I’m a rising sophomore majoring in Ecology. My post-grad plans are most likely a PhD program.
I’m re-looking at my 4-year plan and trying to evaluate what I want to do. There’s room besides my major requirements to do some other things (but not everything I want. Haha).
I’d really like to minor in Environmental Studies but I’d also really like to take Spanish courses each semester (I’ve already taken 5 years of Spanish and I really enjoy it). There is not room in four years to do both I believe. If I do the Spanish courses, I will most likely have enough credits to tack on a major in Spanish.
I can study abroad for 1 semester and do one of the above options. Or I can not study abroad at all and perhaps do both. I really don’t want to pass up the opportunity to study abroad though.
And then, I could also not do the Environmental Studies minor and not always try to fit Spanish into my schedule, and have room over the next 3 years for interesting/fun/extra courses. Grad school is very likely my best course after graduation and I’m wondering if a PhD program will care if I minored in Environmental Studies or have mastered a foreign language? Perhaps I should just focus on my ecology classes and research?
So what advice do you have for me? Or, more generally, when making decisions like this, what should I consider most?
Thanks!
What career do you intend on eventually entering? If you really can’t decide, maybe viewing as what will be most useful for what you want to do will help you decide.
I highly, highly recommend studying abroad and minoring in Spanish. In this day and age, as you probably already know, Spanish is becoming as prevalent a language in America as English. Especially when applying for future jobs, being fluent in multiple languages will almost always get you the job over a competitor. I’ve taken AP Environmental Science in high school and it was an incredible class, but it would not at all help my future career as taking Spanish would have.
Studying abroad, of course, is life changing. I am yet to hear of someone who studied abroad and did not have a “life changing” experience. I think it is necessary for a student to embark on because it helps them mature and learn a lot about themselves. You may come out of study abroad thinking you’d like to study Spanish full time; you just never know! You will regret it if you do not study abroad. My siblings did not and two years out of college they still regret it.
I know now you probably think you should minor in what could go with your major, but trust me when I say that study abroad and minoring in a foreign language is a can’t miss opportunity.
I agree with halcyonheather and cfruehe16. The best way for you to do what you want most and interested in, is to study abroad. If you want to learn more about the Spanish language and Minor in Environmental Science, then studying in a spanish speaking country whilst learning about environmental science is the best move for you. Try seeking for help on a program that helped my dad on his volunteer works abroad. The company is called Diversity Abroad. I think they offer programs for students who want to learn and nurture their passion abroad.
College should be a time to broaden your perspective on life
Adding Environmental Science to Ecology sounds like more of the same thing.
Learning a language and studying abroad will definitely give you a more global perspective. You don’t realize how insular the US is until you live abroad.
Piling on the Eco + Enviro science with a year in a spanish language university (whether Spain / LA / CA). Employers really aren’t that interested in minors for a start. More importantly, living in a language will give you a fluency no minor ever will, and living/studying eco in another ecosystem will give you a whole other level of credibility come job time.
I would appreciate some advice too, I’m bound to graduate by April (undergraduate) and I wanted to pursue another degree for creative writing abroad. I want to learn more about the English language but I want to learn French, Japanese and German too
I would appreciate some advice too, I’m bound to graduate by April (undergraduate) and I wanted to pursue another degree for creative writing abroad. I want to learn more about the English language but I want to learn French, Japanese and German too
@saabelly It would be better if you started a new thread with your question…and ask a specific question.
Also where are you attending college right now?
