Worried About Degree

[Confucian Mormon Buddhist]

I'm about on the verge of a nervous breakdown over my major. I chose Economics because it was what I was good at and interested in at the time, and I chose my state's top engineering college because it was close and I got enough scholarships and discounts there to cover all my tuition.

The problem is that I'm really worried this place is just bad for my major. Now, I'm about ready to start my third year. I accidentally minored in History so I decided to go ahead and make it a double major, and I'm an Honors student, which means I have to take, like, three filler classes on top of that. I want to be a professor of Economics, but it seems like my school hasn't given me any adequate preparation for grad school. There's no Senior Seminar/Capstone here, and most of the classes are theory, not quantitative. What's more, Vanderbilt (my ideal school for a doctorate) needs a bunch of high-level math courses! Like, a full year of calculus, at least some (not sure how much) linear algebra, differential equations, and real analysis.

It's like I had this huge head start (came in a year ahead), nearly finished up with a way to enjoy my last two years studying what I really love, and then I suddenly find out that I basically need the equivalent of one or two extra minors just for my degree to be marketable.

 

[Jumi]

Is it possible for you to take those math courses? I don't know how things work in your college, but it sounds like an engineering college should have those courses covered if you can freely choose them. They might be tailored toward engineers so you should try to check that you're understanding all that you should for econ.

 

[The Holy Bottom Burp]

Professor of Economics is a very specific, and doubtless a very narrow career ambition, but you want a career in academia alone? No actual experience of business/industry etc.? Mate, you have set the bar high!
Your anxiety takes me back to my student days, when I'd get some bleak and pessimistic thoughts usually before final exams. It is hard not to obsess when it is everything you have worked for, but try not to let it consume you. Discuss your plans with a trusted senior lecturer or head of department, they may be able to point you in the right direction and allay your fears. As for a 'marketable' degree, if it is a life in academia you seek then sure, the letters after your name is important, but not everything, you need good communication skills if you want to be an educator for example. Generally speaking, a degree of any flavour makes you more marketable to potential employers, I wouldn't hang my hat on "Professor of Economics or bust", it sounds like you are putting yourself under a lot of pressure in pursuit of a career that only a handful of people make a living out of.
The world is full of options for you, bear that in mind, you are in a much more advantageous place than the average Joe.

 

[Confucian Mormon Buddhist]

Professor of Economics is a very specific, and doubtless a very narrow career ambition, but you want a career in academia alone? No actual experience of business/industry etc.? Mate, you have set the bar high!
Your anxiety takes me back to my student days, when I'd get some bleak and pessimistic thoughts usually before final exams. It is hard not to obsess when it is everything you have worked for, but try not to let it consume you. Discuss your plans with a trusted senior lecturer or head of department, they may be able to point you in the right direction and allay your fears. As for a 'marketable' degree, if it is a life in academia you seek then sure, the letters after your name is important, but not everything, you need good communication skills if you want to be an educator for example. Generally speaking, a degree of any flavour makes you more marketable to potential employers, I wouldn't hang my hat on "Professor of Economics or bust", it sounds like you are putting yourself under a lot of pressure in pursuit of a career that only a handful of people make a living out of.
The world is full of options for you, bear that in mind, you are in a much more advantageous place than the average Joe.

Economics is one of the few fields in academia where it's easy to find a job. It's hard, few people try it, and there's reasonable demand, so economists tend to find the work they want (much of which is as professors), though they have way less control over where they live.

 

[Confucian Mormon Buddhist]

Is it possible for you to take those math courses? I don't know how things work in your college, but it sounds like an engineering college should have those courses covered if you can freely choose them. They might be tailored toward engineers so you should try to check that you're understanding all that you should for econ.

I can take most of the courses. At the minimum I need Calculus I, Calculus II, Calculus III, Introduction to Linear Algebra, and Differential Equations. I'm not sure how far I need to go, though. My main frustration is that I wanted to graduate in four years, and it's looking like that's impossible unless I drop my History major.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I'm about on the verge of a nervous breakdown over my major. I chose Economics because it was what I was good at and interested in at the time, and I chose my state's top engineering college because it was close and I got enough scholarships and discounts there to cover all my tuition.

The problem is that I'm really worried this place is just bad for my major. Now, I'm about ready to start my third year. I accidentally minored in History so I decided to go ahead and make it a double major, and I'm an Honors student, which means I have to take, like, three filler classes on top of that. I want to be a professor of Economics, but it seems like my school hasn't given me any adequate preparation for grad school. There's no Senior Seminar/Capstone here, and most of the classes are theory, not quantitative. What's more, Vanderbilt (my ideal school for a doctorate) needs a bunch of high-level math courses! Like, a full year of calculus, at least some (not sure how much) linear algebra, differential equations, and real analysis.

It's like I had this huge head start (came in a year ahead), nearly finished up with a way to enjoy my last two years studying what I really love, and then I suddenly find out that I basically need the equivalent of one or two extra minors just for my degree to be marketable.

Maybe it's best to consult with your peers or examine people who had found themselves in a similar situation. It might provide some direction as to how to proceed.