Popular Course Combos for Careers in Commerce

With increasing business complexities and job market dynamics, a single qualification in Commerce may not give you the required knowledge for professional competency. This makes a case for acquiring additional qualifications not only as a value-add to one’s career graph, but also to get an edge over others in the competitive career world. By Prof. Anand Wadadekar

Popular BCom Course Combos- Commerce as an education stream and career field is very popular among non-Science students. Course options are many and career prospects are vast. Commerce stream also allows you to branch out in related fields like Mass Comm, PR, Hospitality, Tourism, Management, Law among others.

Moreover, with increasing business complexities and job market dynamics, a single qualification in Commerce may not give you the required knowledge for professional competency. This makes a case for acquiring additional qualifications not only as a value-add to one’s career graph, but also to get an edge over others in the competitive career world. Thus, we bring to you some of the popular course combos for careers in Commerce, which over a period of time, have gained popularity.

Popular Course Combos for Careers in Commerce

BCom admission are based on merit or a common entrance exam such as CUET. Since the launch of CUET, all the Central and State universities have start to select students on the basis of the same. Candidates can purse BCom by appearing for CUET and but only having a BCom degree will not be sufficient, so you need to assess and opt for the best combination course with BCom. There are many popular and niche courses that you can opt for after completing graduation in Commerce. Check below some of the most popular course combos for career in Commerce.

B.Com and LLB/LLM

This is a typical route for becoming a Lawyer. This can be done in two ways viz. after graduation or after 12^th . The course is open for all streams thus, if you had Commerce in Class 12 and Graduation (BCom and BCom (H), you can pursue LLM to add value to your professional skills as a master of a specific area for practice. After 12^th you can opt for the very popular integrated law course BA LLB. 

Top Law Entrance Exams for LLB and LLM:

• AIBE
• CLAT
• SLAT
• AILET

B.Com and CA/CS/CWA/CFA

This is a typical route for professions like Chartered Accountant, Company Secretary, Cost Accountant or Chartered Financial Analyst. After graduation, students can get themselves admitted directly to the Intermediate level of these courses. These candidates enjoy a statutory status in the corporate since all these qualifications are under a statutory law.

Top Accounting Exams in India:

• ICSI exam
• CS Executive exam
• CSEET exam
• CA Foundation exam
• CA Intermediate exam
• CA Final exam
• CMA Foundation exam
• CMA Intermediate exam
• CMA Final exam
• CFA exam

B.Com and DTL

Pursuing Diploma in Taxation Law (DTL) with BCom is a typical route for becoming Tax consultants, Tax practitioners. Candidates can work for tax consultants or have their separate practice.

B.Com and MBA (Finance/HR/Marketing)

This is yet another route for entering the corporate for managerial positions (provided students are from top 15 B-Schools). A commerce graduate can pursue any MBA specialization, however, given their training in Finance, economy and taxations, the better options are MBA Finance, MBA Marketing, MBA HR. Candidates get job opportunities in retail, FMCG, banking, financial services, insurance, and almost all industries.

Top MBA entrance exams in India:

• CAT
• MAT
• XAT
• CMAT
• NMAT

B.Com and Mass Communication / Journalism

This is an interesting career choice made by commerce students having a passion for communication, journalism, writing, editing, technical writing, blogging, etc. Highly challenging and demanding sector. One can opt for Mass/Comm and Journalism course after Class 12 as well as after BCom. 

Top Mass Comm Entrance exams in India

• JMI Entrance Exam
• FTII JET
• IIMC Entrance Exam

B.Com and Stock Market courses (NCFM/NISM)

Job opportunities for stock market/share transfer agents, brokers, custodians, depositories, depository participants, portfolio management consultants, etc. are on the rise and provide excellent and challenging work environment. Courses from NSE and NISM (institute promoted by SEBI) are becoming popular.

B.Com and M.A./M.Com/ NET/Ph.D

This is a typical route for becoming Professors and Lecturers in university colleges. Young BCom graduates with a passion for teaching and research can opt for this commerce course combo.

Commerce Course combos for Professional Courses (CA/CS/CWA/MBA/CFA)

After exploring best course combinations with BCom, let’s look at some of the most popular combos for Commerce students in professional courses.

CA and CS

This is the most known and famous career combinations in the commerce stream, very well accepted by the industry and most liked by student fraternity of professional courses. Handling accounting, taxation along with secretarial & compliances is a herculean task in itself. Chartered Accountancy (CA) and Company Secretary (CS) provides excellent career stability due to its scope and exposure levels. These two can be studied simultaneously, however, acquiring them in the least possible time requires perseverance, efforts and determination.

CA/CMA and MBA Finance

Many CA/CMA candidates pursue MBA Finance. Here it is important to know that MBA is complementary to CA and is not a substitute. Also it is recommended that a student first completes CA/CMA and then joins full-time MBA. It is difficult to manage both simultaneously due to the method of studying, time and efforts required for both the courses are vastly different. Working professionals can do part-time MBA / Executive MBA. In the industry, this is a very well-known combination and it gives an edge to a CA/CMA having a management degree.

CA and CMA

CA and CMA are hard core accounting and costing qualifications. Both complement each other. Costing and Accounting & Taxation being the backbone of business processes, their combination goes well accepted in the industry and such candidates are technical experts. These qualifications by many are acquired together and are relevantly co-related to each other.

CA, CS, CMA

This is regarded as the ‘Triple Crown’. Acquiring CA, CS, and CMA qualifications is a feat in itself and gives a holistic view of the world of accounting, finance, costing and company law. Commerce candidates with all these three degrees are likely to be placed in high profile jobs and make a good career in consultancy too. These three can also be done simultaneously, however, acquiring these requires immense perseverance, efforts and determination.

CA and CFA

Though both these do not complement each other, Chartered Financial Analyst or CFA is about financial analysis and CA is about accounting & taxation. CFA, if done from CFA USA, is given very high regard in the industry. CA and CFA will be a good combination as far as job profile is concerned and provides immense scope in finance and accounting field, even for those seeking to pursue their careers abroad.

CA and CPA

CA and Certified Public Accountant or CPA is a fantastic combination giving scope in accounting and taxation, in domestic as well international job market. CA and CPA candidates get placed in high profile assignments in India and abroad due to their exposure to domestic and international accounting practices.

CS and LLB

Though a CS is taught general laws, a CS is majorly an expert in secretarial practice and company law. CS and LLB is a well received combination in the industry and provides good scope for candidates to work in secretarial as well as legal departments of the organisation. Such candidates with experience can head secretarial departments as Company Secretary as well as legal department as Legal Head. However, major work relates to secretarial functions and compliances.

CS and MBA Finance

MBA Finance, if pursued by a CS, gives the candidate scope to diversify into finance function. Here too, caution is provided, not to pursue both the courses simultaneously, due to the reasons indicated above. Here too, major work may relate to secretarial and compliances and less of finance, however, it may be reverse in some cases.

CS and CMA

CMA provides a diverse scope to CS through exposure to costing and indirect taxation. Here too, major work may be of secretarial and compliances and less of costing, however, it may be reverse in some cases. These courses can be pursued simultaneously. LLB is recommended here for greater stability and exposure.

This article was first published in March 2013. The author is a faculty, economist, author, career consultant from Pune, India.

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