There are two primary goals you should keep in mind when selecting your major. One, you want to choose a major that excites you --your level of engagement with the material is one of the best predictors of good grades. Good grades, while not always crucial to land your first job, tend to be an important factor for graduate school admissions. It always pays to keep your options open, graduate school could open even more doors for you in the future!
Second, you want to choose a major that leaves room for electives, it's important to round out your green education. Every kind of work is growing more and more collaborative; while policy directors may not have to be an expert in the natural sciences, they will need to have more than a layperson’s knowledge of the science behind the issues they support. To this point, more universities are now supporting green interdisciplinary programs than ever before, bringing together scientists, historians and sociologists to teach under the same program, sometimes referred to as Environmental Studies.
While some people choose a career path early on and stick with it, it is not uncommon to change your interests often during your college career. Choosing a career that leaves your options open may also alleviate some of the pressure to pick the "right major" in your freshmen or sophomore year.
Most majors can transition into eco-friendly careers. Some technically-oriented career fields, such as engineering, might require specific coursework so you should be sure to do your research! Your academic advisor or career counselor may be able to guide you further on specifics for your curriculum.
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Joanna Adler currently serves as the Associate Director for the Career Development Center at Mount Holyoke College, a women's liberal arts college in Western, Mass. In that role, she focuses on student preparation through individualized counseling, as well as overseeing the internship and student employment programs for the college.
