I have a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an International Business concentration... and a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies. Minors in Japanese and Asian Studies.

Thinking about doing the grad school thing.. although I'll probably wait until I get back to the States and have a couple of years of "real job" experience under my belt. But I've been looking at programs in International Education or Ed. Administration and of course Japanese studies. Depends on exactly what I end up doing when I decide to pack up and head home....

Do what you love. International Business was my third major... (Later added the dual degree in International Studies because it would only be 5 more credit hours to dual matriculate... 4 of which were an extra English class required by our Arts and Sciences college)... but I don't think I would've made it through if I had to stick with my first major (computer engineering). I think the experience of going through and getting your undergrad and person you become along the way is much more important than what piece of paper says at the end.

bombpersons Wrote:Ha, hopefully computer science =D

I wonder why so many people are learning Japanese and Computer Science...

especially since Japanese and technical computer terms don't mix.

See - Computer ourisu. (virus)

Or was it... Computer Walrus? Or... computer wireless? Or... computer wheelius?

A levels I'm currently doing: Computing, English Language, Philosophy. I really wish I'd picked different ones, like a language in there or something.

At uni I plan to do Japanese and Linguistics.

I don't think there are an unusually large number of compsci students studying Japanese. There are just a lot of compsci students in general (which is why a compsci degree is worthless).

Computer Science is far too broad to make some simple generalizations. I have a degree in Cognitive Computer Science and do more in the realm Cognitive Science department for now... AI is always a strong motivation.
That makes Japan and Japanese particular interesting as they play an important role in those areas and aren't restricted by some sort of Christian agenda.

IceCream Wrote:

Kaede Wrote:My degree is in Internet Technology (whatever that means), but I'd say my current area of study is more along the lines of pretty Japanese boys.

haha.yep . i studied philosophy before... the only subject with 0 practical or proffesional use to the world

I was recently on a flight where the pilot had cause to ask whether there was a doctor on board. He quickly went on to clarify, "is there a doctor of medicine on board?". It makes me wonder: under what circumstances would a pilot have cause to ask "Is there a doctor aboard- a doctor of philosophy?". Perhaps an existential crisis of sorts...?

baylin Wrote:I do agree on doing what you love to do. However, I have a lot of friends with degrees that ended up like you (doing nothing related to their major), working in the service industry or inside a cubicle. Basically the same type of jobs we were all doing without the need for a degree. Maybe with a higher pay or a quicker promotion, but still a miserable way to live.

Although its like you said, if you have a clear goal in mind, you can make just about any major work for you. A career in academia is always a fine pursuit.

That's exactly the thing. Now, I did enjoy the jobs I had for the most part, but I knew it wasn't what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. And I made pretty decent money at some of them.

Nii87 Wrote:This is unexpected. I'm an ngineer. I have a mechatronics engineering degree, but I'm working as a mechanical engineer in the mining and metals industry. Seems like I'm the only engineer here so far.

Lots of cubicle work, but I think you guys are getting a bit anti cubicle here. I wouldn't want to get a career doing something I love, because I'll get sick of it in the end. That's what happened when I was doing my thesis anyway. And the higher pay isn't a trivial point. It lets you spend more on your hobbies while outside of work.

I'm anti-cubicle for me. I'm sure other people can make up their own minds. Like I said, some people love that type of work, and they tend to be successful because of that. I have a cousin that lives for making business deals. He's now CEO of a major, multi-billion dollar hotel company. And he started in a cubicle.

I understand about "getting sick of it." I love music, but if I were to go to grad school to study it, I'd probably shoot myself. I thought about doing ethnomusicology and specializing in East Asian music (I did some work with traditional Japanese music during undergrad) but I could see myself burning out halfway through the PhD work. Not so with language.

I'm another music major. I was part way through my degree and then decided I didn't want a music degree. Now I'm going to school in Tokyo for 2 years to finish a degree in Communications. I'd like to work making both music and working with video.

昔、昔あるところに。。。

BS mathematics
MPA master in public administration

Computer Science..

Media... lol

Yeah that worked out so well, I've spent the last 5 years working for minimum wage doing all kind of crap jobs.
Altho i did use my Media diploma points this year to boost me onto my BA Japanese + Media Dual Honours (starts in 4 weeks)
Nothing else i have qualifications backed up that i could study language.. stupid how our university system works. You can't study Japanese because you don't have A level in French/Spanish/German..

I'm getting a PhD in physics at the moment. But to save my street cred amongst all the computer "scientists" (haha, just kidding) I guess I'll mention I was close to majoring in CS in undergrad.

I majored in architecture, now I'm doing a master in History of Architecture and Urbanism. It's nice to see so many different backgrounds!

I'm considering a major in either:

* Computer Science,
* Information Technology,
* Business Administration,
* Psychology, or
* English

with a minor/ double major in Japanese. I still have a little bit of time left to decide, though.

BA English Language and Literature, Minor in French, BEd.

I teach English as a Second Language and settlement skills to immigrants in Canada, and also help train new teachers to do what I do.

Software Engineering

i did theoretical math for a while, then switched to industrial design, then to business administration, and i think i'm going for art history next year... i have a major problem with wanderlust.

I'm a pre-med/Chinese major.

wanderlust wasted

Master degree in educational science (minors: sociology and psychology).

Minority here, I guess XD

Photonics Engineering and Arts.
Almost a graduate

I double majored in Computer and Electrical engineering, worked as one for a year, now I am in dental school, but my true passion is Japanese.

Mathematical Analysis and Computer Science Theoretical Foundations.

Jarvik7 Wrote:I don't think there are an unusually large number of compsci students studying Japanese. There are just a lot of compsci students in general (which is why a compsci degree is worthless).

http://www.collegiatetimes.com/stories/13323

There has been a sudden increase in enrolment. Prior to that, I wouldn't say there were "a lot of compsci students in general".

I would also argue that only a software engineering degree is useless, not a computer science degree rich in theory.

sup3rbon Wrote:Physics/Math double major. Although I'm slowly realizing that I only picked that because I had the ability.

I did some work over the summer with a physics professor in a lab, and it's really just tedious. Getting all the machines to work, precise measurements, the machines breaking, begging people for funding. It all just seems so not worth it now that I see that this is the end goal. Especially now that everything is physics is so specialized.

Me too! However, I also taught physics for 5 years so I'm making my way through a physics book in Japanese.

Nii87 Wrote:This is unexpected. I'm an ngineer. I have a mechatronics engineering degree, but I'm working as a mechanical engineer in the mining and metals industry. Seems like I'm the only engineer here so far.

Hey! I'm studying Mechatronics Engineering! used to study Civil engineering but I love Mechatronics much more so I changed. Thank God that I love what I study Sciences are cool but I don't like studying them.
And computers is one of my big interests, including programming languages, so I think that I fit in the category

Nii87 Wrote:Lots of cubicle work, but I think you guys are getting a bit anti cubicle here. I wouldn't want to get a career doing something I love, because I'll get sick of it in the end. That's what happened when I was doing my thesis anyway. And the higher pay isn't a trivial point. It lets you spend more on your hobbies while outside of work.

Did you try working in what you love? because I think that nothing beats studying or working in what you love, since I switched to Mechatronics, all that university studying and lectures attending thing has became "Fun".
Considering working I didn't try it, but check this:

, just persuade your dreams dude

I´m currently taking a Bachelor´s degree in Music Education.
It´s weird, I´ve been practising towards getting accepted at this school since I was 13 years old, and now that I´m finally here, at the conservatory, I spend my time mostly on Japanese studies... I don´t know if I´ll finish it, I´ll do one year, and if it still isn´t that hot, I´ll do something else. Japanese major, maybe?
Hmm..