It’s no secret that choosing a major is a stressful decision, especially with the added pressure of needing to pick a perfect career in a world of unstable job markets.
Some majors can be criticized for their unreliability when considering the effort and money put into them during one’s undergraduate years. These remarks can persuade students to pursue majors with high-paying, in-demand jobs like computer science.
However, while some majors may not lead to an immediate job offer, that doesn’t mean they’re not worth it. One of those hidden gems is music instrumental performance.
“I chose to pursue a music degree because there is just so much flexibility with pursuing one,” said Audrey Ringle, sophomore in FAA. “It’s like a personal love that you can share with other people, which is always a fun thing.”
Ringle believes that with a music instrumental performance degree, there are numerous opportunities depending on the amount of dedication to the career. The possibilities are endless, ranging from teaching classes and performing with a group to making your own music.
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“I’m hoping to get a master’s degree in trombone performance and pursue local orchestral gigs and acquire students to teach private lessons to,” Ringle said. “There are a variety of things that all go into being a professional musician.”
According to Ringle, other students dismiss music instrumental performance because they feel the major doesn’t require as much work. However, by studying trombone performance, Ringle dedicates much of her time to practicing, rehearsing and performing in concerts consistently.
“The common thing to say is, ‘Oh, you’re a music major; it’s not a real major,’” Ringle said. “People think all you have to do is play your instrument and do nothing. That’s definitely far from it. I feel like music majors are the busiest people I know.”
Philosophy is another looked-down-upon major. Asking the big question — “why do we think the way we do” — philosophy relies on analyses of logic, ethics and metaphysics, among others.
Olivia Wegner, sophomore in LAS, said she originally majored in psychology until she switched to philosophy after taking PHIL 105: Introduction to Ethics and thought the subject was a more interesting approach to studying humans.
“Before there was science and math, people were philosophers,” Wegner said. “Philosophy is just the basis for all of the knowledge we know. I think everyone should take at least one philosophy course.”
Another factor while determining a major to pursue is the degree of schooling required after undergraduate education.
“With a philosophy degree, there are plenty of things that you can do, like being a lawyer or being an educator,” Wegner said. “It’s not like you’re going to be a philosopher right out of the gate; it takes going the route of higher education to get better jobs.”
However, for some individuals, graduate school can be too costly. Unlike undergraduate programs, scholarships for graduate students are harder to come by due to their competitive nature.
Andrea Jara, junior in LAS, is majoring in psychology and plans on attending graduate school for her master’s degree, just not right away.
“Graduate school can be expensive,” Jara said. “I’m thinking about taking a gap year just to raise money for graduate school.”
One of the criticisms of the psychology field is that it has a stigma around it as a “gateway major,” which means it’s considered to be used to further other careers.
But Jara wasn’t too worried about the future of her career, believing these misunderstandings are actual positives to the possibilities a psychology degree offers.
“I think it is kind of funny, just because there are a lot of misconceptions behind the job market and psychology, but I’m not really concerned about it,” Jara said. “There are a lot of fields that you can work in.”
The extensivity of psychology makes it feel more useful to Jara, with the multitude of components to explore. In fact, the field is constantly changing.
No restrictions are stopping one from pursuing a specific psychology concentration; options range from behavioral neuroscience to clinical psychology. If one branch isn’t sufficient, intradisciplinary psychology allows students to explore numerous areas of the field.
“There are a lot of things that you can choose to study in psychology,” Jara said. “It doesn’t have to be one thing. I feel like you can just have fun with it.”
