Thinking outside the box: Unusual majors at USU
Most kids grow up hoping to be the typical artist, engineer, doctor or teacher. But what about the kids that grow up wanting to be a dairy herdsman, agricultural communicator, folklorist or simply want to make up their own major? Well, there’s a place for them at USU.
Besides offering most of the typical majors, USU also offers many unique programs for students that think outside the box.
One of these unusual programs is the dairy herdsman program. Justin Jensen, director of the program, said he and other instructors teach students all about cows in two semesters.
Jensen said the program is completed in one year, and students spend two-thirds of the time in class and about one-third the time on a farm. Students take classes like artificial insemination and reproduction, dairy cattle nutrition and feeding, dairy genetics and lactation and milking systems.
According to the USU General Catalog, “Students who complete the dairy herdsman program will have a good working knowledge of how to care for and make decisions about various dairy animals and will understand and be able to use various types of equipment.”
Jensen said by completing the program, students who want to work on dairy farms will have better opportunities for advancement and higher salary.
“Students can go from hourly wage-type employees to skilled, full-time and usually salary employees,” Jensen said. “A lot of times they’ll have supervising responsibility on the farm.”
Another less common major offered at USU is agricultural communication and journalism. According to the General Catalog, this degree combines classes in journalism and agriculture to teach students how to communicate about the importance of the food and fiber industry.
Taylor Adams, sophomore in agricultural communications with an emphasis in public relations, said she chose this major because she has always been involved in agriculture. She said she thinks agricultural communications is important because it helps people become more aware of the effect agriculture has on their lives.
“Agricultural communications is bridging a gap between people who don’t know about agriculture and those who do. There are so many people who don’t know about agriculture and where their food comes from,” Adams said.
Adams said agricultural communication is a new idea and a program that is not offered at many universities. She said it has been cool to come to USU and realize there are other people who have a similar interest in agricultural communication.
Adams said she hasn’t decided exactly what she would like to do once she graduates, but said there are many options.
“I really could go into any industry in health and agriculture,” Adams said. “I could also go into a public relations firm. There is a firm out of California just specifically for agricultural PR that just work for certain agricultural places.”
Another unique program offered at USU is the folklore undergraduate minor within the English department. Some students may find this almost laughable, but Steve Siporin, director of the program, said folklore is something that effects everyone every day.
“Folklore is the study of everyday life, all the expressions and all the knowledge and skills that we have and learn informally,” Siporin said. “It’s a really broad subject although it has kind of a small place in the academic world. To study folklore makes you a better citizen of the world.”
Siporin said students interested in minoring in folklore are required to take 18 credits in classes like introduction to folklore, folk narrative, survey of American folklore and anthropology of religion. Siporin estimated there are about 30 students currently minoring in folklore.
Misty Woodbury, sophomore in nursing, is currently enrolled in introduction to folklore and said she has thoroughly enjoyed the class.
“Folklore has opened my eyes to all the different cultures, traditions, beliefs and stories of the people that surround me every day,” she said. “I would definitely recommend the class. It is very entertaining and I also learn a lot.”
Siporin said a minor in folklore typically doesn’t necessarily lead to a specific job, but it helps make students more aware of their own culture and the culture and customs of others. Siporin said folklore is becoming increasingly more important as technology and communication continues to decrease the distance between people and cultures.
“A couple of generations ago an American may not run into someone from another culture unless you go to war. Today, you may find out a relative is marrying someone from another culture, race, religion or country. You can’t afford to not understand each other’s backgrounds,” he said.
Although USU does not offer a major, Siporin said students who receive degrees in folklore can work in a variety of places. He said fewer than 50 percent end up teaching folklore full time, and others work anywhere from historical societies to radio programs to developing public policy in government.
Finally, if students are interested in a degree not offered at USU or can’t decide between several majors, they can “make up” their own program by majoring in interdisciplinary studies.
According to the USU General Catalog, this program allows students to mix classes from several departments or programs to create their own individualized academic program.
Students work with an adviser from one of the five colleges, Agriculture; Education and Human Services; Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences; Natural Resources and Science, to create a program that meets their needs.
Lisa Allen, staff assistant and advisor in the College of Agriculture, advises students in interdisciplinary studies that have a connection to agriculture.
“Students usually choose disciplines, like nutrition and psychology for example, take 15 credits in each plus bridging courses that tie the two together. They also have to meet regular breadth/depth requirements, have at least 45 credits in the major and complete a capstone senior thesis project,” she said.
Allen said interdisciplinary studies is a great choice for students that have an interest in several different areas and have a hard time narrowing the choice down to a single major.
“It’s a good program and there are a lot of kids that graduate in it,” Allen said.
–karlie.brand@aggiemail.usu.edu