Friday, March 29, 2024

A major decision

Students flock to certain majors based off job security and interest

October 6, 2014
<p>From left applied engineering sciences senior Luke Voelker, finance junior Alex Allen and applied engineering sciences senior Ryan Bertrand work in groups at the beginning of COM 360 on Oct. 6, 2014, at the Communications Arts and Sciences Building. Voelker asked to be in the class because of his interest in technical sales. Aerika Williams/The State News</p>

From left applied engineering sciences senior Luke Voelker, finance junior Alex Allen and applied engineering sciences senior Ryan Bertrand work in groups at the beginning of COM 360 on Oct. 6, 2014, at the Communications Arts and Sciences Building. Voelker asked to be in the class because of his interest in technical sales. Aerika Williams/The State News

But that’s not stopping Titova, who chose her major because of the degree’s job flexibility after graduation.

Whether a student picks their major for job security or other purposes, a select few majors see a larger number of students than others.

This year, the College of Engineering saw a large number of students declare engineering as their major – making it one of the most popular colleges this fall.

Out of more than 38,000 undergraduates at MSU, one-third of the students are in the College of Engineering or the Eli Broad College of Business.

Finance, supply chain management, mechanical engineering, advertising and accounting make up the current top five majors for fall 2014.

Trends in enrollment in certain colleges have also carried over from school year to school year.

Supply chain management in The Eli Broad College of Business has grown while mechanical engineering in the College of Engineering continuously sees large numbers of enrollment.

While some students might decide a major which will guide them to a career with guaranteed job security and paid well, others may choose a major more in tune with their interests.

Senior counselor in the office of admissions John Hoffschneider said despite trends to follow safe major paths, other students are proactive with considering their choices.

“I’m starting to see more students becoming assertive and exploring their interests, whether it’s residential colleges or new programs,” he said.

A promising future

The Eli Broad College of Business holds three of the five most popular majors — finance, accounting and supply chain management.

Chairperson in the Department of Supply Chain Management David Closs said unless a student has parents in the supply chain management career path, he or she may not know what it is.

“Once students get involved and see what they do, many of them find it matches their skills and interests,” Closs said.

Students enrolled in business majors may find themselves enrolled in COM 360, or Advanced Sales Communication, which teaches interpersonal communication with clients and how to effectively produce a sales presentation.

Following the top business majors, mechanical engineering is a popular major, especially for men.

Working off the male dominance in the major, Titova said as a senior, she’s not worried about finding employment after graduating.

“I’ve heard if you’re a woman, it’s easier to get (a job in engineering) because they want diversity in their company,” Titova said.

Director of the Cornerstone and Residential Experience in the College of Engineering Patrick Walton said within six months of graduating, 96 percent of engineering students are in a place they want to be, whether it is employed or in graduate school.

“What drives engineering enrollment the most is the dollars and cents,” Walton said. “If you look at companies that are hiring and (the) salaries they pay graduates, engineers get good jobs and they get paid good money.”

However, Walton also said 20 percent of students leave the major in their first year and of the remaining 80 percent, an additional 20 percent leave in their second year.

The Cornerstone and Residential Experience, or CoRe experience, works with first-year students to help them be admitted to the college and continue on to their second year.

“I hope, and I believe students choose engineering not just because they can make money but because they know engineering is critical for the future,” Walton said.

Introductory course EGR 100, or Introduction to Engineering Design, is a required class in which students learn the roles engineers play in society, in addition to design basics and project management.

Titova said not just mechanical engineering majors take the class and she liked it because of the hands-on aspect and working with other students.

“We’ve got to experience new things, like building a robot and first-time programming. ... You learn what engineering is about,” Titova said.

International interest

Training in the various aspects of business is also part of the reason many international students come to MSU.

Former Director of the Office of International Students and Scholars Peter Briggs said most international students used to come to MSU for post-graduate studies, but in the last eight or nine years it has flipped.

“Chinese (students) are going to a lot of places around the world, but all the Big Ten schools are seeing big uptakes in the number of Chinese undergraduates,” Briggs said.

In the Eli Broad College of Business, finance, accounting and supply chain management make up top major choices among international students.

Chairman of the department of supply chain management David Closs said the department is made up of 22 percent international students, and since it is a highly-ranked program, the students see it as an opportunity.

Supply chain management sophomore Yaqi Wang from China said she chose the major for its security.

“I think in the world, especially in China, supply chain management majors have more space to develop,” Wang said.

Although there is a demand for supply chain management, Closs said issues can arise with companies supporting international students.

“We try to make students aware there could be potential problems (with companies hiring them),” Closs said.

The supply chain management department will try to work with companies and find different ways for them to work with international students, such as hiring them for a company’s international division, he said.

Electives in demand

Outside of major-related classes, students are required to take a certain number of courses in the form of electives.

Electives can range from foreign languages to physical activity, but some are more popular with students than others.

The Eli Broad College of Business offers the elective HB 409, Introduction to Wine, in The School of Hospitality Business. The class currently has more students of other disciplines than hospitality business students enrolled.

Introduction to Wine, taught by associate hospitality business professor Carl Borchgrevink , teaches students about production of wine, wine and food pairing and classes of wine.

Borchgrevink said the class teaches students what certain wines might be like before a student tries them.

“(HB 409) is relevant for everybody and every walk of life. ... It’s popular because it’s an upper level elective with no pre-reqs,” Borchgrevink said.

Though there is no alcohol consumption in the class, it is not open to freshmen and sophomores.

A newer elective on campus in the social work department has drawn the attention of not only MSU students, but others across the country.

Social work professor Glenn Stutzky is the brain behind SW 290, “the zombie class.”

The class, called Disasters, Catastrophes, and Human Behavior: Surviving the Coming Zombie Apocalypse, is an elective offered exclusively online and during the summer semester.

Stutzky said while the class has its own story and gives students the opportunity to be creative, students are learning problem-solving and cooperation skills.

“We don’t give students the answers, we give them the situations and then they have to figure out ‘what do we do in these situations?’” Stutzky said. “This goes beyond being smart academically.”

COM 225, a class in the College of Communication Arts and Sciences, is widely talked about on campus and is taught by married communication professors Steven McCornack and Kelly Morrison .

The class, which is an Introduction to Interpersonal Communication, teaches students effective forms of interpersonal communication.

Communication junior Megan Karney said taking the class, specifically with the couple, is an interesting experience.

“It brings a whole different dynamic to the classroom,” Karney said.

COM 225 is required for the major, but Karney said the professors do a nice job of keeping the topic interesting and engaging the 600-person lecture.

“A lot of their examples are personal stories so it makes it fun when they tell stories together,” Karney said. “They switch up the lecturing too, so you’re not listening to the same voice all the time.”

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