Unusual and Marketable Majors
Choosing a College Degree with Great Career Opportunities
Nov 18, 2007
When people think of college majors that lead to great jobs, they usually think of engineering, computer science, or the hard sciences. However, these aren't the only marketable majors out there. Here are some less popular majors that you may not have considered or even heard of-- and yet all of these majors provide students with skills and knowledge that are in great demand in the work force.
Geography
Geography is the study of how human beings interact with the physical features of the Earth. Geography students also learn how to use a sophisticated type of software called geographic information systems (GIS), which maps geographical trends over time. The ability to use GIS has become a very marketable skill that’s needed by organizations ranging from the U.S. Census Bureau (to map population trends) to transportation agencies (to map traffic patterns) to environmental organizations (to map changes in the environment). A geography degree can also lead to a career in urban planning, where geographers are needed to plan housing, commercial zones, transportation, and parks in ways that effectively benefit the community and environment.
Medical Technology
If you major in medical technology, you'll learn how to become a clinical laboratory scientist (CLS), an expert who analyzes people’s blood, urine, and other bodily fluids and tissues. As a CLS, you might find yourself analyzing someone’s cholesterol level, matching blood samples for transfusions, looking for abnormal cells, or testing a woman's fertility levels. Currently, there's a critical shortage of clinical laboratory scientists, so these skills are highly in demand-- especially since the aging Baby Boomer generation is fueling the need for medical testing. This major also can lead to careers in the pharmaceutical industry. Medical technology usually is not a stand-alone major, so look for it in the nursing, chemistry, or biology department.
Recreation Management
Not all managers work in a corporate office. If you major in recreation management, you'll learn how to coordinate facilities devoted to leisure activities. Recreation management graduates work in parks, ski resorts, sporting facilities, summer camps, senior centers, camping grounds, theme parks, and community centers. Majors learn how to manage employees, plan and promote activities, create budgets, and follow safety regulations. These skills are in demand, and there's a particular strong demand for recreation professional to work with seniors and with children who have disabilities such as autism and Down Syndrome.
Natural Resources
As a natural resource major, you’ll study resources that occur in nature and can be used commercially, including trees, oil, coal, water, wind, solar power, plants, and animals. You'll learn how to protect our natural resources, and how these resources can be used in ways that benefit society with minimal environmental damage. Because of the growing concern about the environment, a background in natural resources is becoming increasingly valuable. Some natural resource graduates work for government agencies or for environmental consulting firms that assist corporations in following government regulations, Others work for corporations that create products from natural resources, such as seed companies or fisheries.
Linguistics
Linguistics is the study of language: how people acquire language, how it has developed historically, and how people use it around the world. In our increasingly global economy, people with a background in linguistics who understand language are valued. In the corporate world, linguistics majors can find a niche for themselves in international business and marketing settings. With a background in computer science, linguistics majors can also become specialists in computer languages. With additional training, linguistics majors can work as speech pathologists, sign language instructors, or translators, or they can teach English as a foreign language to children or adults.
Best of lucking in finding the major that's right for you! For more information, here are some strategies to help you in choosing a college major.
