<p>I'll be going back to school this coming semester after 8 years working as an engineer (backed by no degree.) I was lucky enough to get the full time job that I had and keep it as long as it did... but then 2008 happened and the industry I was in really felt it. so now im getting by on contract work wanting to expand my services because to be successful in this industry you have to have experience and money...I have the knowledge but unfortunately not the money or the credentials to get any. besides that I would really like to take on more social services like community planning and environmental impact research and application.. so what kind of degree do you get for that? civil engineering, sociology, political science and economics? all four? I don't think I'd have any trouble committing to either if not all those majors at once</p>
<p>Of course the schools open on Monday so I'll sure to be having this conversation with a counselor... </p>
<p>I have heard a small bit about interdisciplinary studies and was wondering if it was for people like me?? Any other ideas about my predicament? I know the counselor may be able to answer all of these questions in due time..I just want to be prepared for that conversation and not come out of it looking like a complete fool. I know it may sound kind of silly, but at 27 years of age I sorta feel like if I don't do this now and do it right I'm really going to pass up a great period of opportunity in my life where I had the means and the motivation</p>
<p>I hope you get on college confidential tonight to read this, I feel really bad It looks like the major you are looking for is environmental science, ecology, or environmental engineering. You may also want to double major in or minor in sociology or political science since that might help you with the career you are looking for. I’m not sure what you would major in for the community planning part. Civil engineering or architecture makes sense, but when you major in engineering you really don’t have time to study anything else. Unless, of course, you are a zombie that can survive without a social life.
The counselor you are talking to tomorrow might have some more ideas. I would say to them exactly what you said here (it doesn’t sound stupid). If you want to seem a little more knowledgable about the field, look at collegeboard’s major and career central. It gives a relatively good description of various majors. I’ll post the link here in a second.
If you are talking to the counselor of a specific college, keep in mind that they might not suggest every major that is out there; they might only suggest the ones the college has (mostly because it would be pointless for them to learn about majors their college doesn’t have). </p>
<p>BTW I discovered my future major (bioinformatics) by talking to an admissions counselor at a college. The collegeboard description just didn’t do it for me.</p>
<p>There are many more majors on there. You should look sometime and see if there is something you like even better.
I’m sorry if I wasn’t much help, since I really didn’t help you combine your interest in community planning with that of the environment.</p>
<p>Joy you are a tremendous help thank you… to tell you the truth I have been working pretty hard for the last 8 years and have moved between 6 different states, so my social life as of right now is pretty non existent… and I’m fine with that because I don’t really have much spare money any way. My parents are kind enough to let me stay with them in MS no charge, they are getting older so this was inevitable at some point in my eyes… I would be willing to look for a low paying full time job but I really feel my time is better spent finishing my degree now that they have suggested willingness to help me out. </p>
<p>I have always had a passion for economics and planning, how large scale engineering projects affect populations and the economy, which steers societies is some ways… I really dont know what job it is that does that, to be honest.</p>
It looks like the major you are looking for is environmental science, ecology, or environmental engineering. You may also want to double major in or minor in sociology or political science since that might help you with the career you are looking for. I’m not sure what you would major in for the community planning part. Civil engineering or architecture makes sense, but when you major in engineering you really don’t have time to study anything else. Unless, of course, you are a zombie that can survive without a social life.