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And what is your major

09.11.202321.08.2022 admin 0 Comments

And what is your major

What Is Your Major? (Education)

RhoKappa

Senior Member

Maroseika

Moderator

willem81

Senior Member

Drink

Senior Member

Major does not mean специализация.

Специальность = Major
Специализация = Specialization

Maroseika

Moderator

Major does not mean специализация.

Специальность = Major
Специализация = Specialization

Looks like there are different opinions on that score. Major:

Англо-русский словарь общей лексики. © ABBYY, 2008.
а) профилирующая дисциплина (в колледже) ; дисциплина, выбранная в качестве специализации Our department offers a major in literature. — Наше отделение предлагает специализацию по литературе.
б) студент, специализирующийся в определённой области

Англо-русский лингвострановедческий словарь «Американа-II»; 2005.
Cпециализация. Основной предмет, в котором специализируется студент в колледже или университете, выбирается на четвертом курсе (году обучения), непосредственно перед получением степени бакалавра [bachelor].

Oxford Guide to British and American Culture, 2nd Edition (2005)
At the end of their sophomore (= second) year students choose a major (= main subject).

Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition (2003)
6. of or relating to a subject of academic study chosen as a field of specialization

Oxford Dictionary of English, Revised Edition. 2005
4) a student’s principal subject or course ■ [often with modifier] a student specializing in a specified subject

Collins Cobuild Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary. New Digital Edition 2008
3) At a university or college in the United States, a student’s major is the main subject that they are studying.

what is your major?

harrygt

New Member

How would you say «what is your major» in Spanish?

Is «Qual es tu la especializacio’n?» correct?
Thank you.

Pablo de los EU

Senior Member

Well, a couple of corrections, but I think that you are pretty close.

¿Cuál es tu especialización?

If I remember correctly a major can also be referred to as ¨una carrera.¨

ScottFromUtah

Senior Member

Rivendell

Senior Member

AntieAnnie

Senior Member

Generalmente oigo «especialización.»

Pero Rivendell, the major is the chosen field of study at university to earn a degree. So, I guess it seems that both work (depending on the Spanish speaking country maybe?)

Antpax

Senior Member

Generalmente oigo «especialización.»

Pero Rivendell, the major is the chosen field of study at university to earn a degree. So, I guess it seems that both work (depending on the Spanish speaking country maybe?)

I´ve got the same doubt as Riv. In Spain we study a «carrera» in which you choose a «especialidad«. For example, (I speak in Spanish now) yo soy licenciado en económicas y mi especialidad es Economía Monetaria, (I speak in English now), so, do I have a degree at Economics and a major in Monetary Economy?

Thanks in advance.

Sallyb36

Senior Member

Antpax

Senior Member

Thank you Sally. Then what is a «major»? I am still lost.

AntieAnnie

Senior Member

Estoy de acuerdo con Sally.

El «major» es lo que escojas en la universidad para ganar la licensia (o titular?). Mejor decir degree (porque mi español no está muy bien). Creo que en España, ustedes dicen «carrera,» pero en Mexico (tal vez) ellos dicen «especialización.»

Quizá el sistema de educación es distinto también, y por eso nos confundimos mas. o sea les confundo mas

Antpax

Senior Member

Estoy de acuerdo con Sally.

El «major» es lo que ~~escojas~~ escoges en la universidad para ~~ganar~~ obtener el título ~~la licensia (o titular?).~~ Mejor decir degree (porque mi español no es muy bueno ~~está muy bien~~). Creo que en España, ustedes dicen «carrera,» pero en Mexico (tal vez) ellos dicen «especialización.»

Quizá el sistema de educación es distinto también, y por eso nos confundimos mas. o sea les confundo mas

Sí, supongo que tienes razón y dependiendo del país se tratará de una cosa o de otra.

Saludos y tranquila que tu español es bastante bueno.

AntieAnnie

Senior Member

Gracias! ¿Entiendes lo que es ‘major» ahora? Espero que sí porque es la 1:00 am, y tengo que dormir! Jaja.

Mil gracias por enseñarme esta noche. Que te vaya bien.

Antpax

Senior Member

Gracias! ¿Entiendes lo que es ‘major» ahora? Espero que sí porque es la 1:00 am, y tengo que dormir! Jaja.

Mil gracias por enseñarme esta noche. Que te vaya bien.

Sí, si. Gracias. No te preocupes, que duermas bien.

Sallyb36

Senior Member

This should explain it. (better than i could)

Antpax

Senior Member

This should explain it. (better than i could)

Thank you Sally, I get it now.

Rivendell

Senior Member

Wow!! What a mess!!

Then, as far as I understand, a major is the same as a degree and depending on the country (or on the academic system) you call it one way or the other, right??

Antpax

Senior Member

Wow!! What a mess!!

Then, as far as I understand, a major is the same as a degree and depending on the country (or on the academic system) you call it one way or the other, right??

Eso es lo que he entendido yo. Yo diría que es la carrera, lo que pasa es que el sistema educativo estadounidense es distinto del nuesto creo. Aquí empiezas la carrera directamente y allí es más flexible y según las asignaturas que cojas (que será el major) obtienes un título u otro (degree). Uf, o eso creo, que a lo mejor estoy metiendo la pata hasta el fondo.

Rivendell

Senior Member

Hola Antpax, ¡cuánto tiempo!

Gracias por tu explicación, tiene sentido. En nuestro caso «we have a degree in XXXX, spezialising in YYY», como dice SallyB, siendo XXX la carrera e YYY las asignaturas optativas / especialidad que escogimos, ¿cierto?

Nos olvidamos de «major».

mal67

Senior Member

Rivendell

Senior Member

mal67

Senior Member

No es incorrecto en absoluto. Pero tampoco precisa cuál título es. licenciatura, máster, doctorado, diplomatura, etc etc etc

¿Cuál suena más natural en castellano: «tengo un título en X» o «tengo una licenciatura (etc) en X»?

Antpax

Senior Member

Hola Riv (es verdad, cuanto tiempo):

Yo me fío de Sally.

Rivendell

Senior Member

Entiendo, Mal67, tienes razón.

Entonces, en el ejemplo que tú ponías, ¿qué diferencia habría entre:

— I graduated university with a bachelors degree, having majored in Asian Studies with concentrations in China and Economics.

— I have a bachelors degree in Asian Studies with a minor in China and Economics.

mal67

Senior Member

La diferencia se basaría en los programas ofrecidos en la universidad. La especialización sería dentro de la carrera (o sea, la facultad ha establecido unas reglas según las que un alumno puede especializarse dentro de la carrera); mientras que el minor lo ofrecen otras facultades.

Un minor suele ser (pero no siempre es; depende) más riguroso que una concentration.

Rivendell

Senior Member

Vale, creo que ahora me ha quedado más claro.

Gracias a todos.

AntieAnnie

Senior Member

Creo que estoy muy tarde, pero tal vez esto puede ayudar.

Una persona escoge un campo en lo que estudie en la universidad. Cuando termina sus estudies, obtiene un título en este campo. Creo que en tu caso, este título es en el campo de Economics. No estoy segura si escogiste la especialización de monetary policy.

Una persona puede escoger un «major» y después, lo cambia. Entonces, de hecho, generalmente, hablamos del «major» cuando estemos hablando de la epoca cuando la persona estaba estudiando.

Por ejemplo, mi sobrino está empezando la universadad el proximo año. Tal vez, yo preguntaría, «What will you major in?» Y muchas veces, estudiantes empiezan sin escogiendo un major y dicen, «I’m «undecided» or «undeclared.» Pero cuando decida, eso es su «major,» y generalmente, ganan un título en ese sujeto, pero no necesariamente empiezan una carrera en este sujeto.

Otro ejemplo, mi sobrina obtuvo su título en Russian Language (el idioma de Russo?). Ella no trabaja en ningun manera en este campo. Va a empezar a enseñar pre-escolar. Por eso, ella «majored» en Russo, y obtuvo su título, pero no es su carrera (¿verdad?).

De todas manera, lo siento por haber escrito tanto! Espero que tenga sentido.

Antpax

Senior Member

Creo que estoy muy tarde, pero tal vez esto puede ayudar.

Una persona puede escoger un «major» y después, lo cambia. Entonces, de hecho, generalmente, hablamos del «major» cuando estemos hablando de la epoca cuando la persona estaba estudiando.

De todas manera, lo siento por haber escrito tanto! Espero que tenga sentido.

Hola Hormiguita (me encanta por una vez ser yo quien lo diga ):

Se entiende bien, el problema es que en España es distinto. Aquí empezamos directamente la carrera universitaria en lo que te vas a titular, por ejemplo, yo (bueno y todos) empecé económicas desde el principio, y al final te especializas siempre dentro de la misma carrera, por lo que no sé si «major» tendría un equivalente directo. Quizá a pregunta de «what is your major?» se podría traducir como «¿en qué estás titulado?».

Por otro lado, también se usa «carrera profesional» para definir a lo que te dedicas, independientemente de los estudios realizados.

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What Is a Major in College? 4 Steps to Pick the Right One

While at college, you’ll need to pick a major, an area of study that you’ll specialize in.

The vast majority of colleges and universities require students to pick a major. Even if your school doesn’t make you pick a major, you’ll likely still follow a specific course of study to gain knowledge and experience in your field of choice.

In this article, we’ll answer the question “what is a major,” give the best college major definition, and talk you through how to decide which major to pick.

What Is a Major in College?

When you get to college, you’ll need to pick a specific subject area to specialize in. That subject area is called a major.

Your major will dictate the coursework you take. Ultimately, most students take about half of their coursework within their major’s department.

As we said before, the vast majority of schools require students to pick a major. A handful of schools don’t require you to major in anything at all, while at other places, you can major in more than one subject. Some students might choose to major in two subject areas, such as Anthropology and History. Other students might choose to have a major and a minor, which is a specialization that requires fewer courses than a major does.

Most majors are outlined by the university: you’ll have to choose a set subject area and pick classes from a pre-selected workload.

Some schools, however, allow students to design their own major. In this scenario, you’d work with an advisor to create a class load that matches what you want to study. For instance, if you wanted to study Human Rights, but your school doesn’t have a Human Rights major, you might select classes from History, Anthropology, Sociology, and Political science to create this new major. It’s important to note that not all schools allow students to create their own major. If creating your own major is something you’re interested in, you’ll need to talk to your advisor.

What Is a Major? What Is a Concentration? What Is a Degree?

When it comes to your college major, there are a lot of words that are thrown around: major, concentration, minor, degree. What do they all mean? Let’s take a closer look.

Your major is your specific subject area that you specialize in.

A concentration, on the other hand, typically refers to a set course of study within that major. For instance, if you’re a Classics major, you might have a concentration in Latin or a concentration in Ancient Greek. Think of it as a way of specializing even more. That being said, some colleges and universities call their majors concentrations instead. So, depending on where you attend, the terminology might mean something different.

A minor is a set area of study, as well, but you need to complete fewer courses for a minor than a major. If you need to take 16 classes in your subject area to major, you might only need to take 10 to achieve a minor. The exact number of classes you’ll need to take depends on your school.

Your degree is what you receive at the end of your college career. Your degree indicates that you completed the course of study outlined by your school. Your degree also signifies that you completed coursework in many different subject areas, not just those in your major. For instance, if you’re a Calculus major but took a class in American History, that class will count towards your degree, but not your major.

When Do You Need to Declare a Major?

When you declare your major depends on a couple factors: what’s required at your school and when you decide what you want to study.

Most colleges and universities require you to pick a major by the end of your sophomore year. In fact, some schools don’t even let you pick until then. At other places, however, you can declare before you start classes. Some students arrive at school knowing exactly what they want to study; others take a longer time to sample and understand their different options.

How to Pick a Major: 4 Step Guide

Wondering how to pick a major? This four-step guide will help.

#1: Consider What You’re Interested In

First, consider your interests. The vast majority of your coursework will be in your major’s field, so you don’t want to pick something that bores you. If you hate English, for instance, you probably shouldn’t be an English major!

Pick something that you’ll want to study and enjoy learning about for the rest of your time at college.

#2: Talk to Other People in That Department

Once you’ve decided on a few subject areas that interest you, talk to other students in those departments. Get a sense from them of what the upcoming coursework is like and what opportunities are available. Maybe you’ll find that the upper-level coursework changes tack and becomes something you’re not super interested in. Or, maybe you’ll find that your least favorite professor teaches all the advanced courses. Either way, it’s good to know what you’re getting into.

#3: Research Career Prospects

For some students, their major has a big impact on their career potential. For others, it’s not as big of a deal. If you’re looking to work in a field that requires specific training, like computer science or biology, then your major will need to line up with that path. If, however, you’re not 100% sure what your career will be, don’t worry. Many people end up working in fields that are different than what they majored in. It is, however, a good idea to research your major and see what kinds of jobs most people end up having.

#4: Meet With an Advisor in the Department

Finally, you should meet with an advisor in your potential major’s department. You’ll likely get a new advisor when you declare your major, so it’s helpful to speak with some of the options ahead of time to get their perspective on what they teach and whether or not it’s a good fit for you.

Final Thoughts: What Is a Major in College?

So, what is a major in college? The best college major definition is that your college major is the specific area that you’ll spend most of your time in college studying. Most colleges and universities have tons of options for topics you can study for your major.

What’s Next?

Still stressed about selecting a major? Learn how to choose a major for your college application, and then check out our post on the average college GPA by major.

What are the best college majors? We’ve come up with a list of the very best majors by looking at their salary potential and employment growth. See if your major made the cut!

If you’re thinking longer-term about your career prospects, you might be interested in learning more about job shadowing. It’s a great way to test out a profession to see whether it might be a good fit for you!

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