Fastest Growing & Shrinking College Majors (Graph)

[Wahoo Redux]

I cannot vouch for the accuracy.  Just thought it was news worthy.

https://digg.com/data-viz/link/growing-shrinking-college-subjects-degrees-BOHlaaOgPA

[Parasaurolophus]

The decline in education majors is not surprising, but it seems like a bad thing.

The growth of "parks, recreation, leisure, and kinesiology" seems inexplicable to me. By the by, are these at all serious, or are they basically bird majors?

[mamselle]

'Kines' is used by dance majors--usually 1-2 courses are required for dance education and pedagogy programs, and most upper-end modern dance departments--and sports medicine departments require it, as well as a functional anatomy course, for familiarity with body mechanics, injury prevention, insights into first-aid field care, etc.

Some choose to go into it for its own sake; founders like Lulu Sweigard ("Body Movement Potential") at Julliard, Irmgard Bartinieff, and others did research in the 1940s-50s that grounded the work, with more specific studies since.

Leisure studies is actually a very serious theological/philosophical intersection of ideas stemming from discussions about the purpose of time and the life of created beings, on the one hand, and pragmatism and human development on the other. I know two folks who teach in this area and neither are intellectual slouches.

Parks and recreation studies intersect with environmental studies, climate change, interpretive methodologies, and outdoors education systems. Psychology, site planning, programming, health and safety, and knowledge of the earlier literature by writers like Carson, Leopold, etc., as well as more recent commentators, inform public education studies and leadership in local project planning. Those folks, too, cover a number of areas of study well and with attention to the interfaces and their significance.

As always, they can indeed be watered down, but when taken seriously they're valid, useful pursuits.

M.

[Hibush]

The decline in education majors is not surprising, but it seems like a bad thing.

The growth of "parks, recreation, leisure, and kinesiology" seems inexplicable to me. By the by, are these at all serious, or are they basically bird majors?

In addition to Mamselle's example, at some schools, kinesiology is the PE major. It can be ideal for the often-mentioned situation where the students' main purpose in college is to continue their high-school athletic career. Graduates can have a real shot at working as a PE teacher or coach, which would make it attractive to the career-aware student-athlete.

[mythbuster]

Kinesiology is often the personal training route, and the major of choice for those interested in physical, occupational therapy etc. but don't want to go the hard core biology route. Given the huge shortages in teachers nationally, the decline in ed programs is really notable. No need for an ed degree to get a teaching job right now in many states.

I find in encouraging that math and stats are on the growth end, and not just buried in logistics or other more business oriented programs.

[Anon1787]

The education major is an abomination, so the decline is welcome. The declines in history and language aren't surprising but sad nonetheless. 

[kaysixteen]

What exactly does one with a leisure studies major expect to do, employment-wise?

[jimbogumbo]

What exactly does one with a leisure studies major expect to do, employment-wise?

Many work in things like Y's, or in senior centers.

[Wahoo Redux]

Someone on Reddit posted the full government data:

https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/SummaryTables/report/360?templateId=3600&year=2021&expand_by=0&tt=aggregate&instType=1

[mamselle]

What exactly does one with a leisure studies major expect to do, employment-wise?

Many work in things like Y's, or in senior centers.

There are also theological positions that examine it in its wider scope, as well--many are focused on Heschel's work, "The Sabbath."

   https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-hothem-51a31116
      (now emeritus)

...and

   https://www.gordonconwell.edu/gci/the-ockenga-institute/ 
     (second entry down)

...or use its findings to undergird a wider viewpoint:

   https://www.bu.edu/sth/profile/claire-e-wolfteich/

...as well as those who do analytical research and writing on the topic:

   https://trace.tennessee.edu/jcskls/

M.

[mythbuster]

Leisure studies is all about organizing activities. Places such as senior centers, retirement communities, cruise ships, rec centers, camps and daycares all likely have an activity director, who might have a degree in leisure studies.

[mamselle]

This is where the differences between a job and a career appear.

Both are possible:

Leisure studies is all about organizing activities. Places such as senior centers, retirement communities, cruise ships, rec centers, camps and daycares all likely have an activity director, who might have a degree in leisure studies.

...is the job-like side of this.

Nothing wrong with it.

But it is truly undergirded by the deeper side of thinking about time and life's content:

   https://cbfa-jbib.org/index.php/jbib/article/view/113

As Herschel pointed out, to create sabbath-time (source of the word, "sabbatical," in fact) is to enter into something set apart, holy.

   https://hebrewcollege.edu/blog/heschels-vision-of-the-sabbath-a-contemporary-challenge/

It is part of many cultures, whether contained within their religious or secular dimensions.

It's not just sports on a cruise ship--

(although those might be a part of it)...

M.

[artalot]

At my uni kinesiology is often pursued by those who can't pass the nursing courses. They have a lot of the same early classes in common and same gen ed requirements, so it's a good alternative. There are some athletes in it, though many of our athletes pursue marketing. My experience is that kinesiology students sometimes struggle with traditional schoolwork, but they tend to have higher social intelligence and are better at group work than my engineers, who tend to do well on exams, but sometimes just sit like lumps on a log when I put them in groups. So, different kinds of intelligence, I would argue.
That said, I'm not sure why you need a major in leisure studies, or why you even need a college degree to arrange social events at retirement centers and camps. This seems like one where a 2-year degree would be more than adequate.

[Kron3007]

I find it ironic that some here are questioning the seriousness of rec, leisure and kinesiology.  Isn't this the exact same attitude many of you fight regarding your own studies in History, Literature, etc?  The reality is that these fields of study have a lot more direct job opportunities than most humanity majors, but that's not really the main point.  Some people study sustainable tourism, global trends and patterns, etc.   All things that seem pretty reasonable to me.

I dont have a horse in this race, just find some of the attitudes in this thread a little odd. 

[Wahoo Redux]

I find it ironic that some here are questioning the seriousness of rec, leisure and kinesiology.  Isn't this the exact same attitude many of you fight regarding your own studies in History, Literature, etc?  The reality is that these fields of study have a lot more direct job opportunities than most humanity majors, but that's not really the main point.  Some people study sustainable tourism, global trends and patterns, etc.   All things that seem pretty reasonable to me.

I dont have a horse in this race, just find some of the attitudes in this thread a little odd.

All disciplines should be accepted and respected in the university.

But I'm weird that way.