Tag: college major

What Types of Skills Are Best for a Design Major?

Looking to major in design? Stellar art skills aren’t the only talents you’ll need to succeed in college. Here are five areas that are important for doing well as a design major and in your design career after college.

Creative skills

Obviously, having a keen eye and a feel for beautiful art is extremely important if you want to major in design. But going above your own creative skills, you’ll also have to learn about how others created their art and the thought processes that went into their pieces.

Part of creativity is knowing how and when to gain inspiration from others, and you’ll spend lots of time focusing on that as a design major.

Computer programming skills

Surprisingly enough, design majors need to be relatively tech-savvy nowadays, especially if they hope to pursue careers in design after college.

Knowing how to use programs like Adobe Creative Suite, HTML and CSS will propel you light-years ahead of everyone in the job market, and that begins with paying attention to honing these skills in college.

Organizational skills

Design majors are often juggling any number of projects at various stages of completion, so being able to keep yourself organized both in terms of logistics (for instance, knowing where all of your art supplies are) and creativity (like understanding what’s inspiring each particular piece) is extremely important.

Organization skills become more important if you begin getting paid for your work, even as a college student. Many design majors juggle freelance work on top of schoolwork, and it’s crucial for you to keep these different assignments straight and to also handle the business aspects of running your own side gig.

Ability to take criticism

Whether you’re working with peers, professors or clients, you’ll have to have a thick skin as a design major and know how to incorporate criticism and feedback from all sorts of people. Creative majors are definitely not for the weak-minded and often require a certain amount of resilience.

Interpersonal and communication skills

Being able to communicate effectively with people you’re working with as well as people who are critiquing your art is crucial if you want to succeed as a design major. Even more importantly, if you begin taking on clients as a design major, you’re going to have to flex your interpersonal skills to deal with client requests and handle them efficiently and effectively.

Next, learn more about this college major such as What is a Design Major and is it Right for Me? and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as What is an Internship?

What is a College Major?

Whether you’re just starting your freshman year of college or even if you’re a rising junior, it’s important to understand the ins and outs of a college major. Choosing a major is one of the most important decisions you’ll have to make during your college career, so it’s extra crucial that you weigh your options and choose the area of study that will benefit you the most.

Here are some things you need to know about college majors.

What is a college major?

A college major is a group of specialized courses students are required to take in order to obtain a college degree. A major usually consists of mandatory core courses and elective courses, totaling between 10-12 classes altogether. For example, if you decide to become an English major, you will be required to take core classes in classic British and American literature. Once you’ve successfully passed those, you’ll be able to take electives such as creative writing or contemporary literature.

How do you decide on a major?

Whether you already have a major in mind or you really don’t know which direction to go in, the first step to picking a major is signing up for courses that interest you and seeing how you feel about them. You should also reach out to other students who are already majoring in those subjects and ask them questions about the classes, professors and their general experience.

Finally, be sure to try a variety of different classes during your freshman and sophomore years since this is the only way you can truly discover which subject is most interesting to you.

What if you want to do more than one major?

Depending on your school, you may have the option to double major, have a major and a minor, or even make up your own major (these are usually called concentrations). Each college has their own rules and your academic advisor can walk you through your options to help you make the right choice.

If you are attending a four-year university, you will likely have to select your major by the end of your sophomore year. That means you will have four semesters to decide which area of study suits you best. Once you do decide on a major, you don’t need to worry if it ends up not working out. You can still change your major after that, but it’s better to do it sooner rather than later so you can still have time to complete all the courses required, and you won’t have to stay an extra semester.

Oftentimes, students wonder if their major will dictate their choice of career. In some cases, with specific majors like engineering or nursing, those subjects will translate into a related career. But, if you are studying a subject that has multiple applications, there’s no telling what type of profession you’ll end up with — it’s all up to you.

Pro Tip: Even if you’ve chosen a specific major and you decide you don’t really want a career in that specific field after graduation, that’s okay too. It’s never too late to choose a new direction.

Choosing a college major may seem overwhelming at first, but it’s really an exciting time for you to expand your knowledge and dig deeper into a subject you are passionate about. By trying out different courses and asking your friends, family, and academic professionals for guidance, you’ll be on your way to choosing your major in no time.

 

Next, learn more about this college major such as Finance and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as Getting an Entry-Level Job with No Experience.

What Types of Skills Are Best for a Computer Science Major?

If the idea of writing code and coming up with creative tech solutions appeals to you, then becoming a computer science major might just be for you. What’s the best way to thrive as a computer science major and set yourself up for success? It starts with having the right skill set.

Here are the top five skills the most successful computer science majors possess.

Analytical skills

Being a computer science major involves identifying a problem and coming up with a technological solution to address it. This requires having strong analytical skills that will enable you to understand the issue you’re dealing with and evaluate different solutions in order to find the one that best fits your needs.

Problem-solving skills

One of the other key skills for computer science majors is the ability to solve complex problems in a systematic and logical way. This is because most of the projects you’ll be working on will require you to take a concept and turn it into a reality. In order to do this, you’ll need to be able to think about the best way to execute the project and then outline the steps needed to get it done.

Creativity

Creativity goes hand in hand with problem solving and it’s one of the other key skills you’ll need as a computer science major. Since coming up with solutions to problems is almost never a straightforward process, out-of-the-box thinking is often required in order to ensure that you’re delivering the most innovative and effective solutions.

Critical-thinking skills

Critical thinking is an important skill to have in any major, but it’s especially important when it comes to computer science. This is because you’re going to be working on a variety of projects and using a variety of methodologies, so knowing which methodologies to use (and when to use them) is an essential part of getting the job done. By thinking critically, you’ll also be able to assess why certain solutions might not work and to save time in coming up with the right approach.

Resilience

One of the key tenets of programming (at any level) is understanding that you’re most likely going to fail before you succeed. This has nothing to do with your programming abilities and everything to do with the process itself. Programming involves trying out different elements of code until you find the best solution and learning to be resilient, determined and humble in the face of multiple failures is part of the process.

Next, learn more about this college major such as What Is a Computer Science Major and Is It Right for Me? and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as Top 10 Things You Should Look For in a Company.

What is a Philosophy Major and is it Right for Me?

Do you like questioning the world around you? Do you like spending hours and hours using logic to reason your way through a problem? If so, majoring in philosophy may be for you.

What is a Philosophy Major?

Contrary to popular belief, majoring in philosophy isn’t about simply sitting on a rock and pondering life’s greatest questions. You will be tackling many broad and abstract questions and using logic and ethics to sort through them but finding a solution isn’t necessarily the endgame. Philosophy majors spend a great deal of their time reading, writing and talking about their ideas, typically in smaller class settings.

What classes do philosophy majors actually take? It depends on your college’s program, but some basic classes involve logic, ethics, metaphysics, political theory, sociology and anthropology.

Is it right for me?

Before you declare yourself a philosophy major, here are some key questions to ask yourself:

  • Am I a strong reader and writer? Do I enjoy reading complicated texts and communicating my thoughts and opinions?
  • Am I willing to work on a complex problem until I think of potential solutions, or do I get frustrated easily?
  • Do I handle criticism and feedback from peers and professionals well?
  • Do I like small classroom settings where I’m required to talk several times during each class, engaging in intense discussion throughout?

What can I do with a philosophy degree?

Majoring in philosophy can actually open doors to many other careers. Very few philosophy majors become “philosophers,” but other career paths include:

The overarching theme, however, is that a philosophy major sets people up to tackle big problems and troubleshoot solutions.

What do people who majored in philosophy earn?

While your career trajectory could differ greatly, a recent study found that philosophy majors earn an average of $82,000 when they’re 10-20 years out of college.

Next, learn more about this college major such as What Types of Skills Are Best for a Philosophy Major? and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as When to Start Applying for a Summer Internship.

What is a Literature Major and is it Right for Me?

Do you have a book on hand at all times? If you love reading literature classics and discussing them with others and you consider yourself a strong communicator, majoring in literature may be for you.

What is a literature major?

A literature major involves reading and analyzing works of literature. This means discussing texts and understanding their historical, cultural and literary significance. As a literature major, you’ll be responsible for understanding and explaining the impact of texts including poems, short stories and novels.

Is it right for me?

One of the biggest questions you probably have is how a literature major differs from the more widely-known English major. While it depends on the program you’re in, English majors typically take many more classes on a variety of different genres and mediums of writing, whereas literature majors (often called “comparative literature” majors) focus on literature from either a specific place or theme.

Regardless, both English and literature majors are extremely reading- and writing-intensive, and you’ll also have to discuss your ideas in all sorts of settings, from lecture halls to seminars.

  • Here are some key questions to ask yourself before you become a literature major:
  • Do I possess strong writing and reading skills? Am I able to push myself to read and write about books and other works that may not be of interest to me?
  • Am I comfortable sharing my thoughts and feelings on various literature with professors and peers in both large and intimate settings?
  • Do I take constructive criticism and feedback well? Am I okay with both professors and peers critiquing my work and potentially disagreeing with my opinions or ideas?
  • Am I interested in most likely going abroad and studying in some of the places I’m reading about?
  • Am I ready and willing to take on a major capstone or thesis project towards the end of my college career?

What can I do with a literature degree?

Much like English majors, literature majors get a bad rap for studying something not transferrable to the real world, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Literature majors graduate with strong reading, writing, critical thinking and communication skills, all of which serve them well in a variety of fields.

There are a large number of career options for people with literature degrees, which include positions such as journalist, author, writer, marketer, public relations specialist, professor, copywriter, editor, technical writer, publisher and lawyer.

What do people who major in literature earn?

Salaries vary based on the career you pursue, but if you’re interested in going into some form of communications like journalism, marketing or public relations, starting salaries are usually in the $35,000-$45,000 range.

 

Next, learn more about this college major such as Business and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as How to Be a Team Player.

What is a Finance Major and is it Right for Me?

Are you intrigued by the mathematics or statistics courses that you’ve taken in the past? Do you feel like you solve problems in creative ways, with a numbers-driven approach? Would you be interested in helping companies plan for how to grow their revenue or maintain profitability in both the short and long term? If so, a finance major might just be for you.

What is a finance major?

Financial planning, investment decisions and analyzing/limiting expenses are all various aspects of what you can and will learn as a finance major. As a finance major, you will study how companies have performed in the past to predict how they will perform in the future, and learn how to communicate information that will drive strategic changes. Many of your assignments will be project driven, whether they be individual case studies to enhance your problem-solving ability, or group presentations to practice the way you interact with others. Typical classes in this major include accounting, economics, math and psychology.

Is it right for me?

Finance is an exciting major with plenty of career opportunities. Contrary to popular belief, it’s also a major that requires both analytical skills and a healthy dose of creativity. Above all, it will help you develop multiple skill sets at once, offering you a great chance of success in several industries after graduation.

Here are some questions to ask yourself when deciding if a finance major is right for you:

  • Am I interested in math and statistics?
  • Am I a creative problem-solver who is able to overcome challenges by coming up with innovative solutions?
  • Am I interested in figuring out how to help companies increase their revenue?
  • Am I a good communicator who is able to express my ideas clearly and effectively?

If you responded “Yes” to all of the above, then being a finance major might just be for you.

What can I do with a finance degree?

Finance as an area of study is fairly broad and offers plenty of career options. These include:

  • Investment banking
  • Management consulting
  • Investment management
  • Corporate Finance
  • Accounting
  • Risk management
  • And more…

If you’re interested in how companies should allocate financial resources, corporate finance may be your calling. If you’re more fascinated by financial markets, how people construct investment portfolios, wealth creation and preservation, investment management could be the route for you. And if you want to learn about probability and statistics and how they correlate to business decisions, then risk management might be the right path to pursue.

What do finance majors earn?

The salaries of finance majors vary widely depending on the careers they choose to pursue. While accountants earn an average salary of $63,000 per year, management consultants earn an average of $86,000 and investment bankers can earn upwards of $250,000.

Next, learn more about this college major such as Accounting and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as How to Answer: What Motivates You?.

What is a Religion Major and is it Right for Me?

Do you like discussing and thinking about different belief systems and how they affect history, policy and society as a whole? If so, becoming a religion major might be for you. But before you dive in, here’s what you need to know about the major.

What is a religion major?

The most important thing to know is that a religion major is not reserved for people who want to become a religious leader or clergyman; rather, the major is typically much more secular and looks at religion as a whole as well as looking at particular types of religion. While many religious figures did study religion in college, that doesn’t mean the degree can’t be helpful for many other endeavors.

What sorts of classes do religion majors take? In addition to learning about particular religions themselves (like Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam), students also take a more holistic approach by learning about the historical and sociological backgrounds of these religions. They may also take philosophy and anthropology classes to get a better understanding of how a certain religion came to be and what its current implications are.

Is It right for me?

Now that you know a little bit about the major, it’s time to ask yourself some key questions to see if it’d be a good fit for you:

  • Do I like learning about other cultures and religions, or just my own?
  • Am I open to taking courses in other departments that are linked to my major but not necessarily about religion?
  • Am I comfortable discussing my thoughts and feelings when talking about more controversial religion-related conversations?
  • Am I respectful of others when their opinions or ideas may not agree with mine?
  • Do I consider myself someone who is open-minded to seeing how other people and cultures live?

What can I do with a religion degree?

Aside from becoming a religious figure in a particular faith, there are plenty of other career tracks you can take as someone who graduated with a religion degree. Some of these potential career tracks include:

  • therapist
  • counselor
  • educator
  • professor
  • nonprofit worker
  • government official
  • lawyer
  • international businessperson
  • … and more

Additionally, it’s important to note that many religion majors pursue further education (like a Masters or Ph.D.) in addition to their Bachelor’s degree.

What do people who majored in religion earn?

Often religion majors end up working in a role related to a particular religion, or they do something related to aid and nonprofit work. Starting salaries in these types of fields often very but make $30,000-$45,000 to start. However, many people who major in religion go into fields where they make the world a better place, saying that that fact matters more than money.

Next, learn more about this college major such as What Types of Skills Are Best for a Religion Major? and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as When to Start Applying for a Summer Internship.

What is an Accounting Major and is it Right for Me?

If you’ve always been good at math and seeing trends and patterns in numbers, and you consider yourself a skilled communicator who can relay complex data analysis to others, then an accounting major (and career path) may be for you.

Accountants look at financial trends to consult nonprofits, governments and businesses on how to best do their jobs and run their organizations. These analyses must be detailed, complex and data-heavy, allowing people to gain valuable insights from them.

What is an accounting major?

Accounting majors learn how to maintain financial accounts. It prepares students to be accountants by teaching them about accounting principles like auditing, reporting, budgeting and tax regulations.

Is it right for me?

Because accountants could be responsible for an organization’s financial well-being, accountants need to be able to pay close attention to detail and handle large amounts of data at a time. One wrong error or misfiled document could lead to big problems for a company or organization.

To figure out if an accounting career could be in your future, here are several key questions to consider:

  • Am I detail-oriented? Do I pay attention to detail without anyone asking me to?
  • Am I good with numbers? Does working with large sets of data excite or intimidate me?
  • Do I like working with things like balance sheets, profitability forms and tax filings? Do I have confidence in filling out forms like these and presenting them on behalf of a company, nonprofit or government entity?
  • Am I able to see and analyze patterns in large amounts of data and relay that information to people who may not be as well-acquainted with the data as I am?

What can I do with an accounting degree?

Just because you start off crunching numbers doesn’t mean you have to spend your entire job or career doing just that. Accountants have the ability to choose whether or not to work in the public or private sector as well as if they want to work on the more business-oriented side of any company. If you’re looking to go into business and want an analytical edge on the competition, an accounting degree could be perfect for you.

What do accountants make?

The amount you’ll make with an accounting degree depends on the type of company you pursue as well as how far you decide to continue your education. College students who graduate with a degree in accounting make a median salary of $50,500. For people who choose to continue their education and become Certified Public Accountants (CPA), the median salary is $73,800, and it can climb to well over $124,000 per year. Additionally, those with a CPA certification make 5% to 15% more than their non-CPA counterparts.

Next, learn more about this college major such as the Types of Internships for Accounting Majors and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as When to Start Applying for a Summer Internship.

What Types of Skills Are Best for a Philosophy Major?

Philosophy majors do a whole lot more besides sitting in a room and thinking big thoughts. It requires the ability to be a strong reader, clear and concise writer and so much more. What sorts of skills have the best philosophy majors mastered? Here are the top three skills you’ll need to succeed in this major.

Critical thinking and problem-solving skills

Being good at “logic” is about knowing how to look at a problem and reason through it. Philosophy majors spend lots of time looking at big issues and slowing working their way through the problem to find a solution.

Even if the questions they’re tackling are broad and abstract, the best philosophy majors are those who are dedicated to solving the biggest problems the world has encountered. Even if you won’t actually get to work on those issues during your time in college, understanding how to sort through huge problems is a must.

Reading and writing skills

The philosophy major will challenge your reading abilities, especially because many of the texts you’ll be tackling will be older, very complicated and/or translated from a different language. Thus, the most successful philosophy majors are those who can read quickly and well while taking impeccable notes.

Additionally, philosophy majors must be able to communicate their thoughts in longer papers as well as shorter reading responses. To speak about complex arguments and issues, you’ll have to be able to articulate your arguments clearly and effectively.

Communication and public speaking skills

Philosophy classes tend to be small in nature, so to be a successful major, you’ll have to be comfortable with giving your thoughts out loud to a group of peers and professors constantly. You’ll have to be confident in your ideas while also being willing to hear from others. And because you’ll be speaking often, you’ll have to make sure you’re prepared before you head into class.

Next, learn more about this college major such as What is a Philosophy Major and is it Right for Me? and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as 6 Ways to Impress Your New Boss.

What is a Natural Sciences Major and is it Right for Me?

Interested in science but not sure exactly what you’d like to study? Do you like the idea of learning about a large number of science-related topics at once? Want a major that can be applicable to the real world and help you solve challenges people encounter every day? If so, a natural sciences major may be for you.

What is a natural sciences major?

How does majoring in natural sciences differ from majoring in a specific type of science (such as biology, chemistry, physics, astronomy, geology or microbiology)? Natural sciences programs are usually interdisciplinary, covering several sciences at once.

Additionally, natural sciences majors don’t just learn in the classroom; many work in labs or do on-the-ground work. Many natural sciences departments also require their majors to take on a research project (like a capstone or thesis) during the last year or two of college as a way to synthesize everything they’ve learned and apply it to a particular problem or area of study.

Another crucial consideration is what you hope to do after college. Many natural sciences majors go on to graduate school to receive a Masters, Ph.D. or other certification, so you’ll have to think about whether you’d be interested in going to grad school if your specific area of study strongly encourages or requires more schooling.

Is it right for me?

Think this major may be for you? Here are some key questions to ask yourself.

  • Do I have strong math and science skills? Am I confident that I could perform well in a number of different science-related subject areas like biology, physics and chemistry?
  • Am I ready to concentrate, minor or double major in another subject (most likely science-related) in addition to a broader natural sciences degree?
  • Am I willing to spend extra time taking lab classes and also working in a lab over the course of my college years
  • Do I like spending large amounts of time collecting and interpreting data? Am I okay with spending summers or other school breaks conducting research?
  • Am I interested in ending my college career with a research project like a capstone or thesis?

What can I do with a natural sciences degree?

Natural sciences majors use their degree as a springboard into a number of different fields. Some go into research in a particular area of science, while others may choose a health- or medicine-related track.

Once armed with a natural sciences degree, graduates have gone on to any number of science-related careers including:

  • physician assistants
  • doctors
  • nurses
  • therapists
  • educators
  • technical writers
  • engineers
  • chemical or material scientists
  • professors
  • forensic science technicians
  • surveyors
  • biologists
  • … and more

What do people who majored in natural sciences earn?

While you may need to attend graduate school to maximize your salary, natural sciences majors tend to do well financially after graduation. For example, a senior geologist makes a median salary of $93,000, and a clinical data manager can make a salary of well over $100,000.

Next, learn more about this college major such as What Types of Skills Are Best for a Natural Sciences Major? and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as How Do I Get a Job in Another City or State?