Programs Is a Business Major Right for Someone with a Learning Disability in Math?

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The discussion centers on the suitability of pursuing a business degree for individuals with learning disabilities in mathematics. Participants emphasize that while business majors do require some math, such as elementary statistics and business calculus, these courses are generally considered less challenging than those in fields like physics or engineering. Many agree that the math involved in business studies often consists of basic arithmetic and statistics, with some specialties, like quantitative finance, requiring more advanced math. The consensus is that a business degree does not demand a high level of mathematical proficiency, and tools like Excel are commonly used for business calculations. Concerns about the perceived lack of mathematical rigor in business education are noted, but it's acknowledged that advanced degrees, such as a PhD in business, may involve more complex mathematical concepts. Overall, the discussion reassures that with proper support, individuals with math learning disabilities can succeed in business studies.
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I am considering a business degree, and I have a few questions concerning this field of study.

I have a specific learning disability in mathematical comprehension. I know that a business major involves finance, accounting, and statistics, which involves numbers and math. What level of math is a required part of the curriculum?

I believe with extensive training and tutoring, I would be able to perform advanced-level mathematics, but with great struggle and difficulty. In high school, I excelled at every other subject (especially writing and spelling) and was on the school's honor roll. I graduated with a 3.6 GPA a few years ago. My only "problem" was in the field of math.

In the business world, most of the number-crunching is done with simple calculators. The really difficult math lies mainly in the fields of science, physics, and engineering.

If you have a business degree or MBA, what kind of input can you give me?
 
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The business majors at my school (FYI I'm not one but I am friends with one) have to take elementary statistics and business calculus. Both class are catered to business people and are pretty simple. From what I hear statistics is just "how to a calculator". Business calculus while being a watered down, trig-less version of differential calculus is still calculus. I would say its pretty easy but if you have a disability, it might prove hard.

Some other classes like accounting or economics might involve number crunching but no kind of symbolic math.

Then again every major would have to take math classes since its part of a general education.
 
Chunkysalsa said:
The business majors at my school (FYI I'm not one but I am friends with one) have to take elementary statistics and business calculus. Both class are catered to business people and are pretty simple. From what I hear statistics is just "how to a calculator". Business calculus while being a watered down, trig-less version of differential calculus is still calculus. I would say its pretty easy but if you have a disability, it might prove hard.

Some other classes like accounting or economics might involve number crunching but no kind of symbolic math.

Then again every major would have to take math classes since its part of a general education.

So you're saying that the math given to business majors is fairly simple and nowhere near the difficulty and complexity of the math given to physics, engineering, and science majors.
 
FishmanGeertz said:
So you're saying that the math given to business majors is fairly simple and nowhere near the difficulty and complexity the math given to physics, engineering, and science majors.

The math courses business majors have to take shouldn't even be considered college courses. It's almost insulting to say they're math courses.
 
Pengwuino said:
The math courses business majors have to take shouldn't even be considered college courses. It's almost insulting to say they're math courses.

What about MBA's?
 
FishmanGeertz said:
What about MBA's?

I can't imagine they have any more mathematical knowledge. Business majors are just notorious for being dumb as bricks when it comes to mathematical knowledge.
 
Come on gentlemen, no reason to belittle a fellow degree. Sure at the undergrad level business may not require advanced math, but PhD in Business tend to borrow heavily from Mathematical Statistics and Operation Research (i.e. Management Science).
 
Yea the math is not even close to anything in science.

Also while a PhD in business might need to know some advanced statistics an MBA probably won't add any math.
 
Chunkysalsa said:
Yea the math is not even close to anything in science.

Also while a PhD in business might need to know some advanced statistics an MBA probably won't add any math.

A PhD in any field of study is mainly for people who want to teach and become professors?
 
  • #10
FishmanGeertz said:
A PhD in any field of study is mainly for people who want to teach and become professors?

...no.

A PhD is for people that want to do research.
 
  • #11
I am currently studying business and engineering and the math i am required to do for my business courses does not even compare to my engineering math classes. My observation is that once you get past the initial introductory math units (statistics, calculus etc.), the actual math involved in business classes is almost limited to arithmetic and very basic statistics. Of course it will also depend on which majors you take; a major in quantitative finance will probably require that you take classes in multivariate calculus and statistics, whereas a major in accounting will involve mainly arithmetic.
 
  • #12
danago said:
Of course it will also depend on which majors you take; a major in quantitative finance will probably require that you take classes in multivariate calculus and statistics, whereas a major in accounting will involve mainly arithmetic.

Ah yes, forgot to mention this. A few specialties can get damn serious with the math courses going beyond what some science majors even require.
 
  • #13
Pengwuino said:
Ah yes, forgot to mention this. A few specialties can get damn serious with the math courses going beyond what some science majors even require.

I heard from my friends who have been to the US on student exchange, that the top business colleges, such as Wharton, demand mathematical sophistication to the equivalent level of engineering undergraduates, especially from students in quantitative concentrations...
 
  • #14
Pengwuino said:
I can't imagine they have any more mathematical knowledge. Business majors are just notorious for being dumb as bricks when it comes to mathematical knowledge.

Except for the very significant portion of MBAs with science and engineering backgrounds :smile:. Many of the employers hiring MBAs prefer to see that quantitative background as well. But MBA level math is typically nothing you'll need calculus for. Excel is the preferred tool for business math.
 
  • #15
kote said:
Except for the very significant portion of MBAs with science and engineering backgrounds :smile:. Many of the employers hiring MBAs prefer to see that quantitative background as well. But MBA level math is typically nothing you'll need calculus for. Excel is the preferred tool for business math.

What is "excel?"
 
  • #17
kote said:
Except for the very significant portion of MBAs with science and engineering backgrounds :smile:. Many of the employers hiring MBAs prefer to see that quantitative background as well. But MBA level math is typically nothing you'll need calculus for. Excel is the preferred tool for business math.

Well, of course. I was just saying what is typically required from most business majors. I know a few physics majors who went on to Business school after they got their BS.
 
  • #19
FishmanGeertz said:
So you don't need a bachelors degree in mathematics or be a genius, to understand business?

Quite the opposite, as you might be able to discern from how the economy works these days.
 
  • #20
Pengwuino said:
Quite the opposite, as you might be able to discern from how the economy works these days.
OK, let's not go overboard now. The state of the economy is not and never will be a strong indicator of how good people who study business understand business.
 
  • #21
Ryker said:
OK, let's not go overboard now. The state of the economy is not and never will be a strong indicator of how good people who study business understand business.

Point taken. However there are examples of people who tried to outrun basic mathematical premises that drive economics.
 

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