College Majors Thread

The purpose of this thread is to talk about your current college major (and minor if you have assigned yourself any). If you do not mind, list a reason you chose it.

I shall begin.

I am majoring in computer science and I chose this program because I would like to learn more about mathematics and computers. I have an idea about what I would like to involve myself with in the next ten years and this is the way I have decided to go about accomplishing that goal.

I have a Bachelors of Arts and Science, emphasis in Philosophy. I started my education in catholic seminary and after I left I opted to just finish up the degree I already started.

I have a B.A. in Biology, and right now I'm working on a B.S. in Medical Technology. Because in every other state a Biology degree can get you certified to work in a medical lab, but not in New York (as of 2012). Thanks New York, Bio and Med Tech are the same thing.

BSc Maths, MS Statistics, PhD Logic.

I got my B.S in Criminal Justice with a minor in Psychology
I originally planned to go to law school, but I ended up getting a fairly decent job right out of college.

I love being in criminal justice field ,but if I could go back I would have found a better way of going about doing it. I'm definitely where I belong, I just think it was a bit of a waste of time to get a degree to do something I was perfectly capable of doing without one. The best thing getting my B.S in Criminal Justice did was set me up with good contacts and references. That's how the world works though, I suppose.

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Didn't really have a reason. I wrestled in high school, got scholarships, then decided not to take them and leave wrestling behind. Not knowing what to do I looked up lists of like top 10 hardest degrees and shit like that and engineering was pretty much unanimously on top.

My main problems are that I've decided on this major and that I'm very stubborn. I pretty much found out I really don't like programming,though I've been doing it for a couple years now and know c++,Java, and php now. But I also really don't want to change majors.

Have a major in geography. Didn't do anything with that so I'm doing pharmaceutical science now.

Did math and economics as an undergrad. Doing grad work in economics atm.

I do economics mainly because it's math applied to questions I'm interested in.

Currently working on getting my Associate of Arts degree at my community college, I plan to transfer in the fall to Ohio State to get my Bachelor's Degree in English and writing.

Got my Associate's Degree in Computer Networking. Love what I do for a living.

got a bs in computer engineering w/ hardware focus because computers are fucking cool

Switched from somewhat of a big university was going for my BA in ISM switched to a community college and going for my associates in computer information systems hope to get my a degree in programming in the next two year.

Currently finishing up my last year of undergrad study in Creative Writing and Psychology. I find psych extremely interesting, and I love to write. I'm hoping to pursue Psychology in graduate school, and get my bad novel finished one of these days.

I graduated university in 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts in Religious and Asian Studies. I went on to become a Security Guard, then Warehouseperson/Delivery Driver, and now, in less than a week, I am going to begin training to become an OTR truck driver.

Had you asked me while I was attending university if I saw myself becoming a truck driver as a career, I probably would have just laughed. At that time I thought I'd get my Masters and Doctorate and become a professor. One of my professors at the time sat me down and gave me the "straight shit" about being a professor, and how, after the 5 years of graduate work, you'll still likely be underneath the senior professors, doing their research for them, rather than your own, and will definitely not get your choice in places where you work (you basically have to find one of the very few openings and hope you get hired).

While the academic life was appealing, it just wasn't for me in the long run. I was good at it, but it just didn't fulfill me on a more fundamental level. So I went looking elsewhere for a "job" (needed to pay bills as I had just moved out), got stuck in security because it paid more than minimum wage but not enough to really move anywhere nice. I was good at security, but again, it didn't fulfill me. So I got work at a local concession supply company.

And that's where I found my calling. Sitting behind the wheel of a diesel-powered freight hauler rolling down the open highway. The reason why I'm still not working there now is because the management decided that instead of negotiating with me over better compensation for the work I was doing (and providing proper equipment for the work required of me), they would just fire me. I was working 14 hour days, getting paid $11.50/hr up to 8 (for work that paid between $16-18/hr at comparable companies) and over the year and a half I worked there, was never paid out for any of the overtime that I banked (despite by law, them being required to pay it out every 3 months).

So I left, spent the summer and fall looking for local work (either driving jobs or otherwise) and no one would call me back. So I gave up and started undertaking the process to becoming a trucker (the provincial auto licensing and insurance authority offers a sponsorship program for tuition). I got sponsorship from a local flat-deck hauling company that works routes to Illinois/Michigan and into Alberta (p/u in the US for delivery to MB/SK/AB) and will, in mid-March, start working.

Making 35 cpm, running 3200-3500 miles a week, home every 5-6 days (leave Sundays, home Friday), with 1 cpm raises every 3 months, driving a Peterbilt 378 flat top... I couldn't be happier. I didn't want to settle for one of those dry van only carriers running auto-only equipment. I want to work hard and face a different challenge every day.

- Bacehlor of Arts majoring in Cinema and Anthropology.

- Juris Doctor (essentially a Masters degree in Law) + a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice.

The combination is fun, since I've had job interviews where, for example, a judge ignored all of the legal stuff and wanted to talk about Humphrey Bogart films instead.

Currently in my 2nd year(4th semester) for a B.S. in Biology. Specifically, Pre-Health Profession Biology. The only difference from a general Biology degree is that I have to take two 400-level courses (comparative anatomy and advanced mammalian physiology) that the general degree does not. I will use this degree to go to medical school.

that's a very interesting combo.

I am a Creative Writing Major with an English Minor, as well as a Business Minor. I would like to get into publishing or editing, and I think this mix of academic background will help a lot with that. Plus I like the major a lot. It's very personal and it's something I enjoy doing.

I would have probably done some sort of Computer Science major had I gone to college, although what that means looked very different back then (around 1998). Instead I ended up working at least part time since I was 16 for some extra scratch and then full time after High School. I had been tinkering with PCs my mom would bring home from IBM since I was eight and by the time I was sixteen I had built a few of my own PCs and knew enough to get a job at an office supply store in the PC department. When I turned eighteen I moved over to a used computer shop that I helped run full time (I wasn't the manager but I was the sole proprietor for about 75% to 80% of the store's open hours druing the week). I did that for about a year, when the owner decided he was either going to shut the place down or make me a partner so he could go off and do other things while I ran the shop exclusively. Margins were getting tight in that business so I decided that it was probably smarter for me to move on than hitch myself to what might have been a sinking ship so I declined and he liquidated the store.

I went to work with some friends of mine out of High School who started their own mom and pop. I was there as their lead tech for about a year before they managed to run it into the ground. Next I took a job at Egghead Software back when they had actual stores. I had that job for about six months before some family stuff came up and I had to quit to help out. After that, I worked for some other friends at their mom and pop that catered to small to medium sized businesses as their lead tech. I worked there for almost a couple years before that place eventually went under, but the contacts I made there segwayed into my first corporate job where I ran IT operations in my state for a mechanical contracting company. It was a new position that the company desperately needed, so there was a ton to do. Within about two years I had our offices in the state working very well, but for the next two years I spent all my time doing desktop support which you can only really do for so long before it starts to get to you. When a friend from the previous mom and pop told me he was working for a corporate IT consulting firm, I interviewed and took their offer and this is where I have been for the last ten years. The firm is one of the largest and most respected IT consulting firms in the world and I spend my days travelling all around the country designing complex systems for Fortune 100 and 500 companies (including about four years spent working for a major online gaming service). It's the best job I have ever had by far and I can't imagine myself doing anything else. I'm never bored because I go from customer to customer, and each time I bring a little bit more to the table because each succesful solution I deliver means I'm that much more experienced at what I do. Also, the pay is quite satisfactory because being a consultant is like being a lawyer in that every hour I work for a client is money that I make for my company so as long as my skills can justify my bill rate my company doesn't really care what they pay me.

Of course, the landscape is much different now and a lot more competitive with so many different tech degrees and new students going into tech fields straight out of college, but it goes to show that sometimes there are different paths to a career.

-Byshop

Currently an undergrad as an aerospace engineering major, because there's just about nothing cooler than designing something that can go Mach 25.

Didn't always plan on being in aerospace, but I came about choosing it when I realized that if I can't do the thing I actually wanted to do since I was a kid (be a pilot; my eyesight is unbelievably shitty), the next best thing was to actually try and design/build the damn things. I thought about doing a few other things for a while, like psychology, but I can't imagine doing anything else at this point.

These are amazing responses. The Off-Topic community has quite a diverse set of education and reasons for it all. I responded to everyone who I saw a comment from in this thread so far.

@ferrari2001: Catholic school is something worth wondering about. Related to that, I was accepted into a Church of Christ liberal arts university for the Spring 2015 semester, but I decided against it. Instead, I am aiming for a different few particular schools.

@Aquat1cF1sh: Okay. Remember to smile. =)

@loco145: Mathematics is a terrific field of study.

@UnknownSniper65: Indeed, one of the best things about college are the networks that are built by attending and getting to know the other people, there.

@Jolt_counter119: That is interesting. I read that electrical engineers usually continue their profession permanently once they learn it, so you may have found something that shall keep you occupied for the rest of your life. I am also interested in electrical engineering, though not necessarily because of the challenge.

@SOedipus: That is a huge industry.

@chessmaster1989: Economics is an important subject. It is commendable that you are studying it.

@xdude85: Concentrating on writing something very creative is probably one of the most fun things that can be done in the world. Good luck. =)

@PonchoTaco: Something fascinating about computers is how many jobs and careers can come about through utilizing them.

@comp_atkins: We have a hardware guy on OT. Awesome.

@renegadesteve: From what I have read, CIS is a great choice to learn how to manage a business.

@Allicrombie: I would like to read your book in its complete form. :)

@foxhound_fox: Life is best lived happily. Great choice.

@Planeforger: You have a great academic background. I like the idea of scientifically studying law, in particular. I like science in general, but anyway, it is interesting to know that you have attained that degree and still have time to talk about Humphrey Bogart. :P

@googleandroid: The medical industry is one of the most financially stable career fields available. Good luck to you, though you do not really need my blessing in that area. :]

@turtlethetaffer: I like reading Game Informer Editor-in-Chief Andy McNamara's letters because they can speak about the overall experiences of an entire team or comprehensively about a topic.

@Byshop: Considering the many IT jobs that list at least a Bachelor's of Science in Computer Science as the requirement for entry-level, it is impressive that you made your own way.

@LZ71: Aerospace engineering is definitely awesome as is the space industry. The latter is what I expect you are talking about when you mentioned Mach 25.

BSc in Computer Science because programming is awesome.

Gotta get my bs in mechanical engineering in two years. So far I've been hating the courses. Really prefer studying maths.

Passing final semesters for a major in mathematics. Might do a minor in computer science as well. I haven't decided that for sure. I didn't really choose mathematics, it was kinda thrown at me. Such a long, complicated and even painful story. But the choosing the minor in CS is entirely up to me.

Currently in my final year of getting an undergraduate degree in Computer Science. It seemed like the most interesting and safe decision at the time and I have no regrets. I wasn't really into computers before but I've grown into enjoying working on them and programming. Whether this will truly be my last year will depend on the next semester's workload. I'll be working on a thesis which is supposed to require great effort and commitment so I've no idea if I'll be able to pass the remaining courses needed to get my degree.

@BranKetra: I plan on going into computer science next year after getting my associates but if I turn pro in boxing next year that could give me some issues

Currently working on a BS in Computer Science. I've always loved computers and programming is a very rewarding (and sometimes pretty challenging) activity that I enjoy doing.

BSc in Computer Science, currently employed as a web designer/developer.

When get some things out of the way, I plan on doing my CISCO certifications and getting an MSc in Computer Science.

I have a B.S. in Information Systems with a minor in Finance from Purdue University (2002). I started as a biology major. I've considered going back for my MBA.

I enjoy programming, but I hate web development. I do not have an artist's eye for design, and building web pages requires that. I work mostly with financial data (accounting, budget, actuarial, data warehouses, etc.) for a Fortune 500 Insurance company.

@renegadesteve: Boxing is one of my favorite martial art styles. I trained in that style a bit as well as a few others. I intend to learn capoeira, eventually.

It is nice to know there is a high interest in computers, here. I know I am in the right place.

I am sure the importance of engineering and mathematics is going to continue growing as society becomes more automated and physical labor becomes less needed. Both of those were emphasized in SoSTEM which was on the 21st and I watched last night. It was refreshing to see new faces interested in science. Children and adolescents did a Q&A with three ISS astronauts.

How high are you going for Cisco certs?

damn lots of cs peoples

I'm majoring in Art but I'm working my way up to getting an AA degree in Psychology.

Don't know what the comparable is here for Canada, but I'm in Cegep (an intermediate step between high school and university) and am currently in the Sciences Program, doing Calculus 2, Chemistry, Physics, and some general education courses like English, Gym, etc.

No idea what I want to do once in university, or later on in general, which makes it difficult to get myself motivated. Once I get my diploma, I could go in pretty much any field from engineering to computers, and even some fields of medicine (with my current grades from Semester 1).

Problem is that, in general, everything interests me, from History to Politics, Science and Space. Took the science program because it leaves the most possible career avenues open for the future, but at some point I'll have to make a decision. I have tried dabbling into computer programming, electronics, etc., but nothing has clicked for me in a passionate way, in terms of something I want to do for a very long time. I hope I get a spark or direction figured out soon enough.

Majoring in Computer science. I've always had an interest in computers dating back to the first DOS games I ever played, and originally was aspiring to be a game programmer. Seeing as how the industry has gone largely down the crapper, and benefits and pay being weaker than other non-gaming programming fields, I changed my outlook. I quickly discovered that I had rekindled my love of games, into the love of computing itself, and the desire to continue to contribute to this wonderful craft's growth.

Currently in an AS degree for it, but I'll be transferring to UCF hopefully next spring and I'll probably be dual majoring with BS's in CS and Mathematics. Will also pursue Graduate degrees in both at a masters level, but unlikely to pursue a PHD in either unless the stars align in my favor like no tomorrow in feasibility.

@CountBleck12: What do you like about art?

@genius2365: When liking the idea of doing projects for some reason then the work related to it is fulfilling experience. Interests differ by the person, but I would say we can both agree that helping other people is a happy experience. If anything, I suggest you do volunteer work to gain some perspective on the value of your actions. When I was an active member of my boy scout troop, I worked at a soup kitchen. After that, I built relationships with children of an adopted and underprivileged families, so they could have a healthy growing environment and know that people care about them. I benefited as well by making new friends. Now, I am a volunteer for GameSpot and I feel happier knowing that I am making GameSpot a better place, overall, because of my actions. As a CS major, I am learning an education that can not only benefit myself financially, of course, and psychologically, but something that can benefit society in some way. I believe that if people work towards assisting everyone who would like to have a better life experience with opportunities for success that they might not otherwise have then there would be a greater amount of minds as a resource (not just for America) both for projects started out of necessity and luxury.

I am emphasizing that what you do is your choice and it can have an impact. Think about it.

@Mozuckint: If I recall correctly, UCF is the University of Central Florida with one of the (if not the number one) top highest student populations for a university in the United States. You have a big school waiting for you and I see your goals are set high. I am also aiming for masters programs and a Ph.D in science. I say prepare for success. College can, and often does, figure as the most important time in people's lives because it determines what a person does. A better statement would be that education is the determining factor, so studying very much throughout your undergraduate program can prepare you for the next level. That is what I am doing.

I've got another semester to go before having to declare a major. I'm at what is functionally a trade school, going for a diploma in Journalism.

I'm leaning towards a major in Photojournalism. I'm not completely sure what draws me to that. It's all in working with a subject, meeting interesting people, learning their stories, and trying to capture that in a few photos. Not to mention intimate knowledge of composition, and lighting, and how a camera deals with that.

I received a bachelor's in criminal justice. I studied it to either pursue a career in law enforcement or use it to catapult my way into a law program. I decided to become a police officer instead; less school and more fun.

Will be graduating in 11 months with a bachelor's in Accounting and a minor in Psychology.
Accounting isn't really anything I'm passionate about, but I can tolerate it and it will pay the bills. Psychology minor was just because I like the field.

My major is in the physical science(chemistry and earth science are both my major's in this program).

Still in my last year of high school, but I plan to major in information engineering.

Lots of CS people here :)

Electrical engineering..almost finished...most likely going to get PhD in computer engineering (to either design GPUs, CPUs, or do "architecture research".) or possible work in RF since my emf skills are strong. May end up doing EE for my PhD and just go into analog IC design, mixed signal systems are fascinating so there's always that.

I absolutely love my major, every day I can build new things...currently building a device to help guitar players in wheel chairs :). I just submitted my first academic research paper to a NASA/ESA conference on adaptive systems, trying to make automated analog design tools (using genetic algorithms, literally concepts of evolution applied to hardware evolution...we evolved an analog system that serves as a computational circuit, stuff is mind blowing!).

Guess I got carried away :) To sum it up, major is electrical engineering w/ minor in CS (but still doing hardware design) and plans to go to grad school.

@Mozuckint UCF has an awesome CS department, I'm a student there. Our EE program is just OK but the CS guys here seem to do very well. I originally wanted to design video game hardware as a kid, but likewise turned that passion into a love for computing hardware in general.

@BranKetra Oh yea, roughly 50,000+ population at the campuses. I would've in all honesty preferred a much smaller school, like Florida International, but I can't afford FIU's tuition fees and UCF has bar none the best CS program in the state and one of the top in the country. I am in it for the long haul trust me on that, I'll keep pushing till I can't push no more!

@achilles614 Totes! That is why I'm heading over =P. Plus UCF has an agreement with my current college to allow no questions asked admissions so I'm guaranteed entry more or less. My brother in law and sister both went to UCF as well. I just can't wait! Glad to hear we have our similarities as well.

B.S. in Psych with minors in Biology and Chemistry, with plans to get a PhD in Clinical Psych.

I have an Associates degree in Computer Science and currently working on my Bachelor's degree in Computer science. I started switching from Computer Animation(too much art involved) to History(I love history but I don't want to be a professor) and finally decided that Computer Science was my calling. I love technology and software design. The pay is not all that bad either which is why I ended up here.

I was working on an IT Administration degree. After realizing its not going to get me anywhere, I'm starting over and I plan on working towards an electrical engineering degree. I already work for a company that I plan on staying with until I retire, so that coupled with a masters in electrical engineering will put me where I should be. :)

@BranKetra: Well, I like to draw anime and video game characters so I might get into video game design or graphic design. I been working on my own knight character too here as you can see.

Hmm, really can't say as yet.

But I guess high enough to make me more marketable.