Debating between 2 or 3 different majors? Why not combine?

In my recent book “Small College Magic,” there is an essay about the many advantages of the “undecided student” attending small colleges.  This essay continues the conversation.

I was giving a presentation about choosing college majors one day at West Aurora High School in Illinois. A girl in the front row said that she was undecided between Engineering and Philosophy for her college major. I said “do both!” Engineering and philosophy are very much connected. They connect technical execution ("how something is done") and the purpose ("why this is being done"). Engineering creates the physical and digital “things.” Philosophy provides the critical reasoning, ethical frameworks, and conceptual models that determine how these things that are used in society. I encouraged this girl to major in engineering and to minor in philosophy (or vice versa).

I love it when students say they are undecided between disciplines. But somehow they always think they have to choose just one. I propose that in most cases, with good advising, students can combine their interests and discover a unique market niche for themselves. They don’t really have to choose. Note: this option is a bit easier to achieve at small colleges than it is at large universities, but it is doable at either.

Almost all colleges have an academic structure that is (more or less) 1/3 their major, 1/3 general required classes, and 1/3 electives. These proportions are not exact. Certain majors (engineering, teacher education, and nursing would be examples) are “big.” They take up more than 1/3 of the pie. But there is still room for electives. In the elective category, there are some (especially small) colleges that allow for a second major, a minor, two minors, a minor and a certificate, or some other creative configuration. There are a few colleges (Ripon College is a good example) that only require a handful of general classes, which leaves room for triple majors, double majors plus a minor, or any number of combinations. Internships and summer work experiences are crucial as well.

Many small colleges also allow students to create their own major (with close assistance from their professors and advisors) by combining their various interests.

Today, on social media, there was a mom who said her daughter was debating between engineering, exercise science, and animal science.

How can her daughter combine these?

This is a good time to turn to Artificial Intelligence. AI is not perfect, but it can be super helpful in at least giving students some ideas about choosing college majors and minors. Here is what I found when I asked Google AI the following question:

If a student is interested in engineering, exercise science, and animal science, how can these be combined in college? What kinds of careers can blend all three?

A student can blend engineering, exercise science, and animal science by focusing on animal biomechanics, veterinary orthopedics, or agricultural technology. This intersection applies engineering principles to the physical movement, health, and performance of animals.

How to Combine Them in College

Because few universities offer a single degree blending all three, students must strategically customize their undergraduate path.

· Major in Biomedical Engineering / Minor in Animal Science or Exercise Science

o Provides the core math and physics foundation.

o Allows application of mechanical principles to living tissues.

o Requires choosing elective tracks focused on biomechanics.

· Major in Animal Science / Minor in Biomedical Engineering or Kinesiology

o Builds a deep understanding of animal physiology, husbandry, and genetics.

o Pairs well with mechanical or electrical engineering coursework.

o Prepares students for specialized veterinary or research tracks.

· Major in Biological Systems / Agricultural Engineering

o Focuses inherently on the intersection of engineering and living organisms.

o Offers specializations in animal housing, environmental control, and welfare tracking.

· Targeted Undergraduate Research

o Joining labs studying quadrupedal locomotion, wildlife tracking wearables, or veterinary prosthetics.

o Bridging departments by finding co-advisors in both engineering and animal science.

Career Paths Blending All Three Fields

These careers require an understanding of mechanical design (engineering), physical movement/rehabilitation (exercise science), and species-specific physiology (animal science).

· Veterinary Prosthetist & Orthotist

o Designs, tests, and fits artificial limbs, braces, and wheels for injured animals.

o Applies human exercise science gait-analysis techniques to diverse animal anatomy.

· Animal Biomechanics Researcher

o Studies how animals move to improve veterinary surgeries or inspire robotics.

o Analyzes muscle fatigue, joint stress, and locomotion energy efficiency.

· AgTech Wearables Developer

o Creates smart collars, harnesses, and implants for livestock and equine athletes.

o Tracks movement, heart rate, and gait anomalies to predict illness or lameness.

· Equine Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation Engineer

o Focuses specifically on high-performance racehorses or show horses.

o Designs specialized exercise equipment, underwater treadmills, and diagnostic tools.

· Biomimetic Robotics Engineer

o Uses animal movement mechanics to design agile, multi-legged robots for rescue missions.

o Translates animal muscle-tendon elasticity into mechanical springs and actuators.

AI is fun to use. In AI, students can ask additional questions, such as “which colleges offer all three of these majors?” [By the way, their answer in this case was Michigan State, the University of Florida, Purdue, Ohio State, Texas A&M, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for large universities, and Berry College, Delaware Valley College, Dordt College, and Geneva College for small colleges.]

You don’t always need AI. I was helping a student once who wanted to be in a “helping” profession. Her interests were dance, art, music, and theatre. I had recently read about Expressive Arts Therapy, which combines all of her interests—which I recommended to her—and that is what she has chosen. She is likely to attend Lesley University, which offers that. By the way, just for fun, while writing this article, I also asked AI that question, and it gave me the same major—expressive arts therapy—but also creative arts therapy, which I had never heard of. AI also let me know about three additional smaller colleges that offer the major (Warren Wilson, Russell Sage, and West Liberty).

In my opinion, it is good for students to go into college at least somewhat undecided—or at least open to considering majors that they are not currently considering. Research indicates that 30% to 80% of students change or modify their majors throughout their undergraduate years. My suggestion is to make a list of “interests” (possible majors, minors, emphases) and then find colleges that offer most, if not all, of them. It is important to tell your advisor about your varied interests and ask if most freshman courses can be applied to most of them.

It is difficult for some students to accept the fact that they might want or need a Plan B. “I only want to be a computer scientist.” “I only want to be a lawyer.” “I only want to be a doctor.” “I only want to be an engineer.” “There is no need for a Plan B.” Etc.

I hate to tell these students, but life happens. Interests change and evolve. And students shouldn’t even be afraid to investigate majors that they have never heard of (some examples include Anthrozoology, Aquaculture, Glass Engineering, and Medical Humanities). An added bonus to multiple areas of interest is that having multiple certificates/majors/minors provides additional job security (being able to apply for a variety of jobs/professions, not just one). Also, if a student chooses a major that might not offer many immediate job options (for example, French Poetry or Medieval History), it is important for these students to take something practical (for example, at least two computer classes and two business classes, plus an internship) to make sure that they have employment as an option upon graduation—not just graduate school. When choosing electives, rather than just taking classes that look easy and fun, students need to make practical choices.

In the end, students need to keep an open mind. Life is not one-dimensional—neither should one’s college education. Small colleges, with their small classes and careful advising systems, are a good choice for the undecided student.