Choosing a college major is a big decision. Potential career paths abound, and it takes a lot of time and commitment to select your area of study wisely. Students must weigh their interests, academic records, and the availability of potential job opportunities down the road.
Today, the most popular areas of study range from science to health to business. Here are nine of those most popular areas of study college students are majoring in today.
With increasing focus on protecting the environment these days, it’s no wonder that many college students are selecting to major in Environmental Science. Universities are also noticing, and they’re adding programs and additional resources to this field of study. Studies in this college major focus on the physical and biological processes occurring in nature and the social impacts and political implications on society. Many programs include field research opportunities as hands-on learning. Examples of specific areas in this field include ecosystems, forests, botany, oceanography/aquatic, sustainability, and renewable energy sources.
Biology, or the study of life, and biotechnology are areas of study that are continually evolving as they affect everyday life. Biology majors study the functions and characteristics of living organisms. This can parlay into a career in biotechnology, which is the study and use of living systems to design, develop, and create new products.
People love their pets and animals in general. As such, an increasingly high number of students are pursuing a career as a veterinarian. While Veterinarian School is a step beyond a bachelor’s degree, it is often cited as one of the most rewarding careers. Vet school requirements may differ from school to school, but most require specific undergraduate degrees and classes in certain subjects. These most commonly include biology, zoology, chemistry, and physics.
When you think of psychology, you may think of a limited career path of a therapist. Today, however, there are many paths you can take with a psychology degree. These include criminal and forensic psychology, educational psychology, industrial-organizational psychology, and clinical psychology. Even businesses are turning to psychologists to provide insight into employee behavior and also consumer behavior.
The healthcare field is one of the highest growing fields of study and offers numerous career opportunities. Students can choose actual hands-on studies such as nursing, or lean toward a more administrative-style career in healthcare management. Whichever way students go, the fundamental underlying factor is an interest in the health and overall well-being of people.
Education remains in the top most popular college majors due to the constant demand in the workplace. Here again, you have choices, from early childhood education, special education all the way to post-secondary education.
Business is constantly evolving. That is why a business major remains one of the most popular fields of study for college students. A degree in business prepares you for several types of positions within business organizations. Courses include economics, accounting, marketing, as well as human resources. Entrepreneurial studies have also become popular within this major. Many college students continue their education in this field, earning an MBA in addition to their bachelor’s degree.
A field with explosive job potential and high salaries, engineering continues to be a top choice for many students. Specialties in this field of study include civil engineering, mechanical engineering, and even aeronautical engineering.
The field of Social Studies is broad, but all include, in some way, the study of societies, networks, and relationships. These can be in political science, history, sociology, and several others.
In closing, many of these majors have been popular mainstays several years in a row, while others, such as Environmental Science, have been rising in the ranks in recent years. As for those requiring additional schooling beyond the bachelor’s degree, such as an MBA or Veterinary Medicine degree, the number of students choosing these fields of study remains high. Although no one can definitively say what the future will hold, in the near-term, these nine fields of study will continue in popularity for incoming college students.