How liberal arts students can benefit from a Master of Science in Management degree

By Shayna Deckman, MSM student

For the longest time, I was convinced that I was going to become a clinical psychologist. I came into UF eager to begin my psychology courses, and ignored the people who told me I may change my major. To follow my dream, I fully immersed myself in the major by joining a social psychology research lab and even leading a club dedicated to mental health awareness.

I thoroughly enjoyed my classes and involvement, but one day I realized my passion for clinical psychology just wasn’t there anymore. This was a hard truth for me to accept because I was already halfway done with my degree, and have heard it is difficult to start a career with only a bachelor’s degree in psychology.

I decided to join the MSM program because it is designed for students like me who have either changed their career path, or want to diversify their educational background. This allowed me to finish my degree in psychology while also learning about the world of business.

I was happy about the social nature of the MSM program in that most of the classes require group work, and the MSM Ambassadors plan social and professional development events open to students. I immediately felt like there was a sense of community, and that the staff genuinely wanted me to succeed.

My combination degree has been extremely valuable because I received a job offer from PNC Financial Services Group in their Wealth Management development academy. Since my career will be client-facing, it is crucial to have strong interpersonal skills as well as business acumen. The recruiter told me that the leadership experiences I gained from my psychology degree, paired with my business knowledge, distinguished me among other applicants who had a singular focus. In fact, during the interviews, the recruiters asked me more questions about my research topics than technical questions.

Everyone has something unique to offer, so it’s important to determine what you’re passionate about and hone in on it.  An abundance of opportunities are out there that we don’t even know about, so it is important to stay optimistic and open minded.

To learn how you can add business to your portfolio through the MSM program, request more information.