You’ll Never Guess the Fastest-Growing Majors at the College of Charleston

What do marketing, exercise science, arts administration, finance and public health have in common? Would you believe that these are the five fastest growing majors at the College of Charleston?

True. Enrollment in each of these programs is up significantly over the previous year. In the case of marketing, it’s up 155 percent, and that program has only been offered since 2013. And finance, which has been in existence here for just two years, has seen a 118-percent increase.

Clearly, some of the College’s newest majors are attracting strong interest. And that shouldn’t be surprising. It’s always been important for this institution’s curriculum to remain relevant to society’s evolving needs.

EXPLORE: Check out all of our majors and minors.

“The College of Charleston is committed to the timeless and enduring value of the liberal arts,” explained Brian McGee, Interim Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs. “That commitment is part of the wonderful heritage of our historic institution.

“Not surprisingly, however, as student interests shift and as new employment trends emerge, the distribution of students among our academic majors will change over time. These five undergraduate majors include some of our newer programs, or programs that have been significantly revised in recent years. I am proud that we can provide such a rigorous and relevant array of academic programs for our students.”

WATCH: A finance major excels at IBM.

Regarding relevance, the marketing major is a case in point. It’s not the College’s fastest growing major by accident. According to a forecast from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of marketing specialists and marketing research analysts will increase more than 30 percent by the year 2022.

To prepare students for careers in this field, the College requires marketing majors to take courses in marketing concepts, marketing research, consumer behavior, international marketing and marketing management. That slate may imply specialization, but the background these students obtain is purposely broad and it will enable them to apply their skills and knowledge across a wide array of fields.

The same can be said for each of the other fastest growing majors. Graduates in public health go on to work in education, private practice, the nonprofit sector and government (as well as other realms) and those in arts management produce, perform, curate, administer, fundraise and teach. And finance and exercise science majors are just as likely to end up in private industry as in the public sector.

WATCH: Professor explains why exercise science is growing so quickly.

According to Interim Provost McGee, this kind of wide ranging placement for graduates shouldn’t be surprising either. “The size of our faculty and the diversity of the options available to our students differentiate us from many other liberal arts colleges.” And that, he adds, is the College of Charleston advantage.

Get more information about the many opportunities available at the College of Charleston here.