Changing majors as a senior?

Hello,
I know that this question has been posted multiple times by other people, but I just wanted to see what people think in my situation.
So I am an undergraduate student at an Ivy League University and I am currently pursuing a degree in Urban Planning. Even though I will be a senior next semester, I have only been here for about a year (I’m a transfer student). In my case I haven’t changed my major once yet, until now where I am getting to see that the program that I am in at my current school is quite bad. Don’t get me wrong the school itself is great, but the program I am in is not as good as I expected it to be. For example, many of the professors who are supposed to be teaching us are on sabbatical and instead we are getting visiting lecturers and graduate/PhD students teaching upper devision classes! Another thing is that our major specific classes are not even being given and instead we are supposed to fulfill them with liberal arts classes. So I guess what I am saying is that I am very disappointed with the program (along with most of the other students in the program) and I am not learning much. I could continue and graduate in a year with an OK GPA (3.5). But I have been thinking about it and have been wondering whether it is even worth it.
I am interested in sustainable urban develop and how the built environment affects people’s health. As you see I am interested in the more environmental/ scientific aspect of urban development and am planning to pursue a health science/engineering related field for graduate school. But as I learned, it is quite difficult to pursue a science related field for graduate school if one doesn’t have a bachelors in it. I have taken some classes in Bio/Math etc. but still need more to show my interest and capability in science. So would it be a bad idea to change majors now and go into something like Environmental Engineering at a different college(probably public/state)? I know it takes a while, but I could probably figure something out about the finances.

In my opinion…you have transferred once already for undergrad. Stay put…and get your bachelors…it’s only one more year.

Then…either get a job and figure out what to do next…or apply to grad school.

Don’t transfer again.

Many colleges limit changing major or transferring as a senior, due to the high likelihood of delayed graduation. Of course, each college’s policy needs to be checked individually.

on the other hand…you don’t want a degree you don’t feel confident in…particularly if you feel your true interests are moving in another direction. Be true to yourself and pursue what you think you could make a satisfying career out of.

Follow your own gut. Listen to yourself.

@MaryGJ

Sure…this student needs to be true to what he wants to do…but he is ONE year away from getting a bachelors.

The reality is that many college grads,get jobs that are NOT directly related to their undergrad major. In addition, he could decide to go to grad school.

I’m sorry…but he says he needs to transfer AGAIN…if he switches majors…and really, he just transferred to THIS school.

I say…get the degree,and then move on.

I am concerned about too much transferring. One option is to pursue a Master’s degree in a field that is related to your Bachelor’s, but not identical. I think that you should seriously consider finishing your Bachelor’s where you are, but taking enough classes to cover what you need to apply for a Master’s degree program in your intended field.

Regardless keep ahead in your classes, keep your grades up. This will help keep options open.

I am also wondering if you should try to talk to a professor in your most desired field in a university that teaches it. I have seen some cases (not many) where students have searched online and also asked around and found professors who were doing research in a specific area that they wanted to go into, and been able to start an email conversation. The message might be “I am very interested in what you are doing, how do I get more involved (whether at the undergraduate level, or at the Master’s level after I complete my degree)?”. The obvious hope is that the professor will end up helping you to complete whatever is needed to get to go to their university as a Master’s degree student.

By the way, I think that your OP is a classic example of how students should not be just looking for an Ivy League university, but instead should be looking for a university that is a good match for what they want to do.

I think you should stay put and graduate from your current school. You could apply to graduate programs in public health/environmental engineering… once you are reasonably sure.

Given that this poster has the brains to get into an Ivy League school and some very specific ideas about his/her interests…I’m confident he/she will get good counsel from people with better insight into particular programs of interest…and weight the pros and cons of either decision. Write some letters, make some calls, talk to people who are doing the kind of work they’d like to do.

To me…“Be safe and get a degree you don’t want” is advice you give to a kid who is sort of a screw up, who doesn’t have a lot of options, whose best shot is completing something…anything.

That’s not who this kid is. This kid has options and a really specific vision of what he/she wants to do.

And s/he’s right. If s/he wants to go to grad school for science, s/he needs a science degree.

Did people skip over this? This is weird! If OP stays they might not even be getting the education that goes with the degree.

If my kid wanted to change majors with only one year left… and it meant taking longer ( and more $) to finish undergrad… I would not be happy ( putting it mildly). I would encourage my kid to finish the degree in 4 years and possibly work for a year and figure it out for sure. The OP could take the necessary prerequisites for a masters in environmental engineering.

Like, let me repeat.

The OP says some major classes are not being offered, and are instead being replaced by random liberal arts courses.

That kind of “education” will not prepare them for any kind of engineering anything in the future.

The school is not offering the classes that are necessary for the major? Weird…

To those who believe I should stay just to ‘complete’ the degree and get it over with, I have something to say. That is, Ivy League education is expensive! Well at least for me it is…It is about 6k per semester, whereas if I went to a public school, it would less than half of that( I’m in NYS). So I could be getting 2 years out of one year I spend at my current school. But either way, I do understand where you are coming from; that is my main dilemma, its only one more year…
And yes! It is strange that they don’t offer the classes they advertise they have. I think it is because the program’s lack of funding. All of it goes to the Architecture department.

Personal note to:

twogirls: Thank you for your thoughtful input. I greatly appreciate your effort. And yes, I am the classic example of just choosing a school by its reputation. But don’t get me wrong, the program itself did appear much better than it actually is! So I thought it would be an improvement from my previous school.

MaryGJ: Thank you, I appreciate your supportive outlook! And I am thinking of all the possible implications of either option. As you say it is difficult to enter the science field at the masters level. And I don’t want to make a regrettable mistake (as most people don’t) by ‘staying safe’, as you put it and not doing anything. But again, I could just be over-fearful

I don’t think Environmental Engineering is what you want. Here is a program which sounds a lot more like what you are describing:

http://sphhp.buffalo.edu/epidemiology-and-environmental-health/education/environmental-health-mph/requirements-and-curriculum.html

Given that you still have another year, it seems like the pre-reqs are probably doable for you where you are now:

http://sphhp.buffalo.edu/epidemiology-and-environmental-health/education/environmental-health-mph/admissions.html

You need to make your current major work and graduate next year. Unless you are in an approved 5 year program or can afford to pay full freight to change majors and take what you want there will be no more financial aid after the end of your senior year whether or not you complete the degree.

If you think paying 12k is a stretch, where are you going to get 70K?

Did you do your due diligence as far as your major was concerned; class sequences, which terms the courses were given and whether or not you were going to be able to finish in 2 years or were you just chasing a big name school?

Hmmm I think the OP has me confused with another poster… But that’s OK.

I agree that obtaining FA for a 5th year of undergrad won’t work. FA ends after senior year. So… I think the OP needs to finish his degree and then think about what will come next.

We can offer all sorts of opinions and advice here on CC. But- you really need a nice long discussion with your college advisor. You need to check on what you need for a different major and have information to discuss before this visit. Do your homework on the practical aspects of taking the needed courses for a different major.

The finances can be a real issue. Perhaps you want more courses than you can fit into a standard graduation timeframe or financially. It may be in your best interest to complete a major at your current school on time then work and take courses elsewhere to prepare for a grad school program. If finances are not an issue figure out how many extra semesters would be required to meet goals.

Our son was younger (gifted) and surprised us with adding (finishing) a second major a week or two before his scheduled graduation from our flagship. He was able to cancel graduation and add the second major. Affordable for us. He then went on to work instead of grad school with his first major (honors math) enhancing his computer science jobs.

Do not lose heart. Life is full of the unexpected and you still will end up where you are meant to be with a career. Right now it is frustrating but you will do okay. Good luck to you.

^^^THIS.

See your advisor right away and figure out what you can do to graduate with your major and if possible, work in other courses that are related to what you think you want to do now.

Don’t get yourself into a situation where you have a lot of debt and no degree because you can’t afford to finish.