The top three declared majors by undergraduates reflect the ever-expanding theory that resides at the University of New Mexico: Business reigns king.
According to Enrollment Management, the statistics, as of fall 2015, are as follows;
- Business Administration (BADM): 2,497 students (12.5 percent of the undergraduate population at UNM).
- Psychology: 1,611 students (8.1 percent).
- Biology: 1,591 students (8.0 percent).
Dean Craig White of the Anderson School of Business said his students see the vast opportunities present in the business world.
“A bachelor's of business administration degree provides a great deal of flexibility in providing interesting and exciting career options,” White said. “Management skills are important for success in private industry, non-profit organizations and government careers.”
A bachelor’s degree in business can make opportunities universal.
“The skills are also transferable across fields providing chances to go in new directions over time,” White said.
Anderson covers a wide spectrum of facets, he said, allowing many prospective entrepreneurs to explore a variety of avenues and gain valuable skills.
These concentrations include: accounting, finance, marketing, human resources management, entrepreneurship, information systems, data analytics, operations management and others.
“New students should consider this major if they are interested in understanding, creating and managing organizations,” White said. “An understanding of business will serve them well in whatever endeavor they choose for their career.”
Psychology is a major that intrigues everyone, according to Psychology Department Professor and Chair professor and chair Jane Ellen Smith.
“I think the broad content appeals to students initially,” Smith said. “Basically, psychology has something that interests everyone: mental health, evolution, brain and behavior, human development, cognition, learning and memory, health and cultural issues/diversity.”
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The department also houses renowned professors and faculty, she said, adding that psychology also opens career doors.
“Students later realize that psychology is a good foundation for many different types of jobs,” Smith said.
Many undergraduates decide to continue their education through graduate school and, according to Smith, psychology offers that bedrock.
But the competition is high.
“We stress research findings in our courses, and we encourage students to get involved in our research labs and to join our two-year honors program,” Smith said. “Many students have heard about how competitive our own psychology graduate program is, and so I would guess that they are drawn to the faculty who conduct research and teach as part of that program.”
Like psychology, biology is a major within the Arts & Sciences Department, offering vast concentrations and pulling in students curious about the world around them, according to Biology Department Professor and ChairWilliam T. Pockman.
“I think that Biology is a popular major because it is the logical starting point for students with wide variety of career interests,” said Pockman. “Including the health sciences, basic biological research from cellular and molecular biology to ecology and evolution, natural resources policy and management, conservation biology and many more.”
The nature of New Mexico offers much to be discovered, he said. Even on a microscopic level, the state is an enchanting and mesmerizing one.
“Many students develop an early curiosity in the natural world that blossoms when they arrive at UNM and explore biology by working with our large faculty,” said Pockman. “Our students are as diverse as the field of biology.”
Biology students are connected by their fascinations, he said.
“They are unified by their interest in learning more about the natural world to prepare them for graduate and professional school or careers in biology and related fields,” Pockman said.
Through the department, biology students also have a unique chance to utilize research labs and learn from over 40 faculty, he said.
“New students should consider the biology major if they are excited to learn more about living systems and their role in the world around us, (if they) are intrigued by the idea of learning about biological research or hope to pursue a career in a biologically related field,” Pockman said.
