Do you have aspirations to work in upper management some day? While many think majoring is business is necessary, there are other academic paths you can take to reach your goal. Kara Masterson tells us about four degrees that can also lead to upper management positions. 

Guest blog by Kara Masterson

While many believe that they need a business degree to advance to being a top executive, in reality, there are many other degrees that can lead to top positions as well. Today, there are more hybrid positions available to executives than in years past. Jobs like this are definitely expanding as time goes on. That is why it is essential for you to make sure that you are as qualified as possible. People with jobs like this are expected to have a broad range of knowledge depending on the company’s goals. Overall, if it is your goal to end up in upper management here are some degrees that can help you reach your goals and follow your dreams.

Accounting

A chief financial officer is responsible for the accounting within a company, so many have a degree in financing. However, there are also many CEOs who have a degree in finances as well. When applying for a top position in any company, you’ll need to have knowledge of most departments within the company to do your job effectively. That is why CEO’s can have a finance degree. Finance is a huge part of being a business owner. If you have experience in the accounting department and they bring you monthly financial reports, a degree in accounting will ensure that you can decipher the meaning of the reports and forecast the future of the company accurately. That is definitely something that can come in handy when you are trying to run a business.

Public Affairs

As a CEO, you’re the face of the company. This means that you’ll have to make sure the company is being responsible and implementing ethical solutions to problems as they arise. An online master in public administration can provide a good background for a CEO position within any company that deals with the public. Whether a business is selling to customers or other businesses, they will be interacting with the public at some point and in order to keep your business well respected and running smoothly, you really have to make sure people are being treated well and everyone under your care is being watched out for.

Marketing

Sales and marketing functions are vital to the success of any company. Whether it’s a service business, business-to-business or business-to-customer sales, there will be a need for marketing to your customers. You’ll also need to reinforce the brand surrounding the company to increase customer loyalty and create dynamic sales and marketing campaigns. While you’ll have a department for that, you should have the knowledge to oversee that department like all the others under your umbrella.

Healthcare

A medical degree is another degree that surprisingly can lead to positions in top management. You don’t have to have an MBA to be a hospital administrator. The health of patients is best overseen by those in the medical field than those who have a degree in business or accounting. When hired as a high-level executive in a hospital, those with a medical degree have an advantage over someone who doesn’t.

With any number of degrees, a person who wants to be a CEO of a large corporation can excel. Often, if you have a degree that gives you an edge over the competition, you can have your pick of high-level positions within a company.

Kara Masterson is a freelance writer from Utah. She graduated from the University of Utah and enjoys writing and spending time with her dog, Max. Find Kara on Facebook.