<p>I'm in love with Psychology and set on declaring it as my major. I'm having a dilemma though. I want to double major but I'm torn between two other loves - biology and graphic design. </p>
<p>If I did graphic design, I could really hone my skills and become an amazing artist. Then I would plan on starting my own freelance business on the side while I pursue my PhD in Psychology. It would be another way to earn money and its something I really love. Art classes aren't my favorite but I think that gritting my teeth and getting through them will make me a better artist. I love art for arts sake and sometimes classes ruin that feeling for me, but I'm willing to get past it in order to be the best I can be. I already have quite a bit of experience in graphic design, but I still need formal training.</p>
<p>Then there's biology. I absolutely am fascinated by biology. I love all the classes, I love the homework, I get so excited about studying organic chemistry or microbiology for exams. I'm a weirdo about it. I'm a little scared about the math requirements. I'm going to have to self-teach myself all of my high school math again because I basically coasted through it without understanding anything. I'm sure if I put the effort in I could re-learn it all, but I'm scared that there isn't enough time. I need to be in Calculus in order to take the chemistry courses I need. So that's a worry. I also don't want to go into psychiatry. I don't know what I would do with the biology, I just know that its a really big love of mine. </p>
<p>So I'm torn. Both choices are going to take effort - Math for the biology and getting through drawing and painting classes for the graphic design. Which sounds the most reasonable? Which would you do if you were me? Any tips on how to make a good choice?</p>
<p>Eh, psychology is pretty much applied biology, but mostly focused on the brain. I’d personally go for the art.</p>
<p>Also, a pHD in psychology is a pretty big commitment. I’d take some fun classes while you can.</p>
<p>People who study graphic design do far more than take a few fun art classes. It is a committment to a range of art studies, plus the gen ed’s that give you the knowledge and perspective to create functional works. Then, they go through a contact-making phase (a journeyman period,) in order to earn the work that will eventually support them. They might minor in psychology, out of interest.<br>
Most psych majors require biology and other sciences, as the discipline is about the functioning of the brain. Most PhD programs, IMO, will be more inclined toward an applicant who has mastered the sciences. IMO, a bio minor makes sense. You take the math classes you need in college. Eg, a pre-med often takes chem (or bio) and calculus feshman year. The PhD program is intense. I have to wonder if you understand how hard it will be to divide your graduate study years between the committment art (and earning money from it) takes and the committment psychology PhD studies will demand. If you said, art minor, “just because,” that would be one thing. To tie it into a semi-career while getting a PhD…I think you need to carefully evaluate. Most PhD students are happy to have the high-paying grad student jobs underwritten by the university.</p>
<p>I fully understand that PhD programs are difficult. I plan on doing undergraduate research in psychology and am maintaining a high GPA right now. I’m also interning for a marketing design team right now. Last semester I interned for a web design company. I have experience in graphic design and know how hard it is. I know PhD programs are time consuming, but will it really not allow me to take on a few projects on the side each week? Working on graphic design calms me. It is a release for me. Even if I’m just playing with typography or making advertisements or designing a web layout…it makes me happy. It gives me that excited feeling in my stomach that I rarely get. I will obviously put my PhD studies first and not take on too much work, but do you really think that it is impossible to make some money with graphic design on the side? </p>
<p>Most PhD programs don’t expect a high level of biology taken during undergrad, unless its leaning in the neuroscience direction. Right?</p>
<p>I, too, find comfort in art. I’ll play devil’s advocate here; just think of this as some adult offering another perspective. Talk with folks, see what’s feasible for you.</p>
<p>Depending on the classes, labs, your research, the sort of info-collecting and the partnerships, psych demands on your time can trump what’s left for a design job. </p>
<p>I knew grad students with part-time ventures on the side; even those done at home (editing, writing, reviewing) had deadlines, meetings (often across town,) last minute revisions, etc. Those with school jobs could compartmentalize their time better and had a certain legitimacy. “Can’t meet with you then Prof X; I am TA’ing” is diff than, “I have a design project due tomorrow.” </p>
<p>I picked two schools at random. UCLA: core required for the first two years: three parts: a two-quarter statistics series; four courses selected from among special offerings in each of the seven areas; and a two or three quarter research sequence. In the latter, the student designs, conducts, and writes up a research project under the direction of two faculty members. Core-program work is completed by the end of the second year.</p>
<p>Rutgers: become involved in research during their first semester and continue their research while they complete required and elective courses. Candidacy for doctorate…following successful completion of course requirements, a master’s thesis, and the qualifying examination…designed as a 5-year program. Only those individuals willing to work full-time toward the doctorate are encouraged to apply.</p>
<p>Good luck. Don’t give up the art. It is still possible to keep your hand in it, just consider paying the bills via a cushy grad school job.</p>
<p>littlesurfergirl, are you even in college? stressing about a possible double major, or minor, when you haven’t enrolled in a 4 year school is slightly getting ahead of yourself. you might realize that you like the idea of graphic design, psych, or biology, and end up doing the complete opposite. Unfortunately, if your main plans are to pursue a phd in psych, that will become your life during undergrad.
graphic design is not something that you can just do on your free time. any decent school with a decent program will require you to spend so much time on homework, even more so than possibly studying psych and bio together at the undergrad level. design is a business. it is not about what you want to do, it’s about doing what you’re told to do by an employer. even if you were to run a side gig, you still cater to clients, not to your own “interests”.</p>
<p>with all said, i think it be smarter to go for psych and graphic design. i think on a resume, graphic design can take you further if you decide to have a career change. it could take you into advertising, publishing, marketing etc.</p>