Colorado Technical University

Spiritually Speaking -- what should I study going back to college?

In 1994, I left college, but was still allowed to go through graduation ceremonies, some hours short of completion. Now that I see it, I have basically 30 hours or a full year of undergrad left. I really wrangled my way into the line for grad. Naturally I never got a diploma for my empty folder. But, my whole family thought I had graduated. I have worked as a freelance writer, holding myself out as having a degree in English. I got 2 books published 4 and 8 years ago, I have published articles, blogs and business and grant proposals. I have done mission trips and ministry work with my writing, and am up for a major journalism fellowship (I did not pretend to have a degree on that application). Lately, I have felt very guilty about pretending to have a degree when I don't. Due to serious illness in our family, the construction and publishing markets (my husband's and my work) and a variety of other factors I'm not going to detail here, our family is on welfare right now. As a bit of background, I have not been offered a full time job in five years in spite of my best efforts. I get part time jobs easily and freelance writing jobs easily -- they just don't pay enough for us to pay our bills. My husband (who remodels houses but doesn't charge near enough to support us) and I have to cooperate with the job placement plan in order to keep getting welfare. It's not that the few hundred dollars is such a big deal, but under the program, and since I don't have outstanding student loans, I can go back to school and finish my degree with distance learning through a university about 40 miles from here. I can take online classes or some classes at a center in my town. It will actually take about 2 years because I have to earn 45 hours at this new school to graduate from it. This program offers adult learners courses at the upper undergrad levels and counts whatever coursework you've done to meet the core education requirements. You have to have completed 60 hours to get in and I've completed 98. Here are possible majors available to me: 1. English. Pro: it was already my major and I have a lot of work done in it. Con: I don't see how it will get me farther than I am now. I'm already a published author and journalist and not making enough money at it. I can already get hired for writing jobs based on my talent -- not to brag, it's just a fact. 2. Psychology -- Pro: I like people and helping others. Con: I have absolutely no hours in psychology right now and would have to start with Psych 101. Like all of these, I have the educational core done, but would have to take a bunch of psych and other social science courses. 3. Business administration. I do have nonprofit experience but my lack of degree has kept me from ever getting a job with it. I have no interest in business courses, I'm bad at math, possibly too chaotic for accounting, but I would make more money I think. 4. Teaching certification -- I would go for secondary English. Pro: very easy for me to finish up and possibly steady work that I'd enjoy. Con: Our local school district cut a bunch of teachers this year and I don't want to uproot the kids. I quit the teaching unit when I was at uni before because I didn't think I would be the best teacher. 5. organizational management -- like bus admin but less accounting and other drudgery. Might help me grow my writing business or get a job with a cool organization. What's your advice? Hope it wasn't too long. I tried to break it up into a lot of paragraphs. Thanks!

Public Comments

1. English as a major might be too general to land a good job. Psych -- with only an undergrad, you'd have a hard time getting a job in the psych field -- you'd need to get a master's, which puts off your employment by a couple more years. Bus. Admin. Would be good and make you highly employable in a wide range of jobs, including non-profit. Teaching: It is a myth that there is a teacher shortage, as the cuts in your district show. But you could teach in a nearby district without uprooting your kids. Plus side of this is that you'd have summers and holidays off with your kids. Org. Mgmnt -- Has a lot of possibilities and like the bus. admin. degree can be used for a wide range of jobs. That's not much help, I know. But good luck. Look at it this way -- no matter what you get your degree in, you'll HAVE your degree, and that alone will make you more employable.
2. Personally; I would go with "organizational management" !
3. I say validate yourself! You have been using your skills to get by for several years. Since your husband has even less chance of getting work in this job market it doesn't make sense to do something that will make it harder to survive. Maybe there is something the two of you can do together. You could learn to rehab apartments or houses and you could do the extra job of writing a story, with pics, for magazines. Maybe get sponsored by a hardware firm. There are ways to earn a living - thinking outside the box. No matter what you do, you gotta keep track of the money. Getting a student loan would almost be suicidal in today's job market. Find ways to use your skills without taking on any overhead expense.