Your career and future life depends on the college major you choose. The decision you make at this early stage of your adult life shapes your career prospects. It may determine where you’ll live and what you’ll be doing day in and day out.
Here’s a list of the most popular majors. Each degree type requires a unique skill set and each opens up a different set of future job possibilities.
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Business
Business studies is consistently the most popular undergraduate major according to data from the Digest of Education Statistics from the U.S. Department of Education. The same trend applies at a postgraduate level, with the Master of Business Administration (MBA) easily the most popular and well-known masters degree.
The discipline encompasses theory and practical skills, covering subjects such as marketing, accounting and finance. You are also exposed to the fundamentals of business administration and management – critical abilities for a future in the business environment.
Business management is the focus of MBA programs, which are designed to bring maximum career benefits for professionals entering leadership ranks. Increasingly, MBAs are being taken in the online mode, allowing professionals to gain a qualification while working full-time.
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Health Professions and Related Programs
Nursing is the largest component, by student and employment numbers, of the field covering health and personal well-being disciplines. If you are a compassionate person by nature, then this is may be the ideal field to consider.
Health comes with many individual areas where you can specialize in, such as pediatrics, oncology, neurology, and geriatrics. If you hope for a future in health, high-school subjects to put effort into include chemistry, anatomy and physiology.
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Social Sciences
The social sciences incorporate many study fields, including history, international studies and sociology. Professions that are associated with these areas include public administration, social work, and rehabilitation counseling. Classes to be undertaken include social research, counseling, group behavior and social theories.
These fields are not only intellectually stimulating but can lead to jobs in many different sectors; from government and non-governmental agencies to business and schools. But competition for graduate jobs is high and it can take some year for your long-term career(s) to become evident.
- Psychology
Psychology is an interesting area of study that delves into how the human mind functions and how people get along. It spans topics like motivation, intelligence, mental disorders, and human perception and personality. You look at fascinating psychology experiments that reveal how humans perceive and think.
A career in counseling, clinical psychology or as a therapist could await you. However, more commonly for bachelor-degree holders, the skills are used in professions such as human resources, public relations, and marketing and sales.
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Biology and Environmental Sciences
Graduates of these majors have careers in fields such as biotechnology and genetics. You study the physicality of people, animals, plants, and the habitats in which they live.
With a major in biology, you might end up working in hospitals, universities, wildlife sanctuaries and aquariums, among other areas. Generally, you need to specialize through postgraduate study to become highly employable.
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Engineering
If you are looking towards a highly challenging and exciting career environment, then a major in this field may be the way to go. Meanwhile, be armed with good mathematical and scientific skills to make significant headway.
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Visual and Performing Arts
If you are interested in a career in fine arts, music, dance, and/or theater, this is your major of choice. You are trained to work in various streams of the entertainment industry.
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Communications
Communication is a broad field and encompasses study areas such as creative writing, reporting and journalism. The major prepares you for professional careers in public relations, human resources, journalism, advertising, and business. You can also work in script and presentation writing.
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Education
A major in education leads you to an industrious future career in teaching. It remains one of the most popular. You can choose a university or college program that matches your preference about the age-range you want to teach, anywhere from kindergarten to late high-school.
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Computer and Information Sciences
Computer and information science degrees require you to learn about computer hardware and software, and how to apply the acquired knowledge and skills to relevant technology applications. At a postgraduate level, masters degrees in information technology (IT) management can lead to supervisory positions that require both technical and leadership skills.
Subject you may study include robotics, artificial intelligence, natural language recognition programs, and numerical analysis. Computer science careers range from IT support specialists through to data scientists and systems programmers.
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Chris Graham
