I am a proud student of the College of Arts and Sciences here at Fairfield. Starting off my first year as a biology major, and realizing this field was not one I was particularly passionate about, I have done a lot of experimenting since with different majors.
I’ve taken courses in philosophy, psychology, chemistry, economics, English, religion, Spanish, communication, mathematics… you name it, and I’ve probably tried it!
I will backtrack a bit and share that there are of course majors that I have not taken classes in yet. Some of these majors include sociology/anthropology, politics, physics, theatre and music. However, I have experienced quite a lot of them!
If you were to ask me what the best major was in CAS – I would easily tell you it’s digital journalism. As a newer program here at Fairfield, it is small but mighty. Director of the digital journalism program, Matthew Tullis, is passionate about the field of journalism and it shows in the tight communication he shares with students.
Within this major, students are inspired to discover and report on hard-hitting News that can have a true and large impact on the University as a whole. Articles written within this major are often published in The Mirror to be read by others in our community.
As a digital journalism and economics double major myself, however, I may be a little biased. So, putting my favorite major aside, let me share the best and worst majors in CAS.
Philosophy is a shining star in my book as easily the best major in CAS. The entirety of the major is centered around changing the ways in which we think and expanding upon analytic talents.
I ask you, what is better than sitting in a class twice a week and knowing it will be a Socratic seminar each time? You are never lectured at, but constantly engaged in the lesson and talked with rather than to.
Not to mention it’s completely fascinating to hear of your peers’ ways of thinking and reasoning behind it. I find it exhilarating to go head-to-head with a classmate in a friendly debate on a complex philosophical question. I can definitely see why this major is an excellent choice for Pre-Law students!
All in all, I just think it’s a really interesting major and engaging. It’s hard to be wrong, you just have to back up your opinion with solid reasons.
Further, it’s a major that is applicable and useful to everyone because it teaches ways of thinking and analyzing – skills that are useful to all!
Shifting gears a bit, if I had to choose the worst major in CAS, it would be communications. I just don’t think it’s my cup of tea, which is odd since I’m a digital journalism major, right? You would think those two would go hand-in-hand.
It’s not that the material isn’t useful, of course it’s important to both know how to and understand how to communicate. I just find that a lot of the lessons we learn, I already knew just through my own experience.
Maybe it’s because I’m an overthinker and throughout my life I have already thought about reasons behind people’s behaviors and gestures. But I find that a lot of the material is self-explanatory.
This makes the class boring and tedious to get through most days.
It’s definitely a major that some students love and find very useful, however, and it does have a place within CAS. I’ve only taken a first level introduction course within the Major so, maybe I would have a change of heart if I took some of the higher level classes.
At the end of the day, it’s not my favorite.
Now, as a digital journalism and economics double major, I have found my place and what I’m passionate about within CAS.
Philosophy and communications, however, would have to be my favorite and least favorite!
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