Interested in business, but not quite ready to declare a major? No rush! At Siena, you can enter as undecided in our AACSB-accredited School of Business—actually, you'd officially be called an Exploring Business student—and have plenty of time to discover which facet of business you belong in. That's what freshman Emma McDonald chose to do, and she's very happy she did.
Emma McDonald '19 of Cohoes is currently making her way through Siena's School of Business, figuring out which major is best for her. A few things she loves most about Siena: the opportunity to explore, the small classes and the comfort of knowing she's in good hands. Read on.
1. A special class for Exploring Business students. "Right away, I was placed in a class called Gateway to Business, a one-credit course taught by two business professors. Every week, one department head or professor from each major in the business school would come in to talk to us about that particular field of study. This allowed me to hear what courses were offered within each major, and each professor also informed us on what type of work you could be doing after Siena with that major. It was so helpful to have that course, right off the bat."
2. Flexibility of changing majors. "I absolutely love how at Siena you do not have to choose your major until first semester of junior year. Coming in to Siena, I did not realize how helpful this would be. I can take any business course in any major I want to now, which is great because it allows me to explore each major and see if I enjoy taking those kinds of classes. You can also completely change to a different school (the School of Liberal Arts or the School of Science) if you find that your career path is leading you there."
3. Job placement. "Siena is known for great job placement after graduation. I knew that whatever classes I took and whatever path I decided to go down for my major that I would be in good hands. And I truly still feel that way."
4. One-on-one attention. "When I was looking at colleges, one of Siena's most attractive features was the small size of the classrooms. I grew up learning in smaller classes and I knew that is what I wanted in college. In every class I take, my professor knows who I am and that gives me the confidence to ask and answer questions in class. One of my professors has already helped me get in touch with someone about a potential future internship position—and I am only a freshman!"
5. Siena's fantastic business relationships. "Many businesses are always happy to hire Siena students as interns, and they are always willing to have students talk to professionals within their company. Siena also holds a career fair in which a number of businesses actually come to campus and talk to (or interview) current students. Many students go to this club fair and get job and internship offers! Any student is welcome to attend, from freshmen to seniors."
Sound like the perfect path for you? Ask us to tell you more about what it's like to be an exploring student at Siena, and if you haven't already, click below to download our guide to being undecided!
