If one day you decided to start all over, what would you study and why?

[jlee306]

Howdy. This question is the sorta the opposite of 90sNickelodeon's question. So, if you woke up one morning and decided to start your whole academic career over and go into another field, what would it be and why? Please include your current field.

Example (me): I am currently applying to School Psychology programs. If I woke up one morning and decided to do it all over again, I think going into Dentistry or Dermatology would be fun! Why: B/c I love picking at things...gross, I know.

[90sNickelodeon]

Currently pursuing a masters in higher ed admin. I'd love to do astrophysics and work for NASA but I'm not clever enough. :/

Edited December 31, 2009 by 90sNickelodeon

[fuzzylogician]

Currently: doing a PhD in linguistics.

In a parallel universe: I'd probably add a degree in mathematics. Logic, specifically. Unfortunately I only got to take high level courses in math and computer science in my last year of undergrad when it was too late to turn in into a major without losing a year or two.

On the bright side: next year I can choose to join a program that will have me taking mathematical logic, modal logic and 1-2 other fun courses like that, and it'll only take me one extra year to finish my degree.

[rainy_day]

This is an interesting question!

I'm going for an English PhD, after being an English major in undergrad. I love it, obviously.

I also really love history and religious studies, and sometimes I wish I had spent more time studying them. The good thing about English is that, perhaps easier than most disciplines, I can bring history and religious studies into my research.

[johndiligent]

This is such a great question.

If I could go back and re-start my academic career, in actuality I'd do exactly what I did (Classics and Religious Studies) but better. I really do love my field but it would be great to have a better sense of what classes, projects, languages, etc. I'd need, get better grades, and go to an undergrad institution that could have prepared me better than my alma mater.

But, in the spirit of the question, if I had to go back and do something completely different, I'd do physical anthropology, either forensic or primatology. I loved physical anthropology and did very well in it, and would have kept at it if I hadn't transfered to an institution that only teaches cultural.

[intextrovert]

The good thing about English is that, perhaps easier than most disciplines, I can bring history and religious studies into my research.

Agreed - what I love about English is that a lot of departments really embrace interdisciplinarity, sometimes even requiring cognate courses in other departments.

But if I had to go back and change course, I'd do cognitive psych or evolutionary bio (if I had more science aptitude). Or cultural/human geography. But then again, I intend to incorporate those perspectives in my lit research!

Good question!

[George]

I'm hoping to get a PhD in mathematics. If I had the chance I would go back and do a math/physics double major rather than the math/comp sci major I got. I can't stand computer science and really couldn't by the end of my sophomore year, but I was already mostly done with it, so I decided to get it anyway.

I love physics and dream of being able to grasp string theory and general relativity. I've been told that as a mathematician, I should be able to do it, but I have to invest time in it.

[melusine]

that's a hard one for me..

I'm applying to Comparative Literature which is the best possible match for my interests/skills/who i am etc.. I was actually almost pressured by family to go into translation/interpreter's school for financial reasons (lit studies aren't exactly the place to make millions) and my current application decision was the result of a long and difficult battle as much with my parents and family back in Russia, as with myself, in figuring out what it is exactly that will make me happy (rather than slightly better off financially and miserable at a job i'd hate).

so yeah. realistically speaking, i can't imagine a better academic path.

in another world, however, i would've like to study operatic singing or keep on with ballet. of course, that would have required some sense of rhythm and coordination. neither of which i possess. *sigh*

[UnlikelyGrad]

One of my friends, who's a career counselor, said she asks her clients what three careers they would pick if they could be anything they wanted. I like that question better than the one the OP posed, so here are my answers:

astronaut

astrobiologist

hot-shot search & rescue professional

[All About The Bones]

I am currently doing an MSc in Bioarchaeology and going for a PhD in physical anthropology. I really love them, as everyone else loves their subject (why would we put ourselves through this if we didnt?!)

If I could go back and do everything again, I would go way back to ~15 years old and start all the requirements to do medicine, more specifically surgery or pathology. I dont know if I would actually be capable of it but thats not the point of this right?

Or, like UnlikelyGrad, I would go for astronaut, that would be fun.

[Lantern]

I am applying to Master's programs in marine fisheries, and if I had to choose a career in which I had to "go to school" in the traditional sense, there is nothing I would rather do. However, if I could start all over again, I would move to Argentina and (at least try to) be a professional Tango Dancer. Then I would have volunteered/done marine fisheries as a hobby. As my situation is, I will hopefully get into grad school, and then I will dance Tango on the side just for fun!

[jlee306]

I am applying to Master's programs in marine fisheries, and if I had to choose a career in which I had to "go to school" in the traditional sense, there is nothing I would rather do. However, if I could start all over again, I would move to Argentina and (at least try to) be a professional Tango Dancer. Then I would have volunteered/done marine fisheries as a hobby. As my situation is, I will hopefully get into grad school, and then I will dance Tango on the side just for fun!

OMG, that sounds like so much fun. I have always wanted to take Rumba lessons in Cuba.

[Victorianna]

I am applying for a PhD in History. I love history, but if I had to choose another discipline I would have to say philosophy and mathematics focusing on logic. It is such a beautifully simplistic language.

Also, I am a US historian. I have studied Chinese history, but I wish that I had had more time as an undergraduate to study it.

[ScreamingHairyArmadillo]

I came into college thinking I'd go into the history of science, which I would still love. However, I decided I like to do the science itself. Maybe one day I can be a Stephen Jay Gould type.

[JerryLandis]

I'm a history major (medieval). If I were choosing my parallel universe area of study, I would probably want to be a Language student, learning loads of cool languages. Granted, I will probably have to do that anyway as a history student, but it would be nice to learn languages with a more comprehensive approach than just translating specific old texts.

Specifically, two areas have always interested me, and when I was younger I thought I would end up studying at least one of them closely. One is folk music - I'd love to learn more about late medieval folk music, and also popular American music of the 19th and early 20th centuries, but it just isn't relevant to the history I do so it must remain an armchair interest. Also, I'm very interested in the history of natural hallucinogens and their traditional uses and folkloric significance. Haven't really pursued that interest so much because I'm afraid people will just think I'm trying to find out about legal highs or whatever. I like to tell myself that one day, when I've written thousands of wonderful books and am praised as a gloriously eminent professor, tenure and all that, I can devote myself to these more frivolous topics.

[Roll Right]

I wouldn't change a damn thing, I'm meant to do this.

[liszt85]

Doing a PhD in Cognitive Psychology, did a masters in Physics.

If I started all over again, I'd probably do a music major with minors in the above and then go ahead and do all that's necessary to be an active performing musician who is also a scientist (doing music cognition research). Right now, I'm headed to doing music cognition research but I probably will never be a good active performing musician (I've had my share of stage performances, including paid invited performances in my country but I'm not good enough and don't possess enough training to continue doing that elsewhere in a more demanding genre (eg: jazz which I love very much) than what I've been doing (rock). My training though has been in classical music (about 8 yrs of piano), I'd have loved to go to school to do jazz piano and trumpet).

[Pamphilia]

Doing a PhD in Cognitive Psychology, did a masters in Physics.

If I started all over again, I'd probably do a music major with minors in the above and then go ahead and do all that's necessary to be an active performing musician who is also a scientist (doing music cognition research). Right now, I'm headed to doing music cognition research but I probably will never be a good active performing musician (I've had my share of stage performances, including paid invited performances in my country but I'm not good enough and don't possess enough training to continue doing that elsewhere in a more demanding genre (eg: jazz which I love very much) than what I've been doing (rock). My training though has been in classical music (about 8 yrs of piano), I'd have loved to go to school to do jazz piano and trumpet).

Right on, dude. Have you been reading about the work that David Teie's been doing on congnition and emotional response to music?

[rising_star]

I like both the original and UnlikelyGrad's questions so here goes.

If I could start all over, I wouldn't let a stupid academic advisor mislead me and major in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology with the goal of becoming a marine biologist working with marine mammals. Or, I would have gone with the religion major or minor and would currently be working on a dissertation on how the Super Bowl gets incorporated into American religious life and practice (btw, feel free to scoop this idea and hire me as a RA).

Three careers:

marine biologist

theater administrator

United Nations ambassador

[t_ruth]

My particular path has led me to my choice of PhD, so I'm not sure what I would ideally study. I do know that if I had to do it again, I would leave myself with more options to perhaps choose a different path. I would have stayed at my (rigorous) high school, stayed in college for all four years and would have done some social science degree with an teaching certificate and a premed track (with high sciences and maths) so then I could go on to graduate school in just about anything. Maybe I would even take five years in undergrad to really explore...

[Dr._Robotnik's_Shadow]

I don't know. I'm not sure if I would do it differently. I love what I study (filmmaking and film theory) so I think I chose the right path. Some other things I'm interested in are interior design, linguistics, pyschology, dance, higher education administration, art history, kinesiology, astronomy, performance theory, creative writing, photography, studio art. I don't think I like any of these things enough to major in it though except for dance but I feel like I can do what I want with dance with out the degree.

[brouhaha]

I'm doing political science right now but if I had to start over and do something new, it would absolutely without a doubt be vertebrate paleontology. I love it probably as much as I do international politics.

[Hatem]

I wouldn't change a damn thing, I'm meant to do this.

me either.

[psycholinguist]

I'm thrilled with linguistics; it's such a great match for me. The only part I'd've done differently was get enough lab-experience in psychology to realise a little earlier that I didn't want to be sidetracked by that field. As it stands, I did a semester as a psychology graduate-student only to discover that I didn't really like it much and linguistics was perfect for me.

Music could have been an alternate career for me, but I never wanted to be forced to do it (either for assignments or for money), so maybe not.

[fsmn36]

I have so many interests, it's hard to say. Can I just be an eternal student? Not to mention, I sort of already did this; I started college as a theatre/dance major and am now in grad school for international relations (plus, I got a business degree in there too).

But I've actually been thinking about this recently and I gotta say, I'd probably go for philosophy. I've been reading philosophical texts since I was 10 or so and I minored in it in college and they were my favorite classes. I've also realized I am more a political thought academic than political scientist. Considering that's pretty much gone out of style, though, I'd say I made a better choice.lol