<p>Hey everyone. I want to major in studio art in college. However, I also want to major in something that could make me a little more money, haha. </p>
<p>I like the idea of more financial security in life than what's normal for an independent artist and I'm not interested in teaching art. </p>
<p>So, along with a major in art, I was thinking about a computer science major. I'm really interested in computers and web design. I also may enjoy learning programming and computer graphics. </p>
<p>How is the money in computer science fields? What do you guys think about this?</p>
<p>Also, if any computer science majors could chime in about what the major is like, I would really appreciate it. </p>
<p>I’m a freshmen majoring in math and computer science. I really enjoy both subjects, but be aware that at certain colleges, particularly more selective ones, computer science is less working with computers and programming and more studying abstract algorithms and reasoning about program correctness. The type of material you learn can vary depending on the college, so you might find out what the programs you’re interested in are like. As far as I know, the prospects for employment in computer science seem excellent, but of course this is partially dependent on where you get your degree and what you make of your education while at college.</p>
<p>If you haven’t really liked math so far, you might be careful, because even with an emphasis on graphics you could have to take some tough technical courses. Doing a double major could make the workload even more difficult. However, if you’ve liked math and been fairly good at it, I think you should definitely give the major a shot. If you’re having trouble deciding, you can certainly take some courses your freshmen year to try it out. I think that in any case, computer science would definitely increase your employment outlook over that in studio art. It’s great to see that you’re planning ahead!</p>
<p>For employment projections, check the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook. You’re probably interested in “computer software engineer” in the A-Z index.</p>
<p>Also, something to keep in mind is the amount of studio time that may be required for art. My daughter started with the idea of double majoring in very different subjects and found it difficult to schedule everything. She has scaled back and is doing a major, minor, and a certificate program. Once you start, you will better be able to determine whether the double or dual major will work for you.</p>
<p>I will concur with other posters so far: double-majoring is not easy and can be very time consuming, not to mention that you need to be really invested in both subjects to stay the course. I’ve known really smart people switch from a double major to a major plus minor because they didn’t want to spend so much time on a subject they didn’t care that much about anymore. There’s no shame in that. If you are uncertain what to pick, a minor may be a better choice, and easier to schedule if you pick something that is very different than computer science (i.e. many schools have double or joint majors on the books with the most popular/compatible combinations, e.g. math and computer science, so the courses are scheduled not to conflict too much; but with less popular combinations, the different departments probably won’t coordinate so much).</p>
<p>That said, I’m not here to discourage anyone from trying a double major. If you’re really passionate about two subjects, go for it. But be prepared to work a lot, not just within the courses, but to actually get a manageable schedule and course selection (you can negotiate equivalencies and what not, but dealing with advisors and red tape is part of the process).</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for your helpful comments. I am still a bit undecided, but I guess that’s what freshman year of college is for. I will test the waters and find what I like the most before I declare a major. </p>
<p>I do think it’s a good idea to take a minor instead of a double major now that I have read some of these comments. Also, I don’t actually dislike math. I’m taking pre-calculus right now and I’m enjoying it so far.</p>