Hi! I’m a bit stuck atm, I’ve narrowed things between two majors, taken a few classes in each, and am trying to figure out. Neither are strictly pre-professional (liberal arts college) so I’m not going for a specific area, and could see myself in jobs resulting from either but trying to do both would make it 4.5 semesters. English and Econ, so not necessarily easily relatable. Help?
What problem do you want to solve?
https://■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■/pulse/20140804104444-17000124-let-s-kill-the-college-major
Also I would suggest talking to your favorite professors in each major and ask what they think.
If you major in Econ but minor in English will that be a good solution? Any job you get as an English major (besides professor) is about your writing, and not if you know Chaucer. Will you take enough writing courses if you minor?
Could you set up a “do it yourself major” that has some of both?
Can you look at future classes you would need to take in both to see which sound more interesting?
Have you taken all the pre-req you might need for econ? e.g. do you have the calculus needed and is that interesting to you?
The thing is, I’m not exactly sure what “problem” I’d like to solve. In a lot of ways, it feels like I’m finding puzzle pieces to put together and begin to understand how the larger world works, and not just the tiny bit I’ve experienced.
I mean the English program where I am is pretty open as far as requirements go, so finding enough writing there (or interesting classes) is likely not going to be a challenge. As for math, I’ve already taken several semesters of calculus, my next class on that track is linear algebra. I don’t love the math, but I don’t hate it and I’m pretty good at it besides.
I theoretically could try to design a major around both, but I don’t think that’s likely to work; aside from the fact that writing is fairly universally applicable, I don’t know what cross-section of the two I could/should tout as being the purpose of an independent major.
I’ve already looked at future classes for both majors, as well as others. I’ve already crossed several other majors off of my list, at this point just looking at which classes will be more interesting doesn’t help.
I agree with @bopper that talking with your professors will be helpful. I also think you could examine which of the majors has more required classes that you are excited to take. Sometimes there is one major where everything you need to take sounds fascinating and another major where you like specific elements of the discipline but not others. In that case, you can major in the one that is the best intellectual fit and then fill in with classes from the other department. This could get you a minor or just your own grouping of classes in the second department. No one needs two majors or even a major and a minor, so take advantage of the flexibility of your liberal arts college and pursue what you love (which can be done without creating an individualized major).
One thing to consider is that it’s easier to study English informally after you graduate. So you could work in an econ related job while studying literature and writing at a university extension in the evening, or joining a book club or tutoring or whatever it is about English that you love. Your access to econ related activities outside of work is not nearly as broad although there are things like investment clubs.
Do you like writing? Then, choose English. Your earning potential is bigger with Econ., but only if your brain is math-wired.