<p>I have a student who is currently in college and really struggling with choosing a major, and who is getting to the point where she MUST select something. The problem is that while she has talent and interests in the social sciences of history, political science, etc., she is panicking about getting any kind of a job in one of these areas (no interest in teaching or law school, grad school would have to come later due to finances). Good writer and politically astute, she does okay at the hard sciences but is not heavily interested in them, math is her weakest subject</p>
<p>I have thrown out some ideas to her - anthropology with archaelogy, environmental science, something in ag, but the fear of not finding work still lingers.</p>
<p>Does anyone have any ideas for majors combining social/some hard science for someone like this?</p>
<p>I've noticed that the current economic climate has REALLY affected many of my high school/early college students thoughts about majors and is leading them into areas that they probably are not well-suited for, especially those who don't have strong tech or math aptitude or interests.</p>
<p>Hard sciences really aren’t all that marketable either. The main selling point of a hard science major is the quantitative training it provides but your daughter could get that in the social sciences too. Economics, for example, can be very quantitative and seems to be more marketable than most science majors too! </p>
<p>I graduated from a small liberal arts college last year and got to watch all of my friends apply for jobs. To be honest, how easily someone got a job was not a function of their major as much as their personality and experience. Political science and sociology majors who had two summers of related internships in the non-profit area got jobs just as easily as math and physics majors who had interned in consulting or engineering. (Of course entry-level positions in consulting pay a lot better than entry-level positions in non-profit, but that’s a different conversation.) My friends with no marketable experience were equally screwed, whether they were religion or biology majors.</p>
<p>If you are looking for a major that makes your D employable all on its own, you might have to stick to the pre-professional programs: engineering, computer science, nursing, accounting, teaching, etc. </p>
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I am curious about your reasoning. For example, for me archeology ranks somewhere up there with art history on the job market: “useless unless you have a graduate degree and are at the tippy top of your field.” </p>
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In many disciplines graduate students are usually funded (meaning tuition waiver, health insurance and a stipend for living expenses). Just FYI.</p>
<p>Long story short: I would encourage your D to choose a major she is happy with <em>and</em> set a tentative post-college career goal and start working towards that. She’s got at least two more years (I assume) to make sure she is qualified for an entry-level position in the career of her choice.</p>
<p>Thanks for your input (it’s actually not my daughter, but a student with whom I work with as part of my job). Your points are quite valid - and yet, this young lady and the other students I work with just can’t seem to see beyond the “I’ll need a job and have to make good money”. So many of them have seen their parents struggle in this economy, and all they are worried about is making enough money not to struggle. <em>sigh</em>. One can tell them over and over to stick with what they love and then make it work from there…but if what they love is history, for instance (and they have no interest or personality for teaching or law school), well, they aren’t seeing it…</p>
<p>Grad school - she’s had to get maximum federal loans and is just concerned that she may get into a situation or degree where grad school is not funded. </p>
<p>(The reason I threw out archaeology as a possible option (at her school, she can also get a geology minor with an archaeology concentration) is because around here, it is a bit of a positive job field. There is much research going on in this very “historical” area and also a boom in fracking; the companies are employing archaeologists right now locally as they make plans and it’s expected to continue. Of course, that is likely temporary, but it might be an option for a history/science person).</p>
<p>Certain areas/positions in Environmental Science and Geography allow for a mix of social and physical science. But, as has been mentioned, if the student has no interest in the coursework or job, the process will be a struggle.</p>
<p>OP, I’m not sure why you’re suggesting hard sciences when the student is not “heavily invested” in them and math is her weakest subject. Has she taken the basic science and math courses that would be prerequisite to these majors?</p>
<p>Build on her strengths. These seem to be history, politics, and writing. So, maybe some combination of those? This might involve focusing on an area like political communication. Maybe a double major or major/minor combination in political science + writing/rhetoric/communication? With election campaigns already already underway, there should be volunteer and internship opportunities. Maybe she could supplement her other studies with a minor or certificate program in business or nonprofit management. </p>
<p>If she can manage science courses, another possibility would be professional/technical writing or science journalism. </p>
<p>A lot depends on what particular majors/minor/certificate programs are available at the particular school she attends and the flexibility of taking coursework across different academic units within her university. Since you mentioned “something in ag”, I’m assuming she attends a public land grant university. If so, she should explore the available majors in ag and human ecology. Some of the most innovative programs in environmental areas are offered in ag schools. You also mentioned that companies are “fracking” in your area. This suggests some possibilities in environmental science & policy. Also, perhaps a business or ag/resource economics/policy focus combined with geoscience courses comes to mind. </p>
<p>As an alternative to a business minor or certificate program, look at consumer econ programs in the human ecology school or the applied econ programs in the ag ec dept. Often these can be combined with a journalism/writing focus.</p>
<p>Actually, <em>I</em> am not pushing or suggesting any of the hard sciences - her belief (and that of many of the kids I work with) is that without some sort of math or hard science training, minor, or major, there is no hope of ever getting a decent job. I, of course, do not believe this, but this is what these kids today are being led to believe, and it’s not just about the amount of money anymore - it’s about actually getting a job and paying the bills. Magnified because of the economy. It’s become more difficult to help these students who have a bent toward liberal arts and who believe that their strong natural talents within the social sciences have become worthless. </p>
<p>I think environmental policy and something along that line, which involves politics and social sciences, especially if she can get into an ag-related field, might be a good direction for her. She thinks one has to be a “tree hugger” to go into that field, but of course that isn’t true, so I’m going to encourage her to look into it further. A minor which might get her outside would be a good fit, too. Thanks for the suggestions!</p>