Triple Major or Double Major and Minor?

College Majors
1

<p>Hello,</p>

<p>I am transferring to U of I this fall for Communications. I am DEFINITELY going to double major Psychology, and am considering triple majoring or minoring in Political Science as well.</p>

<p>The goal is to eventually go into PR/Marketing for a period of time, and either stick with that or go into government work (CIA or State Department) afterwards...unless I do something crazy like consulting.</p>

<p>Do you think that Political Science is necessary/very helpful to CIA/State Department? If so, what about major vs. minor?</p>

<p>One last thing---after Bachelor's, I am going to get a Master's Degree in Social and Public Communication from the London School of Economics. I may also get an additional Master's we shall see.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>Hey, I’m also prospective on what you’re heading toward, in terms of the CIA or State Department or other governmental agency, but I’m leaning more toward Foreign Intel and Comparative Gov to become either an Analyst or Field Agent.</p>

<p>I had a similar question to yours somewhere in the forum a couple weeks back. To solve my problem, many users mentioned that having a minor of itself is only adding to the breadth of the resume, but fails to attract enough employer attention. The projected goal I have now is to work toward a good major (in my case Int’l Relations), then focusing upon a double major perhaps on the side, or even triple-majoring if possible. After talks with others outside this forum however, I have decided on taking 1 major for now, mixed with 1 minor or certification, primarily because of the difficulties in balancing with social life with 2-3 majors all at once. When speaking in terms of political science, most careers regarding poly-sci usually end up with the State Department, yes, but can mean also Congress, Executive Branch, Legislative, Judicial, Cabinet, lawyers/accounting firms, you get the idea… and for Psychology, I also inquired earlier sometime whether it was beneficial for my resume, and while noble, it does not stand out as a good aspect other than simply finding out how policymakers think and make decisions, something we can both learn on our own without the course in college.</p>

<p>Accounting/financial jobs, in your case, are normally expected from many prospective candidates today in the economy, especially with weaknesses all over the place. The best method to get suited is by using a DOUBLE MAJOR and ONE minor, rather than a triple major, as per your options listed. Tripling only “triples” your workload if you get my drift, and that would only damage your time away from academics for breaks. A balance between your chosen skills and majors require a good quantity of time in devoting to a minor, while the workforce looks for the qualitative balance between skills and academia through college years. “Skills” essentially prove a plethora, and with your 2 majors and 1 minor, I ensure you’ll still get far for your future.</p>

<p>For the CIA, in any case, just remember that a unique language or two under your belt will prove beneficial. :)</p>

3

<p>OK, here is a better question, then. Would it be a better idea for me to skip Poli Sci and instead get a few semesters of Russian or Mandarin, as well?</p>

4

<p>^Just to comment on the language issue. If you want to learn a language like Mandarin or Russian, you don’t just “take a couple of semesters.” It’s something you will be committed to learning all through college, and then also doing study abroad in order to truly become fluent. And even after those four years in college and study abroad, you will still need to routinely practice that language lest you forget it.</p>

<p>Also, triple majoring I would advise against. I would even advise you to consider simply single-majoring in one core area, and then using the rest of your time taking various elective classes in the other areas that interest you. You have much more flexibility, and in my opinion there is only a marginal benefit to employability with a double major.</p>