Choosing a major can be difficult, especially when you think your only options are business, engineering, and English. Here are 5 interesting majors you may not be aware existed.
1. Packaging Science
Offered at: Clemson University, Michigan State, and Virginia Tech
The first thing you may think of when you hear of Packaging Science is why is there a whole major devoted to making boxes? Well, Packaging Science is so much more than just that. Packaging Science combines industrial, materials and mechanical engineering to form a degree that is only specific to the packaging of products. Why is it interesting? The average consumer goes home with more than 50% of the products they did not intend to buy coming in. These decisions are all based on the packaging of the product. What about the font of the label, the shape and height of the package made it stand out from competitors? The best part of this major is it has a high job placement and high starting salary because every single thing you have ever purchased has been packaged.
2. Entertaining Engineering and Design
Offered at: University of Nevada
This major uses aspects of engineering and directly applies them to the entertainment industry. They get to work with the newest technologies and equipment to further enhance sound and computer graphics in the entertainment industry. These engineers have a goal to innovate and push the entertainment industry to new levels.
3. Nautical Archaeology
Offered at: Texas A&M, East Carolina University, University of West Florida
If you like Titanic for more reasons than just Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, you may be interested in this major. Nautical Archaeology studies the social interaction and cultures that once lived on sunken vessels and ships. This major takes education beyond the classroom as it may require a diver’s license. Be sure to look for hidden treasure when you're analyzing sunken artifacts!
4. Race Track Industry
Offered at: University of Arizona
Are you interested in horse racing? Or maybe a better question is are you interested in horse racing for more reasons than just alcohol and gambling? This major prepares you to manage every different aspect of horse racing from managing the business side of the track to breeding the animals. What’s cool about this major is that breeding horses is an exact science and famous horses like Sea Biscuit, Secretariat and American Pharaoh all come from the same lineage. If you can put a hand in breeding triple crown winners, you will definitely be able to pay off those college loans.
5. Theme Park Engineering
Offered at: California State University, Ohio State University, Penn State
I think this major’s title is pretty straightforward. How cool would it be to design the next roller coaster with the highest and steepest drop? This major combines aspects of Civil, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering. The degree goes beyond just ride design but also comes up with ideas to organize crowd flow and covers topics in mechanical and hydraulic control.
