<p>So I am a frosh and I only have a little time left to think about my major because I have to start on the sequences for certain majors. I had initially thought i wanted to be a doctor, but after working in a endocrinology office and observing a lot of the work doctors do I am beginning to think I would like to do something else. </p>
<p>The tough thing is that I don't really know what else is out there. I had initially thought about doing a double major with biology and political science, but I don't know what I could do with those particular majors. I really like science and politics so I was thinking about maybe changing to biomedical engineering for the job prospects. There are options such as consulting and banking, but those don't really appeal to me. So could anyone help? Perhaps you could tell me about how you choose your major and such, because I am not sure what I should do.</p>
<p>I would ask my academic adviser but he is German and there seems to be a cultural barrier when I talk to him. I will ask him a question and then he mumbles and laughs, he also is a physics professor so he does not know about alot of the none physics things.</p>
<p>Can’t you request a different advisor or at least a visit with another advisor? My son is a freshman also, but when he started getting some wrong information from his advisor he requested a different one. Good luck!</p>
<p>I chose my major (Government) partly because of what I wanted to do, but mostly because of the programs I wanted to participate in and the availability of courses, internships, and the general strength of the departments. My runner up majors were History and English. But the particular area of history I was interested in didn’t have enough depth of coursework (i.e. there were only a few classes offered, unless I supplemented with special studies or self designed courses) to sustain me for a whole major. English I decided against because, while I liked English, I wasn’t sure I was ready to devote myself to it, especially if it meant sacrificing a whole semester to Shakespeare and then a whole semester to Milton. Plus I was had more Government courses than anything, so there was less ground to make up, and I knew I wanted to do the semester-in-Washington program and have particular kinds of politically themed internships, which was easier if I was studying Government. I continued to take history and English courses, but did not major in them, and I was very happy with my choice. </p>
<p>Basically, don’t get too caught up having a fully realized picture of your career at this point. Pick the major that interests you the most and has the most classes that you want to take, or has special programs associated with it that intrigue you. Also think about if you want to study abroad, will majoring in a science vs. majoring in a humanity limit your choices (many American colleges and universities do not accept transfer credit from foreign universities in the sciences, but check the rules of your own university). </p>
<p>I think political science and a physical science are a potent mix these days, with healthcare reform being so much in the news, and with American health being on people’s minds generally. Also, if you’re interested in conservation, biology and politics play a big role in that. Or if you want to make the big bucks, you may have heard of this thing called the Pharmaceutical Lobby? Or the anti-pharmaceutical lobby (not as good money, but possibly better for your soul).</p>
<p>Thanks, smithieandproud. May I ask what you currently do? Did your undergrad major impact your career options or did it have a negligible impact? </p>
<p>Right now I am kind of stuck. I mean I REALLY love my political science courses, but I don’t see a future in that path–and by future I just mean money. I contemplated being a lobbyist, but I don’t know if I have the proper dearth of moral fiber to pursue that path. </p>
<p>This summer I have an internship lined up with the department of health and human services in Houston, where i will be working on projects to ensure that the city can effectively respond to natural disasters and terrorist attacks. I thought it would be good because it has public policy exposure. </p>
<p>Since you were a government major you probably know about the diverse options available in the public policy area, so could you tell me about some of them? That way I can begin researching and thinking about it more in depth.</p>
<p>Since you mention that you like political science and science, I’ll use my husband’s example: he started out as a political science major because he has always been very interested in policy questions. He changed to economics and has never looked back. Econ is analytical, so it can appeal to those who like science, and is very policy oriented for most of the sub-disciplines. He could have gone in many directions as far as employment, but chose to stay in academics because he gets to choose his own research topics.</p>
<p>EDIT: get another adviser. Contact the dean of students or someone and tell them you aren’t communicating well with your adviser and you want a change.</p>
<p>I was planning on taking some econ courses perhaps next year if my sceduhle will allow it. What does your husband research? I am not trying to be intrusive, but I just want to kind of get a feel for the diversity that is out there. I had been so myopically focused on medicine for such a long time that I don’t really know a whole lot about other career paths.</p>
<p>I know my Dean really well so I will talk to her about it. Do you know if they allow you to have two advisers? I am pretty set on doing a double major because regardless of my primary major I want to double with poli sci.</p>
<p>I thought I’d major in history and lit when I went to college. After getting stuck in a yearlong course reading Bentham and Locke and Nietsche and other political theorists I realized I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life reading things I found boring. The only course I’d really enjoyed freshman year was a freshman seminar on prints and printmaking. So I majored in Visual and Environmental studies - a catchall major that included art, film, and architectural history. I really enjoy having a physical object that is the result of my labors, but I also thoroughly enjoyed all my architectural history courses. </p>
<p>I don’t think you have to figure out what you are going to do when you grow up now. I think you can pick a major, then look for interesting summer work and see where it leads you. Maybe you’d like getting involved in setting health policy. Maybe you’d like bioengineering - take a course and find out!</p>
<p>My freshman adviser was useless too, but you can also just go to the office hours of a professor you like and pick their brains.</p>
<p>I know I have time, but I am worried that I am going to miss out on taking the classes I need. For instance if I wanted to do a double with bio and poli sci I would have to make sure that I took orgo, but if I want to do biomedE then I would need to take physics. I am going to look into switching advisers though so that should help. Thanks for all the responses!</p>
<p>Well, you do need to get on track for your major soon, but what I’m saying is that you don’t need to decide on your career now. Focus on just finding the major you like best, worry about what you’re going to do with it next. One foot before the other.</p>
<p>The career services offices at most undergrad schools don’t just set up interviews and job listings. They have resources…and often staff…who can advise you on career opportunities that you might not have thought about. It is likely they have some kind of lists of what the post-grad employment and grad school admissions have been, by major, for the most recent classes.</p>
<p>The advantage of a school like Yale should be that you have LOTS of advisors…including upperclass students, faculty in your residence, Career services offices, pre-law and pre-med advisors, department heads etc. Career advice will likely come from a combination of these “advisors” – not just your one academic advisor.</p>
<p>The UCS had a series of career seminars that were tailored towards getting internships that I used successfully, but I haven’t spoken to a career counselor. I think the career counselors are more tailored towards the seniors.</p>
<p>At most colleges, the staff of the Career services offices would be DELIGHTED if students would start meeting with them before senior year!</p>
<p>Yale may be different…but, based on the CSU website, they have lots of career exploration resources (not just internship listings…but interest and personality inventories and other career development tools.)</p>
<p>Dbate, you might also try talking to the DUS’s of the depts. you’re interested in. Take advantage of these four years to learn what truly interests you, and worry about a career path later. You might take a class that completely changes your ideas of what you want to do when you graduate, so explore!</p>
<p>The combination of biology and political science makes me think of public health as a career path, with an MPH following your undergrad. I don’t have any first-hand experience in the field, but a friend’s daughter is applying for MPH programs now.</p>
<p>How about investigating the field of public health administration? My only connection to this is that S1’s roommate went from med to this and it’s an excellent fit. I don’t know if an M.D. is a requirement for the job but, obviously it would qualify you for the top jobs eventually and I do know that they sure get their share of politics, managing health issues, public education. disseminating information and yes, epidemics as they break out too. Sorry I don’t have any more specific info, it’s certainly not my field, but if this sounds like a possibility for you at least you have something specific to pursue and ask about. Good luck.</p>