These Colleges Have Some Cool Courses of Study

If you think your choices for college majors are limited to studies such as English and Mathematics, it’s time to think again. Universities across the world are offering students a host of innovative and inventive fields of study devised to align with the interests and goals of their entire student body.

When building your balanced college list, it’s important to find schools that are good academic, social, and financial fits. The academic portion is especially important since you want to apply to colleges that have majors and programs you want to study. The course offerings and program choices are different at every college, so it’s important for high school students to do their research and think about how to choose a college major. While most colleges do not require students to declare their major until sophomore year, it’s always helpful to have an idea of the type of degree you wish to pursue and the types of classes that you will need to take in order meet the requirements associated with a specific program.

Curious just how diverse your options for majors can be? We have rounded up some of the most unique fields of study available at different institutions around the country.

Egyptology & Assyriology, Brown University
Students with a passion for learning about different cultures may wish to consider a major in either Egyptology or Assyriology, both of which are available tracks at Brown University. Undergraduate students have wide-ranging choices in courses including introductory language, history, and archaeology as well as topical classes in subjects such as religion, literature, and science. Students gain a comprehensive background in the field through exposure to the critical study of these ancient cultures and a variety of interdisciplinary and theoretical approaches. Some of the courses students in these majors have access to include Imagining the Gods: Myths and Myth-making in Ancient Mesopotamia, Astronomy Before the Telescope, and Scribes and Scholarship in the Ancient Near East.

Popular Music, University of Southern California
Fans of Rhianna and Lady Gaga, take note: the University of Southern California’s Popular Music program is an immersion into a creative environment that stresses the musical skills required for the successful, professional musician in the 21st century. Students have the opportunity to collaborate in small group settings while simultaneously addressing their specific area of interest via personalized instruction. Career aspects — including performance, songwriting and arranging, recording studio efficiency, music production, and entrepreneurship — are also taught. In addition to the major, students can also minor in either Popular Music or Songwriting.

Southwest Studies, Colorado College
The aim of Colorado College’s Southwest Studies major is to provide students with a liberal arts education using a critical regional studies approach, centered on the Greater Southwest and the U.S.-Mexico borderlands. The program takes an interdisciplinary approach to the study of people, places, and landscapes of the region. Some of the courses available to students in the major include Ecological Economics and Sustainability, Native Americans Under Federal Law, Field Zoology, and Writing the Land of Enchantment.

Comic Art, Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Students with a love of graphic novels and comic books may wish to consider the Comic Art major available at Minneapolis College of Art and Design. The program is designed for students who are passionate about storytelling and imagery and want to be in a city that has a strong and ever-growing comic scene. Comic Art majors have the opportunity to explore conventional and experimental aspects of storytelling, gain foundational skills in a variety of forms of creative media, discover traditional and digital comic formats, and acquire the skills and credentials needed to pursue a career in comics. Faculty include an array of esteemed comic artists and graphic novelists.

Gallatin School of Individualized Study, New York University
For students who are ready to think outside of the box and those eager to forge their own path, the Gallatin School of Individualized Study at New York University may prove to be a best-fit option. With support and guidance from faculty advisors, students within this school have the opportunity to create their own unique courses of study, exploring multiple disciplines and various perspectives on specific areas of study that may not be available within traditional departments. Curious what a major at Gallatin might look like? Some recent examples include Narratives of Human Rights, Black Queer Studies, Constructions of Human Discardability, Politics and Economics of Inequality.

While the process of choosing a major might feel daunting at first, students should start by identifying their interests and passions and asking themselves where they wish to be in the next five or ten years. By identifying these big-picture goals, students can begin to pinpoint the courses of study that will prove most relevant to attaining these aspirations. At IvyWise, we support students as they discover their passions and goals and offer personalized guidance throughout their college admissions journey and beyond. Contact us today for long-term and short-term college counseling for high school students.