Choosing an undergraduate major

Choosing an undergraduate major is one of the more stressful and important decisions a university student must make.  Below, I have written a few thoughts, which I hope will enable undergraduates to make informed decisions about their majors.

Remember that you are choosing a major -- not a career.  One of the reasons that choosing a major can be stressful is the idea that, once you choose a major, you're locked in for life.  Nothing could be further from reality.  Let's take a look at my family as an example.  My undergraduate degree is in physics and now I work at the interface of mathematics and finance.  My brother has a BA in graphic design and now works as an accountant.  And my sister has a BS in biochemistry and is now studying to be a physicians assistant.  My brother, sister and I are all working in areas that one would not traditionally associate with our undergraduate majors.

With the above in mind, think of choosing a major as pointing you in a general direction -- not a straight line from where you are now to where you will end up.  If at some point in your career you are not happy with the direction you are moving, you can (and should) change course.

The skills obtained from certain degrees are more transferable than others.  Physics is an example of a major the helps one develop transferable skills.  In physics, one learns how to model the physical world, make predictions based on those models, and test the validity of those predictions.  To do this, one must become proficient in mathematics, statistics and computer programming.  Can you think of any other field where mathematics, statistics and programming can be used to model the world, make predictions and test those predictions?  How about, biology, chemistry, neuroscience, engineering, economics and finance?

Music is an example of a major that does not help one develop transferable skills.  With a degree in Music, one would learn a great deal about music theory, composition, history, and perhaps become a skilled performer.  Try to name some fields, other than music, in which these skills are highly valuable.

As a general rule, the skills one obtains in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) will be more transferable than the skills one obtains in non-STEM fields.  As such, if you have the talent and work ethic to obtain a STEM degree, it is probably a good idea to do so -- even if your long-term goal is to work in a non-STEM field.

Within STEM, the degrees that, in my view, are most transferable are physics and mathematics.  For example, with an undergraduate in physics, one could go a graduate school in physics, chemistry, electrical, civil and mechanical engineering, and, with some additional course-work, finance, economics and biology.  With a degree in mathematics, one could go to graduate school in mathematics, statistics and, with some additional coursework, economics, finance and computer science.  By comparison, an undergraduate degree in, say, biology, would not likely be able to go to graduate school in physics, mathematics or mechanical, civil or electrical engineering.

Choose a major you would enjoy.  As mentioned above, if you have the talent and interest to pursue a STEM degree, I think it would be a good idea to do so.  But, there is no sense in getting a STEM degree if you would be miserable throughout the entire process.  Long-term, your success in a given field will largely depend on how hard and long you are willing to work at it.  You will only be able to work long and hard at something if you enjoy it.

The only way to find out if you like something is to try it.  If you really have no idea what major is right for you, just try something.   Taking myself as an example, I arrived at my undergraduate major through a process of elimination.  I majored in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering and Mathematics before I finally settled on Physics.  Obviously, I would have progressed faster had I chosen Physics right from the get-go.  But, given the lack of direction I felt as an undergraduate, I see no method other than process of elimination by which I would have arrived at my final choice.  And, many of the courses I took in mathematics and engineering served me well in physics.