I often hear high school students say they want to major in business so that they can get a job after college. But a business degree isn’t the only path to the business world.

Students who earn a liberal arts degree are developing critical thinking and communication skills that will serve them well in the business world. Liberal arts graduates who know how to market themselves can be very attractive to businesses since they have spent four years learning to approach problems from different perspectives. They understand a multicultural world, which will help them function in a global economy.

Being able to see the big picture can be more important than having in-depth knowledge of management theory. They will learn the specific skills for their industry once they are on the job.

If they aspire to upper management, they will probably need to go to graduate business school for an MBA, which does not require an undergraduate degree in business.

For students who know they want an undergraduate business degree, there are many options.

Some universities have business schools that offer undergraduate business programs. Students take some liberal arts courses as well as business foundation courses in accounting, finance, marketing and management. They choose a business major or concentration, which can be in one of those foundation subjects or another area, such as entrepreneurship, real estate or international business.

At many private universities, including USC, NYU and University of Pennsylvania, students are admitted directly to the business program as freshmen.

At many public universities, including UC Berkeley, University of Washington and University of Arizona, students apply for admission to the business program after completing prerequisite courses with the required gradepoint average.

Some liberal arts colleges also offer a business administration major. Course offerings will be more limited and students may not have the option to specialize in marketing, management, finance, accounting or entrepreneurship, but they will have the advantages that come with a smaller college, including small classes and personal attention.

Students who really want to focus on business might like colleges that specialize in business, like Babson and Bentley.

These schools offer a full business curriculum, with majors in marketing, finance, accounting and management, among others.

Students also have some coursework in liberal arts and can even major or minor in liberal arts subjects such as history or philosophy.

Some schools that do not offer undergraduate degrees in business are creating programs to give students some exposure to business.

Students majoring in liberal arts or engineering at Northwestern University can earn a certificate in financial economics or managerial analytics at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management.

There are many options for students who want to pursue a business degree, and it is important to do your research. Ask where students have done internships and which companies recruit on campus.

Less than 0.33 percent of business programs in the United States are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), which subjects business programs to peer review and requires that members meet standards for quality of teaching and curriculum.

You can search for AACSBaccredited schools and learn about careers in business at www .bestbizschools.com.

Students who want to prepare for a college business program should take four years of math in high school, at least through precalculus, and preferably calculus for the more selective schools.

Having a record of leadership is important if you are applying to highly selective business programs. Work experience can also be helpful.

Audrey Kahane, MS, MFA, is a private college admissions counselor in West Hills. She can be reached at (818) 704-7545 or audrey@audreykahane.com.