Please Help a Really Undecided Major with Career Ideas

College Majors
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Hi all!

I posted last year about deciding between Fairfield and Fordham. I eventually chose Fairfield and have been happy here. I now want to reach out again and see if anyone has any advice for an undecided major. I recently became a business undeclared major after taking economics (which I was good at and enjoyed), but I’m not totally sure if that’s what I want to do. I haven’t taken the core business courses yet (so I may end up finding a passion for accounting/finance/ib/corporate law/management/etc), but thus far, I have had interests in many areas of study including:

  • Marketing/PR/comm (possibly relating to fashion or business analytics)
  • Speech Pathology
  • Economics
  • Public Health (took a course relating to this and enjoyed it, but don’t want to do something very medical)
  • Psych
  • Education (possibly college level)

I can see myself working in so many types of careers. Lately I have been debating speech pathology vs business. Speech pathology incorporates my interests in health, psych, and education. It seems like a very interesting career and very fulfilling. I love helping people and enjoy teaching kids. It has more flexibility than a typical 9-5 depending on where you work. However, my interest in business is also prevalent and I love the creativity required, opportunity for growth, ability to travel, and option to switch around with the industry and type of job you do. I enjoy fashion and am good with analytical thinking. My current school also doesn’t offer a SLP program. I know I am certainly conflicted. Is there a way to do both of these (possibly working privately as a SLP and in a business corporation)? Or perhaps as an SLPA very part time?? Does anyone have any suggestions of options I may not be considering? If you’ve made it this far, I would love input, advice, or suggestions!!!

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Having two careers at once- one in speech pathology and one in “business” - is confusing and stressful. Plenty of people change careers, but I have not met any who want two completely different careers at the exact same time.

If your school doesn’t have speech, can you possibly major in psychology and take on a business or economics minor (I don’t know a lot about a business minor)? Then you can take the prerequisites and go to grad school for speech pathology.

If you had your own practice would that satisfy your desire for a career in “business”?

I would spend some more time exploring what you like, and I would not focus on having two very different careers at the exact same time.

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What are you doing this summer? and if it isn’t either working or interning in something related to your interests why isn’t it? You are stuck in your head and you need to get out into the world and start learning what the realities of these paths are!

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I would look into prerequisites for grad SLP programs and cover those in undergrad. If you can do that alongside a major in one of your other areas of interest, then you can have access to grad school for SLP if you can afford that. But that would also give you the flexibility to explore careers after graduating.

It is hard when you have multiple interests. It sounds like business/marketing interests you the most and that major will give many options, including diverse jobs and grad work in SLP.

Definitely try to get some work, volunteer or internship experiences to help clarify things.

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