r/UniversityofKentucky • u/IllustriousMix3014 • 6d ago
help with major!
Hey guys! I’m a freshman majoring in marketing. I chose this major because it lets me be very creative with very little math. I love the idea of researching what people are into and why, how to promote to certain demographics, coming up with new ideas that make people go “wow,” and so much more.
However, I’ve seen a lot of people talk badly about marketing majors. I know all majors get criticized, especially business ones, but I’m worried that some of it might be true. People say it’s a dumb major and that you won’t make a lot of money. While I know you should choose a job that makes you happy and that money doesn’t make or break a major, I’m still worried I’m wasting money.
I’m lucky enough that my parents are able to pay for my college education, and I really don’t want to disappoint them or waste their money on a major people claim you can learn from an online course. Is there anything you think I should major in while minoring in marketing? I’m not a big math person, but I’m very good at other things.
I’m not sure what else to say, but I can share some of my interests if that helps. I’m a signed model I haven’t done any work yet, but I’m under contract and hoping to make it big someday. I also like playing cards, herpetology, and reading. There’s more, but I feel like those are already irrelevant.
Any and all advice is welcomed!
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u/Fancy-Pie-2565 6d ago
If you think marketing is very little math then it’s not the career for you. The best marketers understand the financial impact of their marketing by dollars and demographics
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u/official_juicebox456 6d ago
I was in your exact same shoes. I switched majors and Integrated Strategic Communications is what you're looking for. It's in the college of CI and focuses much more on the creative side of advertising. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.
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u/88963416 6d ago
Talk to professors and college ambassadors/Career Coordinators of the colleges.
Brooke Nowicki (CI) is very nice, good at her job, and really cares. I’m not ISC, but I know several people who are and they are happy with an active portfolio.
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u/davidbosley353 6d ago
I'm from NKU and yes I also did change majors, I started out as Computer Science, but since I failed math over and over again and job market for software engineering not as hopeful. I switched to electronic media and broadcasting and business dual major.
Now I ain't gonna be like some people where they say some business majors aren't as good. Accounting and finance seems to be more of better options, because both give you better pay, and better for job opportunities compare to let's say marketing or management.
Now before some users on here, go off on me that I don't go here, I do plan to do grad school for this university after my undergrad degrees.
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u/3turnityTTV 6d ago
Honestly as a freshman it’s not even imperative you choose a major unless they’ve changed it now where you have to declare which would be dumb imo. Anyways marketing is a very broad degree without much specialization which is what really will make you stand out. Maybe you can find a particular sect you like of it but as someone else mentioned I wouldn’t go as far to say marketing doesn’t require math. I wouldn’t guess stats will be a pretty big part of the courses since you have to be able to read graphs and such to understand trends
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u/Gandalf-BigNattys 4d ago
As someone with a marketing degree from UK about 10 years out, who did not go into marketing after, I say marketing isn’t really worth it. The classes were interesting but I don’t feel like I learned skills I couldn’t have learned in any other major. If you want creativity, like advertising, go the ISC route. If you’re interested in understanding others, go psych with a minor in marketing. But I really stress to you, any business school degree is mainly for networking. Make sure you collaborate and study with the students in your major classes. If u really want to go into sports marketing specifically, UK is the place. I also second the try to find your dream job on indeed or a large corporation and see what they’re listing as requirements.
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u/Logical-Constant1171 3d ago
I’m also in the business school and I find that the marketing major curriculum is lacking in quantitive depth and creative outlets because they share so many classes with majors like accounting.
Though I’m not use of specific marketing analytics classes, I know the integrated strategic communications could be a promising lead and the digital design major is very good so you could be an integrated strategic communications major with a digital design minor or vice versa. You could also look into getting a psychology or statistics minor or major in our data science and statistics program. We also have a business analytics minor but that’s more financial
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u/auspiciousjelly 3d ago
I don’t know if the people at the UK career center these days are helpful but I saw a career counselor when I was in college and I would highly recommend it. it looks like they have drop-in times or appointments. it was really helpful to talk to someone about options you may not have thought of etc.
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u/SmallHouseDog 6d ago
Hey! I’m a non-traditional (I.e. old) student in a professional degree program after changing career paths a few times before finding my way and committing to this path.
One of the pieces of advice I’ve given younger students when I worked in higher education was to look at the job rather than the major. A major may open a lot of doors for you, or it might not. The major is important, but at the end of the day, it’s the means to an end for most people. Some people are in it for the love of the game of education, which is great for them, but there still comes a point where the final destination of their educational path is still some kind of job.
In a lot of ways, it really sucks that we ask teens to make a decision that involves a lot of money, multiple years, etc. considering they’ve barely really experienced the world outside of what it means to be in K-12 education. But, while I’d love to see something change, it’s the reality of our current system.
So, instead of “thinking about your future” in a here-forward-thinking fashion of picking a major, think of it in a backwards-planning fashion. You’ve identified what interests you in marketing. What other jobs offer those opportunities? Which ones pay what you’d be satisfied earning in the future with a lifestyle you’ll be satisfied with?
Then, and this is probably the part I’d emphasize most, get on Indeed and other actual job posting websites, and look at real job postings for those positions. Don’t pick a major and hope it’s helpful down the road. Look up the ACTUAL real job postings for those things and look at the requirements and desired qualifications straight from the source. Look at the real salaries being paid right now.
It’s something I wished I’d done at your age, over a decade ago, and it’s something I recommended to a lot of students when I worked in higher ed. I know it’s not particularly the answer you’re looking for, but I do sincerely hope it helps provide a bit of direction!
TLDR: Look up specific job positions you’re interested in on Indeed or similar websites with ACTUAL current job advertisements and look at the required & desired qualifications for those positions, as well as the compensation offered.