It’s tough being forced to decide what you’re going to do for the rest of your life before you even become an adult. Even if you make the choice to come in undeclared, you only have a few semesters until you have to hunker down and choose the major that you would like to pursue. Fear not, I’ve compiled a list of what I think are the 5 best majors offered by SUNY Plattsburgh for students who aren’t sure about what they want to do after graduation, and why that program might be appealing to you!
- Anthropology
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Anthropology, also known as the study of humans, is the lovechild of history, sociology, and biology, which encompasses fields like human geography, linguistics, forensics, archaeology, ethnography, media studies, nutrition, and many more. The possibilities with a major in anthropology are endless as Plattsburgh alumni have gone on to be anything from a flight attendant to a professor. SUNY Plattsburgh also offers 3 anthropology minors, Archaeology, Cultural Anthropology, and Biological Anthropology, as well as having a Forensics minor in development. When you have a focus in biological anthropology, you can work as an environmental planner, a public health specialist, a forensic technician or an epidemiology researcher. If you minor in archaeology, you can work as a cartographer, a surveyor, a museum curator, a librarian, or even a park ranger. If your interests lie in cultural anthropology, you can work as a data analyst, an international affairs specialist, a social worker, a user experience researcher, a journalist, a lawyer, and so much more. All in all, majoring in Anthropology helps you develop strong writing and analytical skills, as well as opening your mind to many different perspectives and cultures worldwide, both valued in many different fields.
If you have a variety of interests and want to learn about people all over the world, Anthropology might be right for you!
- Computer science
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Computer science is a field full of opportunities with the rapid advancement of technology and a workplace that only gets more and more dependent on it. Through engineering and programming, a Computer Science major teaches you logic and problem-solving, which is important in every single career you might consider. What makes SUNY Plattsburgh’s Computer Science program special, though, is that it focuses on the social impact of technology as well. This expands your opportunities from programming, engineering, and development to fields like education, research, user experience,and analytics.
If you love technology, coding, and feel like you can handle and commit to majoring in a hard science, Computer Science might be right for you!
- Business Administration
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Business Administration is one of the 3 majors in the Business Department of the School of Business & Economics, but it beats out Supply Chain Management and International Business due to its versatility. Through the Business Administration major, you study ethics, marketing, accounting, management, information systems, and you’re encouraged to minor in other departments and pursue many interests to round out your education. This major also makes you very appealing to employers in a variety of fields, knowing how businesses tick is valued when going into the corporate world. Your experiences with ethics can get you work in the legal world, your skills with management can get you a job in marketing, accounting and finance, or if you love what you started with this major you can become an operations manager or a supply chain manager. Communication skills, the skill to create effective principles and practices in the workplace, and experiences gained through this major can help you in many jobs, and even help you start your own business!
If you like the possibilities of starting your own business or working in many different fields (and don’t feel too uncomfortable doing a little math) Business Administration might be right for you!
- Communication studies
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Here at SUNY Plattsburgh, you can choose one of five communication majors depending on whether you want to go into television, film, radio, or the news, but our Communications Studies major gives you an overview of the entire field of communications, making it a great choice if you’re not totally sure about what you want to do after graduation. Communication Studies teaches you the required skills for many jobs, so when you graduate you’re not limited to just journalism, film production, or media publications. Knowing how to effectively communicate with the public and work well with large teams are incredibly important for jobs like public relations specialists, human resource officers, brand strategists, political spokespeople, or marketing managers, and are valuable skills in any field.
If you like working with other people, feel confident with public speaking, and like the possibilities of working in a variety of settings, Communication Studies might be right for you!
- Philosophy
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Philosophy is one of the biggest stepping stones for a lot of different majors, mostly in business, law, medicine, and the social sciences. In these cases, you’re required to take at least one class in philosophy, because to succeed you need a strong foundation in ethics and critical thinking skills. Philosophy helps you develop analytical skills, create and support arguments, and view the world in a deep and meaningful way. SUNY Plattsburgh’s Philosophy program also has an impressive career preparation program for its third or fourth year students, helping you succeed after graduation. Though this major is usually met with a lot of mockery, you can gain a strong advantage when applying to law schools, and you have many opportunities in community advocacy, public service, education, business, and governmental work.
If you have strong argumentative skills, a penchant for social justice and activism, and want to work with your community, Philosophy might be right for you!
Choosing majors is never easy, it’s a daunting task trying to pick between the near endless possibilities that college presents you with. Whatever your choice, whether it’s on this list or something else that caught your eye, don’t let it limit your interests and ambitions during and after college.