Best College
Majors
People often ask, "What are the Best
College Majors to get me into a Top paying career?"
1) Business Administration/Management.
College Business majors often find success in their field, working
their way up the ladder to become office managers, executives, and vice
presidents in their companies. This major offers focused training in
accounting, finance, marketing, economics, human resources, and decision
making. You'll learn to budget, organize, plan, hire, direct, control, and
manage an organization. And you'll find even more chances for career growth
if you go on to earn your MBA.
links:
Business Administration
Programs
Business Management Programs
MBA Programs
2) Psychology.
College Psychology majors study the way humans and animals interact and
respond to their environment; essentially, it's the study of behavior
and the thoughts behind it. Just don't expect that four years of college and
a BS in Psychology will get you a private practice where you listen to
people lie on a couch and tell you their troubles for $95/hour. You'll need
an extra five to seven years of schooling and a Ph.D. or Psy.D. before that
will happen.
Links:
Psychology Programs
3) Elementary Education.
Teaching in the early grades, you are responsible for giving instruction
in all the basic subjects (reading, writing, 'arithmetic—plus
science, social studies, and the basics of health and physical education),
as well as overseeing the general development of each of your charges. Some
college programs offer (or require) an area of specialization, such as early
childhood, language arts, or mathematics. When your academic work is
complete, you move into the classroom for the trial-by-fire known as student
teaching. When you successfully complete the elementary education program,
you'll have to take any certification examinations required by the state in
which you want to work.
Links:
Teaching and Education Degree
Programs Online
4) Biology.
Biology majors focus on the living world—that's everything from single-cell
bacteria to whales. You may take classes in which you learn about
calculus, microbiology, cell biology, genetics, evolution, physics, and
organic chemistry. In addition to being a stepping stone for med school, a
biology major can lead to a job in a growing field such as genetics,
biotechnology, or medical research. Veterinarians, optometrists, ecologists,
biochemists, and environmentalists all may have majored in biology.
5) Nursing.
Everyone knows it takes a special kind of compassionate individual to
become a nurse, a profession that often includes playing the roles of
comforter, educator, mediator, listener, problem-solver and therapist.
Generally, nurses help people meet basic health needs, adapt to physical
changes, recover from illness, and die with dignity. They are employed in
clinics, hospitals, schools, corporations, the military, and in private
practice.
We need nurses now more than ever, and job prospects in this field
are bright. If you major in nursing, you'll take traditional science and
liberal arts courses as a first-year student and probably begin clinical
rotations at hospitals and other health care facilities during the second
semester of your sophomore year. While in school, you'll receive lots of
practical, hands-on training.
All would-be nurses are required by law to
take and pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered
Nurses (NCLEX-RN) after graduating from an accredited nursing program before
they can be considered "registered."
Links:
Nursing Career Degrees Online BS in
Nursing MS in Nursing
6) Education. "Summers off" is
hopefully not the main reason you'd like to become a teacher. Many
teachers actually spend their summers at a second, seasonal job (like at a
children's camp) to supplement their income, volunteering or doing some form
of community service work, or working hard on next year's lessons plans.
That said, lots of teachers wouldn't dream of doing anything else. Although
much of your coursework will be general education material, most states
require you to choose a specific grade level you'd like to teach.
Choices
usually include some variation of early childhood education (preschool),
primary education (kindergarten through eighth grade, see #3 above), and
secondary education (ninth through twelfth grade). Some education majors
choose to specialize in special education. Your student teaching experience,
in which you spend a semester or more in gaining practical experience in a
classroom, will be in the field of your choice. Education majors may also go
on to become guidance counselors, school administrators, and the like.
Links:
Teaching and Education Degree
Programs Online
Educational Administration
Degrees and Certificate Programs Online
7) English.
You'll find English majors in countless types of jobs. Many of them are
communications-based careers as you'd expect—author, reporter,
journalist, editor, radio broadcaster, advertising and public relations
executives—but plenty of them aren't that obvious. English majors also
become teachers, lawyers (after law school, of course), film directors,
politicians, actors, you name it. English majors become well-rounded,
well-read individuals who have studied life in words across the globe. Be
prepared to read, think, write, discuss, and then read a whole lot more.
8)
Communications.
In this program, students learn how certain messages influence individual
and group behavior, as well as how our reactions reflect the
underlying values of society. You'll spend a significant amount of time
studying different kinds of speaking and writing and the strategies people
use to make their points and drive them home. You'll take a look at verbal
and nonverbal messages, audience reaction, and the varied effects of
different communication environments. Communication theory will play a part
too, as you delve into monumental speeches, revolutionary political
campaigns, radical social movements, and the trends in news reporting. With
your degree, you may choose to pursue a career in business, public
relations, advertising, human resources, government, education, media, or
social services.
9)
Computer Science.
In this program, you'll focus on how computer technology can be applied to
any number of fields. Included will be classes on how to develop
business applications and perform system analysis and the process of
developing software (from designing to programming to testing). Programs may
also include instruction in robotics, natural language recognition programs,
artificial intelligence, programming languages, and numerical analysis. The
knowledge you gain from a Computer Science major is absolutely applicable to
the real world, and to real jobs within it.
Links:
COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Degrees for Computer Software
Engineers
Computer Tech IT
Certification and Technology IT Education Certificates
10) Political Science.
This major breaks down everything from political parties to voting behavior
to public policy to revolutions all across the world. It's a pretty
broad subject involving heavy doses of reading, writing, and statistical
analysis. Many schools will want you to choose a concentration.
Post-graduation options include: politics (running as a candidate or running
a candidate's campaign), journalist, diplomat, lobbyist, and, of course, law
school.
