Colorado Technical University

college degree?

I am a freshman in college and want to switch my major to history and minor in political science..i started out as a business major just because my family said it would be a good major and i figured i would make good money right out of college...but i quickly found out that i hate the business major...i like poly sci better but my school only has a minor available for political science so thats why i would major in history and minor in political science...the thing is if i major in history i don't want a career in history...i love learning about history and political science but i don't want to be a teacher or work in a boring museum...what are some realistic careers with a degree in history and minor in political science?..and does this mean ill be poor for the rest of my life if i major in this?..because i realize sometimes employers think history majors don't have the education to work for large corporations...any help or suggestions?..i would really appreciate it.

Public Comments

YOu don't have many options beyond teaching if you major in history, and a bachelors won't cut it most of the time. My uncle has his PhD in history and is looking at a second cross country move in his search for a full time job. My roomate's ex has a bachelors in history and he is working in the cafeteria. If you realy want to pursue a career in political science or hisotry, you will need a PhD and it will most likeley be acedemic. You might consider English or journalism so that you could write about political science. You can always take political science courses with other majors just for fun. It is great that you are thinking about what career you can get after school, because it is not smart to put it off until you are graduating. However you should not stay in a major you hate. Look at different majors in your school. If nothing calls to you, look at other school. I think its best to find a career that interests you and then find out what training in necessary. That is much easier than finding a major then trying to apply it to a job. You can do some research at the US Department of Labor's Occupational Outlook Handbook at http://www.bls.gov/search/ooh.asp?ct=OOH . It is hard to find a balance between money and happiness. A good paying job you are miserable with is jsut as useless as a degree you like that won't get you a job.
My favorite subject in high school was history. I ended up majoring in political science and minoring in criminal justice. I knew that a career in teaching, public administration, or in political campaigning waiting for me if I didn't go to law school, so I chose law school. A degree in history, with an emphasis on those subjects that require a writing project, will help prepare you for law school. Also, your knowledge of how political systems work will help you understand and do well in subjects like constitutional law in law school. I would plan on taking the LSAT sometime at the end of your junior year or beginning of your senior year. A lot of folks take a prep class like Kaplan before taking the LSAT. Of course, another possibility is to take another semester of classes from a variety of subjects (political science, history, sociology, archeology, anthropology, journalism, geography, etc.) and see if there might be a third option you haven't considered yet. If there is a class that is pre-law (such as perhaps a civil rights class or business law class), you might want to try that to see if you like it. Good luck.
OK, here's the process. It's pretty simple, but most people muck it up. College is NOT the goal. Lifestyle and career are the goals. College can help you get there. Do NOT start with a choice of major. That is step #3. Do #1 and #2 first. If you are going to college because you will need a job/career (like most of us), get a plan: 1) Determine a lifestyle that will satisfy you. (money, love of job, location, prestige, anything you care about) 2) Find a job that can support that lifestyle. (love of job is not the only factor) 3) Determine a major that prepares you for the job. 4) Sign up for that major. 5) Study your butt off so that you will get the job to get the lifestyle of #1 Note: If you are unable or unwilling to do what it takes for #5, go back to step #1 and start over. AFTER you get the job and can afford to eat, go back and take all the classes that you would 'love' to take. Get a Masters, PhD, or not degree at all.
I just wrote a post about how to choose your major on my blog, here's the url: http://freshmanyear101.blogspot.com . Check it out, I think it'll help you. That being said, with an undergraduate liberal arts degree, you can do tons of different things. Today, businesses are very receptive of non-business majors. Also, graduate schools don't necessarily choose applicants based on what they majored in for undergrad. It's important to pick something that you'll do well in, because your GPA in your major is of the most importance. If you enjoy history, major in history. You'll be surprised how many job opportunities there really are for Liberal Arts Majors. I even know a former history major who is now working for one of the best Think Tanks in the world. As long as you know you don't want to be a doctor, nurse, or dentist, majoring in history won't hold you back. In fact, lots of the students accepted into top law schools are history majors. Good luck with your decision, and congratulations on finding something that interests you.