<p>How is the sociology department at Columbia? I am thinking about majoring in sociology (taking premed classes) and was wondering what it is like at Columbia. </p>
<p>Also, what majors do you think are good for premeds at Columbia? How are the premed classes? Thanks.</p>
<p>I'm not certain how the sociology department compares to others today, though I can say it does have a long tradition of excellence. Daniel Bell and C. Wright Mills, among other great 20th century sociologists, worked here. Their course offerings always seem quite extensive, though it seems like a relatively small department in terms of the number of majors. That's a good thing, as it translates into much more personal attention given by professors to individual students.</p>
<p>If I am accepted, I'll major in Sociology and blend it with Economics and History to create a Economic Sociology major for myself. Would make a good foundation for Investment Banking(Corp. Finance and M&A) and Consulting?</p>
<p>I would caution you on creating a major at Columbia; the advising system is rather lax outside the departments (and in most of those you mentioned). The bureaucracy is not conducive to student creativity in that regard. Not to say it isn't possible, but it's rare and will require a lot of aggressive fortitude on your part.</p>
<p>That said, I have a friend who is an Econ/History double major and landed an internship preparing him for a lucrative job at Lehman Brothers as a private wealth manager, which sort of blends investment banking and consulting. I have another Econ/History friend working there as a straight up investment banker, and another who managed to find a position there with History and English (it sounds like it's becoming a Columbia club, really). A lot of Columbians are swept up in the tide of those going into finance and it's highly encouraged/facilitated by the career services office (which is good for little else), so I don't think you need to create a special major just to enter that field. </p>
<p>You could, of course, try any combination of majors or concentrations. Remember, one doesn't have to major in anything at Columbia, a concentration, two or three or four (these are the equivalent of minors) is good enough. You could conceivably attain a degree in all three fields in some capacity without having to fight the bureaucracy for that special name.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice. I'll just stick to the Sociology major and simply take a few classes in Economics and History. The CORE requirements would've made it very difficult to double major anyway. I'll still try to network like crazy in order to learn more about investment banking and strategy consulting via alumni connections. </p>
<p>I want to make sure that I'm adjusted to the rigors of Columbia's academic classes for a few semesters before I start to look at IB. Strong grades comes before IB opportunities.</p>
<p>Don't worry too much about the Core. The majority of people here seem to double major without trouble, as some majors have fewer requirements than one might expect. Concentrations require fewer still, and the administration is always encouraging people to take advantage of that option.</p>