What to do with a IB BA? [Archive] - Japan Forum

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BlackenedEyes
Feb 11, 2005, 08:26
I've been going to school and for some odd reason I've been studying Japanese trying to get a BA in International Buisness from University of South Carolina in Columbia; however I've yet to figure out exactly what it is that I'd be doing with a degree in that field or what the demand for people is as well.

Does anyone know anything about that, or have one?

Uncle Frank
Feb 11, 2005, 08:35
There are an awful lot of US companies with branches in Japan or major business interests there. Here in Maine we have L.L. Beans which has a big store in Japan now. It would seem a company with such ties to Japan could use your skills. There are a lot of magazines & newspapers with ties to Japan, especially on the west coast. You might have to start work here in the states and then get to move to & work in Japan latter. Worth checking into maybe.

Frank

:blush:

BlackenedEyes
Feb 11, 2005, 11:58
Wow thanks, I never thought of it like that... I was begining to wonder if my major was such a good idea since it sounded so hard to get hired over there. I've been reserching stuff like this for a while; however it seems like the resources for this are next to non-existant compared to the leigons of junk you have to wade through just to get a good source. For example, I have yet to find a site that gives me transfer requirements or one that explains the difference between International Buisness and International Relations.

Ewok85
Feb 11, 2005, 18:46
I hear BAs are useful for lining the bottom of bird cages (currently studying Japanese as a major, IT as a minor).

kuntow
Feb 11, 2005, 23:07
That's pretty much what I did with mine. It was my BS that got me the job. :-)
That crazy old guy had some good advice though. I'm hoping to take that route after I finish up grad school, which incidentally is also USC in Columbia. It sounds like I'm doing pretty much the MBA equivalent of what you're doing.
As a last resort, you could always graduate, get hired at Nova or another English entertainment company, and get over there and start hunting around. It's a lot easier to find a job if you're physically there, or so they say.

BlackenedEyes
Feb 12, 2005, 02:30
Umm, actualy I'm not sure whether it's a BA or a BS.... Isn't most language related stuff classified under BA (arts) and math/science stuff BS (science)?

kuntow
Feb 12, 2005, 02:45
You'd think, but I have a BA in Math, go figure. I just never bothered to really think about it.

Apollo
Feb 12, 2005, 05:28
I've been going to school and for some odd reason I've been studying Japanese trying to get a BA in International Buisness from University of South Carolina in Columbia; however I've yet to figure out exactly what it is that I'd be doing with a degree in that field or what the demand for people is as well.

Does anyone know anything about that, or have one?

Actually, this type of degree is very interesting and very worthwhile..
My boyfriend has an M.Sc. in Japanese languages and business studies and economics, and got a terrific job within these fields: business (strategic management) and Japan.
I know a lot of people with this type of degree (B.Sc. and some few with an M.Sc.) in Japanese/Asian languages with business studies, and most of them got interesting jobs in Japanese companies in Europe, and few of them went to work in Japan for a western company. Consulting is also a good opportunity.
In my opinion, clearly this option is very good if you don't want to teach in Japan, as this type of degree prepares you for the hard business environment in Japan, and helps you to network with Japan-related businesses and management systems.