The first days of a new semester are marked by icebreakers. Questions about favorite foods, hometowns and summer experiences are common topics professors use to bond the class and get to know their students.
Undoubtedly, the most asked question to all college students is: “What is your major?”
This is sensible, allowing professors to understand where the newly formed classes’ interests lie. Some responses are significantly more common than others, however. According to the US News Report based on 2022 St. John’s University graduates, 26% of students obtained a degree from the Peter J. Tobin College of Business. Other popular fields of study include biological and biomedical sciences (15%), homeland security and related protective services (8%) and communications and other related programs (7%).
Meanwhile, majors such as English, History, Math and Philosophy, subjects that dominate the University’s core curriculum, did not crack the top ten. Students in these majors are few and far between.
Interestingly, humanities students were once significantly more common. Between 2012 and 2020, there was a 25% decrease in students graduating with such degrees. Despite this current underrepresentation, their experiences and interests are just as essential to the academic success and diversity of the University as the more prevalent majors.
The Torch spoke to students in these underrepresented majors to learn what led them to their program and give advice to future students.
Sophomore history major Natasha Mungai chose her major because of her “love” for it.
“I’ve always had a great time in my history classes since elementary school,” Mungai said. “I guess I’ve never really seen it as a subject. Instead, to me, it’s always been a class where stories were shared and I love stories.”
Mungai also shared that she is “aiming for a career in law” and that “majoring in history provides a strong foundation for [her] career.”
Freshman English major Olivia Nedrick described the link between her passion for writing and her academic pursuits.
“What drew me to my major was my love for writing. I love to write, but I used to do it as just a hobby. I never knew I could make it into a career until my sophomore year of high school.”
Nedrick also highlighted the connections to the professional world the University offers. “There are a lot of opportunities for an English major, like going on Career Treks to different publishing companies.”
She further revealed the seemingly limitless career opportunities available to students in the program, sharing that she has a “plan to pursue a career in writing as an author” or to “go into editing or journalism.”
It is crucial to get involved and utilize the resources the University offers, junior English major Sarah Martineau advises.
“I would encourage applicants to pick the major if they are willing to start getting involved from day one. Join organizations and clubs related to the major. Connect with professors and maintain them from semester to semester; networking with professors can go a long way.”
Although studying a more popular major seems to offer a wider array of experiences at first glance, Mungai reveals that the intimate class sizes “provide a more comfortable learning environment as opposed to crowded classes.”
Martineau agrees with this sentiment, suggesting that the smaller major may actually be an advantage: “Since the major is so small, you get to know the other students and professors more than someone in a school like Tobin [College of Business].”
This does come with its challenges, however. As a junior who has taken many English courses, Martineau believes that “the classes tend to be redundant or repetitive at the elective level.”
She ultimately does not regret her choice, since the major’s versatility, as Nedrick previously suggested, allows her to choose between a large selection of careers. Martineau is currently interested in education and law.
The stories of these humanities students emphasize that although their fields of study are in the minority at St. John’s, they are bound to achieve major levels of success.
