Monthly Archives: February 2012

Business, Majors

Risk Management and Insurance Major

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Preparing students for careers in both financial and non-financial industries, the focus of the Risk Management and Insurance (RMI) major is value protection.  According to the major’s website:

“RMI has traditionally focused on strategies that might be adopted by a firm or individual to manage those risks that are insurable.  Such strategies encompass the management of property and liability risks as well as financial risks related to mortality and morbidity.  During recent years, however, increased volatility of interest rates, foreign exchange rates, and commodity prices have caused firms and individuals to adopt a more holistic, or integrated, view of risk management.” 

The site makes note that the major can be a nice complement to majors in finance, financial planning, and economics.  Additionally, the major’s website details specific credentials that students are encouraged to pursue.  The RMI major is an option on the Bachelor of Business Administration degree plan.  Major courses are outlined here.

Government, Occupations

Career Spotlight: Urban and Regional Planner

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If you would like to work with a local government in an affluent, fast-growing community, Urban and Regional Planning may be the career path for you.  This master’s level career field accepts students from a wide background of undergraduate majors such as economics, geography, political science or environmental studies.  According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook,  urban and regional planners (also known as community or city planners) “develop long- and short-term plans for the use of land and the growth and revitalization of urban, suburban, and rural communities and the region in which they are located. They help local officials alleviate social, economic, and environmental problems by recommending locations for roads, schools, and other infrastructure and suggesting zoning regulations for private property—work that requires forecasting the future needs of the population.”

For more information on this career field, visit www.planning.org and www.acsp.org or contact Career Counseling.

Business, Student Organizations

Baylor Business Women

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“Baylor Business Women is dedicated to developing a strong network of Christian women to provide opportunities for personal growth and business relationship development by integrating professional insight, integrity and leadership.”

The quote above is the mission statement for Baylor Business Women, a student organization open to any female student who has an interest in working in business.  Majoring in business is not required.  Members can learn from successful business women who serve as mentors and guest speakers to the group.  Also, members can put their business savvy to use in a generous way through the group’s philanthropies:  Prison Entrepreneurship Program and Christian Women’s Job Corp.

For more information, visit the Baylor Business Women website.

Announcements

To Our E-mail Subscribers

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We have recently changed the service we use for e-mail updates of the Mind Your Major posts.  If you are a current subscriber, please take a moment to enter your e-mail address at right.  We want to make sure that you continue to receive the latest content.  Thanks for your readership of Mind Your Major!

Government, Graduate School, Occupations

Career Spotlight: Rehabilitation Counselor

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According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook,

“Rehabilitation Counselors help people deal with the personal, social, and vocational effects of disabilities. They counsel people with both physical and emotional disabilities resulting from birth defects, illness or disease, accidents, or other causes. They evaluate the strengths and limitations of individuals, provide personal and vocational counseling, offer case management support, and arrange for medical care, vocational training, and job placement. Rehabilitation counselors interview both individuals with disabilities and their families, evaluate school and medical reports, and confer with physicians, psychologists, employers, and physical, occupational, and speech therapists to determine the capabilities and skills of the individual. They develop individual rehabilitation programs by conferring with the client. These programs often include training to help individuals develop job skills, become employed, and provide opportunities for community integration. Rehabilitation counselors are trained to recognize and to help lessen environmental and attitudinal barriers. Such help may include providing education, and advocacy services to individuals, families, employers, and others in the community. Rehabilitation counselors work toward increasing the person’s capacity to live independently by facilitating and coordinating with other service providers.”

Rehabilitation counselors can be found in private practice, in rehabilitation facilities, hospitals, universities, schools, government agencies, insurance companies, and other organizations where people are being treated with the goal of going to or returning to work.

Entry level positions require a Master’s degree in Counseling. The Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE) accredits qualifying graduate programs.

Common undergraduate majors include psychology, sociology, or other human services-related fields.

Job opportunities are projected to be good.

 A helpful link is: http://www.ama-assn.org/ama1/pub/upload/mm/40/rehabcoun0809.pdf

Announcements, Business, Career Exploration, Internships, Student Organizations

Career Events This Week!

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It might be nice if making a career decision and landing a job were as simple as following a sign.  Even if that is not realistic, there are members of the Baylor community working hard to simplify your career exploration and job search.  Here are two events that you can take advantage of this week:

Baylor’s S3 Hosting Spurs Sports and Entertainment – A Broad Look at the Sports Industry

Tuesday, February 21, 7 p.m. in Cashion, Room 309.  Four executives from Spurs Sports and Entertainment will be speaking on the sports industry and the career opportunities available.  If you have ever been interested in working in the professional sports industry regardless of your major, then come out and ask questions, and build your network.

Internship and Career Fair

12:30-4:30 p.m. at the Ferrell Center.  This event is for graduating students looking for that first professional job and for students seeking internships.  Different employers seeking Baylor students in all academic fields will be present.  About 90 companies will be in attendance with entry-level career positions and internships.  While some companies do seek specific majors, the majority of companies are open to all majors.  For a complete list of organizations attending, visit https://www.myinterfase.com/baylor/event_view.aspx?token=ZyD08iMBLeH5k6rBY1FVuQ%3d%3d

Career Exploration, Web Resources

What will it cost me?

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One thing that might be helpful when exploring career paths is also considering cities where you might want to live.  The cost of living differential can vary greatly, so it might help to see what kind of salary will fit with the lifestyle you are planning on.  Here are several resources that may help:

1.  http://www.bestplaces.net/col/

This website will enable you to compare to cities and see what the cost of living difference is.  For example, it is 111% more expensive to live in New York City than in Waco, TX.  The housing alone is 494% more in NYC than Waco.  While the salaries will adjust some as well, this resource can be a bit of an eye opener when you are considering cost of living expenses.

2.  http://www.lmci.state.tx.us/realitycheck/

If you plan to live in Texas, this website can be a really helpful tool.  It takes you step by step through many different budgetary items for you to consider and allows you to see the kind of salary that will keep pace with those expenditures.  It also shows you what career fields make salaries that will fit with your budget.

3.  Make it your own.

Explore different cities, finding particular housing, cars, utility costs, etc. and make your own customized and realistic budget.  Sometimes you might have to adjust your budget to fit with an entry level salary.

Hopefully these tips will help as you consider your future career paths!

Career Counseling, Graduate School, Web Resources

For Students Considering Law School

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I wanted to draw your attention to a couple of resources from Baylor Law School that are designed to help prospective law students decide if law school is right for them.  Aptly named Is Law School Right for You?, the first article poses some basic questions to help you make this significant decision.  Students who wish to go a bit deeper might enjoy reading the Day in the Life profiles of current students at Baylor Law.

If those articles leave you feeling inspired, visit Baylor’s Pre-law website to help you craft your path to law school.  Keep in mind that law schools do not have specific prerequisite courses, nor do they prefer specific majors.  For assistance with major selection, please contact Career Counseling.

 

Business, Government, Graduate School, Healthcare, Majors, Minors, Occupations

Majoring in Statistics

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The career counselors were recently paid a visit by Dr. Jane Harvill, Associate Professor of Statistical Science at Baylor.  She wowed us with stories of six figure salaries, telecommuting, and a broad range of employers where statisticians can work.  Here are some things to keep in mind if you are interested in applying your mathematical skills to help people make decisions.

First of all, the undergraduate major in statistics is appropriate for those who are strong in math.  That does not simply mean that you prefer math over English.  Statistics majors must take three calculus courses and linear algebra.  This major might especially appeal to students who enjoyed AP Statistics in high school.

Second, the list of fields in which statistics are used is endless, and many students choose to double major.  There is also a statistics minor available.  Dr. Harvill told us that statisticians work in government, quality control, market research, the pharmaceutical industry, academics, law, and the insurance and credit card industries…just to name a few.  Students majoring in biology, chemistry, astrophysics, sociology, and economics might find a statistics major or minor to be a nice complement to their studies.

Students with a bachelor’s degree in statistics can apply for jobs as technicians, but students are encouraged to pursue a master’s degree in statistics.  Two more years of school can lead to significantly higher salaries.  As an example, Dr. Harvill told us that technicians may earn a starting salary of $50,000 per year.  However, statisticians with master’s degrees may have six figure salaries.

Interested in learning more?  You can visit the Department of Statistical Science on the web.

Career Counseling, Career Exploration

Do You LOVE Your Major?

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Do you agree with any of the following statements?

  • I want a career that I am passionate about.
  • I want to love what I am studying.
  • I want a job that I enjoy so much that I would do those same tasks if I wasn’t getting paid.

Not every student identifies enjoyment as a high priority in their major and career, but many students do.  If it is a priority to you, is your current area of study fulfilling that need?  If you are dissatisfied in your current major or feeling uncertain about your career direction, take a moment to schedule an appointment with Career Counseling.  It could be the first step in identifying a major and career that you love.

What would you do if you knew you could not fail?