Tips For Choosing a Course of Study – Your Heart vs Your Mind
Choosing a Course of Study: Your Heart vs. Your Mind
Choosing a course of study usually involves a compromise between following your heart and your reason. In today’s blog post, I’ll be sharing how you can find a harmonious and meaningful mix between the two.
“Learn something that’ll earn you a lot of money!”
“Follow your heart!”
University-bound young adults constantly hear these two mixed messages. And even when people are in the process of wrapping up their masters or their PhD, they’re still confronted with this dilemma.
What strategy do you use to make a decision?
Some people are clear about choosing one direction over another. For everyone else, I’ve got good news: you can also choose a blend between the two. The Bachelor-Master (and possibly also PhD) system has great options for taking this route.
How can my strategy include this mix?
Choosing your Bachelor’s: follow your dream!
Choose a course of study that feels exciting and inspiring. Know that the process of getting your bachelor’s degree isn’t only preparing you for a career, but is also an opportunity for self-exploration. What are your strengths? What types of thinking do you want to pursue? Which approaches to problem-solving do you want to internalize? Definitely consider your long-term goals while choosing your course of study, but also give your interests plenty of room to play and explore. Getting a bachelor’s degree is only the beginning; you still have plenty of opportunities to follow a specific path in graduate school.
Choosing Your Master’s (& PhD): What role(s) do I want to play in society?
This part of the educational journey is all about considering which professional path you want to embark on in the coming years. Which topics are currently popular in society? What might be sought after topics in the future? How can I merge my interests, my skillset and societal developments? The answers to these questions can play an important part in mindfully choosing your path for grad school. Also consider that your master’s can be in a different area than your bachelor’s degree. This is possible for many areas of study and can be a great way to diversify your skillset and satisfy your interests. It can be helpful to already begin thinking about these things during graduate school, and to be open about exploring internships in different areas that might interest you.
If you’re embarking on a career in the sciences, your interests naturally play a key role. But even in this case it can be valuable to explore beyond your most immediate interests. You might discover areas that are grounded in science and hold interesting opportunities in the market place. This way you have a back-up in case your career in the sciences doesn’t work out the way you hoped. Just to be a little provocative, and contrary to the opinion of several scientists: not all jobs in the industry are equally boring! Some jobs can actually be particularly interesting for science-minded people. Especially those in areas of work related to cutting-edge developments that are being encouraged by innovative companies. This way you can nurture your creative and scientific potential, receive recognition and do well financially.
How is your college and grad-school planning going? Which areas are you curious about studying?
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