Your college major

[Home_s_Cool]

BS in Scientific Nutrition, a path to becoming a dietician, but I never did the required internship and test.

[history_junkie]

BA in History, minor in Editing & Publishing.

 

I'm not very marketable in the traditional job market, but my degree has prepared me very well to do exactly what I want to do: teach homeschoolers on the side homeschool my own children. Also, on an almost daily basis I mentally reference many of the history/poli sci/ government classes I took.

[Corbster98]

Bachelors in Social Work

Double minor in Sociology and Criminal Justice Studies

 

Was accepted to complete my MSW... but life became too complicated at that time with my husband's Army career

[Night Elf]

I'm glad I asked this question. You guys are awe inspiring. I have enough credits to graduate. Unfortunately they are not focused into one program so I'm still a year away from an education degree. I did go back 2 - 3 years ago and absolutely loved it. But my kids were doing high school work and needed me at home. My education program had me spending 20 hours volunteering in Montessori schools and kids' afterschool programs. When I left, i figured I would go back someday, but now I don't see that happening. My kids are close to college age and we may need to help with some financial assistance. Spending money for a degree I will never use doesn't make sense anymore. I don't know if this is still true, but at one time I learned Georgia colleges allowed 65+ years old students to attend with free tuition. Maybe I can take advantage of that if that is really true. :tongue_smilie:

[LaCEmom]

I was double majoring in math and chemical engineering, but I didn't graduate. I met my husband who was in the military & ending up dropping out of school to go to work & help support him and my step-daughter after we got married. I'm still a little bummed about it too, but I know the career I was preparing for wasn't very family-friendly anyway, much less military spouse compatible. A lot of people were angry when I did it, but I love my husband & I'm happy with the life I have. I do still hope to go back to school one day, but I have no idea what for.

[Spryte]

Double majored in Anthropology and American Studies.

[SailorMom]

I just wanted to add this:

To all of you with a bunch of credits but no piece of paper - the piece of paper is not what makes you an educated individual. That goes for all the self-educated people here as well.

I know many people IRL who have the piece of paper and absolutely no common sense, no awareness of the bigger picture, no historical or scientific knowledge, etc. I also know many people who are incredibly intelligent and wonderful to converse with who have never spent a day in any kind of college at all.

[Wildcat]

This is a tough one to break into without a PH.D. My middle boy is specifically interested in herpetology. But, he knows he also needs to be able to get employment so he's amended his plans to a double major in ecology and environmental science with an emphasis in zoology (he'll still go on for at least his masters) which is more marketable...currently, there are still many government and private sector jobs available in this field and lots of research. One of the highest paid non-executives (and let me tell you, she pulls down the BIG bucks) for GM is an environmental scientist that spearheads all of their environmental impact studies for future construction/expansion...she also manages the group that oversees the wetlands preservation program and wildlife management for GM since often, in exchange for being allowed to build X at Y location, they then maintain something for the environment and habitat preservation somewhere else. There is a wave of retirement coming up in the government sector for environmental scientists and so there will be job openings.

 

My cousin has a PH.D. in it and teaches at and does research through the University of Minnesota and is the premier expert on Great Lakes invasive species, and all things particularly, Lake Superior. She does not rake in the big bucks, but plenty of money to live on, and she loves the work. So, ds will pursue his zoology/herpetology passion on the side while getting a more marketable education. He has even expressed interest in working on rainforest preservation, most specifically, the temperate rainforest of western Washington state and British Columbia.

 

Generally speaking, except possibly Cornell - which does not award merit aid so keep that in mind when applying - the top biology/environmental science/ecology with zoological emphasis and research tend to be the big state Ag schools. It's quite expensive to have a strong animal research department. So, the state flagships tend to be the ones endowed with the best reputations in this department. The top 20 list includes, Michigan State and University of Michigan, U of Wisconsin at Madison, Minnesota State and U of Minnesota with some of the best Great Lakes research taking place at U of Minn. at Duluth (a regional campus of that flagship school), Purdue, U of Rochester is no slouch in ecology but light on zoological research, desert research departments are fantastic at Arizona State and U of Arizona, and for tropical...Florida State and U of Florida...I've heard, don't know if this is true or not because I don't have personal knowledge, that U of F is much better than FSU, and there's another smaller U in or near the Everglades whose name escapes me at the moment...I'll try to look it up, but probably not until after the wedding. Then of course Hawaii...and who wouldn't want to study evironmental science and ecology wearing shorts and a lei???? :D Their botany department is one to drool over!!!!

 

Don't get lured into a Zoo Tech degree. This is okay for the kid who really does.not.mind. mucking out after wild animals, but the reality is that it does not lead to promotion or research. It might be a stepping stone for a kid who thinks a job at the local zoo is an option to help him or her earn some money to further on to a four year uni, but the pay is very low and it doesn't have a future for someone wanting to do more than just be around the animals and presiding over some basic care.

 

As I told ds, the screenplay writers for Jurassic Park were spot on when they titled every scientist and researcher in the movie "Dr."

 

Faith

 

Faith, thanks for this. That's what I was thinking--- she would need advanced/terminal credentials. I keep trying to steer dd into a business field, but she has always loved animals and wants to work with them somehow. I just don't see a field where she would be able to make a decent living (working with animals) with only a BS, whereas often with Business, one *can* make a good wage. What I *really* wish she would go for is programming, but that is so not going to happen. Luckily, the uni she is heavily considering has a very strong ag dept and has a vet school and is good for business, too, so she can always try one major and switch if she wants to.

 

Thanks again for typing all of that out. I'm sure it helped more than just me! :coolgleamA:

[Susan in TN]

BMP - Bachelors of Music Performance (violin)

[Library Momma]

I have a BS in Psychobiology. I was Pre Med. I decided to take a year off before medical school and got a cool job in the music industry. 20 years later I'm still there.

[Stayseeliz]

I changed my major from journalism to advertising and PR in the my senior year. I wish I had left it the way it was. My masters is in counseling.

[Giraffe]

BBA in Accounting, minor in Economics.

Tomorrow I hope to get my CELTA certification as an English as a Foreign Language teacher. It's been an intense month of study and work!

[mumto2]

Another BA in Accounting and Economics.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

BA - Psychology & English Literature.

MA - Psychology (Experimental) with an emphasis on Gerontology

 

I wish the school I attended had offered PsychBio/Neuroscience. I would have jumped on it. As it is they opened the program two years after I graduated.

 

I wish I had gone for a Ph.D.

[Cafdog]

BA in Political Science/minored in English

MLIS

 

:hurray: Hello to the fellow librarians here in the Hive!

[mom2myboys]

Economics with a minor in dance.

[NightOwl]

Got my Associates in Elementary Education at Community College, then decided I didn't want to be a teacher when I transfered to a University. I switched majors a lot of times (Social Work and Pyschology were the most significant ones). Finally ended up with a Bachelors in Sociology (Concetration in Youth Studies) and also Child Development. Then got my Masters in Human Development and Family Studies.

[melbotoast]

BS in Psychology.

[jewellsmommy]

I did 2.5 yrs towards a BS in Biology (with the intention of teaching biology.) But, I switched to a BS in Psychology instead.

 

I see this as a God thing because I use the psychology sooo much in what we have gone through welcoming ds into the family (with his background and conditions etc). Nov. will be 3 years! I still love biology, but it would not have been as helpful in our current situation. :001_smile: Ds's therapist says he would like to see me "on the other side of the couch." Maybe one day, but these kids are their own full time job right now. Dh is going back to school in the fall, and I foresee doing that myself in a couple of years. With as much independent learning as I have done in the last 2.5-ish yrs, if they gave life credit, I think I would deserve a master's degree :tongue_smilie:.

[teamturner]

BS in Fashion Merchandising. Minor was Buisness Admin.

[misty.warden]

I have about a quarter of a degree in everything that's not STEM. Psychology, Comparative Religion, and Fitness Technology were my official declared majors but I only went to community colleges and did not graduate mostly due to conflicts with the unpaid externship requirement. I enjoy learning for its own sake and I love making connections in history and linguistics especially, but I'm undecided on whether the $30K of debt I have was worth it. (I'm not of the opinion that everyone needs to go to college for the "experience".)

[misty.warden]

I just wanted to add this:

To all of you with a bunch of credits but no piece of paper - the piece of paper is not what makes you an educated individual. That goes for all the self-educated people here as well.

I know many people IRL who have the piece of paper and absolutely no common sense, no awareness of the bigger picture, no historical or scientific knowledge, etc. I also know many people who are incredibly intelligent and wonderful to converse with who have never spent a day in any kind of college at all.

 

 

I love this attitude, and it really is true. However if your reason for going to college is that employers require a Bachelor's for just about everything these days, the paper is more important than the actual learning, which I think is horrible.

[Venia]

BS - Immunology/Microbiology/Clinical Lab Science, Chemistry minor

MS - Cell & Molecular Biology (Research was in Microbiology)

 

I would very much like to go for a Ph.D, but the investment outweighs the returns right now. Id make half my current salary as a new professor or researcher :wacko:

[SKL]

My first college [double] major was elementary education / learning disabilities. After 3 years I was convinced that that wasn't the path to save the world after all, so I switched to "General Studies," because it would work for pre-law and I could do all the classes at a regional campus. Then I did a joint JD/MBA and followed soon after with a CPA.

[Tammi K]

Started out in Nuclear Engineering, met some guy, and decided to marry him and make babies. I decided I wanted to stay home and play with the babies I made, so I switched to El Ed (What a mistake! I was not cut out for classroom teaching) I have my BS in ElEd and minors in math and science.

[Element]

BA Paralegal Studies.....

 

am I really the only one? :confused1:

 

My original plan was law school. Let's just say I was burned out and had a change of priorities. :lol:

 

I have a Paralegal post-degree certificate from an ABA-approved program. Does that count? :D

[LucyStoner]

Math and Business Econ

[MaryE]

B.A. in history, minors in music and international development.

[aggie96]

I have a BS in Biomedical Engineering. I worked 10 years in this field. Great field BTW for current college peeps...plenty of jobs with very good pay.

 

I now own a business with my husband in his field of expertise which requires no college degree what-so-ever. :) DH has less than a year's worth of credits. We make a VERY good living with more earning potential than the biomedical field.

 

Best of both worlds...no college required for a great living, but a great fall-back position if we do. :) Gives us some perspective from both sides of the coin.

[warneral]

Bs in Packaging. Worked as a packaging designer for Oscar Mayer and Boca Burger

[lailasmum]

My first bachelors is in Technical Theatre.( got that degree when I was 20) I worked for quite a few years as an union stage manager, and lighting designer in theatre and also spent 5 years in Hollywood working behind the scenes in movies. Went back to Texas, met dh, moved to NJ , worked as technical supervisor in a casino . THen in my early 30's went back to school and got my BS in geology, worked in that field until I was 42 and we adopted our first. Quit to stay home and that is where I still am, homeschooling.

 

I used to be a stage manager as did my DH he now works in Lighting. I stopped stage management when my eldest was a baby.

[lailasmum]

I basically have a photography degree but the course was actually about1/2 photography and 1/2 a mix of film studies/graphic design/video production. I worked in theatre after I left uni and am just now going back to photography though I feel like the degree was a bit of a waste of time to be honest.

[Incognito]

BA in Biology with a minor in Swedish

Incomplete post graduate studies in immunology, public health, and linguistics

[bobbeym]

I have an AAS in Computer Aided Drafting & Design. I decided against going towards a Masters in Architecture like I'd planned though. I couldn't handle the thought of another 6-8 years of school. I settled down, got married, and had a baby instead.

 

I remember in high school my mom wanted me to take a secretarial certificate course at a tech school, just so I'd have a way to support myself during schooling. I refused, saying I was never going to be a secretary. We laugh about it now that I'm a senior level administrative assistant for an executive and love my job on most days.

[wintermom]

Bachelor of Human Kinetics

Masters of Science - Sport Psychology

 

Despite my parents initial concern, I was able to get great jobs both in Europe and back in Canada with these degrees. I also use the information learned on a daily for my children, myself and others in the homeschool community.

[Bree]

Started out nursing but graduated with a B.S. in church ministries

[Bree]

Started out nursing but graduated with a B.S. in church ministries

[violamama]

Bachelors Viola Performance (yes, it's a thing)

Masters Viola Performance

Doctorate Viola Performance with a special project in Arts Administration

[LifeLovePassion]

Art Education, minor in Bible

[Momof3littles]

My program was a combined bachelor's and master's program. You do 5 years with very strict requirements for GPA, very little flexibility in terms of classes and very few electives. There was no control over my undergrad major, as everyone in my program was there for the master's (minimum needed to sit for licensure at that time). My undergrad was a bachelor's in "health science" (basically one class short of a bio undergrad degree, but everyone in my program received this as our bachelor's degree. I never had to take organic chem, or it would have been a bio degree), and my master's was a MPT (master's in physical therapy).

[grantmeawish]

B.S. nutrition and dietetics.

I'm a registered dietitian. Even though I can keep my status as RD through CE, I think I may have to finish my masters when I decide to go back to work.

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

B.S in Communication- specialization was Public Relations, minor in Political Science.

[ladydusk]

BS in Social Studies Ed (Secondary)

 

I never taught. Worked in HR and got my PHR certification.

[AngieW in Texas]

I started off undeclared, but I knew I was going to do something in science/technology.

 

I LOVED my first chemistry class and decided I was going to be a chemistry major. That lasted until organic.

 

I was doing really well in my physics class, so I switched to physics. My BS is in Physics.

 

The defense industry shutdown happened just a few months before graduation and NOBODY was hiring fresh-outs. My dh (also physics major) and I couldn't even get in to job fairs because most of them required you to have at least 5 years experience. So we both went back to school and got MS in Physics, because surely more school would make us more employable. It didn't.

 

I don't know how employable physics majors straight from college are now, but they weren't employable at all in 1989. At least not in Texas.

[freeindeed]

Elementary education

I graduated and taught ps for seven years. Then I quit to be a sahm and eventually a hs mom.

[bnbacademy]

BS in Nursing