<p>What should I major in?
English? Linguistics? Communication? Political Science? International Relations? </p>
<p>I don't know really...</p>
<p>I've considered that career path too. All of those look as though they'll land you in the right position to write speeches. Too bad you can't major in rhetoric (or can you?)...</p>
<p>You can actually... all you have to do is have the President as your father, go to Yale, join the Skull and Bones, and have W as your middle initial. Pity I don't meet any of those criterion:)</p>
<p>More seriously, anyone else have any idea what I should major in? Or what current white house speechwriters majored in?</p>
<p>The head speechwriter for President Bush, Michael Gerson, majored in theology.</p>
<p>The head speechwriter for President Clinton, J. Terry Edmonds, majored in English. </p>
<p>Ben Stein, speechwriter for Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, majored in Economics.</p>
<p>I'd be looking at a communications or English major, but, as you can see, one can have different degrees and still be a speechwriter.</p>
<p>I think it's more about connections and reputation then about what you major in.</p>
<p>i would do english</p>
<p>A second thumbs up for majoring in English, and a thumbs down for majoring in Communications.</p>
<p>Many speechwriters started off as journalists. Their journalism work got them noticed by politicians who offered them jobs. Having a major leading to journalism (a journalism/pr/communications major and/or a liberal arts major plus lots of work writing for campus and professional publications) is the path.</p>
<p>you might want to look into political communications--I know GW has it, and I'm sure other places do too. In the end, though, I think getting any sort of high-level government job has less to do with your major and more to do with who you meet and where you work during college (and how your luck goes...does the senator you've been interning with since high school get picked as the vice presidential nominee?) </p>
<p>So I'd go to the most selective school you get into, as long as it has a good career/internship placement office, and worry about the major later.</p>