College Major Decision

[thevillageidiot13]

I need your advice/input regarding something I'm considering in terms of my choice of major.

I'm planning to double-major in Biomedical Sciences and either English or Creative Writing. UC Riverside has separated English and Creative Writing into two distinct majors.

I want to choose Creative Writing over English, especially because the related coursework appeals to me a lot more, but not at the cost of future job opportunities.

My question is this: If I choose Creative Writing over English, do you think it would, in any way, affect the job opportunities I'll have once I graduate? If so, please elaborate. This is an important decision for me, and I would like to hear your full and complete thoughts on this.

In case anybody's wondering, I'm planning to come back to my old high-school as a teacher in either the English or Science Department once I'm done with my college education, but if there's no opening when I graduate, I'm open to either going to grad school or working other jobs [ideally in a science-related field or in journalism or publishing, but I'll take what I can get, really] while I wait for something to open up.

 

[Mimssy]

English is more broad of a major, so it may have more opportunities for you.

 

[Dags90]

If you're planning to teach high school I would recommend education as a secondary major, and decide between the three: Biomedical Science, English or Creative Writing. Even then, to be a science teacher most people go with a general Biology program rather than something more specific.

 

[spartan231490]

I don't think it will affect your job opportunites because neither is that complimentary to biomedical sciences. If you want to compliment that for job ops take biology, or chemistry, or math. If you want to enjoy college classes, go creative writing.

 

[Harshael]

Is that creative writing degree a BA or a BFA? It will be identical to any other liberal arts degree -- neutral in terms of employment opportunities. An English degree can help prepare you for law school or fulfill the first requirements for teaching.

For teaching at the secondary level you will need an education degree as part of your bachelor's, or as a master's or equivalent certification training.

To teach creative writing at the college level you need a Master's. This is a terminal degree in that field, though (there are no PhDs in creative writing).

Basically, if you want to teach English at a high school, you should have an English degree with certification. Science teachers also need certification plus a relevant degree. Creative writing will not get you into journalism or publishing. For the former, you would need to go to journalism school. For publishing the degree does not matter so much as your willingness to start at the bottom (and actually search far and wide and be willing to wait for that bottom position).

I am working on my MA in English right now, planning to either teach at community colleges and/or pursue a PhD. I can't say I recommend this path, but for any schooling I suggest you stay out of debt if possible.

Good luck on your choice.

 

[thevillageidiot13]

Is that creative writing degree a BA or a BFA? It will be identical to any other liberal arts degree -- neutral in terms of employment opportunities. An English degree can help prepare you for law school or fulfill the first requirements for teaching.

For teaching at the secondary level you will need an education degree as part of your bachelor's, or as a master's or equivalent certification training.

To teach creative writing at the college level you need a Master's. This is a terminal degree in that field, though (there are no PhDs in creative writing).

Basically, if you want to teach English at a high school, you should have an English degree with certification. Science teachers also need certification plus a relevant degree. Creative writing will not get you into journalism or publishing. For the former, you would need to go to journalism school. For publishing the degree does not matter so much as your willingness to start at the bottom (and actually search far and wide and be willing to wait for that bottom position).

I am working on my MA in English right now, planning to either teach at community colleges and/or pursue a PhD. I can't say I recommend this path, but for any schooling I suggest you stay out of debt if possible.

Good luck on your choice.

It's a BA, I believe.

Also, the school I want to come back to is a private school, and can hire me despite the lack of a teaching degree.

My school doesn't offer an actual journalism major, but its Creative Writing majors typically take extensive coursework relating to journalism.

Is it possible to major in Creative Writing then segue my way into a Master's in English?

 

[thiosk]

Ok... biomedical sciences.... and english/creative writing.

Kinda different there. Theres zero overlap.

Grad schools in biomedical sciences won't give a lick about your creative writing or any other courses. They'd want to see technical writing.

Major in chemistry instead, stop being a wimp.

 

[thevillageidiot13]

Ok... biomedical sciences.... and english/creative writing.

Kinda different there. Theres zero overlap.

Grad schools in biomedical sciences won't give a lick about your creative writing or any other courses. They'd want to see technical writing.

Major in chemistry instead, stop being a wimp.

The Creative Writing majors at my school are required to take extensive coursework in Nonfiction as well (i.e.: essaywriting and journalism). Also, as I said, I might want to go into my old high school's science department, and Biomedical Sciences will give me a decent amount of background in all three main branches of science (physics, chem, bio)

 

[Harshael]

It's a BA, I believe.

Also, the school I want to come back to is a private school, and can hire me despite the lack of a teaching degree.

My school doesn't offer an actual journalism major, but its Creative Writing majors typically take extensive coursework relating to journalism.

Is it possible to major in Creative Writing then segue my way into a Master's in English?

Private schools can do whatever they want, but I don't know how certain your future job there is.

Newspapers are going under all over, and the competition is fiercer than ever. I wouldn't even think of applying without a degree from a journalism school. OF course, there are other ways to get into reporting, similar to how fiction writers get started.

The requirements for master's programs vary. All you really need is the requisite hours in undergraduate English, which you would likely pick up from a CW degree.

 

[Good morning blues]

I once heard a statistic that said that 80 per cent of jobs requiring bachelor's degrees are not major-specific. Take the program that appeals to you the most.

Edit: Applications to grad school are so non-major-specific that it's not something you should even really consider in your decision. I once met a guy working on a psychology master's degree who had majored in engineering and minored in computer science.

 

[Plurralbles]

If I was an employer I would be more likely to disregard "creative writing" and only think about the biomed. If it was english, I would give it a little bit of thought.

 

[Kryzantine]

Well, if you're looking for a major that gives you a lot of opportunities, Creative Writing is the last place you'd want to go. If you want to teach English or something along that line, like a particular genre or philosophy, then you should major in English.

I don't know how your school works with its science classes, but if you want to teach high school science, it's best to major in one specific field of it.

 

[Aur0ra145]

Unless you want to teach or become a lawyer, English won't server you well in the job market.

Biomedical though would be something to look into as for potential jobs for a college student. Try using the Biomed as your MAIN major, pursue internships with that and fall back on your English/Creative Writing degree if the medical industry dies (which it never will.) But with that being said, we always need teachers as well.

One question, are you working while going to school?

 

[daubie]

"What do you do with a BA in English?"

There are already far to many English majors out there. Creative writing is more focused, and probably a hell of a lot more interesting.

 

[lockeslylcrit]

Technically, a BA will get you most any job that requires a degree, so either one is good unless you are looking for a specific career.
I'm currently working on my Anthropology degree, and since I have now obtained my certificate in GIS (Geographic Information System), I can get a sweet job with the US Forestry Commission or other government job without a degree, providing I prove competence in GIS.

 

[justnotcricket]

I did a conjoint undergraduate degree in medicinal chemistry and egyptology. It was many kinds of awesome. I'm trying to use my PhD (which is actually kind of more in physics now) to unite the two in an eventual career.

My advice would be to take education as well as one of the others. Remember, you can always keep one thing as a hobby and do it in your own time (rather easier with English and Creative Writing, true).