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Political Science
Political Science
In a nutshell, Political Science is the academic study of politics and government. In one sense, it is an ancient discipline. It remains central to any classical study of the liberal arts, firmly grounded as it is in the work of Plato and Aristotle. In another sense, because it often deals with current events and sophisticated statistical analysis, Political Science is a cutting-edge area of study. Whether you are analyzing voting patterns in a presidential campaign, the Israeli parliament, or the pros and cons of different systems of government, Political Science is timely, fascinating, and perpetually changing. Like any liberal arts major, Political Science makes no claims to be a pre-professional program. It certainly doesn’t exist to teach disconnected facts about politics. Instead, Political Science majors develop excellent critical thinking and communication skills and, more broadly, an understanding of history and culture. Even more broadly, Political Science tackles those Big, Serious, Heavy, Eternal Questions. What is the best way to reconcile individual desires and community needs? Is it possible to have both freedom and equality? Authority and justice? Etc. If you major in Political Science, you’ll study everything from revolutions to political parties to voting behavior to public policy. You are also likely to explore the political issues inherent to different regions of the world, like the Middle East, East Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe.
Preparation
Political Science involves heavy doses of reading, writing, and often – if you can believe it – rigorous statistical analysis. Translation: math. We’re not suggesting anything nearly as challenging as A.P. calculus, but you should stay in practice. In addition, if you think you might major in Political Science, concentrate primarily on honing your reading and writing skills. Take courses in American history, civics, world history, and English composition, so you can get good at writing essays. Mastery of a foreign language is a big plus, too, because you will probably be required to take several foreign language classes as a Political Science major.
Portuguese
PortuguesePortugal is a nation with a history, language, and culture that has had sweeping influences throughout the world. Though rarely heard in the United States, Portuguese maintains its status as one of the world’s most important languages. Spoken in Portugal (obviously), Brazil (South America’s largest economy) and parts of Africa, Portuguese is a bridge to a rich and diverse cultural history and spans across three continents and dozens of centuries, from the exploration of the New World in the 15th Century, to colonial and post-colonial Africa. With the expansion of American investment interests in Latin America, Portuguese has taken on even greater influence as half of all U.S. businesses in South America have offices in Brazil. Portuguese majors will have the opportunity to put their language skills into use in a wide array of fields in a number of countries.
Preparation
Prior knowledge of the language isn’t necessary to major in it in college, but it certainly won’t hurt you. If you haven’t taken Portuguese in high school, then other Romance languages, such as French, Spanish, and Italian, can be helpful starting points.
Pre-Dentistry
Pre-DentistryIf you have your eye on a career as a dentist, a Pre-Dentistry program might be what you’re looking for. Pre-Dentistry, like all pre-professional programs, offers focused coursework in both general education and areas more specific to your intended field. You’ll take courses in the natural sciences like biology and chemistry. You’ll take science laboratories to get hands-on experience with research and documentation. You’ll take courses in communication, social sciences, and humanities. Ohio State University suggests volunteering or working in a dental office during your undergraduate years—a great way to make sure you want to pursue a dentistry career after graduation. Although you won’t specialize until you’re on your way to becoming a dentist, it doesn’t hurt to be aware of what’s out there. Dentistry includes many areas of expertise, including orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, and oral surgery. Your own interests and concerns will help you to eventually choose a specialty. You should know that most dentistry programs don’t require a Pre-Dentistry major, just as medical schools don’t always require pre-med. Keep in mind that good grades and dedication in all your courses are the best preparation.
Preparation
Pre-Dentistry involves a great deal of math and science courses, so take as many as possible—biology, chemistry, and advanced-level math, like calculus. Health courses, such as anatomy, will broaden your foundation. And English courses will give you the chance to become a better reader, writer, and communicator.
Pre-Law
Pre-LawFirst, it should be pointed out that most law schools do not require that you major in Pre-Law. If you major in English, say, or history, you’ll still be on the right track. Crucial to a Pre-Law major are critical reading, writing, and thinking skills. After all, as a lawyer, your job will require drafting cogent arguments and solutions to problems, then communicating those arguments and solutions effectively to persuade and convince a judge or jury. With a Pre-Law major, you’ll be taking courses dealing with crime, government, and international issues, but most of your study will consist of courses in the humanities and social sciences. Your education will give you perspectives on human nature, skills in oral and written communication, and the knowledge you’ll need to be a careful and creative thinker. A Pre-Law major will give you the opportunity to take courses in many different disciplines. Political science, anthropology, psychology, government, English, logic, philosophy, and history are only a few of the possibilities. You’ll be encouraged to take math and science courses as well. You’ll have to unravel quantitative mysteries as a lawyer, too. Your chances of being accepted into a good law school will be greatly improved if you can demonstrate knowledge in many areas. Knowledge of a foreign language will also give you an edge in our increasingly international culture.
Preparation
Pre-law majors are immersed in reading and writing, so now’s the time to polish your skills. Read as much as you can. Get engaged in your English courses and strive to write well. History, political science, and language courses will also be valuable. Remember, the key is to build knowledge in a wide variety of subjects.
Pre-Medicine
Pre-MedicineReality check: a Pre-Medical degree does not guarantee that you will be accepted into medical school. Pre-Medicine is a curriculum designed to best prepare you for the MCATs (the Medical College Admission Test) and for the rigors of medical school. Rich in biology and chemistry, this major dovetails neatly into several other related areas of study (such as chemistry, biology, and biochemistry). It also provides a solid background in physics and mathematics. If you declare Pre-Medicine as your major, be prepared to forget about a social life from time to time. Colleges design Pre-Med programs to weed out prospective applicants to Medical School (read: organic chemistry). Med schools can only accept a certain number of students a year because a limited number of doctors may be licensed in the United States each year. So, if the thought of hundreds of hours spent poring over organic chemistry notes appeals to you in a strange way, if you refer to ER as one of your “stories,” if you think that the unabridged Gray’s Anatomy makes for some interesting reading, or if you think you can really study harder than most of your friends for four years, then Pre-Medicine just might be the major for you.
Preparation
A firm background in science will serve you well. Take as many courses in chemistry, biology, and physics as you can. If your school offers anatomy and physiology, sign up for those. Advanced math is usually a part of the Pre-Medical curriculum as well, so courses in calculus and trigonometry are also useful.
Pre-Optometry
Pre-OptometryIf you’re looking ahead to a future as an optometrist, you might want to consider a major in Pre-Optometry. Optometrists are concerned with all aspects of the eye—the promotion of eye health and safety, vision care, and basic examinations of the internal and external parts of the eye. They write prescriptions for glasses and contact lenses. There are many options for optometrists—for example, you might become involved with sports vision or geriatrics. Expanding technology is creating new and exciting opportunities for optometrists, so if the eye is your interest, consider this path. Pre-Optometry is not a major at most universities. It is, rather, a concentration—a focused selection of courses that will give you the necessary foundation for admission to optometry school. Keep in mind that admission to optometry school depends largely on your scores on the Optometry Admission Test, as well as your background in math and science. Although most students complete an undergraduate degree before attending optometry school, many optometry schools do not require it for admission.
Preparation
Since Pre-Optometry programs involve a great deal of math and science, take advanced courses like calculus and analytic geometry, as well as courses in biology, chemistry, and physics. Become familiar with the eye in health or anatomy classes.
Pre-Seminary
Pre-SeminaryContrary to what this may sound like, you’re not making any vows of poverty or chastity. You won’t get to hear confessions, and the closest you’ll come to wearing a long white robe in front of a crowd is if you get locked out of your dorm room on your way to the shower. While you may not quite be ready for the pulpit, a major in Pre-seminary affords you the opportunity to engage in all of the intense theological and moral debates of your dreams, and better yet, by the time you graduate, you will have received such a thorough education in philosophical reasoning and Biblical thought that you’ll be able to make a much stronger argument than “because you’re just wrong.” Pre-seminary majors are theological and philosophical heavyweights. They study everything from Aristotle to contemporary Christian thought. If a religious vocation is your calling, consider this excellent preparation for a life of the cloth. But even if you’re not already planning your first sermon, a Pre-seminary major is an excellent way to bridge theology and philosophy, to learn how to think and write critically.
Preparation
You will need some strong critical reading and writing skills developed through a genuine interest in the humanities. Beef up your intake of history, English, and philosophy (if possible). If you go to a school that offers them, take some religion classes, always playing the role of the healthy skeptic. And remember, it’s never too early to begin working your way through Aristotle’s Ethics.
Pre-Veterinary Medicine
Pre-Veterinary MedicinePre-Veterinary Medicine is for those students who have an eye on veterinary school. Veterinarians are skilled at caring for animals—diagnosing and treating their health problems, preventing those problems from happening—basically ensuring these critters’ well-being. Vets often choose between working with small animals and working with larger ones (such as farm animals), but there are plenty of vets who are capable of working with all sizes. Pre-Veterinary Medicine programs at most colleges encompass science and math courses that most veterinary schools require for admittance. Biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, and other courses will form a large part of your curriculum, as well as classes in animal sciences and zoology. Getting involved in an internship or volunteering in a vet’s office are both great ways to augment your studies and get a little experience before veterinary school. Most veterinary schools don’t require you to major in Pre-Veterinary Medicine. The most important things schools look for is a strong background in science and math—and, if possible, actual veterinary observation or experience.
Preparation
Pre-Veterinary Medicine will require a great deal of math and science, so now’s your chance to get prepared—biology, chemistry, calculus, and other advanced courses will be your best bets. Courses dealing with animals—such as husbandry courses, if you live in a rural area—will be of obvious help to your getting a head start on your college curriculum.
Printmaking
PrintmakingPrintmaking originally arose from a demand for multiple copies of a written or artistic work. Since then, Printmaking has developed into a fine art in itself. Printmaking is the production of original images on a separate medium, usually in multiples. Depending on the Printmaking process, an artist will draw on a surface such as a metal plate, stone, or sheet of silk, which is then treated, inked, and run with paper by hand through a press to print the desired number of original pieces. Printmaking students study intaglio (etching and engraving), monotype lithography, serigraphy (silk screen), and relief printmaking (woodcut and linocut). Most programs, after introducing all the basic techniques, require the Printmaking major to choose one area of concentration.
Preparation
If you want to major in Printmaking, you will (in most cases) need to have a portfolio of artwork in order to be admitted to a program. So, draw! Draw! Draw! Schools look for strong observational drawing skills, so draw from life as often as you can. For feedback or reviews form several schools at once, visit a National Portfolio Day. Check out local museums, community colleges, and universities for pre-college programs or seminars. Sometimes museums also offer volunteer opportunities for students.
Psychology
PsychologyPsychology is the study of the way humans and animals interact and respond to their environment. The manner in which they do is called behavior. Psychology combines humanities and science. Psychologists try to discover why certain people react to certain aspects of society and the world at large in a certain way, and from those reactions, they try to deduce something about the biology of our brains and the way the environment influences us. Sound complicated? It is, but it’s also a profoundly fascinating major. If you major in Psychology, you’ll look for the essence of why people are the way they are, from their personality type to their sexual orientation. Within this broad framework, Psychology majors focus on such features of the human mind as learning, cognition, intelligence, motivation, emotion, perception, personality, mental disorders, and the ways in which our individual preferences are inherited from our parents or shaped by our environment. With a strong background in research and the scientific method, a Psychology major pursues a field of study that seeks to educate, communicate, and resolve many of the problems surrounding human behavior.
Preparation
In addition to taking introductory psychology courses at your high school, students should also prepare themselves by having a strong background in science, math, English, and computer courses. Spending your time volunteering at a local hospital or mental health clinic is also a great opportunity to gain practical experience in the field. There is also a wealth of reading material available to those who have an interest in psychology, from scholarly journals, to newspapers and magazines.
Public Administration
Public AdministrationThis major applies the principles of good business—management, problem-solving, decision-making, organization, and leadership—to the public sector. Public Administration careers can exist on a state or local level, in federal agencies (such as housing, law enforcement, and labor relations) and non-profit organizations (like health care and social services).
Public Administration is a hybrid field that arose from the close relationship between government and business. Politics and public policy are equally important in this field. As a Public Administration major, you’ll see how laws and regulations have affected society, and how those laws are either problematic or beneficial, and sometimes a combination of both. You’ll learn about current problems with the law, and how those laws might be changed. You’ll gain an understanding of social problems, and see how people respond to changes. You might choose to work as a city planner, a tax administrator, or an insurance regulator, among many other options. Your program might offer areas of special interest to Public Administration such as urban studies, criminal justice, or public opinion. No matter where your interests lie, you’ll be expected to have a good knowledge of government, an interest in business, and a passion for serving others effectively.
Preparation
Communication skills are vital to any administration major, so make an effort to take classes in English, languages, writing, and other humanities subjects. Computer skills are also important, so take classes in computer science if they’re offered at your school. Math courses will also help in making you an effective administrator. And learn how to type—you’ll be glad you did.
Public Health
Public HealthPublic Health is the study of how health issues affect populations, and the development of methods to improve the general well-being of the public at large. Public Health majors study the science and the politics behind Public Health policies. Whether investigating communicable diseases, working with the mentally ill, implementing nutrition programs, or studying policy, Public Health majors strive to fulfill the mission of the World Health Organization, as given in its definition of health: “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” Some schools further divide this major into separate concentrations, such as nutrition, biostatistics, and health administration. Other schools require classes in each of these areas. Many Public Health programs begin at the graduate level, but some schools do offer this major to undergraduates. Graduate study is not necessarily required to work in Public Health, but it is definitely something to consider.
Preparation
Classes in biology, chemistry, and advanced math will be useful, if not required. A second language (especially Spanish) couldn’t hurt, either.
Public Policy Analysis
Public Policy AnalysisEver wonder why governments do things that no one seems to understand? Ever want to know why your hometown has six stoplights on four blocks, or what exactly goes on inside of a “think tank”? Perhaps you’ve always wanted to be behind the political scene, helping to shape and inform the decisions that effect policy decisions.
A major in Public Policy Analysis will place you right at the heart of some of the most important economic and social decisions made by businesses and governments. Using statistical information, economic tools and theories such as cost benefit analyses and case studies, a Public Policy Analysis major will provide you with the skills you need to evaluate policy decisions. Whether you are working in the corporate world or with the federal and local government, you will be ready to formulate and critique policies that have a direct bearing on our society and environment. Public Policy Analysis majors can play a number of roles given their strong background in mathematics and economics. You will improve your critical thinking skills as well as strengthen your organizational and decision-making abilities. When it’s all over, you will be ready to enter one of the fastest-growing fields in the job market.
Preparation
A strong background in the liberal arts and the sciences, especially mathematics, is good preparation if you’re considering a major in Public Policy Analysis. The major consists of advanced calculus and statistics, so prepare yourself well in these areas.
Public Relations
Public RelationsYou’re always into what’s new and now, you’ve got a knack for organization and a flair for writing, and people always listen to what you have to say. If you’re all that, with a soft spot for glitz and glamour, welcome to the fast-paced, results-driven, done-yesterday world of PR. According to Kent State University, public relations is “the strategic management of communication and relationships between organizations and their key publics.” In other words, public relations specialists control how organizations and their products or services are perceived by the public—and in turn, what image their paying clients (the organizations) portray. As a public relations major, you’ll learn about all the written, verbal, and visual elements that go into effective public relations. You’ll be prepped on how to write a press release and how to handle media attention on your client’s behalf. Your studies may also include forays into publishing newsletters, designing effective promotional ads, newswriting, broadcast media, and videography. Once you have a grasp on these basics, you’ll learn how to use them effectively to drive sales for your client and earn favor in the public eye. Knowing when to communicate what is essential in public relations. You’ll learn how to develop your information and messages, and how to make sure that information is portrayed in the best possible way to your targeted audience. The best PR pros will also know a little about event planning, product launches, public speaking, and damage control. Public relations is in many ways an interdisciplinary major, and you’ll study elements from many other fields, including psychology, philosophy, languages, business, art, and many others. You’ll learn how to analyze public opinion and various research studies in order to determine what the public relations needs are for a certain organization. Problem solving and strategic planning abilities go a long way in the field, so hone them now. Oh, and there are ethical issues too, when it comes to “influencing” public opinion—you’ll want to maintain ethical business practices for the sake of your PR firm and your firm’s loyal clients. Many programs require students to participate in an internship, which is a great way to see the world of PR from the inside, and some programs require students to choose a concentration, often in the business field. Be sure to research exactly what’s required as you determine what program is best for you.
Preparation
Although you probably won’t have any actual public relations courses in your high school, you can prepare for this major by taking classes that strengthen your communication skills, such as English, languages, history, and art. Great interpersonal skills are also vital to a career in PR, so get involved in extracurricular activities to get used to interacting with all different kinds of people.