Few university students know exactly what they want to do for their careers, and that’s okay. For most young people seeking higher education, the first couple years of college are a time for exploration, when they can sample different paths through coursework to better understand their passions and talents. However, sometime in the sophomore or junior year, students should start settling into an academic track to finish their studies on time. That means students who want some flexibility with their future careers should choose something that applies to a broad range of fields.
Fortunately, there are more than a few flexible fields of study in college that can take students in many lucrative and fulfilling directions. Here are some of the best widely applicable fields and what they’ll do for future careers.
English
English is perhaps one of the most denigrated degrees across universities — if you already speak the language, why do you need to study it? But the truth is that English degree programs provide a wealth of skills that are widely applicable and difficult to attain in other more specialized fields of study. Typically, an English program includes reading and analyzing text, writing critically and creatively and participating in elevated discourse. Far from useless, a major in English equips students with fundamental skills in critical thinking and communication, which are imperative for any career.
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the human mind, and no matter what career you pursue, you will be dealing with people (working with different personalities, motivating colleagues, working in teams, etc.). Psychology is a massive field, and since it is a relatively new one, it promises all sorts of exciting insights and opportunities to advance. If you find that you are fascinated by psychology itself, you can pursue a master’s in psychology online, where you can prepare for clinical or research positions. Then again, you can apply your knowledge of psychology to nearly any career to manage tricky situations, create balance in your office and generally get ahead.
Communications
Communications studies distill lessons from a variety of fields to facilitate communication across different formats and settings. Like psychology and English, communication is a fundamental human activity integral to every job, so having a background in communications can benefit you no matter where your career goes. Many communications programs focus on business-related communication, such as presentations, memos and digital messaging, making communications an excellent first step in a business career. Careers in journalism and media increasingly kick off with communications as well.
Statistics
The beauty of math is that it’s universal — it’s the same in every language, field of study, or career. Statistics is one of the most practical mathematical degrees because it teaches you about working with data, an increasingly important skill in today’s digital, data-filled 
world. Experience with statistics will prime you for a bevy of technical and well-paying fields, which include business analytics, data science, engineering and most research areas. Plus, any math experience is valuable in your personal life, as well, for when you need to balance budgets, make sound investments and more.
Classics
Like English, classics studies are sometimes deemed frivolous, but the truth is that you can learn as much from Classical Greek and Roman literature as you can from contemporary media. In pursuing this field of study, you’ll acquire greater research and analysis skills because classics often requires some degree of translation and analysis. Plus, classics submerge you in a vastly different culture, which can be useful for a more global career path. Often, students who study classics move onto higher education in museum and library sciences or education as well as careers in publishing or government.
Computer Science
It should hardly be surprising that computers have become integral tools in modern society, and it’s only likely that their significance will grow into the future. Unfortunately, too many computer users have absolutely no understanding of how computers work, either in terms of hardware or software. Thus, a computer science degree will continue to be exceedingly valuable. In computer science, you gain an overall understanding of the technology, from how the physical components function to theories and practices in programming and software design. Coding allows you to create or manage software applications that any organization relies on to function. Computer scientists can do almost anything within the tech field, but they can also apply their knowledge to other fields because computers are so widespread.
If you still aren’t certain what you want to do or be, you don’t have to stress about committing to a specialization in your undergrad. By gaining widely applicable skills in the above fields of study, you will prepare yourself for whatever career you ultimately choose.
