Forget Money! Here are 5 Majors That Will Make You Want to Work

September 14, 2010 12:00 pm     Posted in College, Cool Stuff, Reality  Zara - Drexel g+ page


By Zara

Obviously the current job market isn’t looking so hot for anyone right now.  Most of us don’t have a trust fund to fall back on, and the state of our economy makes attending grad school a distant dream for so many of us.  With the pressure to land an entry-level position armed only with perseverance, savvy, and Bachelor’s degree in hand, the importance of choosing the right college major is more crucial now than ever  before.

In a recent article, Newsweek names the nine majors that lead to the “best” jobs.  The list includes majors along the lines of finance and information systems – things that have always been regarded as boring safe and prestigious.  I have to say, though, that the value of a career can’t be summed up by the median starting salary.  Sure, some people are actually passionate about construction management (hey, we don’t judge) and if you are, then of course this is the perfect major for you.  But for those of us who prefer to pursue skills that are slightly less mainstream (or that won’t make you want to bludgeon yourself with a calculator during your third all-nighter in a week), I say “why not?”

Throughout college, I remember seeing my peers who chose to major in things like biology struggle to stay awake during their work days while my Communications major (obviously not the most conventional) allowed me to spend the days of my internship interviewing high profile celebs at a major magazine. Win!

With that being said, we say “suck it, high paying jobs!” and have compiled 5 majors that put you on the path to career awesomeness.

1. Floristry: Cuyamana College in California offers this program.  Essentially a combination of botany and art, this major exists within the Ornamental Horticulture department.  Students pursue their Associate of Science degree by learning everything from planting flowers to designing wedding arrangements.  (Side note: where can I find a program that teaches me to devour…err…create Edible Arrangements?  If someone can find me one, I’m THERE.)

2. Arts and Entertainment Management: Drexel University’s Westphal College of Media Arts and Design is just one of the places where you can find this exciting major.  At Drexel students can choose a specialized concentration.  Depending on this and an individual student’s skills and interests, graduates can go on to become agents, managers, artistic/creative directors, and more.

3. Viticulture and Enology: Think an Ivy League education and alcohol are mutually exclusive?  Then you obviously haven’t heard of Cornell’s program.  Viticulture and Enology is basically just a fancy term for the study of wine.  Students within this major take courses that promise to make them experts on all things related to vino. I have to warn you, though – if you’re caught slappin’ a bag of Franzia with your dorm mates, you might get booted from the program.

4. Cartooning: It’s not exactly a college major, but this program is seriously cool.  For students who can’t see themselves in a traditional university setting but would still like to develop their skills after high school, The Center For Cartoon Studies is a god send.  One and two year certificates are offered, as is a Master’s program.  An education is Cartooning teaches all the essentials of the craft: from storytelling to drawing.  This institution, located in Vermont, promises to create master cartoonists, qualified to work at a variety of major media sources.

5. Film and TV Costume Design: FIDM offers this course, which not only teaches the fundamentals of design, but also includes plenty of info on how to navigate the industry and deal with other professionals. Who knows?  If you’re a fashionista in the making, this may be the very thing that could turn you into the next Patricia Fields (the super successful costume designer for Sex And The City.)  I mean, how much fun would it be to dress Blair Waldorf week after week?  This is one program that could definitely lead to an exciting career.

Of course, if you really want to have a fun career, there’s always Michigan….

14 Comments on "Forget Money! Here are 5 Majors That Will Make You Want to Work"

  1. Emma says:
    Wed, 15th Sep 20105:21 am 

    Wooo, Drexel EAM '14!

  2. Abbey says:
    Wed, 15th Sep 20106:33 am 

    I am a film costume design major and I love, love, LOVE it!

  3. misnomer says:
    Wed, 15th Sep 20107:57 am 

    Some how, I always find articles that advise people what to go into based on entrance pay slightly offensive. Mostly this is because I have that kind of major and those articles help perpetuate the stereotype that I am only in it for the money. I'm glad to see an article that encouurages students to research and find the major and career that is right for them, and also for acknowledging that those of us with "safe" jobs may actually enjoy what we do.

    http://studentswhostillhavesouls.blogspot.com

  4. kd says:
    Sat, 18th Sep 20106:05 am 

    with the exception of #5 (maybe), this is the most hilariously unrealistic thing i think i've ever read. good luck finding a job PERIOD with ANY of those majors. why the hell would you go to college and pay tens of thousands of dollars to major in floristry??

  5. Alexandra says:
    Sat, 18th Sep 201012:56 pm 

    You don't need a degree for that. Just someone to train you. Also, after about thirty years of doing the same things, dealing with crazy brides, losing her weekends unexpectedly to funeral flowers, and making a minimal salary, she's gotten bored. The floral business is also undergoing a lot of changes. An industry that used to be dominated by small business owners has had its business encroached upon by big chain grocery stores offering a dozen roses at prices that small business owners can't even dream of. Couple that with a perishable product, and it doesn't look good if you own or work at a small flower shop. The future of floristry is probably a department in a grocery store. Do something you love, but do your research with people who have been doing it for a long time. They might give you some insight as to where the industry is going and whether you'll actually get a job when you graduate.

  6. Lee says:
    Sat, 18th Sep 20102:26 pm 

    I'm in Computer Science, and most people I know (including myself) are in it because they love it and find it very interesting. You seem to think that if you personally find a career boring, no one else could possibly find it interesting and we must be doing it for the money. (And frankly, if we were to delve into exactly why people find engineering/CS/math boring, it would probably end up being because they suck at it).

    Well – suck it! I'm going to get paid AND love my job!

  7. Emily says:
    Sun, 19th Sep 20109:46 am 

    My best friend majored in florticulture, which is essentially the same thing as floristry, and she loves it. She just graduated and she has already helped with flowers for several weddings and she is doing my wedding flowers. Pick a major in something you love and if you work hard enough at finding a job, you will get one.

  8. Kayley says:
    Tue, 21st Sep 20104:46 pm 

    Lee – I both agree and disagree with you.

    I do think that majors like Computer Science can be interesting. As a matter of fact, I am majoring in Finance, another major that is listed as boring. However, I don't necessarily think all people find certain subjects boring simply because they are not good at them. For example, I am really good at mathematics, but I would never want to major in it because I feel it doesn't utilize my creativity well enough. While many people may not be good at a major they find boring, it doesn't mean that EVERYONE is not good at it.

    Basically, I think you are right in calling out CC for insulting majors like computer science and finance (I think finance is a lot more interesting than floristry.) However, I think you are making the same mistake by making insulting generalizations as a counter.

    I do like this article overall, though. I just think the insulting bit about boring majors could be left out. The main focus of the article is great (interesting/unusual majors.)

  9. EAMTeacher says:
    Wed, 6th Oct 20109:19 am 

    Hey kd, I'm the director of Drexel's Entertainment & Arts Management (EAM) program, and I can assure that graduates of our program can and do find paying jobs in media, visual arts, and performing arts. And emma is right, the newest class of EAM freshmen rock! Larry Epstein, lle25@drexel.edu.

  10. Fille says:
    Thu, 28th Oct 20105:55 pm 

    I think this articles is assuming too many things. That part about pulling all nighters versus interviewing celebs? I was a Fashion major who would constantly pull all-nighters because I'm simply just.not.good. at it. I had an internship where I encountered celebrities on a daily basis and I hated it, because celebrities are just people to me… So now I'm in the process of switching to a more conventional "boring" degree (business) because that's where my strengths lie, and I enjoy it.

    A relative of mine always says "If you're good at what you do, you'll make money. If you're bad at what you do, you won't" That's truth. Becoming a professional *insert 'safe' career here* won't do you any good if you suck at it. And becoming a *insert 'fun' career here* won't do you any good if you…wait for it…suck.

    My personal opinion is: pick something you love and happen to be good at and you're golden. Even in this economy :)

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