<p>After taking a couple years off from college, I've been delving into figuring out what career I really want to pursue. I started a social media marketing business which is doing quite well, and I can definitely see myself continuing in the future. </p>
<p>However, I've also been thinking about going back to college to get a degree just in case I end up changing career paths down the line. </p>
<p>So I wonder: would it be better to go back and get a general degree like English, that can be used in a lot of jobs and industries? Or to get a more specific degree like Marketing or some other field that I'm interested in, that would give me more practical and direct training?</p>
<p>The most sensible solution, and also one of the most common, is to double major in a practical field and something else. Art history and business make a good combination for someone interested in art galleries or museum work, for example, or marketing and anthropology/sociology for someone interested in sales/advertising. </p>
<p>Certain majors are more employable than others. You’re much more likely to find an English major working at Starbucks after graduation than a nursing or engineering major. Business, accounting, marketing, etc. are flexible degrees and relatively in demand these days.</p>
<p>For you, the specific degree may be less significant than the internship(s) and connections.</p>
<p>Are you already part of a startup community? If you have a peer group, that’s worth much more than a specific degree.</p>
<p>Also look at programs with paid coop experiences, like Drexel and Northeastern.</p>
<p>If you present your experience well, you may not even be considered entry level.</p>
<p>If you have a specific career change in mind, then studying that specific area makes sense. If you are uncertain about your longer-range plans, and just need a diploma to hang on your wall (and I recognize that in some cases that is all that is needed) then feel free to study whatever you please - English lit., business, whatever. In the latter case, an affordable distance-ed/online program might suit you better than attending live on-campus classes. Here are two that are reputable:
[UMUC</a> - Homepage](<a href=“http://www.umuc.edu%5DUMUC”>http://www.umuc.edu)<br>
[Penn</a> State | Online Degrees, Online Courses, and Online Certificates offered by Penn State](<a href=“http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/]Penn”>http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/)<br>
There are plenty more out there. Chances are that your own home state public universities offer something that will serve your goals.</p>
<p>Wishing you all the best!</p>
<p>Some of the social studies subjects, like sociology, psychology, and economics, may be more applicable than English literature, in terms of what you are doing, if you choose to major in a liberal arts subject instead of a business subject like marketing.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the replies, guys!</p>
<p>Well, I guess my fear about majoring in something more specific like Marketing or even Sociology would be that it could limit my ability to go into teaching if I ever chose to? It’s not something I’m sure I’d want to do, but it’s a possibility, and if I taught, I’d probably want to teach English…</p>
<p>The other one is journalism or any kind of writing career. If I majored in Sociology or something, for example, would it be harder to get a position than if I majored in English, or do my actual skills and experience matter more again than the actual degree?</p>
<p>Teaching requires a very specific type of preparation for most public schools. You would have to goback for a year or maybe two.</p>
<p>To teach English, majoring in English would help, but you would also need to get a teaching credential for the state you want to teach in.</p>
<p>For writing skills, most subjects involve writing about the subject matter. Obviously, majoring in English will prepare you for writing about English literature, but preparing for general writing may be best done by taking writing intensive courses in varied subjects, regardless of what you major in.</p>