Commerce vs Science

Commerce and Science are the two broad streams that children have an option to choose from when they enter class XI. It will not be excessive to say that this decision is one of the defining decisions in the life of the child and the parents. While some students have their minds made up, there is always a large chunk of students and parents who are torn between this decision. The typical question they ask is – science vs commerce which is better, how are the career opportunities for science vs commerce, which is easier to score science or commerce, and what suits the child more science or commerce. Much of this decision needs to be based on the likes, dislikes, strengths and weaknesses of the child. If you ask, which stream is better science or commerce, there is no right answer to this. It entirely depends on the student.

This blog brings out certain aspects of science vs commerce which is better to help students and parents decide between science vs commerce. Both science and commerce have their advantages and disadvantages. It is difficult to say which one is better. The choice between science vs commerce should depend on the student’s interests, abilities, and career goals.

Let’s first look at the core subjects typically taught in science and commerce streams in classes 11 and 12.

Commerce Stream

The Commerce stream focuses on business and entrepreneurship-related subjects such as accounting, economics, finance, and marketing. It is a good choice for those who are interested in pursuing a career in business, finance, or management. Someone with a commerce background can pursue career paths in accounting, banking, finance, marketing, and entrepreneurship.

Popular Courses in commerce stream

Post class 12, commerce students have the option to pursue the following courses:

• Commerce (Bachelor in Commerce)
• Business Management (Bachelor in Business Administration, Masters in Business Administration)
• Accountancy (Chartered Accountant)
• Economics
• Banking
• Finance
• Company Secretary

Career Options in commerce stream

To decide between science vs commerce, it is vital to explore the career options for commerce graduates:

• Chartered Accountant
• Investment Banker
• Business Development
• Consulting
• Company Secretary
• Management (Marketing Manager, Finance Manager, HR Manager, Admin, etc.)

Some of the popular personalities who are commerce graduates are:

– Warren Buffett – Famous investor, one of the world’s richest, Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, is a BBA and studied commerce.

– Sheryl Sandberg – COO of Facebook, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Harvard University and an MBA from Harvard Business School, where she also studied commerce.

– Nirmala Sitharaman – India’s current Finance Minister is a commerce graduate from the University of Madras.

– Indra Nooyi – Former CEO of Pepsi holds a BCom from Madras Christian College and an MBA from IIM Calcutta.

Science Stream

The science stream is focused on subjects such as physics, chemistry, biology, and mathematics. It is a good choice for those who are interested in pursuing a career in fields such as engineering, medicine, research, or technology. With a science background, students can pursue career paths in engineering, medicine, research and development, data analysis, and scientific writing.

Popular Courses in the science stream

Post class 12, science students have the option to pursue the following courses:

• Engineering (BTech/BE)
• Sciences (BSc-Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Microbiology, Zoology, Bioinformatics, Agricultural Science, Statistics, Environmental Science, etc)
• Computers – Bachelor in Computer Applications
• Information Technology – Bachelor in IT
• Medical (MBBS, BDS)
• Pharma (B Pharma)

Career Options in the science stream

To decide between science vs commerce, it is vital to explore the career options for science graduates:

• Core Engineering (Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, etc)
• Software Engineering
• Cybersecurity
• Robotics
• Data Analytics
• Aerospace
• Architects
• Forensic
• Medical
• Dental
• Veterinary
• Pharmacology
• Biotechnology

Some of the popular personalities who are science graduates are:

Jeff Bezos – Founder of Amazon, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from Princeton University.

Elon Musk – Founder and CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, and The Boring Company, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physics and Economics from the University of Pennsylvania.

Sundar Pichai – CEO of Google holds a Bachelor’s degree in Metallurgical Engineering from IIT Kharagpur and a Master’s degree in Material Sciences and Engineering from Stanford University.

Ginni Rometty – Former CEO of IBM, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering from Northwestern University.

Integration of Science and Commerce

With the evolving educational and business landscape, it is not uncommon to find achievers who have studied both science and commerce. Businesses today need a combination of skills in technology and commerce. As a result, education policies and experts are increasingly recommending the integration of science and commerce as both these streams bring in certain skills which are key in today’s dynamic technology driven world.

As a result, careers in entrepreneurship and business management have usually seen a coming together of sorts for both science and commerce graduates which leads to a career in business. Following are the two prominent examples of the same:

Mukesh Ambani – Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, MBA from Stanford, and he studied commerce at the University of Mumbai.

Satya Nadella – CEO of Microsoft holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, and a Master’s degree in computer science, but he also studied commerce at the University of Mumbai.

 In short, the decision to choose between commerce and science should be based on one’s interests, strengths, and career goals. Both streams offer a wide range of opportunities for students to pursue their passions and succeed in their chosen fields. The key to the science vs commerce decision is to identify your interests and strengths and choose a career path that aligns with them.

Euroschool provides ample opportunities for students to explore both fields so that they can make informed decisions.