Page 12 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • March 19, 2014 Popular and stable majors for today’s college students Many high school graduates continue their education once high school ends. Thousands upon thousands of students trade in their hall passes and senior sweat- ers for syllabi, electives and core classes in college. Recent graduates increasingly rec- ognize the importance of a college degree, as holding a degree has become essential in today’s competitive workplace. Having any advantage can mean the difference between establishing a stable career or struggling to make ends meet. Many graduates also recognize the importance of choosing a major that trans- lates well in the job market. Certain majors have historically been more popular than others among students. However, popular majors do not always make the best choices for jobs. The following are some of the popular undergraduate majors and those that present the best track record for suc- cess and financial security. Business administration: According to the National Center for Education Statis- tics, of the 1,650,000 bachelor’s degrees conferred between 2009 and 2010, the greatest numbers of degrees were given in the field of business, and those numbers remain quite steady. Business administra- tion graduates can find work in various industries. Psychology: From psychologists to school therapists, the possibilities for work in the psychology field abound, making this a popular choice for college students. Psychologists study how the mind works and what causes human behavior, but a psychology degree can land graduates work in some surprising fields, including advertising and public relations. Health: Degrees in nursing and medicine will always be in demand. Medical careers continue to be some of the most stable, and the need for doctors and nurses grows with every passing year. In addition to medical degrees in the traditional sense, biologists and molecular scientists can be employed to research diseases and operations of the body and even research the connection between humans and the environment. Education: With every generation of children comes a new crop of students who need to be educated. This makes education yet another popular career path. Communications: Holding a commu- nications degree opens up various career paths. It is a broad degree that can lead to careers in journalism, marketing, broad- casting, or television production. Computer science: Computer hardware and software continue to play integral roles in daily life. Career opportunities in computer science include working on everything from robotics to developing applications for tablets and mobile phones. Some of the more stable and well- paying college majors are not necessarily the most popular ones among students. These options include: Education: Teaching careers continue to be some of the most prevalent and stable. The field of education is essentially recession-proof, as there will always be a demand for educators in one capacity or another. Students looking for a stable, mod- erately paying career can consider earning a degree in education. Engineering: Engineers are some of the best-paid and most highly-coveted work- ers. Engineering careers cover many disci- plines. Mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, general engineering, and civil engineering are just some of the careers engineering majors can pursue. Math: Math and computer science majors should also be successful finding jobs. These number crunchers hold careers that span computer coding to math profes- sors to corporate analysts. Certain majors are popular, but others translate better in the real world. Under- standing the difference can help students choose the best options when selecting a major.