<p>I tried majoring in bio but I hated it. I really like political science and history and was thinking about double majoring in those. I've always been smarter than most people and I know I can handle majoring in whatever I want. Would it be completely stupid for me to major in what I like when I have the potential for a lot more? I'm scared I won't be able to get a job and will regret my decision. I know I want to get my masters and I just want to make like $50,000 a year</p>
<p>What would be your alternative? Bio majors are no more employable than political science majors, so you are not “losing” anything by switching. Just make sure to start building a resume with relevant internships and summer jobs, so that you have some employable experience by the time you send out those job applications.</p>
<p>If you want to pick a double major for Poli Sci, the best route to go is Economics. Those two majors go hand in hand. A lot of things in Economics has to do with Economic policy. Whether it’s the Federal Budget, Unemployment, Industry Growth, inflation, etc. The other good thing about economics is that you can also enter the Finance sector, whether it be Investment Banking, Commercial Banking, Real Estate, Day Trading, or even something in the public sector, like state budget analysis, Federal Reserve, IMF,etc.</p>
<p>50K, depending on what kind of life you want for yourself, isn’t much.</p>
<p>I echo the comments of the fellow above me; pair it with something a bit more quantitative. Perhaps minor in statistics, if you enjoy Poli Sci, I can not imagine you would completely hate statistics.</p>
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<p>Context is everything. Assuming the majority of people are working within their fields, bio majors are hardly doing bad.</p>
<p>I’m in macroeconomics right now and I am not really liking it. The statistics minor is not a bad idea though. Thanks.</p>
<p>I just wanted to double major in history because I like it and would always have the option of becoming a history teacher.</p>
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What context? Biology majors without advanced degrees don’t seem to be doing all that well compared to other college majors. According to payscale.com, bio majors earn on average less than literature, philosophy or political science majors, both early and mid-career. <a href=“http://www.payscale.com/best-colleges/degrees.asp[/url]”>http://www.payscale.com/best-colleges/degrees.asp</a></p>
<p>A bio major is profitable when it serves as a stepping stone for a career in the health professions or biotechnology. That’s not a path that the OP seems to be interested in though.</p>
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<p>The problem with your logic is that there are very very very few openings in social studies education right now across the country.</p>
<p>You’re kidding, right? There are literally thousands of schools. She’s bound to find a job somewhere.</p>
<p>Well also my logic is that I won’t be looking for a job for quite a few years. I am a college freshman. I want to get a Masters and would need a teaching credential. That takes awhile. The economy might just get better in that amount of time. Also, teachers do retire. It would just be nice to keep that option open.</p>
<p>B@r!um: I wanted to become a veterinarian because I love animals and didn’t just want to find a job with a BS in biology.</p>
<p>@XaviFM - No, I’m not kidding. The social studies education field is extremely saturated, and even veteran teachers are having trouble finding positions. This is all across the country, too. Math and science have the best job prospects. I’m going into education, I know what’s going on.</p>
<p>OP - I’m also concerned that you see teaching as a “back up plan”. The education field is a very demanding one, and if you’re only going into teaching because you think it’s a safe back up (to which I say good luck with that…), I think you should re-evaluate your plan. However, if you’re keeping teaching as a backup because you’re genuinely passionate about teaching, then more power to you!</p>
<p>Teaching is not my back up plan. I want another option I can turn to that I like if I decide that working in the state department or something similar is not something I want to pursue. For most of my life I wanted to become a teacher. I think I might actually try to become one of the economy gets better in like 5 yrs. i really like history and would really enjoy teaching.</p>
<p>@riku92mr: two points (1) at UW job fairs they’re actively recruiting as far away as the East Coast trying to pay more and more to get people to work as primary teachers. Tons of jobs. People in WA State aren’t lacking for jobs. Also (2) [Center</a> on Education and the Workforce - Georgetown University](<a href=“http://cew.georgetown.edu/]Center”>http://cew.georgetown.edu/) Education gets jobs. Not good jobs. But they all get jobs. There’s some private schools offering to pay $15,000 up front towards a M.Ed. here in Seattle to recruit teachers.</p>
<p>Also, slight note. Something cannot be extremely saturated.</p>
<p>Go for what you like, but go with a broad rather than specialized degree to maximize your options for graduate studies and jobs (e.g. biology instead of cognitive neuroscience or history instead of Southeast Asian prehistory, etc, you get the idea). You have to spend all day 5 days per week doing it, so you might as well major in what you like to get a job you would like rather than something that offers more money or more flashy titles.</p>
<p>I agree that there are many opportunities for teachers out there from what I’ve seen.</p>
<p>The saturation comment made laugh.</p>
<p>Hope you pursue what you enjoy and find it works out well!</p>
<p>I highly suggest OP looks at the reality instead of these studies. Primary teachers have a completely different demand than middle and high school teachers. They are not comparable. The problem with your study is that it lumps elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, career training schools, and other education-related industries into one group. You are NOT seeing the reality from that study.</p>
<p>There are hundreds of teachers without jobs right now. Supply is way greater than demand, especially in English and social studies. Do you know how many social studies positions New York is looking to fill for the next school year? Four. (see OLAS)</p>
<p>Only on CC do you find people who throw studies around and claim to know what they’re talking about. I’m going into the education field. Countless professors, teachers, and other professionals are all saying what I’m saying. But OP, if you would like to dismiss what I’m saying, feel free. I wish you luck.</p>
<p>All I’m saying is don’t put all your eggs in one unstable basket.</p>
<p>@Xavi - I really have no response to your saturation comment. Get over yourself.</p>
<p>Something cannot be extremely saturated. It can be over-saturated, as in beyond the point of saturation. Such nonsensical statements belie a lack of understanding of the root word. I’m sure in my life I’ve made many such wrongheaded statements; if not for correction at any points in my life I’d still think it was okay to continue to make the errors I’d made previously. Correction has prevented my relative ignorance from enduring long-term. I’m glad that I’m not one of those people that uses modifiers on the word unique (either it’s unique or it is not), or completely confuses apocalypse with the word armageddon.</p>
<p>But yes, you are correct. The study doesn’t differentiate between grade levels of educators. In WA State, the licensure requirements go for K-8 and also for 7-12, so there is overlap. Also, as in every state in the Union, someone can teach with a BA at any level in a private school sans licensure.</p>
<p>@XaviFM - I’m aware that something cannot be extremely saturated. I’ve taken chemistry; I know what saturated means. But the difference between you and I is that I don’t care. I guess I’m being hypocritical because I’m a grammar nazi when it comes to you’re/your, its/it’s, their/they’re/there, etc. My literature professor last semester said “Don’t take language too seriously,” and he is absolutely right. And I don’t.</p>
<p>Private schools can set their own rules for certification requirements. Some require it, others do not.</p>
<p>Education is a very fickle field right now, so I don’t think one study can accurately portray the current state of affairs. In my opinion, the best resource is to actually go to teachers who have experience.</p>
<p>I understand your position (although not your Literature professor’s), but if my very limited experience with your general geographic area is correct then we are in very different demographic areas. I believe that Long Island has a much older population than Seattle, so there is likely not as big a market for primary instructors. Also, with a more established Catholic Church and schools staffed by Nuns, I’m sure there are fewer positions even among the otherwise depressed market. While I know that it is a much more populated area, that means there are more potential teachers. Seattle doesn’t look like that.</p>
<p>I assure you that there are tons of ads all over UW for teaching jobs, there is a sizable contingent of schools trying to peddle their state licensure programs (especially expensive private schools) and there are ads on television every day for budget public options such as [Online</a> College Washington - Washington University - WGU Washington](<a href=“http://washington.wgu.edu%5DOnline”>http://washington.wgu.edu) while we have lectures preempted by UW Student representatives asking for people to come to teaching workshops or to be sure to check out the jobs presentations. There is a boom of Education jobs in Seattle. In our Gubernatorial race even the Republican is running on a platform of cutting spending everywhere else so he can increase education spending. </p>
<p>(BTW, we are 100% assured that the next Governor of Washington will be a UW Department of Economics graduate)</p>
<p>I had a job at a parks department program refereeing basquetbol and there is a former museum that is 100+ years old that was turned back into a school to house some sort of Islamic charter school. They didn’t have enough space to put the school and didn’t have capital to construct a new building. I mentioned this to a classmate of mine and the reply was that the Muslim Student Association was trying to recruit hijabi women to teach at that school and others.</p>
<p>Seattle is importing aerospace people from Spain (like my Father), as well as computer people from around the globe. These people are coming with their kids. A classmate of mine had a family with 1 husband, 2 wives and 6 kids move in next door so he could work at Microsoft.</p>