<p>I did not plan for this to be so long. Apologies in advance. </p>
<p>How did you all choose your college majors (or, was it not a big deal back then like it seems to be now)? How did you "know"? </p>
<p>I am torn. I like math and I am planning to study applied math. I love how I can use the techniques learned to go into different fields (my school's website lists how the Six Degrees of Separation, general theory of relativity, and the double helix of DNA discovery as examples of how applied math is used in a range of different fields). So my major has room for change without necessarily having to go back to school to learn a different major (that's why the applied math major is structured this way versus the pure math major which doesn't have this "specialization in a non-math field" option. The point is to broaden the horizon beyond plain math and the choices for areas they give, although you can create your own, are areas where math would be integral, not just "helpful"). You have to take 5 courses in your specialization area that count as requirements for the major. </p>
<p>However, I still want to do foreign policy/international relations things as a career (preferably at the federal level, homeland, NSA, etc). The applied major has a requirement to choose an applied area of concentration (like a specialty, but it doesn't show up on our diplomas) and I would like to do the international studies option. It's a quantitative approach to my field of interest. I'm wondering whether I should do this or the government major with a minor in applied math sciences. I have a specific target career/job that's really driving me. </p>
<p>Sometimes I feel like I chose my major "simplistically".
1. I don't like science.
2. I don't like reading (aside from for pleasure) and writing essays.
3. I like math and I'm good at it (not great or excellent, but then again I've only taken one math course in college and I got a B which is good).</p>
<p>I would rather do psets for homework than read 50 pages and write essays, but that doesn't necessarily mean that I am great at math. </p>
<p>I've always had a "love" for math. It gets philosophical which I'm sure no one wants to hear (lol) but I just like math a lot. </p>
<p>Are you supposed to get As in your chosen major? I know grades vary between grading policies. </p>
<p>What prompted this question is the fact that my interests (clubs, internship applications) are all foreign policy related. I saw a sample engineering student's r</p>
<p>I would talk to people in the job you want and find out what they feel would be the best major for you to take to have a shot at that job. What exact job is driving you? That would be helpful to know. One example I can think of is a friend that works in supply chain management. He started out in finance with the company and moved into supply chain. He travels all over the world with that job. Have you considered something like that? </p>
<p>Pick up the phone and call Homeland Security and tell them you are a college student interested in XYX job and would it be possible to talk to someone in that position to get some guidance on which major I should pursue.</p>
<p>I think your eclectic mix of coursework in one technical area with somewhat unrelated ECs directed towards your career goal will be intriguing to employers. I think that is a perfectly fine route to take. I have only techincal degrees and after many years working in industry on actual products I now work in government (state not federal) in the energy sector where my duties revolve around enforcing and producing regulatory policy, I learned most of this OTJ.</p>
<p>I don’r know a lot about federal gvt work but if it is anything like state there are basically two paths - either through the normal civil service side, where you apply and take exams. You’ll be fine for this. Or through becoming some sort of staffer or appointee (or elected of course). The ECs you list will help you there. I guess a third way to get into the foreign policy arena is through the military, which I think you expressed some interest in as well.</p>
<p>So to me what you want to do looks fine. Of course, the name of your school will help. And keep those math grades up, I don’t think that’s an easy major, if there is such a thing.</p>
<p>EDIT: this was posted before I was finished…</p>
<p>SteveMA-- it’s one of those things that I’m not supposed to talk about… So the only source of information would be calling the agency itself (I will do that, I have other questions but I’m not sure how much they’ll be able to tell me). As far as being in the agency as a whole, my job could have very much or very little to do with math, most will be OTJ training anyway(for example, the CIA doesn’t even require a college degree and if they do most positions want at least a 3.0 GPA). I want to do more direct foreign policy things (like politicians/diplomats do, but I don’t want to be a politician, just using that as an example of how immersed I want to be in it), even if I stay in the USA my whole life. </p>
<p>bovertine–the school is Harvard. I had a concussion last semester so my grades were still good but not where they could’ve been with a normal functioning brain (I think I would’ve been able to get better than a B). I am just worried that I am doing something “wrong” but what you described is exactly what I’m aiming to do. </p>
<p>Can either of you (or anyone else) answer any of the other questions more directly related to majors? Like how many courses is standard/sufficient in a major (I know it varies, at Harvard it varies from maybe 11-20, the more sciences you get, the more requirements). And because my major is “applied”, the math learning is split with learning how to apply that math to certain fields (the non-math courses have a math/technical skew to them, not just general classes). Or, how did you choose your own major?</p>
<p>You probably do want to choose math electives in algebra, number theory, and cryptography, given your career interests.</p>
<p>Since majoring in math will only take up 14 courses, that still leaves 17 courses out of your total of 32 courses in which you can fit in other electives or a second major (although you would have to include breadth requirement courses in there also). Seems like plenty of space to fit in government / political science, economics, foreign language, and statistics courses that are likely to be useful for your career interest.</p>
<p>I think applied math is a good major, maybe along with an International Relations something. That math major helps you learn how to think your way thorough problems. I think both will be assets to that place you aren’t supposed to talk about. I’m assuming you don’t want to be an actual “agent” but maybe work in an embassy or something along those lines?</p>
<p>SteveMA - I do want to be an actual agent (but if that falls through, I would love to work in an embassy, or somewhere directly involved with international relations). And even within being an agent, there’s is such a wide range of “agent positions” that it varies. I could be in the USA all my life or spending 90% of my career abroad. And within that, I could be “in the field” or not. That’s what’s confusing me also, there is no clear view and I don’t know how much they can actually tell me unless I’m actually applying for the job after graduation. (I don’t know if you watch Criminal Minds, but I can be an Emily Prentiss or a Penelope Garcia). </p>
<p>ucbalumnus- thanks for your reply.
I have a 4 year plan of study and I do not have room, due in part to the courses needed for my specialization area are all upper division and this require non-math pre-reqs which take up space. With 14/15 major courses, 8 general education requirements (none of my specialization classes count for this), a language requirement (I started one language last semester and am switching this semester on), and a writing requirement, that’s 25/26 courses (my language course course as two courses because it is intensive, but I counted it once because a typical semester with intensive language classes is that class and two other ones to make “4”), which leaves 6/7 left. 2/3 left because of my language proficiency courses. </p>
<p>I just looked at my 4-year plan and I have 29 courses of the minimum 32. I want to take upper division foreign policy classes but those require pre-reqs (I would hope they would) as well.</p>
ucb and Steve are far more acquainted with the specifics than I am. I’m more of a casual dilettante :D</p>
<p>
Yes, I know. That’s what I meant - that name could help with your career goals. Where I work I’m surrounded by people who studied this or that at either the Kennedy School or the Woodrow Wilson School. And this is state gov - I suspect it’s more prevalent in the federal arena.</p>
<p>bovertine, whoops, I thought you meant so posters could have more background on me before replying.
Lots of my extracurriculars will be through HKS.</p>
<p>If you want to be an actual agent, some police training is helpful too. I have a feeling that the agency picks people that they feel have strengths in certain areas–a lot of different areas. I don’t watch Criminal Minds, sorry. Do you speak a foreign language? That is probably most helpful. Consider going to an immersion language camp in the summers if you don’t. I would also be tempted to tell you to transfer to one of the DC schools but not sure if that is totally necessary though :D.</p>
<p>Would taking one of the honors sequences for 21a-21b (i.e. 23a-23b, 25a-25b, or 55a-55b) allow you to reduce the number of math courses you need to take, or allow you to replace some courses (e.g. 112, 113, 121, 122) with other math electives?</p>
<p>Another option, if your foreign language interests involve a common language like Spanish, is to see if the language is taught in the summer at community colleges near where you live and work in the summer. That can free up some of the precious Harvard schedule space for courses more unique to Harvard that you want to take.</p>
<p>texaspg – I’m glad that I realized my true calling after the first semester of college or it could’ve gotten ugly later on! I do need core classes outside the major, I have factored those in.</p>
<p>SteveMA - there’s a training period after you’re hired (I know college grads who interviewed for a couple of these agencies). I am studying German starting this semester and applying to study abroad this summer. However, they will teach me (for free) any languages I need to know for a particular reason/assignment, so I don’t have to freak out about trying to learn 3 in 4 years on top of my major (not including Latin and English, Spanish is my other language, but my Spanish isn’t professional level, just basic enough to get me through life/living in a Spanish speaking country, not in a business/job setting). Penelope stays behind on all of the assignments and is a computer whiz who feeds info to the team (Emily Prentiss is a field agent). I had originally wanted to go to a DC school but I think I am comfortable (read: spoiled) here :)</p>
<p>ucbalumnus-- I don’t think they would in the sense that I think you are saying. The standard is starting in Math 1a, I started in Math 1b (calc, series, and diff eq’s), thus I only need to take 3 foundational courses and 6 math breadth courses (I am trying for 7, but that comes after I get my area breadth and everything else out of the way). I am taking 21a and applied 21b this semester and the 21 sequence is the highest pre-req needed to move on to breadth. The other foundational courses, 23, 25, 55 are increasingly theory heavy and cover the same material, just less and less “plug and chug” math. I don’t think that I can replace any of the breadth courses with other math electives, just add other math electives on to what I have to take.
Also, the language I will be taking is German. I have applied for an internship/program that is structured in a way that if I get it, I will be working full time summer '14 and summer '15, and would have to convert to a full employee after graduation after a training program. </p>
<p>The general education requirements are complicating things. The one frustrating thing about a lib arts school (except, my 2nd choice behind Harvard, Smith :)) for someone like me.</p>