Five majors offered by NDSU that aren’t well known and career paths that freshmen should consider

When coming into college, deciding your major can be a stressful experience. However, it is not illegal to change your major more than one time. Don’t panic.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 80 percent of college students change their majors at least once. if you are struggling to find exactly what major is best for you, just keep in mind that many students change their majors six times on average before they decide on a career. 

One of the reasons that students seem to change their majors is because they are uneducated about what majors different colleges offer. Universities around the country offer majors that most people haven’t heard of. 

North Dakota State University offers a variety of majors for students who have different interests. They also have majors that many people don’t know exist. 

Here are five majors that are not well known at NDSU:

Crop and Weed Sciences

Now, this major may be known to some, especially students who grew up in the agriculture world, but it is an interesting one that students should know about. 

According to NDSU’s page of Academic Majors, The crop and weed sciences major in the Department of Plant Sciences is the study of grain and forage crop production, weed science, genetics, plant breeding, crop physiology and plant biotechnology. 

Usually, more employment opportunities are available in CWS than there are qualified graduates. Producers require annual inputs such as seed, fertilizers and herbicides, so they seek assistance in sales or service areas such as crop consulting, chemical application and soil testing each year. 

The median starting salary for a CWS graduate with a bachelor’s degree was $50,000 with 4 percent receiving a $10,000 median bonus in 2017. In addition, many employers provide health and retirement benefits, and some provide a vehicle and cell phone.

Hospitality and Tourism Management 

If you’re looking for something that is involved with the community and enriching people’s experiences, this career path is one that is extremely versatile. 

The demand for managers continues to grow as the demand for services grows. Along with this demand for services is an increasing emphasis on comfort, convenience and personalized attention. 

All of these factors increase the need for effective and efficient professionals to manage hospitality operations and lead teams of people according to ndsu.edu. 

Graduates have found positions within restaurants, hotels and motels, recreational facilities, school and college food services, health care facilities, resort hotels, catering and food and beverage operations.

The starting salary for a graduate in the HTM field can range from $30,000 to $40,000 with a great possibility for an increase in salary after the completion of management training. Students graduating with industry experience also may start at a higher rate.

Horticulture

Horticulture is the science and art of producing, improving, marketing; and using fruits, nuts, vegetables and herbs, flowers, and ornamental trees and lawns.

It differs from botany and other plant sciences in that horticulture incorporates both science and aesthetics. Horticulture is an art as old as the ancient gardens and science as new as today’s genetic engineering according to ndsu.edu. 

For information on the different jobs and their salaries, visit ndsu.edu.

Range Science

Rangelands are dynamic ecosystems teeming with biodiversity and driven by patterns of climate, soil and water. These ecosystems have been used by humans for thousands of years. 

Range scientists seek to understand rangeland ecosystem patterns and processes to ensure sustainable management. 

Specifically, graduates of the program find jobs as ranch managers, rangeland livestock managers, restoration ecologists, invasive plant specialists, mined-land reclamation specialists, wildlife habitat managers, watershed managers, wetland management specialists and many more in various agencies and private firms according to ndsu.edu. 

Rangeland Management Specialists make an average salary of $63,627 per year with the top 10 percent making over $132,000 per year according to zippia.com.

University Studies 

And last but not least, the major that I find most interesting at NDSU: University Studies.

According to ndsu.edu, the Bachelor of University Studies degree is designed to provide a unique, nontraditional program for students whose goals cannot be met with a traditional academic major or minor. 

Graduates work in health care, government, business, banking, sales, social work, publishing and the military. Others have used their coursework to prepare for further education and have attended medical school, law school and seminary in addition to graduate school. 

For more information on University studies and other majors, visit ndsu.edu.