Hey, I am a rising high school senior, and I’m not sure what to major in. I have two very strong interests: science and politics. Most of my extracurriculars are science-based (Science Olympiad, research, etc.), but I do have some more political ones (Model UN w/ awards, volunteering on local campaigns). I want to be able to combine both of these passions into one field but I don’t see how. I have always wanted to major in engineering but since engineering is a very rigorous major it would be hard for me to double major or minor in political science/public policy.
I know college is supposed to be where you figure out what you want to do, but I feel so behind being so clueless right now and feel like knowing what you want to major in gives you an edge in the process. I’m considering mechanical engineering because it is the broadest. I like organizations like Engineers Without Borders and think I might like solving policy issues with science (e.g. climate change). Are there any majors/interdisciplinary programs at universities that I could explore both of my interests? Like I know Wash U has Beyond Boundaries. Or like colleges that have open curriculums and flexible schedules? I’m scared I won’t have a good chance at getting into schools applying as a non-science major since that’s where the majority of my extracurriculars lie. What schools are good with engineering with decent flexibility for exploring my other interests? I am very interested in engineering but I am also worried I might be stuck in it if I don’t end up liking it because most schools require you to do in-school transfers to get out of engineering and into the arts & science or other colleges. It seems impossible right now trying to figure out what schools to apply to or how to start my application when I am so lost on what I want to do.
Here is a major at Georgetown that may interest you. There are likely similar programs at other universities.
https://sfs.georgetown.edu/stia/overview/
@Eeyore123 Thank you so much! That’s exactly what I am looking for.
eh- maybe. From the outside, a clear-cut path certainly looks easier. Engineering is great for that- you will always be employable, everybody understands that engineering is a ‘thing’ (even if they don’t really know much about it!), and it is a respected qualification. One tiny caveat: ime, engineers are born not made. Is that you?
Not the experience of my collegekids or their pals: you are allowed to have ECs that are not major related! Other than engineering (and a few others, such as architecture, and some CS) typical “Arts & Sciences” colleges don’t admit by major. Given that as many as 30% of students declare a different major once they are actually in college, it is not a big deal.
So the big decision is whether you want to do engineering. If so, a program like CMU’s Science, Technology & Public Policy major (in the Engineering school) looks as if it was made for you.
If not- well there are some fabulous hybrid programs and pathways. Program like he SFS program @Eeyore123 noted are another. Science undergrad, work a few years MPP grad is another.
Most interesting to me is that you find life interesting at the cross-road, and there are all kinds of career paths for somebody with a foot in both camps. The path isn’t as clear-cut- but it is interesting!
Here’s the thing: most people have multiple interests. Seriously, I’ve never met anyone who was ONLY interested in the thing they majored in. Personally, I love history, politics, literature, writing, physics, astronomy, music, and theater - and probably some other things - and I majored in psychology.
Picking a major in college isn’t sealing your fate for lifetime - it’s simply selecting something that you want to do some focused study in for four years and that may provide the foundation for your first few jobs/career out of college.
You could major in engineering in college and participate in Model UN and take political science classes as electives. Or you could double major in physics and political science. Or you could go to one of the handful of colleges that have science, technology, and society studies programs at the undergraduate level (MIT, Stanford, Cornell, University of Puget Sound, NYU Tandon, NC State, UC-Davis, etc.)
You should also consider/think about what you might like to do. If you want to be an engineer who solves international problems with engineering knowledge, then you should major in an engineering field (but you can always get a graduate degree in policy or take elective courses in policy/politics). If you’re less set on being an engineer but just want to study science and use it in more of a policy wonk role, then you have more flexibility. You could even create your own independent major at most colleges.
Also keep in mind that some colleges will let you create your own major and you work with faculty and advisors to customize your classes to fit your interests. College is the time to explore…