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I wrote a letter to a professor at Northwestern. He hasn't replied yet, so maybe you guys can help answer my question...here's the exerpt..

"I am an admitted student to Northwestern and planning to major in Economics, and later pursue a career in business. Right now I am choosing between Northwestern and Berkeley. The main factor in my decision is the different undergraduate business programs at the schools. While Berkeley has an undergraduate major in Business Administration at Haas, with many advanced applied courses in finance and accounting, Northwestern offers an Economics major with a Business Institution minor with a more limited selection in accounting and financial courses. I questions regard the reasoning behind Northwestern’s business education.

I have been researching the courses that are offered at Northwestern, and what concerns me is the lack of more “hands-on” courses, with more emphasis on theoretical courses. Many Northwestern students have been interning at major corporations, but I wonder how an education based on theory can help them in that capacity. While graduate business school is where the real hands-on work begins, how can a theoretical approach to undergraduate education help in the internships and work experience that lies between undergraduate and graduate education?"

Any thoughts on this? I personally think that Northwestern's social environment is better, which is more important than the fact that I got a scholarship to Berkeley. Still Berkeley's undergrad Haas is pretty inticing...given that i got rejected from Wharton undergrad.

By Largegreenturt (Largegreenturt) on Thursday, April 15, 2004 - 05:07 pm: Edit

"Many Northwestern students have been interning at major corporations, but I wonder how an education based on theory can help them in that capacity"

This confuses me. Interning IS hands on experience. They teach theory in the classroom, then you learn the practicalities of it all by interning at a corporation, or wherever.

NU's business strength is in Kellogg, which is only a graduate school. I was under the impression that NU didn't have an undergrad business school.

By Azntoccata (Azntoccata) on Thursday, April 15, 2004 - 07:40 pm: Edit

It doesn't...so that's my point. How can a liberal arts education in economics prepare you for real work? Since Berkeley is the exception rather than the rule, there has to be some rationale behind the fact that most excellent business schools (with Wharton as an exception) don't have a undergrad business school.

By Reaction5728 (Reaction5728) on Thursday, April 15, 2004 - 11:40 pm: Edit

Well, even straight out of Haas or Wharton, you're not going to be a CFO or anything even close to that. You WILL require training before you actually work. Most companies just want to see that you CAN learn, as opposed to what you learned. That's why philosophy majors aren't all philosophers. A liberal arts education will prove to employers that you have the mind capacity to not only learn the position, but to advance their company with your greater reasoning ability. The real "job training" comes during your study for an MBA...which requires a few years of work prior to study.

I understand your desire for a practical education...but don't worry, you'll get a fine job as an economics major. If you couldn't, there would be more vocational schools out there =)

By Hdotchar (Hdotchar) on Sunday, August 15, 2004 - 11:25 pm: Edit

economics majors tend to be more academic/theory based to begin with. it is unlike the other business majors in that it requires a lot of math that is ordinarily only reserved for engineering/mathematical science majors and is less 'hands-on' as you have said. a lot of economics majors decide to pursue a career in academia or become consultants for companies.

By Buckwald (Buckwald) on Sunday, August 15, 2004 - 11:39 pm: Edit

lol, he was deciding for last year where to enroll. he has already made the decison by now hdotchar.

By Azntoccata (Azntoccata) on Sunday, August 15, 2004 - 11:46 pm: Edit

Hm...and Northwestern it is. Guess yur all...lucky? heh. Anyway we'll see what comes out of it.