The Most Versatile Degrees for Careers in Consulting

Consultancy can be a demanding field, but students with the right skills and qualifications will find it to be a lucrative career path. Not only are consultants exposed to a variety of industries, but the fast-paced nature of the industry makes it ideal for students who enjoy continuous learning. Due to the numerous clients that consultants get to interact with, it is also a great industry for building a professional network. In addition, consultancy is a career path with global opportunities and competitive salaries. Students who feel like they will be able to thrive in this dynamic and challenging field can benefit most from the following degrees.

What Does It Take To Be A Good Consultant?

While the right degree is a crucial foundation, success in the consultancy field hinges on more than just academic qualifications. Students must cultivate strong problem-solving abilities and excellent communication skills. The ability to adapt to different industries and projects, coupled with good interpersonal skills, is also essential for a thriving career in consulting. 

What Are The Most Versatile Degrees for A Consultancy Career?

Business Administration

A business administration degree is one of the most versatile options for a career in consultancy. Companies typically hire consultants to improve their business strategy, boost performance, and increase revenue. Consultants with a business administration degree can assist with all of these, and this degree equips them with strategic thinking, project management, and market analysis skills. Business administration degrees cover the essential components of business, including finance, marketing, operations, and leadership.

Engineering

Students with engineering degrees, primarily industrial, mechanical, and systems engineering, have valuable problem-solving and analytical skills that are sought after in the consultancy field. Optimization and data modeling are skills greatly valued in consulting and commonly practiced by engineers. It is typical for engineering consultants to specialize in electrical, civil, chemical, mechanical, or other specific engineering fields.

Economics 

An economics degree is helpful for students who want to become consultants advising clients on economic and business strategies. Students who have completed an economics degree understand market dynamics, economic theories, and data analysis, which are all vital in the consultancy field. In addition, this degree helps students to hone critical skills such as analytical thinking, economic forecasting, and problem-solving. Students who have completed an economics degree tend to have an active interest in business, which is also helpful for consultancy work. 

Psychology

Companies often need change management and human resource consulting, and students with a psychology degree can provide these. A psychology degree helps students better understand human behavior and provides them with skills such as behavioral analysis, organizational development, and human resource strategy. A consultant with a psychology degree can help businesses improve how their employees interact with each other or customers and build better teams. Since psychology students know how people think and feel, they can develop plans to address issues affecting company culture and goals. 

Finance

Understanding numbers and communicating them in a way that is easy for others to understand is essential in consultancy, which makes a finance degree worthwhile. Many businesses require advice on financial matters, which students with a finance degree can provide. Financial degrees equip students with financial markets and financial management knowledge, along with vital skills such as risk management and financial planning.