<p>I am guessing that other parents sometimes question their child's choice of majors. I have a freshman dance major. She is quite passionate about her art, she has been quite serious for many years and absolutely loves it. She can't imagine anything but majoring in dance. My question and this can pertain to many other degrees, art, musical theatre etc, what is your feeling about dbl-majoring so there is something to "fall back on." I hate thinking that way but with almost any field these days securing a good paying job is becoming more and more difficult let alone for those pursuing art based degrees. The one problem with this is my DD would like to perform for some time before eventually working in a studio. So she really can not afford to wait too much after pursuing a 4 year degree and so dbl majoring will take her an additional 18months or so is my estimate. She is looking into teaching as a second degree. I am guessing after performing in her field she could eventually finish up at a later time but just wanting some opinions.</p>
<p>I’m a big proponent of fine arts majors doubling with a more employable major. The one concern is the additional time to graduate. Business is a good one to fall back on and if she starts her own studio it will come in handy.</p>
<p>I think business is a great degree for artists - even if they stay artists it’s useful. I knew one artist who spent most of the year being an artists, but every Jan - April did taxes.</p>
<p>I definitely agree that a back-up major or minor is a good idea. I like Erin’s Dad’s idea of business as a dual major or as a minor. For other ideas, from just searching “dance therapy college major” I saw that some schools have majors in dance therapy - dual major in dance and psychology. Some colleges have a 5 year program in dance and occupational therapy. How about an arts management major/minor?</p>
<p>On the other hand, if she is good enough to be employed as a performing dancer, why go to college at all right now? Universities will always be there.</p>
<p>My S who graduated in May of 2010 did dual mathematical economics/dance majors. So far dance has kept him employed. Because of his rehearsal schedule, he has picked up tutoring/teaching English part time jobs. </p>
<p>His same aged female friend at the same college did dual majors with dance as one. She is currently working on a cruise ship.</p>
<p>I was a dance major for a year, then I made the same discovery as a pp… why was I in college when what I wanted to do was perform. I dropped out and pursued that dream. Later on I went back to school and got a degree in economics. </p>
<p>If her dream is to dance, she should pursue that while she’s young. It’s not an art that can wait - dancers usually retire before 30.</p>
<p>Regarding the “why go to college…” of post #5. Any adult can go to college at any age but it is a lot easier to do the academics when fresh from HS and the peer group is the same age. The university experience is something best had as a young adult. Better to forgo professional dancing or any other career that will always be there (you can keep in condition while a student). Older students often have other conflicts- careers, spouses and children to compete with the college experience and make it tougher to study.</p>
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<p>As a business school prof I just want to add that these sort of statements make me wince. While it shouldn’t be this way, there is little that a undergrad degree that prepares you to run your own small business or to be an entrepreneur. It prepares you to be a cog in a corporation.</p>
<p>Someone I work with majored in art (is a sculptor) and accounting. He has said that he is very glad of that now that he is making a lot of money because he is able to understand what his lawyers and accountants and managers are up to.</p>
<p>Starbright, are you saying that taking financial analysis and accounting is not a good idea for someone wanting to start a business?</p>
<p>I agree with Starbright and I also teach in a school of business. They need to know bookkeeping not financial accounting as taught in a college of business. Unimaginative cogs are what a school of business create.</p>
<p>There is also another saying that goes around - if you have a fallback plan, you’ll end up using it.</p>
<p>A business degree will not help you run a business. You’ll learn big business theories. </p>
<p>While you may want that first college experience for your dd - her interests and what makes sense for them don’t necessarily fit for a traditional college experience. </p>
<p>Maybe I’m wrong, but back in my day, dance majors ended up teaching dance, not necessarily performing. But owning a dance studio could be a fabulous goal for someone - some dance studios put on the most creative shows and not just that end of year recital where you bring out one group of little kids after another. </p>
<p>BTW… have you seen that show Dance Moms?! eegads - that will scare the crap out of any parent or dance teacher!</p>
<p>Couldn’t a fall-back plan end up as a cluster of courses that could turn into another major by senior year if D changes her mind, or even after, by giving her the background to take courses that are vocationally oriented after graduation?</p>
<p>I think lots of students keep fall-back plans in mind, and not just those majoring in performing arts. (Incidentally, it seems to me that classes in performing arts teach skills that are useful in a wide variety of ocupations and can be far more practical than a scattering of large lecture classes.) </p>
<p>Most pre-meds are advised to have a fall-back plan in case they do not get into medical school, for example. I do have to wonder what will happen to humanities and social science majors whose fall-back plan was law school, though, as was so often the case a generation ago… For the moment, we are seeing lots of post-bac certificate programs that prepare for the CPA exam, fwiw.</p>
<p>Thanks so much for all of the responses. She chose to go to college because at 18 she didn’t quite feel prepared to head out into the dance world quite yet. She felt that she still needs more training. We went to a seminar with someone who has been employed in the dance field for years and she told us that casting agents do want to cast someone with litttle life experience, fresh out of high school. It does make the dance career quite short. She has always loved performing and would like to do so for awhile after she graduates and then start her own studio. She feels if she is able to make it and have a career in the dance world that it will make her more marketable later on. She feels that having done x,y,z then parents would feel she is more qualified. Just her thoughts on this. She was thinking of dbl majoring in history and dance, something else she truly loves and she does like teaching dance or otherwise.</p>
<p>I guess I am sort of practical and think that some type of trade would be good to pair. I knew someone who was playwriter but did data entry to put food on his table. If your child has any computer skills then webpage work is another possibility or CAD designer. Teacher is an obvious one. Even accounting seems like a possiblity.</p>