<p>*A person who would find English to be an easy major would probably have a hard time in Chemistry. And vice versa. *</p>
<p>No.</p>
<p>As long as you’re dealing with native speakers, more Chemistry majors would have high English grades than English majors would have high Chem grades. That’s the difference.</p>
<p>@mom2collegekids:</p>
<p>How on earth do you know that? I’m sure there’s never been a study published, and how many chem majors do you know who’ve tried majoring in English and gotten into upper-division classes in that subject? How many English majors do you know who took a lot of chem classes? I’m guessing not very many… I just don’t see how you can be qualified to make that assumption. Many chemistry kids would be really awful at English–they just don’t “understand” subjective subjects like English.</p>
<p>I’ve seen perhaps thousands of papers written by English majors and other students, and I had to conclude that a majority of English majors, at least at state colleges, could not write well. I was editor-in-chief of my college paper and later edited term papers and theses, sometimes to help, sometimes for pay. Papers written by science major may have been boring, but at least they were logically organized. English papers were often filled with flowery language and 4-line-long sentences that rambled on without every making a point. </p>
<p>In many English classes, one can get an A by simply writing something that appeals to the instructor’s point of view; one cannot BS a good grade in chemistry.</p>
<p>I have found it an interesting phenomenon down the line that people in various majors seem to want to believe that theirs is the “hardest”. </p>
<p>I wonder if that’s a universal thing, or more of an American thing?</p>
<p><<everyone knows=“” that=“” some=“” majors=“” are=“” easier…but…i’ll=“” bite…elementary=“” education.=“”>></everyone></p>
<p>LOL! OMG…just take me out to the parking lot and run a bus over me right now! </p>
<p>(signed…a proud science major!) ;)</p>
<p>Regarding the study of grades cited above: one thing that they failed to consider is that no one is likely to major in religion or music, just to pick two, unless they love the subject, while all kinds of people–some with little talent for or real interest in the subject-- major in economics because they think it is the path to a big $$ career. </p>
<p>And the idea that “language” majors are “easy” is laughable. Ever see all of the threads on CC in which students are scrambling to try to get out of taking language classes because they are too hard? Please. As for “studies” majors…think Middle Eastern Studies is “easy”? So how’s YOUR Arabic these days? Come on. Go back to memorizing your textbook.</p>
<p>I hate this kind of thread. The fact is that MOST people have absolutely NO idea what it takes to actually EXCEL in another academic discipline on the basis of taking a low-level intro course, and to have delusions that you could produce papers with original insights that would cut it at the highest levels because the instructor of your intro course didn’t have those expectations of you and was kind when grading is…well…delusional. </p>
<p>The thread should have closed after Thumper’s original post.</p>
<p>And that’s my rant for the day. :)</p>
<p>I think the difficulty of education majors depends on the state. Different states have different requirements.</p>
<p>But I think the majority of the responses are correct - if you do what you love/are good at, it’s an easy major.</p>
<p>'round here plenty of kids drop out of ‘education’ majors. Generally you need a 3.0 to get into the program as a junior and need to have passed your Praxix.</p>
<p>Anyway - some ‘easier’ majors are Criminal Justice, sport management, sociology.</p>
<p>
I would agree with this. Chem majors would have a difficult graduating from most colleges without at least two English Classes. An English major NEVER has to take a Chemistry class - or any lab science class for that matter.</p>
<p>The thing about science and engineering majors is the time. They must take a lot of classes with labs each week that are 2-5 hours long. There is a huge difference in work load between the sociology major who is in class 15 hours a week (5 classes, 3 hrs/week) and a science major who takes 2 - 3 hrs classes plus 3 lab courses where the time demand can approach 8 hours of class time per class.</p>
<p>I sincerely hope that everyone at an LAC takes a lab science course, no matter what the major, just as eveyone has to take composition. I have yet to see a set of gen ed requirements that waive lab science for English majors. Then again, my kids have been limiting their searches to Midwestern LACs. Things could very easily be different somewhere else.</p>
<p>To the “lighter” majors, I would add that more than the interests of the student are at play. The rigor of a particular major will vary from institution to institution, with the possible exception for majors that need outside accreditation (like nurses have to pass boards). I can tell you the easiest majors on MY campus, but nobody else’s.</p>
<p>Well said, Consolation. I agree completely.</p>
<p>Before we allow the “smirk” to continue about El-Ed majors being easy, perhaps someone can look up the stats on how many actual working new teachers leave their posts after the first year of actually working at the schools. I have no idea if El-Ed courses are a cakewalk, as I got all my certifications mid-life after a different graduate degree and 3 children.</p>
<p>But the actual workpath of a newly trained El-Ed teacher is so difficult, un-mentored and unpleasant for newbies in many places that young, idealistic majors do not continue after tangling with the actual workplace after a year. LONG before they are eligible for tenure, they self-dismiss. Some might say that’s a good thing, others not.</p>
<p>In that sense, if it’s such an easy major, something is wrong because it’s not preparing the students to cope in the immediate job atmosphere of their first job. (I’m a retired public elementary teacher from 2 tough, poverty school systems…who saw new teachers leave after teaching a year, as if a revolving door was at the front door entry of the school.)</p>
<p>I appreciate the observation of this thread that the “easy” major is one you love. </p>
<p>I have a DD who majored in Religion(s) …comparative, not a single religion. It was academically rigorous but she embraced it. She’s the kind who will only push at what she loves, and the pushing never quits if she’s engaged. So thanks for that. I’ve never heard it mentioned before. </p>
<p>A Religion major (as granted by her top LAC) involved abilities to synthesize concepts in language, anthropology, philosophy, literature, linguistics and history. She had to touch on each area every time she wrote a paper, took an exam or even engaged in classroom discussion. It takes a nimble mind to do that, and it can’t be handled by jamming and cramming for tests, either.</p>
<p>Good points. Dh came home from volunteering in od1’s class when she was in k. He proclaimed that Mrs. S not only earned every penny but deserved a huge raise. Easy my eye.</p>
<p>I noticed music on the “easy” list. There’s a highly competitive field. Try telling all those performance majors trying to earn a living how " easy" music is.</p>
<p>paying2tuitions makes a good point. I know when my mother went back to school she was disappointed by how easy elem ed courses were. However there is nothing easy about the actual work of a teacher. I’ve only taught afterschool courses, that should be completely enjoyable for the kids and it is exhausting. </p>
<p>I thought my major “Visual and Environmental Studies” was very easy, but it was also such a good fit that the work never felt like work. (For what it’s worth it was a combination of studio courses, film and architectural history.) I wrote a 100+ page senior thesis about low cost housing in London and Berlin.</p>
<p>Hey quomodo - there are actually quite a few people who are good at both chemistry and English (or “science” and “humanities”). The dichotomy is not as stark as you might think.</p>
<p>Signed,
Chemistry-English double major (back in the day)
4.0 in each major</p>
<p>
Not all LAC’s and not everyone goes to a LAC.<br>
Liberal Arts majors generally have a requirement of ONE science course that is usually ‘dumbed’ down. Have yet to see a requirement for an English major to take Chem I.</p>
<p>Even so - ONE lab course in 4 years hardly equates the time involved each semester when science majors are taking 2-4 lab courses.</p>
<p>^ post reminded me of another consideration; what kind of evaluations are used for each course? Is that a “fit” with the student’s learning style?</p>
<p>My (Religion major) DD was sweating it out with exams and papers throughout “Reading week/final exam week.” Her friend who majored in Computer Science had nothing to do by then, because “all of his work is done in ‘projects’ so he’s all finished.” Two bright kids, two challenging majors…</p>
<p>I agree with those who say doing what you love/are good at makes the work easier - this applies to life in general, not just picking a major.</p>
<p>Beyond that, majors that include the word “studies” and undergrad degrees that end in “ology” and offer a BA option often include fewer labor intensive courses to graduate, but you should look at the prescribed course work carefully depending on the school. If East Asian Studies does indeed require mastery of an Asian language it will be anything but easy, a business degree at some LAC’s has very little business course work involved, at some top ranked schools it is quite challenging and expects a high degree of involvement in campus/community and internships when not in school.</p>
<p>The amount of work entailed by some majors is definitely larger than for others, the degree of difficulty of the work notwithstanding. I have taught Engineering Statics (fall sophomore course) 6 times. On my syllabus (as was on MY own when I took this course) is the statement: “You will be assigned 12-15 problems per week. In planning your study time, allow 30 to 60 minutes PER PROBLEM.” Invariably someone will raise a shuddering hand and stammer: “is that a typo?” To which I invariably reply “No, it’s not.” - a fact which most of them soon come to learn, often to their significant dismay.</p>
<p>“generally” and “dumbed down”. Hmmm . . . But couldn’t the argument go the other way? All the chem major has to take is one “dumbed down” class in fine arts? Easy peasy. </p>
<p>Look, I get the desire to justify choices of our own or of our children, but I just don’t think arguing that one area is so much tougher is valid. Yes, the science major has multiple hours in labs. Probably 10 hours a week, maybe more. BUT, and an art major is going to have studio. At my institution, that’s 8-12, TTh. That’s 8 hours, for just one class. A music major, in addition to classes, is going to HAVE to be a member of several ensembles that will rehearse at least that much time. Is 10 hours in lab tougher than an equal amount of time in rehearsal or studio? You might say yes. I won’t agree.</p>
<p>I know when my mother went back to school she was disappointed by how easy elem ed courses were. However there is nothing easy about the actual work of a teacher.</p>
<p>Very true…no one is saying that the actual work load of the career is easy…at all!!! I was a substitute teacher for a few years in Calif and I was never so exhausted in my LIFE when I got home! </p>
<p>However, yes, the current coursework at many colleges is easy. Maintaining a 3.0 GPA is not required at many colleges for El-Ed majors (although it probably should be). </p>
<p>I have a few el-ed majors in the family and they readily admit that they don’t have to spend nearly the study/homework time as their family members who are science/engineering/math majors. </p>
<p>However, being a “subject education” major is different. My niece who is a math education major has to take many hard courses and has lots of homework/studying to do at SLO.</p>