I’m a junior about to enter my senior year and graduate with a degree in Information Technology and a minor in Environmental Business and Economics. I didn’t know what I really wanted to do my first few years of college so I picked a major that would look good on a resume and my minor was what actually interested me. However, I’m here going to start my senior year, realizing I don’t want to work for some company in the IT department. I want to do something productive and meaningful, perhaps research or something of the like, (I’m starting a research position in the fall to see if this is something I’d enjoy). I have strong interests in economics, agriculture, the environment, and spatial data analysis. If I were to narrow it down to actual majors and I could do it over, I would have made my minor my major and done a second major perhaps in microbiology or food science. I’m not sure if I should change my major now and stay longer to complete a degree that satisfies me, or should I look into graduate programs that interest me? Should I do neither because I don’t have a particular field I want right now? I’m afraid if I head straight into the workforce I’ll never go back to school or won’t have time to go back. I’m open to going to school and working, I’m just really lost at to what steps I should take next.
There is so much going on in agriculture right now that could use all of the things you have! Go read this blog on disruptive technologies in agriculture: https://■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■/pulse/disruptive-digital-technologies-power-transform-aidan-connolly-7k-
Look up the companies in the blog that are doing things that you are interested in. Do some research. PM me if you want some more ideas of companies to look at. IT + Ag is a hopping sector, and there are lots of opportunities.
Whatever else, though, do not go straight into a grad program without being really sure what you want from it. It’s likely to be a waste of time and money.
The thing is you, you don’t have to work in exactly the field you majored in, and in fact many many people do not. You could take a major in IT with your minor and end up working in research or something else that isn’t IT specifically. So no, you don’t have to extend your time to degree, and you don’t have to go into a graduate program. I agree with @collegemom3717 in that the worst thing you can do is run straight into a graduate program without being sure of what you want to do or having selected a field or a career.
My students used to tell me this all the time when I advised them to take a year or more off between college and grad school. I always responded that if they were content enough with their careers that they felt like they didn’t need to return to graduate school, that was a good thing. The goal of graduate school is to get you into a satisfying, fulfilling career that you like. If you can do that without getting a graduate degree, then you’ve done well and don’t need to spend the time and money!
Lots of people go back to graduate programs after working for a few years, and many people do master’s degrees part-time while they work. If you really want the degree, you will make the time a bit later.