10 Exciting Careers You Can Pursue with a General Studies Degree
A general studies degree isn’t focused on a specific profession or industry, so it offers a lot of flexibility for students with a wide range of interests.
With a general studies degree, you can customize your courses to your passions. This type of degree allows you to gain a wide cross section of knowledge and experience. You’ll enjoy courses in literature, history, foreign languages, and more to expand your knowledge.
Some think a general studies degree may be too broad, but this type of degree actually prepares you for many different career options.
If you’re unsure of your career path and want to have a good educational foundation in skills that can be beneficial in many different career paths, a general studies degree may be for you.
You can choose to focus your general studies degree in a particular area, giving you the foundation to pursue a career in multiple industries, including:
- Business
- Technology
- Math
- Science
- Literature and Composition
- Social Sciences or Human Resources
- Marketing
- Communications
- Media
Request information about UL Lafayette's Bachelor of General Studies online program to connect with an Online Support Specialist who can help you determine which of your credits will transfer and how you can begin earning your degree as soon as possible.
When you’re working toward your general studies degree, you can choose a concentration based on your career goals. Even if you don’t have a specific career in mind, your interests can help guide your program so you make the most of your education.
Here’s a look at some exciting careers you can pursue with a general studies degree under your belt, showing the huge variety of opportunities and career paths available to students who choose this degree.
1. Public Relations Director
A director of public relations may work as the head of a communications department for a company or as the head of a public relations firm.
The job includes executing various forms of public relations for a company, such as customer relations, media relations, and community relations. To reach this level, you’ll need several years of experience working in public relations, along with strong technical and communication skills.
2. Brand Manager
Brand managers are specialized marketing managers who deal with the management and control of the company’s trademarks and visual representation.
Brand managers take care of market research, polling demographics, discovering the demand for products and services, and use the information to come up with objectives for the marketing team to help increase the value of a brand. This may include coming up with new marketing strategies, introducing a new brand to the public, and looking at how brand marketing is affecting company sales.
3. Technical Writer
A technical writer usually works in a company office writing complex technical content in a form that is easy to understand.
Technical writers may be responsible for writing user manuals, white papers, project plans, online help, design specifications, and more.
Excellent written communication skills are a must along with the ability to meet tight deadlines.
4. Social Worker
Social workers help clients cope and solve everyday problems in various settings, such as child welfare, schools, hospitals, and mental health clinics.
Social workers assess the needs of clients, work on coping strategies, and offer resources for clients. They may also advocate for clients to receive basic needs through programs like Medicare or food stamp programs.
However, if you want to go on to be a clinical social worker, you will need an advanced degree beyond a general studies degree.
5. Software Consultant
Another exciting career you can pursue with a general studies career is that of a software consultant.
Software consultants are part of a team working to create or improve software programs. They may meet with clients to figure out what they need in improved or new software and take this information back to the software development team.
6. Copywriter
Copywriters may work for a single company or independently for multiple companies. They create content to promote the products and services of these companies.
A copywriter may work on a team with other individuals specializing in public relations, marketing, and advertising. Copywriters often have a degree in general studies, English, communications, or other related fields. They must have excellent written communication skills and must be able to deal with deadlines efficiently.
The job involves both creativity and great attention to detail. Both written and oral communication skills are a must, as are problem solving and mathematic ability.
7. General Manager
General managers head a single restaurant or retail store, overseeing employees to ensure tasks are carried out correctly and on time.
A store manager may record daily income, calculate daily deposits, create weekly schedules, and more. These managers often have general studies, human resources, or business management degrees. They need excellent written and oral communication skills, are very organized, and know how to offer superior customer service.
If you have a creative side and you’re a natural leader, this can be an excellent career path to pursue after earning your general studies degree.
8. Administrative or Executive Assistant
Administrative assistants take on secretarial duties, schedule meetings and conferences, coordinate travel, and more for executives and directors.
Nearly every area of business needs administrative assistants, including schools, nonprofits, large corporations, universities, and more.
You’ll need great oral and written communication skills as well as excellent organizational skills.
9. Risk Management Specialist
Risk management specialists minimize the risk to a company’s financial standing by focusing on material loss or safety. This involves using financial and math skills to identify potential risks that can reduce the cash flow for the business.
The job involves identifying risks, finding solutions to those risks, and then implementing those solutions.
10. Nonprofit Program Manager
Working for a nonprofit can be very rewarding, especially if you’re working with an organization you’re really passionate about.
Program managers work on projects within the nonprofits, supervising management teams to coordinate program development and planning. They may also manage communication with donors and the press with inquiries about the projects.
These are just a few of the many exciting careers you can pursue with a general studies degree. If you’d like to explore your career options and learn more about how a general studies degree can help you reach your dreams, contact us today for more information.
