Classics major?

[CorrieNC]

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I originally have been planning on majoring in Biochemistry (I'll be a freshman in the fall) but now I'm not so sure. I really enjoy science but I don't LOVE it like I love languages, particularly vocabulary.

I would be completely content with a career as an educator if I were for some reason decide pharmacy/med school wasn't for me. However I would not be happy forever working as a lab tech.

I've heard that med schools like to see majors outside of the sciences, are pharmacy schools the same way?

If I majored in Classics and minored in Chemistry I would get all of my chem pre-requisites and then take one or two other pre-requisites each semester and over the summers. I also may have a second minor of English or history or anthropology, just because I'd like a few broader courses.

I think I would overall enjoy my time and probably have a better overall and science gpa. I would also avoid scary classes like P-chem.

While exploring the classics major I found these two sites which seem to really show the benefits of a classics major:

http://puffin.creighton.edu/clc/Student_page/careers.html

http://languages.siuc.edu/classics/Johnson/HTML/major.htm

http://www.classics.ucsb.edu/aboutmajor.php


Would I be at a disadvantage going into the admissions process with a classics major? Would I be at a disadvantage going into pharmacy/med school without the upper level science courses?


Thanks for any comments or advice!

 

[MilkmanAl]

Would I be at a disadvantage going into pharmacy/med school without the upper level science courses?

Med school, no. Pharm school I can't speak for, but I'd venture that no, you wouldn't.

Would I be at a disadvantage going into the admissions process with a classics major?

Nope. Major in whatever you like. As long as you have the pre-reqs done, you're good. All the other stuff doesn't help much.

 

[GoodmanBrown]

Med school, no. Pharm school I can't speak for, but I'd venture that no, you wouldn't.
Nope. Major in whatever you like. As long as you have the pre-reqs done, you're good. All the other stuff doesn't help much.

+1 👍

I highly recommend to all undergrads that they do whatever seems the most fun to them, especially if it's not Biochem or whatever. You'll have many years of life studying the sciences if you become a doctor. Enjoy college!

 

[chrslbrt]

+1 👍

I highly recommend to all undergrads that they do whatever seems the most fun to them, especially if it's not Biochem or whatever. You'll have many years of life studying the sciences if you become a doctor. Enjoy college!

Question. Is it possible to do a non-science major and still graduate in 4 years still. There are quite a bit of prereqs needed for med school, and I was wondering would an extra year or summer school be necessary in order to earn a degree?

 

[MilkmanAl]

You can most definitely do a non-science major plus the pre-reqs in 4 years without any supplementary semesters. It won't even be a stretch.

 

[chrslbrt]

You can most definitely do a non-science major plus the pre-reqs in 4 years without any supplementary semesters. It won't even be a stretch.

Ok, cool, because I have have alot of other interests outside of medicine, and I am CONSTANTLY changing my mind about career choices. So much, I'm considering changing my major from biology to undeclared.

I'm considering a business degree because I'm interested in business, I also am considering law school, and I looked at admission statistics from several local medical schools and they all compose of a significant portion of those schools' non-science majors.

 

[DrBowtie]

I'd major in something that you can get a job with upon graduation to cover all bases in case you didn't get in.
Classics wouldn't be that.

 

[CorrieNC]

I am thinking about double majoring in Philosophy/Classics, if the pharmacy/med school doesn't work out then I would get my masters and teach.

 

[DrBowtie]

I am thinking about double majoring in Philosophy/Classics, if the pharmacy/med school doesn't work out then I would get my masters and teach.

Teach HS, College or what?

Many of these majors in Arts and Sciences provide little job prospects aside from going all the way to a PhD, only to find yourself teaching in college perpetuating the issue.

 

[CorrieNC]

Teach HS, College or what?

Many of these majors in Arts and Sciences provide little job prospects aside from going all the way to a PhD, only to find yourself teaching in college perpetuating the issue.

College preferably, but I wouldn't refuse HS. I mean I could major in something practical like business but I wouldn't enjoy it.

The thing is that I don't know what other majors would offer me good career options, expecially those that could be achieved without a masters or PhD.

Then there of course is the fact that everyone tells you to do something you love, yet frown on you when that choice leads to you a path without many options.

Though of course all of this irrelevent if I got into pharmacy school (possibly med school), yet if I don't I have to still be able to support myself.

What would you suggest I do Dr. Bowtie? I'll take any advice, I feel a little overwhelmed by the whole process.

 

[billw]

A classics degree won't make you any more or less employable than most other undergraduate degrees. Most peoples' jobs have very little to do with their bachelor's degree. A bachelor's degree is basically a certification that employers use to fill a check box next to "Can probably read and write, not a complete *****," but it doesn't guarantee you anything. There are an awful lot of business majors working as waiters and MBAs who never manage anything. Some of the best employees I've had were high school drop-outs and some of the worst were MBAs (of course, I've worked with a lot of great MBAs as well.)

So, as far as backup plans go, consider any undergrad degree just a step above the minimum qualification to gain an entry level position in some relatively unspecialized field. Classics is just as good as biochem in that respect. If your backup plan is teaching and you would like to teach liberal arts of some sort, I think classics would be a fine fit.

Plus, you have two years before you really must make a decision about your major, which leaves you plenty of time to make a change or add another major if you find classics isn't what you expected.

 

[MilkmanAl]

A classics degree won't make you any more or less employable than most other undergraduate degrees.

I think anyone with a degree in computer science, engineering of any kind, chem, physics, etc. would probably disagree with you on that one, but I see your point. Still, classics is one of those subjects that only qualifies you for graduate education. Biochem, to use your example, would at least allow you to get involved with research or work in industry. It also sounds prettier to employers.

 

[CorrieNC]

Partly what I'm worried about is maintaining a high enough gpa in the majors you mentioned. While I am a hard worker I am not naturally gifted at the math and sciences. Hmm, thanks again for all of the comments they all aid me in my decision making.

 

[DrBowtie]

College preferably, but I wouldn't refuse HS. I mean I could major in something practical like business but I wouldn't enjoy it.

The thing is that I don't know what other majors would offer me good career options, expecially those that could be achieved without a masters or PhD.

Then there of course is the fact that everyone tells you to do something you love, yet frown on you when that choice leads to you a path without many options.

Though of course all of this irrelevent if I got into pharmacy school (possibly med school), yet if I don't I have to still be able to support myself.

What would you suggest I do Dr. Bowtie? I'll take any advice, I feel a little overwhelmed by the whole process.

Let's look at it from this perspective. College is an investment in yourself. You go to college to not only acquire a qualification of college graduate but also a skillset or knowledge set that makes you valuable to a future employer. Otherwise, you made a poor investment. What marketable skills would you have upon graduating with a Classics degree? Obviously if you want to continue on and do research and teach your only option is academia which is not simple task in itself.

Hopefully it is a moot point and you get into your health career you would like, but just think about what you want to get out of your college investment if you don't happen to go that route. As mentioned above, technical fields are the best for obtaining good jobs straight out of college, or those with certifications anticipated like CPA, Actuary etc.

As an aside, I view it as irresponsible for colleges to offer the broad range of studies that they do. The isn't the need for every major state university to have a full theatre and music department. The majority of kids who major in that will never work in it and it is doing them a disservice by training them for an inflated amount of money. Hire a few instructors (not faculty) to teach these subjects for electives, but those music majors are much better served by going to carpentry school in the long run.

 

[Flex]

I am a Philosophy major myself, and I think you should major in what you love. I do not see any reason to major in something you hate only for that major to prepare you for a job you will hate. That seems ridiculous to me. Major in what you love, and study hard so you can achieve your health-related goals.

 

[MilkmanAl]

That's a false dichotomy. You can major in something you like a little bit less and still get a huge boost in employability (yay making up words!). That is, love it but not employable vs. like it and moderately employable. If philosophy, English, and classics are the only things you wouldn't shoot yourself while studying, well, it's a good thing you'll be happy as a teacher. 😛

 

[GoodmanBrown]

Or at least expect to scrap for every adjunct position and community college spot available. This is doubly true for non-science stuff like English, philosophy, etc. But even in hard sciences and maths (such as economics, math, biology), it's much, much harder to get a position, and you'll never get tenure.

Plus, getting a PhD is long, hard work. Expect to work 6-8 years getting your PhD after college. In summary, if you want to be a professor, go for it. But using it as a back-up plan is a recipe for disaster.

Teaching high school is much more doable, especially in states that need teachers. But you'll need a teaching certificate and further classes if you don't do them while in college.

Long story short, do what you love, but keep at least a general sense of what you'll do after college. College is a time to have fun and explore lots of fun interests, but as a step in your education, it also sets in motion your job prospects for a long time.

I've come to feel that your most recent educational experience strongly influences your current job prospects. So, keep it in mind, but don't let it weigh you down.

 

[Iapyx]

I originally have been planning on majoring in Biochemistry (I'll be a freshman in the fall) but now I'm not so sure. I really enjoy science but I don't LOVE it like I love languages, particularly vocabulary.

I would be completely content with a career as an educator if I were for some reason decide pharmacy/med school wasn't for me. However I would not be happy forever working as a lab tech.

I've heard that med schools like to see majors outside of the sciences, are pharmacy schools the same way?

If I majored in Classics and minored in Chemistry I would get all of my chem pre-requisites and then take one or two other pre-requisites each semester and over the summers. I also may have a second minor of English or history or anthropology, just because I'd like a few broader courses.

I think I would overall enjoy my time and probably have a better overall and science gpa. I would also avoid scary classes like P-chem.

While exploring the classics major I found these two sites which seem to really show the benefits of a classics major:

http://puffin.creighton.edu/clc/Student_page/careers.html

http://languages.siuc.edu/classics/Johnson/HTML/major.htm

http://www.classics.ucsb.edu/aboutmajor.php


Would I be at a disadvantage going into the admissions process with a classics major? Would I be at a disadvantage going into pharmacy/med school without the upper level science courses?


Thanks for any comments or advice!

Majoring in Classics is the best choice you will ever make. If you are at UNC especially(great program)