Does Your College Major Matter?
Some students know exactly what they want to do—and choosing a major is easy. Others, however, agonize over the choice. It can be difficult to choose a major, but many people wind up with jobs well outside the field they studied—enough to make students question whether it really matters what they major in. The truth is, it depends on what you plan to do after college. Here’s an overview of a few fields where your major matters—and where it doesn’t.
Engineering
If you want to be an engineer, you will need to know fairly early on in your college career. In many programs, students need to start studying in this path their Freshman year in order to graduate within four years—as opposed to most other majors, where you may not have to declare until your Sophomore year.
Nursing
|
|
|
The importance of your major depends on your future plans. Some fields practically require an undergraduate degree in a certain subject.
|
Business
You don’t have to earn your online degree in business to land a job in a company. In fact, it’s a common joke that English majors wind up working in Human Resources departments or pretty much any field except literature and writing—unless they plan to teach. While a degree in a certain area of business can give you an edge over other recent grads without that specific major—it demonstrates your commitment to the field—you can also win an internship or entry-level position with prior experience, even volunteer or internship experience, and a well-written resume.
Teaching
Technically, you’re supposed to have a four-year degree in education if you want to teach in public schools. However, some states hire teachers without the four-year degree—as long as they have a degree in the subject they want to teach. You may have to complete some coursework in education first or even finish a Masters degree in education, but some states will allow you to finish it as you teach—especially if you’re working in a high-needs area.
Medical school
It’s a common preconception that you have to major in biology or some other aspect of the sciences to go to medical school. This isn’t the case—and in fact, it can actually help your application if you major in the arts, public policy, or some other subject that’s unusual among pre-med students. However, you will have to meet the medical school’s minimum requirements for prerequisite biology and other science classes—and taking classes in these areas will undoubtedly boost your scores on the MCAT.
Law school
As with med school, you don’t have to major in a pre-law area to get admitted to law school. And because many law schools seek a diverse student base, it may actually help you if you major in an area that’s unusual for law students. However, you’ll need strong reading comprehension, research, and writing skills both to pass the LSAT and succeed in law school—and you’ll have to meet the minimum prerequisites for undergraduate classes at the school you plan to attend.
The importance of your major depends on your future plans. Some fields practically require an undergraduate degree in a certain subject. Others prefer graduates with a certain degree, but you can still get a job in the area with the right experience and possibly connections. Still others are fairly open with regard to the type of major you have. Choose the major that appeals most to you—and hopefully that will lead to a career in a field you love.
Sources
Sources:
Student Advisor Blog: Does a Major Matter?
Yahoo! Education: Does Your Major Matter?
USA Today: When Choosing a College, Does Major Matter?
More About College Basics
- How to Stand Out in Your Online Class Discussions
- Payday Loans Go Online. Should You Check It Out? (Spoiler: No.)
- FICO's New Credit Score 9: How They Could Affect College Students
- The Corinthian College Debacle: What It Means for its Students
- How to Set Your Own Deadlines: Tips for Success
- The Affordable Care Act Deadline Passed. What Now?
- How to Ask for More Money From Your Student Aid Office: Without Seeming Entitled
- Six Homework Hacks That Make Studying Online Easier
find your online degree
join our community
subscribe
Sign up to our newsletter and get the latest updates!
@onlinecourseMy week on Twitter ðźŽ‰: 3 Mentions, 294 Mention Reach, 4 New Followers. See yours with https://t.co/asvRUvsxaN https://t.co/ZHWzIIEgNWPosted 1430 Days Ago
@onlinecourseMy week on Twitter ðźŽ‰: 2 Mentions, 537 Mention Reach. See yours with https://t.co/asvRUvsxaN https://t.co/QvBMU1LmTaPosted 1437 Days Ago
@onlinecourseMy week on Twitter ðźŽ‰: 11 New Followers. See yours with https://t.co/asvRUvsxaN https://t.co/9ftI1Gqsf8Posted 1451 Days Ago
Amen!