joint honors degree (e.g. Business & Economics). The advantage of a joint degree is that you acquire general business skills along with more specialized ones, leaving you well placed when it comes to applying for graduate jobs.

What can you do with a business degree?

Corporate business careers are available in pretty much every sector you can think of; all industries need strong leaders, managers, financial advisors and market-savvy decision-makers. For many business graduates, however, the traditional pathways still hold a strong appeal – including careers in the banking and financial sectors, consultancy, human resources and marketing roles.

If a straightforward corporate career is failing to get you excited, then a business program can also give you the skills to create your own business, or to take on business and management roles within more creative industries, be that fashion, media, or even the charity sector.

The good thing about a business studies qualification is that it can lead to many entry-level roles upon graduation, while still allowing those who wish to specialize further the chance to improve their return on investment with a graduate degree. Examples of postgraduate programs include Masters in Management, Masters in Finance and (for those who’ve gained some professional experience) the Masters in Business Administration (MBA).

Typical careers with a business degree

Don’t assume that studying business is a one-way route into business leadership and management roles – while this is a common path, business careers span multiple industries. Good business and management skills are key elements of any profitable company, and therefore effective leaders, strategic thinkers and financial experts are all in great demand. Big or small, global or local, companies all over the world are looking for business graduates like you.

Business careers in accounting and finance

 

 

Generalized business studies degrees will usually cover aspects of accountancy and finance, however, if you wish to pursue a career in accounting or finance, you’ll usually need to gain further qualifications. A good option for business graduates is to apply for a graduate role and complete a specialized qualification while you work. In many larger companies, the course costs will be covered by the employer.

If you decide to go into accounting or finance, your job may involve reviewing your company’s financial situation both past and present; advising clients and colleagues on tax and expenditure; managing records and business transactions; playing a role in mergers and acquisitions; and taking responsibility for preventing bad practice as well as fraud and negligence.

For more advice on prospective careers and specializations in accounting and finance, view our individual accounting and finance subject guides.

Business careers in management

 

 

Becoming a manager is a tough job, with long hours and heavy responsibilities. The upside is that managerial roles are known for being higher-paid, as well as boasting many opportunities for career progression or even a career U-turn. Managers can be found across all industries and fields, and their job is to provide structure and strategy to a workplace.

Because of the responsibility of such positions, it’s unlikely you’ll find a managerial role without first gaining a further degree or a number of years of mid-level work experience. Despite this, business graduates are well-placed to become managers later on in life, and with determination and steady career progression an additional degree may not be necessary.

Business careers in consultancy

 

 

Another option which may appeal is the field of business consultancy. This means working as part of a team, combining your business expertise and analytical skills in order to provide advice to other companies, usually focusing on how to optimize a specific project or part of the business. Projects and clients may vary widely, ensuring plenty of fresh challenges to get to grips with. Or you may specialize in a particular type of business, combining your business knowledge with a second field of interest, such as engineering or logistics.

Business careers in retail and sales

 

 

There’s much more to retail and sales than shelf-stacking and cold-calling, especially if you’re armed with a business degree. Opportunities within sales and retail are numerous, including shop-based and office-based roles, as well as travelling positions for which a good knowledge of global markets is a must.

For those looking to rise to the higher levels of retail and sales careers, large companies often offer the chance to undertake a graduate training program or trainee management program, in order to fast-track your position within the company. This can be highly valuable in gaining on-the-job experience, while continuing to develop your business and management skills in a commercial world.

Other common graduate careers with a business degree include roles within auditing, banking, communications, distribution, energy and utilities, hospitality and leisure, IT, insurance, journalism, law, logistics, manufacturing, media administration, production management, public relations, the public sector and defense, risk management and tax.

Less typical careers with a business degree

What can you do with a business degree without following the typical routes? Well, you can do rather a lot. Roles requiring business acumen and analytical thinking are innumerable, and your choice of which industry to head into is likely to be based on personal interests. It’s a cliché, but true – if you work for a company, product or service you truly believe in, you’re likely to be more motivated and effective in your role and progress more rapidly.

Business careers in media

 

 

Although business studies degrees may not seem like the most creative of pathways, they can in fact lead to many roles within creative industries. Media is one such widespread industry, an umbrella term covering TV, film, online, newspaper and magazine publishing, events and more. While you’re unlikely to be directly involved in creative tasks such as writing, video editing or animation production, you’ll need a solid understanding of the media sector within which you’re working. Business careers in media include roles in sales, human resources, PR, finance and accounting, operations, marketing and branding, as well as overall management and strategic direction.

Business careers in marketing and advertising

 

 

Opportunities in marketing and advertising are numerous for business graduates, particularly for those with a bit of creative flair. In these industries, business graduates can use the analysis and report-writing skills honed during their degree in order to conduct market research, develop marketing strategies, manage client relationships, liaise with copywriters, designers and printers, analyze markets and evaluate campaign results. You’re likely to be working alongside specialists such as designers, video producers and copywriters, and will need to continually broaden your own skillset to keep pace with changes in technology and market trends.

Business careers in human resources

 

 

Business doesn’t have to be a dog-eat-dog world, and careers within human resources offer roles which require both business acumen and highly honed interpersonal skills. Recruitment, training and pay are all areas handled by the HR department. Great communication skills are essential, but you’ll also be expected to have a good basic understanding of business operations and management as well as detailed and up-to-date knowledge of employment laws and company regulations.

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This article was originally published in December 2014 and most recently updated in December 2019.

‘What Can You Do With a Business Degree?’ is part of our ‘What Can You Do With…’ series. We have also covered art, biology, communications, computer science, English, engineering, fashion, finance, history, geography, law, marketing, mathematics, performing arts, philosophy, politics, psychology, sociology, chemistry, economics and physics.

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