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+--- Thread: Does a concentration matter? (/Thread-Does-a-concentration-matter)
Does a concentration matter? - TwinMom - 08-02-2019
Does the person hiring look for the words: Concentration or Area of Study when they look at an applicant's transcript?
What if, instead of doing a school's required specific courses, you just took a bunch of classes in that subject? Will someone hiring pay more attention to the classes you took
or if there was a specific Concentration listed?
TIA
RE: Does a concentration matter? - Merlin - 08-02-2019
(08-02-2019, 04:48 PM)TwinMom Wrote: Does the person hiring look for the words: Concentration or Area of Study when they look at an applicant's transcript?
What if, instead of doing a school's required specific courses, you just took a bunch of classes in that subject? Will someone hiring pay more attention to the classes you took
or if there was a specific Concentration listed?
TIA
Unless a hiring manager is looking at a degree transcript for some reason, they won't see what courses you have taken. You'd have to list them on your resume for that.
As for listing the concentration or AOS, it only matters if it is relevant to the position. If listing (or not listing) a concentration or AOS on your resume will help your chances of getting the interview, then it makes sense to highlight it.
That said, most of the time hiring managers just want to see the checkbox that you have a degree and they won't care much about any details beyond that except in specific circumstances (new grad with no real job experience or portfolio, for example).
RE: Does a concentration matter? - davewill - 08-02-2019
Very few hiring managers will ever look at your transcript. A concentration is something you can list on a resume. For "bunch of classes", you'd have to try listing something like "coursework in X" on there. I'd rather list the concentration, myself.
The real answer, though is that if you want to be seen as having a degree in Communications, for instance, better to get a degree in that, than doing a concentration in a Liberal Studies degree. That said, having a BSBA with one or more concentrations is so common, that hiring managers are pretty used to it.
RE: Does a concentration matter? - dfrecore - 08-02-2019
I agree with davewill - it really depends on the degree. I have a BSBA with a concentration in HR, which I would definitely list on an application, because the coursework I took was relevant to the job I'd be applying for (probably in HR). But if I only had a concentration in General Management, I might not list it because it probably wouldn't be that important.
That being said, some jobs want certain degrees, while others don't care at all, either wanting "any" degree, or a relevant degree. Better to get a degree relevant to jobs you want, then get an "any" degree and hope that it will work for what you're looking for.
It may also behoove you to get a certification or some other sort of "proof" that you have experience or knowledge in a particular area if that's important to your career/industry.
RE: Does a concentration matter? - sciencemathematics1 - 02-12-2020
How about when applying to graduate school for a particular program? For example, I am thinking of getting a bachelors of science in general studies degree with a concentration in mathematics, while also having many physics credits with my concentration that would technically be enough for a major or concentration (36 or so, or more). Would I be able to get into such a graduate program with enough coursework in physics without the specific degree or concentration title but enough coursework credits?
Or, how about if I wanted to be hired as an engineer or another job requiring physics knowledge. with enough physics credits could I possibly apply for the job?
RE: Does a concentration matter? - Ideas - 02-13-2020
(02-12-2020, 12:16 AM)sciencemathematics1 Wrote: Would I be able to get into such a graduate program with enough coursework in physics without the specific degree or concentration title but enough coursework credits?
Usually, but they may have to get the department head (or someone else) to review your transcript. There's also a chance they would only offer you conditional admission. It can depend on the competitiveness of the school.
(02-12-2020, 12:16 AM)sciencemathematics1 Wrote: Or, how about if I wanted to be hired as an engineer or another job requiring physics knowledge. with enough physics credits could I possibly apply for the job?
Yes, but sometimes you may get overlooked if your major wasn't physics/engineering. You would definitely need to point out on your resume that you did extensive coursework in the subject area(s).