# What was your university major? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 17, 2010, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-university-major/557401 "2010-10-17T03:02:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Blut\_Aus\_Nord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Blut\_Aus\_Nord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blut_Aus_Nord)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-university-major/557401/1 "2010-10-17T03:02:02Z")
I’m interested to see who majored in what, whether or not you switched your major and why/why not. I’m going to university in January, majoring in open science options (Basically undecided with a focus on science - I’ll have to get more specific after the semester is up). ---
**Author:** ![kapri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4491bb/32.png) [@kapri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kapri)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-university-major/557401/2 "2010-10-17T03:08:18Z")
Years ago, but my major (for both BA and MA) was English. However, when I was a freshman undergrad I started as a Psychology major. I switch about 3/4 of the way through my freshman year because my heart wasn’t in Psych–I really, really wanted to study literature. ---
**Author:** ![Ace309](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ace309/32/1050_2.png) [@Ace309](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ace309)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-university-major/557401/3 "2010-10-17T03:10:29Z")
As an undergrad I started off as a political science major, then switched to a philosophy major and a political science minor, and finally graduated with enough credits to accidentally finish a double major in philosophy and political science. My MS is in economics. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-university-major/557401/4 "2010-10-17T03:15:32Z")
I started out as a Comp Sci major. The university screwed up transferring my AP credits from high school (and I really didn’t understand how they were supposed to work) which set me a year behind. After that I switched to Physics. Looking at the course work for Physics I noticed that by the time I had the physics major I only needed two more classes to get a math minor so I declared that as well. After my 3rd physics class two things happened. 1)Because I started taking them during 2nd semester, after the third class I was going to have to take a semester off to get back on track with everyone else…that and even though I thoroughly enjoyed it, 2)my grades weren’t doing so well. At this point I had so much math under my belt I changed my major to Math. That’s what I graduated with. A degree in Math. Which is more or less useless for what I do now, and as much as I still love math (Multivariable Calc was my favorite class in college), I really don’t remember any of it. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-university-major/557401/5 "2010-10-17T03:39:51Z")
Computer Science, but I flunked out. (I became a very successful programmer anyway.) Now I am an undeclared part-time undergrad while I work to complete my basic liberal arts requirements so I can eventually finish a CS degree. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-university-major/557401/6 "2010-10-17T03:42:09Z")
I started out doing an AS in nursing, sucked at it and switched to a BS in chemistry. I eventually did a BS in biochemistry instead (I love biology). In retrospect I wish I had done a double major, the BS in biochem and a BA in something cool and interesting. Dammit. And its not like the BS degree led to amazing careers. I am a part time temp worker with no benefits. And that is the best I can do right now. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-university-major/557401/7 "2010-10-17T03:51:14Z")
This probably isn’t going to be a surprise given my user name, but I started out in computer science then switched to electrical engineering. After I got a BSEE I went back and almost got a second BS in comp sci. I was going to get a masters in comp sci but never did it because I got too busy with work and real life. Before starting college I had very seriously considered a career in music, but decided to go with EE/CS instead. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-university-major/557401/8 "2010-10-17T03:58:29Z")
First degree: actuarial studies Second degree: law ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-university-major/557401/9 "2010-10-17T04:04:49Z")
PolSci major (life issues that culminated in Nursing Home stay left me 20 or so credits short, and Sallie Mae issues are making returning iffy). Knew that’d be my major by age 11 or so. Had wanted to do Law School, then go into politics. Found out I’m not detail oriented enough for Law, and not sleazy enough for Politics. I also added Women Studies as a minor (most classes I wanted to take lent themselves to the minor). ---
**Author:** ![moejoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@moejoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moejoe)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-university-major/557401/10 "2010-10-17T04:06:46Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I started out as a Comp Sci major. The university screwed up transferring my AP credits from high school (and I really didn’t understand how they were supposed to work) which set me a year behind. After that I switched to Physics. Looking at the course work for Physics I noticed that by the time I had the physics major I only needed two more classes to get a math minor so I declared that as well. After my 3rd physics class two things happened. 1)Because I started taking them during 2nd semester, after the third class I was going to have to take a semester off to get back on track with everyone else…that and even though I thoroughly enjoyed it, 2)my grades weren’t doing so well. At this point I had so much math under my belt I changed my major to Math. That’s what I graduated with. A degree in Math. Which is more or less useless for what I do now, and as much as I still love math (Multivariable Calc was my favorite class in college), I really don’t remember any of it. Math major, that’s hot. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-university-major/557401/11 "2010-10-17T04:15:49Z")
Physics. I’ve never worked in the field though - I’ve always worked as an Engineer, first in E-beam lithography, and later as an embedded systems designer. ---
**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-university-major/557401/12 "2010-10-17T04:22:22Z")
BS in Zoology. I flirted with a few different majors within the Biological Sciences department that all pretty much met the core pre-vet requirements, and Zoology won out in the end because I was more interested in animals in general than botany or genetics or biochemistry. After all of the hemming and hawing about how best to prepare for vet school and taking 6 undergrad years to do it (there was no degree that encompassed all of the pre-vet reqs for California, and I also lost some units due to a unit cap when transferring from community college to university thanks to bad counseling advice, exacerbated by needing to take more units at the the university in order to meet their minimum units for graduation) I decided not to apply and proceeded to fall personally and professionally in love with the internet. I still consider myself a biology geek though. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-university-major/557401/13 "2010-10-17T04:24:01Z")
Started: Mechanical Engineering major Found out 1.5 years in that I couldn’t stand it. Now I’m double majoring in History and Secondary Education. ---
**Author:** ![GilaB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@GilaB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GilaB)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-university-major/557401/14 "2010-10-17T04:30:08Z")
Biology, with a history minor. I’d always wanted to be a biologist. Then I went to a PhD program in bio, and discovered that it actually made me miserable. Then I got a master’s in public health. ---
**Author:** ![gladtobeblazed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85f322/32.png) [@gladtobeblazed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gladtobeblazed)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-university-major/557401/15 "2010-10-17T04:47:05Z")
I studied mechanical engineering for a few years and then switched to math. ---
**Author:** ![sunstone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunstone/32/3372_2.png) [@sunstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunstone)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-university-major/557401/16 "2010-10-17T04:49:39Z")
Botany with a minor in Chem. Graduate work in zoology and physical sciences. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Onimous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ea5d25/32.png) [@Ann\_Onimous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Onimous)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-university-major/557401/17 "2010-10-17T05:09:32Z")
Double major: church music and secondary English education. ---
**Author:** ![InterestedObserver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@InterestedObserver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InterestedObserver)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-university-major/557401/18 "2010-10-17T05:12:40Z")
First degree (and career): Child Development. Second (currently pursuing): Film. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-university-major/557401/19 "2010-10-17T05:20:05Z")
My majors were Engineering, Computer Science, and History. I wasn’t very focused at that age. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-university-major/557401/20 "2010-10-17T06:11:54Z")
Entered as Theatre, remained so and graduated with a B.A. in Theatre (focus on technical, especially lighting) and currently work in the industry. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-university-major/557401.md?page=2)