10 Best College Majors for the Next Decade

Matthew Boone's Warner

Description

Today's college students face a difficult decision: how to choose the right college major. With so many choices, and a major job shortage across the country, it is hard to know which majors will help a college graduate find a job and build a lucrative career.

This book provides valuable data on the top emerging fields that are set to explode with job opportunities over the next 5 to 10 years. It examines several sources of research and summarizes it all in a simple, easy to read format that gives the prospective student the information they need to decide on the best college major for them.

The comprehensive book discusses the top 10 fields of study, and for each college major it provides:

- Coursework and recommended electives
- Top colleges and universities for each major in each region of the country
- Estimated tuition for each school
- Typical job titles in the field
- Average salaries for the field, including high and low ranges
- States with the highest employment opportunities for each field
- Projected areas for advancement and research
- Other interesting facts impacting the field
- Projected job growth over the next decade
- Why each field is considered a top emerging job field

Informations

• Publié par: eBookIt.com
• Date de parution: 21 février 2013
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781456608996
• Langue: English

Extrait

10 Best College Majors for the Next Decade
 
by
Matthew Warner
 


© 2012 FirePath Inc.
 
 
Published in eBook format by eBookIt.com
Converted by http://www.eBookIt.com
 
 
ISBN-13: 978-1-4566-0899-6
 
 
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author / publisher.
 
 
INTRODUCTION
 
What do you want to be when you grow up?
 
I still don’t know, and I am 36 years old. When I was growing up, I remember my parents and others asking me that same question. Should I be a doctor? Should I be a lawyer? I knew that those were lucrative professions but could never imagine myself reading through countless pages of court cases, or needing almost a decade of schooling to become a doctor.
 
Thus, my search began to find the perfect career. During my high school days, the Internet didn’t exist—it was not in every home like it is today. There were no smart phones. I remember the early days of email when everyone heard, “you’ve got mail.” The Internet was still so young and kind of like the Wild West. It was all about pop up ads and painfully slow download times.
 
I wish back then there was information out there like you are about to read in this ebook. That may have changed my life’s path completely.
 
The world has changed so much in the last few years. The poor world economy and competition from overseas has created a fundamental shift in which careers have the brightest future for people just entering college now.
 
One of my greatest professional passions is developing new talent, so it is my personal mission to publish a quick and useful guide that provides an overview to the Best College Majors for the Next Decade.
 
As a student embarking on your higher educational journey, you need to know the emerging college majors, the top schools and courses of study, and the types of jobs you can obtain once you graduate.
 
Read this ebook, and do your research. Then go chase your dreams and find an emerging major that’s right for you.
 
BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
 
 
As technology has soaked into all parts of life, it has been applied to more than just instruments of recreation. The studies of medicine, biology, computers, chemistry, and engineering combine to develop devices and programs to extend human life. Prosthetics have evolved from antiquated wooden attachments to fully functioning extensions of the body. Organs grown from materials such as stem cells provide transplants to patients who may otherwise be forced to wait years on a donor list. Reproductively-challenged parents are able to have children of their own, and even choose the sex, thanks to IVF and genetic manipulation. Delicate and technical surgeries are made simpler and less perilous by AI and robotics which assist doctors. Deep tissue laser therapy eliminates pain and inflammation in athletes by stimulating the body at a cellular level. MRI’s, PET’s, ultrasound, and CT’s detect cancer before metastasis. Aural implants assist a child to hear their mother’s voice. Sophisticated devices and chairs give new life to disabled persons, allowing them to play sports, drive, and even dance. These all are contributions made by the science of biomedical engineering.
 
Why It’s An Emerging Profession : Although sciences and technology have been recognized disciplines for hundreds of years, their union is a fairly new idea. The perfect relationship was formed as a result: devices study how biological systems function, allowing the creation of new devices to diagnose, treat, and prevent diseases. Technology is the only reason that medicine has advanced as quickly as it has. Ideas, even those of the most brilliant and educated minds in the field, are nothing without the means to create. Strides made in computers and pharmaceuticals are why humans now live longer than ever before.
 
Courses of Study : Biomedical engineering is offered as bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate programs. Students who wish to advance in the field, especially in research and academics, typically secure graduate degrees. Courses at this level may include specialties such as physiological foundations, biomedical instrumentation, microfabrication, mechanics of living tissue, and magnetic resonance. Some schools offer joint degrees across several departments such as microbiology, applied biosciences, bioinformatics, and robotics.
 
The following is for a BS in Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University:
 
Students will need approximately 46 credit hours of prerequisites such as physics, chemistry, and mathematics. Core classes and focus areas include biological models, molecules and cells, statistical methods, neural systems, imaging science, biomaterials, neuroengineering, and micro-devices. Computer programming, social sciences, humanities, and other electives add an additional 27 credit hours to the program for an average total of 129 credit hours for the undergraduate degree.
 
Top Universities for the Undergraduate Degree in Bioengineering by Region (2011-2012)
 
Northeast : Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA. Private, $40,732/yr.
Mideast: Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Private, $42,280/yr.
Southeast: Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA. Public, $9,652/yr.
West Coast: University of California, La Jolla, CA. Public, $13,234yr.
Pacific Northwest: University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Public, $10,574/yr.
Midwest : University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI. Public, $7,023/yr.
Southwest: Rice University, Houston, TX. Private, $35,560/yr.
 
All of the listed schools were ranked in the top 10 undergraduate programs for biomedical engineering by U. S. News & World Report.
 
 
Starting Job Titles with Salaries : According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average wage for a biomedical engineer is $81,540 year with the highest 10 percent earning at or higher than $126,990, and the lowest 10 percent earning less than $49,690. Other common job descriptions directly related to biomedical engineering are:
 
• Medical Equipment Technician
• Pharmaceutical Manufacturer
• Imaging Technologist
• Biomedical Sciences Educator
• Medical Device Designer
• Clinical Analyst
• Bioinformatics Specialist
 
Additional Occupational Statistics
 
• States with the highest level of employment: CA, MA, PA, IL, and MN.
• It is projected that employment will increase 62 percent by the year 2020, to over 25,400 jobs in the U.S.
• Top paying states for this occupation: AK, CA, MN, MA, and AZ.
 
Opportunities for Research : Because it relies more on development than implementation, this is one of the occupation’s most prevalent areas as well as its highest earning. As diseases and illnesses evolve, so too must the techniques and tools designed to diagnose and treat them. Since the basics of the human body (i.e. bones and organs) never change, researchers have been able to build upon all previous knowledge and advances. However, the endeavor to combine this knowledge with the latest technology is a never-ending one. Research specialists study anatomical data and experiment in a variety of focus areas, such as molecules and cells, medical imaging, neuroscience, and tissue reconstruction.
 
Sources for this degree:
 
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – www.bls.gov
 
Johns Hopkins University, Department of Biomedical Statistics – www.bme.jhu.edu
 
U.S. News & World Report – www.usnews.com
 
Georgia Institute of Technology – www.gatech.edu
 
Biomedical Engineering Society – www.bmes.org
 
CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT
 
 
On any jobsite, regardless of the size, crew, or nature of the project, be it new construction, restoration, or expansion, there are individuals that oversee the entirety, from the first survey to the last coat of paint. These construction managers are expert leaders and motivate their crews to meet deadlines and overcome unexpected delays and incidents. They are proficient in both written and oral communication to regularly update their superiors, decipher complicated plans, order materials, and coordinate hundreds of employees, each with different tasks and personalities. Finally, they are confident and swift decision makers who safely direct multi-million dollar developments, from design to actuality. Construction managers cannot rely on their education alone; there is a necessity for practical experience not found in classrooms or books. Frequently, a craft worker skilled in carpentry, metalwork, or pipefitting will transition to management, not only to increase their income but also for the opportunity to operate their own crew.