<p>I'm a freshman at Scripps College, and one of our major options is to design your own. No one major really appeals to me, so I've been considering making my own major incorporating anthropology, photography and writing. To me, these things fit well together, and I think they would prepare me for multiple things I could see myself doing in the future or going to grad school for. </p>
<p>Has anyone dealt with the process of designing a major?</p>
<p>What would you consider the benefits/disadvantages of a self-designed major in the liberal arts?</p>
<p>The process of declaring a self-designed major varies by college, so you should talk to someone at your school.</p>
<p>At my college we have to make a formal proposal for a self-designed major, which is rejected if the self-designed major does not meet all of the criteria for a regular major. One of those criteria is that we have to study some field in depth, beyond the scope of a minor in that subject. You definitely have a fair amount of breadth in your major, but you might need a very creative explanation for how an anthropology-photography-writing (English literature? creative writing? journalism?) combination would fulfill that depth requirement. On the other hand, this may not be required at your college at all.</p>
<p>or a scientific journalist? do you read smithsonian and national geographic? you should, you'll find some of their contributing writers are well versed in a scientific specialty (i.e. anthropology) then do their own photographing in the field.</p>
<p>Haha, yes I do read National Geographic. In fact as my room-mate and I were brainstorming names for my supposed major, we came up with "I want to be National Geographic when I grow up." I'm sure my exposure to the magazine has influenced my choices somewhat.
And thanks, musicamusica, I hadn't considered or even heard of digital archivists.</p>
<p>A self-designed major will of course need some sort of explaining in a job interview, since it will be unique, but that aside, do you think it will be harder to find/get jobs with a self-designed major than with any other liberal arts major?</p>
<p>I don't think so. If your major is clear (though multi-faceted) and when you graduate, you can succinctly describe it, you may actually be able to find work in any of those three fields, instead of just one. When people hire, they are "buying" you and your confidence, not your resume and major. :)</p>