NEXT-BEST: DILEMMA OF AN ECONOMICS ASPIRANT

Dear Jarus,

Please help a brother out. I did the last post-UTME exam of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, and passed, but I didn’t make the cut-off score of my preferred choice which is Economics. When we got to the Dean of the faculty of Social Sciences, he said he already had many of such cases with him but I should choose any other course In the faculty of my choice. So I told him that I would think about it, now I want to seek your opinion on which other future securing choice I can make because I don’t  want to regret. Or still push on hoping he can change his mind but I doubt it.

Please I need your feedback ASAP because I need to reply him soon.

Paul

****

Dear Paul,

As an alumnus of that department, I know one or two things about the faculty in general.

Apart from Economics, the following are the other courses in the faculty of Social Sciences, OAU:

• Demography and Social Statistics (DSS)
• Sociology
• Geography
• Psychology
• Political Science
• Politics, Philosophy & Economics (PPE – administered by the Department of Political Science)

In addition to those courses offered in the Faculty of Social Sciences, other courses applicants that missed out Economics opt for include:

• Economics Education (Faculty of Education)
• Estate Management (Faculty of Environmental Design & Management)

Those are your broad choices.

Now, let me do some analysis before advising you.

In the labour market, at entry level, for many organizations, courses of study hardly matter. What is more important is grade you finished with. Many companies, like banks and professional services firms like KPMG, PwC, Accenture, Ernst & Young, Deloitte etc will just say “graduate with a minimum of 2.1”, irrespective of course of study and not older than a certain age, usually 26 or below. Some other companies categorize Social Sciences into one bucket: Graduate of any Social Sciences course.

That said, I will not deceive you by saying Economics does not have an edge over these allied courses. It does. One, some openings are specific – Graduates of Economics or Finance. Two, Economics graduates, probably because of the rigour they underwent in school, usually have a way of outdoing graduates of these related courses in job tests at entry level, even when put in same bucket. Yet, it is not automatic that an Economics graduate will get a job before a graduate of say, Geography, if both have the same grade.

I have friends that graduated from all those departments, and got good jobs – but one thing about them: they made good grade. I have a friend that had First Class in Sociology and works with Globacom; another with 2.1 in PPE that works in a top financial training institution; at least three that had 2.1 in Estate Management, Psychology, Economics Education etc and work with KPMG and PwC. A senior friend that studied DSS works in FIRS. I know a number of them like that.

So grade trumps course.

Beyond the general bucket, these three are my choice for you in terms of marketability:

1. Estate Management
2. Politics, Philosophy & Economics
3. Demography & Social Statistics

In terms of ease of making decent grade (2.1 ), consider these:

1. Sociology
2. Politics, Philosophy & Economics
3. Estate Management

From my knowledge of that faculty, these are the toughest if making 2.1 (minimum) is your goal:

• Psychology
• Political Science

I wont advise you go near those two, since 2.1 in say Sociology will get you invite for job test, and 2.2 in Psychology may not.

Over all, I will advise you consider any of these: Sociology, PPE, Estate Management and Demography & Social Statistics. If your strength is ability to read notes (theory) and pass, Sociology should not be difficult for you, but the low point of Sociology is, you may totally forget mathematics which may affect your ability to ace quantitative aptitude in job tests when you graduate and start looking for job.  If you are good in theory and calculations, you may consider DSS.

So consider your strength before choosing.

I wish you all the best.

Jarus