Business students sometimes change majors to pursue related fields of study.
Pursuing an Associate of Arts in Business (A.A.B.) degree can provide a foundation for further study at the bachelor's degree level. The degree typically takes about two years to complete and includes a combination of general education coursework in conjunction with courses in accounting, economics, marketing, management and business law. There is nothing set in stone requiring that you continue to pursue a business degree once you obtain your A.A.B.
Reasons
Students find different reasons for changing majors midway through their academic careers. Some may not like their academic adviser or the professors whose classes they have to take to get their degree, while others may simply decide that they no longer have an interest in studying business. The associate degree is designed to provide students with a foundation for further undergraduate study regardless of the major they pursue at the bachelor's degree level. This is why business degrees require a broad mix of both business and general education courses.
Business-Related Degrees
One option for the business major with the associate degree is to pursue study in an area closely related to the business field but not necessarily in the field of business. For instance, a degree in economics is technically a liberal arts degree rather than a business degree. It is a degree that requires an understanding of business concepts but is more concerned with economic theories, trends and research. Other business-related fields include math, statistics, computer science with an emphasis in business applications and communications studies.
General Studies Options
Some colleges offer a broad liberal arts degree in no particular field of study. These general studies degrees provide students with a marketable degree in the workplace but don't necessarily give the graduate enough expertise in some fields to obtain employment. Changing majors from the business degree to one of these general studies degrees is one option and you can always treat the A.A.B. degree like a college minor and use it as something to fall back on. A degree in general studies can also provide a foundation for professional or graduate school studies without the student necessarily having to hone in on one major.
Unrelated Majors
Even though pursuing a degree in a business-related field makes sense after completing an associate degree in business, it doesn't mean that you have to do so. In actuality, you can apply for your transfer to a four-year school with the intention to pursue another major altogether, even if it is not related to the field of business. Knowing which route you plan on going once you get accepted can be helpful though, so that you can start off on the right foot and choose the classes you need to graduate as quickly as possible.
Tags: associate degree, business degree, arts degree, bachelor degree, bachelor degree level