- The results are being filtered by the character: D
D
Dance
Dance
There is a certain mystique to women and men who can move their bodies in amazing and beautiful ways. Dance is as much a part of the world’s artistic history as literature, music, or the visual arts, and its beauty is just as varied and complex. If you’re a Dance major, you’ll study many forms of dance, including ballet, modern, jazz, and various ethnic forms. You will also study Dance as an art—its role in history and its influences on different cultures. Dance is a performance art, and much of your college experience will include performance. You may choose from many concentrations of study as you move toward your degree—choreography or technology, for example. Many students choose to focus their study on Dance Education. Dance majors are usually already devoted to their art, having taken dance classes from a young age. Dance programs are generally competitive, as is the case with most performance programs. Be prepared to submit a videotape of your past performances. You’ll probably also have to give a live audition to be accepted to a Dance program.
Preparation
Many high schools don’t offer Dance classes, but if yours does, jump on them! Another good outlet for dance in high school is with the drama club. Musicals often require skilled dancers and choreographers and are a great way to get experience on stage. Marching band might also offer Dance opportunities. You might also look into various art and music classes to broaden your artistic horizons.
Data Processing
Data ProcessingIf the words “data processing” bring to mind images of a roomful of monkeys typing away into infinity, or fond memories of Star Trek: The Next Generation, then it’s probably about time to update your understanding of this major. As computers and technology continue to become the cornerstone for just about every business, data processors will be in constant demand to help corporations, individuals, and government offices adapt and more effectively use technology in the office and in the home. From creating computer networks within a company that allow offices to share files and data, to working as a computer service administrator, data processing majors will be invested with a wide array of computer and office skills that have real practical applications to the job market.
Preparation
The best preparation is a strong general background in statistics and the most complex math in addition to special courses in computer science.
Dental Hygiene
Dental Hygiene“Open up!” Those words instill panic in the hearts of many. You’ll be the hero who calms their nerves, cleans their teeth, and urges them to become more diligent flossers when you enter the world of dental hygiene. As a dental hygiene major, you’ll learn the fundamentals of oral health and nutrition, the anatomy of the mouth, and how to promote oral safety and care. You’ll also learn about dental care laws and how to manage patients safely. And you’ll come away armed with the knowledge to help patients develop a dental hygiene plan to protect and care for their teeth, thus making this world a cleaner, whiter place. Because a large part of being a dental hygienist is educating patients about oral health, you’ll gain a wide variety of related skills. Primarily you’ll be providing your patients with preventive care—ensuring their dental health now and in the future. To that end, you’ll learn how to screen for oral cancer, how to take and analyze x-rays, how to administer fluoride, and how to remove deposits from the teeth. Your learning will be both classroom- and lab-based, and eventually you’ll practice your newfound skills on real patients. Woo-hoo! A strong knowledge in the sciences as well as good communication skills are vital for success in dental hygiene. Dental hygiene programs are generally two years in length, and you’ll graduate with an associate’s degree. To actually become a dental hygienist, you must pass a national written exam and fulfill your state’s requirements for certification.
Preparation
Becoming solidly versed in the sciences—especially biology and chemistry—will give you a great head start on your college studies. And since you’ll need to be an expert communicator, don’t neglect humanities courses like English and languages, where you’ll perfect your written and oral skills. Take advantage of any health or anatomy courses your school offers, too—and pay close attention when talk turns to teeth.
Developmental Psychology
Developmental PsychologyPsychology is a huge field, and it’s no wonder. Anytime a discipline has as its focus something as monumentally broad as the study of behavior, you had better expect a whole lot of concentrations and specializations. Somewhere in that long list of psychology majors is Developmental Psychology. Just like a general psychology major, Developmental Psychology is concerned with human behavior. As a specialized major, it is intended for the brave man or woman who is looking to put their education into direct practice and use after graduation.
As a Developmental Psychology major, you’ll be prepared to work as a psychologist with a wide number of different populations, including children, the elderly, and families. Many developmental psychologists work directly with one or more of these groups, focusing on the causes and reasons behind behavior.
Preparation
You should focus on those math and science classes, particularly biology, chemistry, physics, and statistics. And the no-brainer part: if your school offers psychology classes, enroll and excel in them.
Diagnostic Medical Sonography
Diagnostic Medical SonographyYou may know the words “ultrasound” and “sonogram” from talking to expectant parents. This testing—described by Trident Technical College as the “use of nonionizing equipment to transmit sound waves at high frequencies into the patient’s body, then collect reflected echoes to form an image”—gets couples excited to start picking out names based on the baby’s sex. But a sonogram actually serves the crucial purpose of monitoring the baby’s health. Plus, a major in diagnostic medical sonography involves much more than producing images of a fetus in order to detect disease. You’ll be using ultrasound techniques to evaluate all kinds of patients’ health and you’ll be prepped to help physicians form their diagnoses. During your studies, you’ll gain an in-depth knowledge of anatomy and pathology, using your knowledge to create accurate ultrasound images. Your program will most likely offer plenty of hands-on experience with the scanning equipment you’ll someday use in the field, and you’ll become skillful in the art of dealing with patients compassionately and professionally. Sonographers are very important to physicians. As a diagnostic medical sonographer, you’ll be responsible not only for producing these ultrasound images but for interpreting them as well. You’ll integrate the images with a patient’s clinical information and pass on your summary to a qualified physician for diagnosis. Specifically, sonography is used to evaluate the heart, gallbladder, kidneys, liver, blood vessels, and pelvic organs, in addition to unborn babies. The ultrasound technique involves forming a two-dimensional image to examine and measure your internal organs and detect any abnormalities. You might choose to specialize in a field such as obstetrics, abdominal, or echocardiography. No matter what your chosen path, as a diagnostic medical sonography major you’ll learn how to operate highly technical equipment, and you’ll be a vital part of evaluating patients’ health and improving their outlook and future.
Preparation
A broad familiarity with the sciences is vital to a career in Diagnostic Medical Sonography, so fill your schedule with upper-level Biology, Chemistry, and Physics courses. Math courses are also important. This career requires good communication skills as well, so take courses in the humanities—such as English and languages—that will help you improve your reading, writing, and oral communication. Any health or anatomy courses your high school offers will give you a great head start for college.
Dietetics
DieteticsDietetics is the book by science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard that launched a fringe spiritual movement. No, wait. Sorry. That’s Dianetics. Dietetics is a burgeoning professional field that combines practical skills and research in food and health with education about food intake and food choices. Think of Dietetics as the psychology of food. Sure, Dietetics majors study nutrition. In fact, they study it quite a lot. But they also study people’s attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors toward food and eating habits. And what with swift innovations in medical research – not to mention perpetually rising healthcare costs and consumer demands – it’s a field that has become increasingly complex. Registered dietitians assess nutritional needs, treat dietary problems, and help prevent diseases through counseling about sound dietary practices and fitness. They also manage food service in health care and commercial settings. They are educators, therapists, consultants, and managers who work in hospitals, cafeterias, and large corporations. Any Dietetics program worth its salt is going to be accredited by the American Dietetic Association. To become a registered dietitian, you’ve got to complete an ADA-approved curriculum and pass the National Registered Dietitian Exam. Once you do, you should find a solid and growing job market waiting for you.
Preparation
If you are thinking about majoring in Dietetics, take chemistry and biology courses as well as a home economics course or two. You also want to know your way around a lab as well as possible.
Digital Communications and Media/Multimedia
Digital Communications and Media/MultimediaDigital communications are just what they sound like: communications performed with and by digital technology. Multimedia developers and managers use digital communications methods to create any variety of entertainment, graphic design, and artistic productions. If you major in this field, you’ll learn the fundamentals of digital communication, including computer programming, teleprocessing, graphic design, photography, and audio and video production. You’ll learn how to build websites and create 3D animation. You’ll learn about CD-ROM production and computer imaging. All of these methods of digital communication together constitute the “multi” nature of “multimedia.” You’ll also learn about the laws and regulations in place for digital communications, and what our role is in the development and use of new technologies. Multimedia, as you probably know, is a rapidly expanding field. Been to a museum lately? Then you’ve probably seen video installations and interactive works of art. Heard about e-books? A hardcover paper volume isn’t the only way to publish or read novels anymore. Multimedia is evident on websites that involve animation and virtual reality, photography, and audio. The field is new, exciting, and evolving; and it’s nearly impossible to define or set bounds for it because your major in digital communications and media/multimedia will be largely defined by your own ideas and experiments.
Preparation
Learning as much as you can about computers is your most pertinent preparation. Application software, programming, the Internet—being versed to some degree in all these areas will only help you once you begin your studies in college. Strong logical, reading, writing, and communication skills are also vital to these fields, so take advantage of your school’s humanities courses. Also, any art classes you can fit into your schedule will be helpful—everyone in multimedia, even a programmer, is involved in some way with design
Drawing
DrawingDrawing, as do all fine arts majors, requires exceptional self-motivation and discipline. If you major in it, you’ll be challenged to find your own artistic vision and apply it to your art. You’ll experiment with a variety of techniques and explore both traditional (still life, landscape, and the figure) and nontraditional subjects. Chances are, your notion of drawing will be challenged through the materials you’ll be encouraged to use. Drawing majors equip themselves with the knowledge of a number of mediums through a variety of two-dimensional art-related courses, particularly printmaking. You’ll learn how mediums inform and affect one another and how you might incorporate them. One of the most valuable aspects of a major in Drawing is the opportunity to see the work of faculty and other students. Visiting faculty, outside lectures, and student exhibitions are essential to see where artists are taking the art of Drawing. Most programs offer regular student and faculty critiques, so you’ll have the chance to hear what others think of your work. You’ll also learn (the fine art itself of) how to critique others, which is absolutely necessary to becoming a better artist. Location is an important consideration with a Drawing major. You might want to choose a college or university located in a thriving art community, where there will be ample opportunity for visits to galleries, museums, and private shows.
Preparation
Drawing expertise comes only with practice, so draw, draw, draw—those doodles in your notebooks might be just the practice you need. But be warned: art schools tend to frown upon copied photos and portfolios full of drawings from the imagination. Draw from life as much as possible. Buy a full range of pencils to ensure strong gradation from light to dark in all of your drawings. Learning about different artistic mediums will make your Drawing endeavors richer, and your artistic vision broader. History and English classes might also give your art new perspectives.